Becoming Myself

     Stasi Eldredge has the unique and cultivated perspective of a woman who is learning to give thanks and praise to God through her sufferings and pain. It is a simple thing to thank God when everything seems to be exactly as you want it - a simple thing to praise God for the good in your life, in smooth sailing. But when the storm hits, that thanks and that praise is all too easy to forget. We turn to anger.

     We turn to blame.

     It is a simple thing to blame God. He's in control of everything, isn't he? He knows what will happen before it does - he is outside of time.

     This is all true and good. But it does not mean that he thrusts suffering upon us. And this is only one of the many issues that Stasi Eldredge covers in her book, Becoming Myself. Letting go of the blame we have for God in times of trial is one of the crucial elements of drawing closer to him, and in that closeness it is only natural for us to be more of who we were meant to be.

     The art of becoming oneself is a longer, harder, much more arduous road than one might imagine. Why is there so much that gets in the way? Why do we have to fight so hard?

These are not baseless questions. And they don't have to go without answers.

Why are you struggling with the things you do? There is a reason. It is found in the life you have lived, the wounds you have received, what you have come to believe about yourself because of them, and not having a clue how to bear your sorrow. It is also because of who you are meant to be.
It is not too late. It is not too hard. You are not too much. God's mercies are new every morning. There is mercy in his eyes even now.

-- Chapter 1: does anyone ever really change? --

     Stasi's assurances are written powerfully. Simply. Truthfully. Her voice carries the gentle tone of understanding and caring that can be hard to find even with the closest of friends, without the feeling of the figurative pat on the head and the sound of the condescending tone that is sometimes too easy to hear. She draws you in, builds you up, and hands you the strategies to stay there on a pinnacle of confidence.

     That is not to say that you will stay there. That is not to say that the hard times won't be too hard any more. But taking the time to hear what she's saying, and taking her words to heart, does make it easier to come back from those hard times. Even if it's only by a little bit.

     It is worth it. You are worth it. And that, ultimately, is what she wants you to know.

--Elise--

For more information on Stasi Eldredge's Becoming Myself visit our website here:
http://www.houseofjames.com/store/details/9780781409957

One Thousand Gifts

 

What if I opened the clenched hands wide to receive all that is? A life that receives all of God in this moment? How do you do that when terror tears up your throat and you wear the burn scars of a razed past?

Chapter 8: How will he not also?

     As Brittany will share with you, the cover of this book is not the only thing that makes it so attractive. But the cover does call to me, in a way. Which, naturally, means that I know I'm going to end up reading it one of these days. That is, once I get through all of those other books whose covers drew me to them. They say to never judge a book by its cover, but don't we do it anyways? An aesthetically pleasing cover could be the tipping point between intrigue and desire.

     And now, to Brittany:

     I recently stumbled across "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. From first glance the cover intrigued me, and as I began to flip through the first chapter, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to take in as much as I possibly could. At the same time I longed to digest it slowly, savouring each word. As I read, I stepped into her world and my heart was quieted. Words of gentle grace and a profound understanding of the gifts of God permeated each page. Ann guides her readers through her journey of discovering gratitude, and the power of truly giving thanks to God. She spoke openly of her struggles and pain, and I gained respect for her quiet wisdom. She challenges her readers to lay aside their pride, and embrace surrender to the Lord who lives and loves, who gives good gifts and hears the anguished whispers of broken hearts. Life can be hard, and souls can feel broken, but "One Thousand Gifts" guides you into the deepest truths of God's love, where his goodness overflows, and thanks is the only response your heart can make.

~Brittany Beacham

     Ann's writing style is engaging and gripping, even in the few pages that I have read. Once you start, it will be hard to stop. And if you're anything like me, that's probably exactly what you want to hear.

~Elise

For more information on Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, visit our website here: http://www.houseofjames.com/store/details/9780310321910