Looky what I found

Y'all.


I honestly cannot remember the last time I was so excited about the release of a book. 

Actually, I'm pretty sure I've never been this excited about the release of a book. 

You just know a book will be special when you find great delight in reading someone's simple statement of faith.   I mean, seriously, I've read a few in my day, and although the doctrine in a person or organization's statement of faith can be beautiful - just keepin' it real here - it is rarely poetry.

After waiting for what has felt like a really really long time, it arrived a couple of weeks ago.  I was literally watching for the mailman since I had received my trusty e-mail informing of shipment.  I'm not even kidding when I tell you I was happy when it arrived.  It felt kinda like my birthday, or Christmas, or some other EXCITING TIME.

And then I let it sit there for a week or so without reading the first page.

I knew it was going to be special.  And I knew it would be a book I wouldn't want to skim through distractedly.  I also suspected I might shed a tear or six, because, well, HER BLOG!

I was not wrong.  ...nor have I been disappointed.

I made it all the way to the second paragraph before looking for my highlighter...and I forged ahead to page three before those infernal tears came. 

...and they just kept coming.  I was going to say they continued to fall until I closed the book at the end of chapter one. 

But basically I was a teary schmuck-of-a-mess all. day. long.

In chapter one of her book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, Ann shared some heartbreaking experiences, but the tears were as much from recognition as from empathy. 

Different experiences.  Same pain.

Shocking how easily my own forever-and-a-day-buried heartbreaks came popping to the surface with just a few words. 

The first chapter is hard.  Because her story begins with pain and pain is hard.  And we may not have suffered the traumatic death of a sibling, but I for one am certainly not unfamiliar with trauma.

...and even though I haven't struggled with blaming God for the hurts to my heart, the trauma in my story, I can say I have felt puzzlement at times, trying to make sense of the senseless.

I was so encouraged by her every sweet word in chapter one ...and can't wait to hear how God continued to grow her into the brave, God-appreciating mama that she is today.

I can't even get over my incredulity at how God delights to use little us to encourage and grow each other....

...but I'm so glad that a painfully shy, hurting and sad mama living on a farm in Canada was willing to let Him :)

One chapter in and I give this book an enthusiastic and thankful two thumbs up. 

Just thought you should know. 

Happy Tuesday!
Renee

p.s.  If you want some encouragement right now you can click above where I linked her statement of faith.  She just makes me want to hug God every single time I read her writing. 
I mean, Yaay for the God who created the whirling galaxies!  :)