I just had a chance to read “Stained Glass Hearts: Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective”, a new book by Patsy Clairmont which I have really enjoyed and it has touched me deeply.
The book’s product description says the following:
Much like stained glass, life's broken pieces become the prism through which God's grace shines most brightly and beautifully.
"Life is no doubt full of difficulties, but it is also filled with promise and possibility," says best-selling author and WOF speaker Patsy Clairmont. In Stained Glass Hearts Clairmont guides readers to view the difficult experiences of life through the lens of God's grace. Using art as a theme, and likening people to stained glass windows, she shares that it's when we're surrounded by darkness that His healing light shines most brightly within us. Encouraging women to step back and see life from this new perspective, Patsy offers help and hope for the dark places of life.
Along with character studies of women in Scripture, and modern-day, relatable stories, each chapter includes:
• Chalice-memorable quotes
• Mosaic-recommended music
• Spires-scriptures and readings
• Litany-sample prayers
Some of my thoughts:
We all live them. Difficult times, the ups and downs in life when we find it hard to see what side is up and what is down, or what good could ever come from it. But it from times such as these that God can take the broken pieces of our lives and make it into something wonderful, a masterpiece. As the beautiful hymn puts it so beautifully,
Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokeness and stife
But he made something beautiful of my life
Through stories and personal illustrations, Patsy Clairmont helps to remind of this, how God takes what seem like broken pieces of our shattered hopes and dreams and can make them into something beautiful – like a stained glass window!
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Fresh-Brewed Life
I’ve just been reading Nicole Johnson’s welcoming book, “Fresh Brewed Life”. With heart and soul opening thoughts and truths, it wakes us to the wonderful, beauty, joy and love in and around us. Here are a few lines that have stood out to me:
“To take pleasure in coffee and benefit from all it has to offer, it must be savored, not merely consumed.” (And may I add, so it is with life, and this is what I feel she is trying to help each of us do.)
“Because the life part is not quite as simple as the coffee part, we’ll spend the rest of the book exploring how our lives can become fresh brewed. You’re invited to begin stirring your soul to wake up the slumbering parts and throw out the two-day-old, stale stuff in the bottom of the glass carafe.”
“Fresh-Brewed Life is a journey of awakenings: to God, as we learn to respond to his compelling love for us; to ourselves, as we recognize our true identity and it illuminates us from the inside out; to others, as we relate in new and healthy ways that bring joy and peace.”
I especially enjoyed the chapter on journaling. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but always thought it was too late to start. The way it was present made it so inviting, it encouraged me to start and that it’s never too late. The chapters have questions scattered throughout as thoughts for jotting down in your journal to react and reflect on. Through journaling, we are encouraged to “ live life and not just let it pass us by, to think about life and the things going on around us”.
As a last note for those who may not be full aware, “Fresh Brewed Life” is written especially for women, from a Christian perspective.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
“To take pleasure in coffee and benefit from all it has to offer, it must be savored, not merely consumed.” (And may I add, so it is with life, and this is what I feel she is trying to help each of us do.)
“Because the life part is not quite as simple as the coffee part, we’ll spend the rest of the book exploring how our lives can become fresh brewed. You’re invited to begin stirring your soul to wake up the slumbering parts and throw out the two-day-old, stale stuff in the bottom of the glass carafe.”
“Fresh-Brewed Life is a journey of awakenings: to God, as we learn to respond to his compelling love for us; to ourselves, as we recognize our true identity and it illuminates us from the inside out; to others, as we relate in new and healthy ways that bring joy and peace.”
I especially enjoyed the chapter on journaling. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but always thought it was too late to start. The way it was present made it so inviting, it encouraged me to start and that it’s never too late. The chapters have questions scattered throughout as thoughts for jotting down in your journal to react and reflect on. Through journaling, we are encouraged to “ live life and not just let it pass us by, to think about life and the things going on around us”.
As a last note for those who may not be full aware, “Fresh Brewed Life” is written especially for women, from a Christian perspective.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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