When Coming Apart Puts You Back Together

Undone: When Coming Apart Puts You Back Together, as the title indicates, focuses on stripping ourselves of masks and facades, or literally becoming undone, in order to allow ourselves to be what God wants us to be. Laura Sumner Truax, pastor at Chicago's LaSalle Street Church, opens by sharing the experience when she became undone and continues with complete transparency. So often, regardless of how long someone has been a Christian, individuals have broken relationships and unfulfilled expectations, a list of "shoulds" that need to be completed in order to present the image of having life all together, hide behind a variety of masks, and fear having their true self discovered. By combining a variety of anecdotes from her own life, as well as from literature and movies, with insightful depictions from a variety of Bible characters, Truax encourages readers to remove these masks of being good and busy we use to deceive ourselves and others. She then reminds readers we do not have to earn God's love and it is okay to be ordinary rather than perfect. The first step of accepting ourselves as ordinary begins by acknowledging our reality and fears.

After laying this groundwork, Truax reminds readers to have a child-like trust that God is working for us. Each success is precipitated by a failure which urges us to begin again to love others and show God's love as a community of believers. This love begins with the small, daily choices we make to show God's love to others. Truax emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with a community of believers who will both encourage and sharpen you. Reflecting on Undone by Laura Sumner Truax, two items which stand out in my mind is her complete transparency and the skillful manner in which she interweaves a variety of Bible stories into this book. I particularly enjoyed her reminder that while we are all called to be activists, we "are not all called to meet all the needs and pray all the prayers, but we are called to meet and pray for some" (p. 189). We are all called to champion different issues and need not feel badly that we are not as passionate about some issues as other people. The larger Christian community needs and benefits from the multitude of prayers and concerns.

Undone has a great discussion guide making it ideal for use in a Sunday School class or small group for a weekly study or as a one time book club discussion. It is a book to be read slowly and to mull over the concepts rather than to gobble quickly. While the target audience seems to be college age and young professionals, any one who has ever wondered if this is all there is to life will benefit from reading this book. I hope to visit LaSalle Street Church on my next jaunt to Chicago.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from InterVarsity Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sequel is better.

Though My Heart Is Torn by Joanne Bischof
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had previously read and reviewed Be Still My Soul which I had enjoyed so I was excited to find book two in this series. Be Still My Soul was good but Though My Heart Is Torn was "I can't put this down" good. Lonnie and Gideon have developed a warm, loving marriage only to have the life they have built torn apart. They both independently work on putting their broken lives back together and yearning to follow God as best they can. Very well written! The third book in The Cadence of Grace series, My Hope is Found, will be released on October 15. Watch for a review to be posted soon.

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Needing Some Inner Happy? Read Renewed

Some time ago I received a copy of Lucille Zimmerman's recent release Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World. I was apparently very overwhelmed as it took quite a while for be to have the time to actually sit down and read this book. Once I was able to read it, I was very glad I did and I'm certain you will be too.

Lucille Zimmerman is a licensed counselor as well as a professor and sought after speaker. The wealth of her experiences comes through in her book Renewed. Her writing style is very personal, yet includes enough citations and a biblbligraphy for readers to know there is solid evidence behind her words of wisdom. While reading, I felt like Zimmerman understood the issues I and other women face but did not talk down or belittle us for dealing with them. She also avoids the dualistic debate between working moms and stay-at-home moms.

After an introduction discussing why self-care is important, Renewed delves into a different self care topic in each of the 14 chapters. While many of the types of self-care mentioned aren't new, Zimmerman reminds readers that they are important and worth the time needed to pursue them. I particularly enjoyed the examples and tips given at the end of each chapter which provide examples of how to put more of that specific type of self-care into your life. Feeling in need of a little solitude but needing some new ideas? Turn to page 79-80.

This book would be an excellent choice for a ladies' book group to read and discuss the entire book in one sitting or for a study group to read and discuss one chapter per week. A one chapter per week format would definitely encourage readers to put the strategies into practice. Counselors may find this a useful resource to have available as suggested reading for clients or as a reference for the great self-care suggestions. Recommended for women of all ages but particularly for younger women who are learning to balance multiple demands.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Quiet: Life Changing Resource

When I first picked up the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, I was hooked from the second sentence on the back cover referencing those “who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion” and thought to myself “I’m not alone in the world!” As I began reading the book, I found myself repeating this response frequently. Being a book lover, I typically abhor writing in books, but I found myself underlining and starring many important points Cain makes throughout this work. I can honestly say I loved this book and it has impacted me more than many other books I have read recently.

Cain begins by describing the temperaments of introversion and the “extroverted ideal.” While not putting down this ideal, she describes how the extroverted ideal and the culture of personality were not always seen as ideal and how society has shifted from valuing the characteristics of quieter introverts to the current emphasis on loud extroverts. For example, in today’s culture individuals who talk more are seem as leaders and are more likely to have their ideas accepted even if the idea isn’t that great. I imagine many introverts related to the examples of being passed over for jobs or promotions because they were quiet rather than loud. Cain researched Quiet very thoroughly and includes 271 endnotes. While including many examples and anecdotes, every concept is backed up by research as well.

Since receiving a copy of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain to review, I have heard references to this ground-breaking work in a variety of conference presentations and in conversation with others. Originally published in 2012 in hardback, the copy I received was published in 2013 as a paperback and includes a reader’s guide. Quiet is a book that needs to be read by teachers, leaders, professors, and anyone who interacts with others in any manner. After reading Quiet, introverts will understand themselves much better and realize they are not inferior or less of a person for being introverted. Extroverts will have a better understanding of their introverted colleagues and be better able to work with them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blogging for Books (http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Murder Past Due by Miranda James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I recently discovered the Cat in the Stacks mystery series.  I picked up book 3 first but was hooked from the first page and quickly read the others in the series.  I enjoyed the main character Charlie.  I loved how Diesel, his cat, is allowed to accompany him so many different places.  The characters are enjoyable and I love the southern charm.  A great series to read when you need something lighter that still makes you think.



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Miss Dimple Disappears by Mignon F. Ballard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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A Faith and Fiction Bible Study

Recently, I was very excited to receive a complimentary copy of Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance by Barbara Cameron the second study in A Faith and Fiction Bible Study series from Abingdon Press. This six week Bible study revolves around characters in Barbara Cameron's novel of the same name. Although reading the novel is not required to complete the study, I promptly read the novel which I enjoyed immensely. This novel is the first in Barbara Cameron’s Stitches in Time series. I had previously read Cameron’s Quilts of Lancaster County series and was pleasantly surprised to find some overlap in the characters and setting.


Her Restless Heart Bible study intertwines excerpts from the novel, scripture, and discussion questions to address the study contents. The excerpts from the novel set the stage for the concepts covered. This construct allows the topics to be addressed first in the character's life and then to apply the topic to the individual as well. For example, questions frequently follow the pattern of “Why did Mary Katherine (the main character) feel?” followed by “Have you ever felt this way?” This format allows the study to delve deeper into the participant’s emotional life although individual participants may or may not choose to be forthright in answering the questions. Scripture from throughout the Bible is utilized throughout the study. Scriptures have been chosen by topic as opposed to a straight through a biblical book study. Some scriptures are printed in the book while others must be looked up by the participant.


As mentioned previously, the Her Restless Heart study can be completed with or without reading the novel. As previously mentioned, I chose to read the novel and found it greatly enhanced my use of the study. Some questions in the study would have been difficult to answer without having read the novel as they referred to items not included in the excerpts. I read the novel straight through (I couldn’t put it down!), but I would recommend reading it chapter by chapter in conjunction with the study as well.


This study is appropriate for both new Christians and those who are a bit more seasoned. The issues of self-doubt, self-worth, and feeling loved and accepted, which nearly everyone struggles with at some time, feature prominently in the study. Counselors may find this to be an excellent study to use with an individual or group of women. As Amish fiction is quite popular with many readers, many individuals will be drawn to participate. As a six-week study, the study is short enough that it does not tie up a group for an entire semester, but is long enough to bond as a group and to really delve into the content. The study format includes a small portion to complete every day which helps group members to build good devotional habits. However, having only five portions per week allows some flexibility if participants miss a day. In addition the entire lesson is short enough that it could be completed in one or two long sessions if needed. An accompanying leader’s guide and DVD containing interviews with the author are available as well and provide an added dimension to the study.


I enjoyed using Her Restless Heart in my own study and look forward to sharing this study with other ladies in a group format. If you are looking for Bible studies for your fall programming or for something for the summer months, Her Restless Heart is perfect. I eagerly anticipate using other Bible studies which correlate to Barbara Cameron's Stitches in Time series. If you haven't read this series yet, you need to run to your local bookstore or library and get it.