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akmcclen85's review against another edition
Full disclosure: Alia and I are Internet friends. That being said, how do you give a star rating to your friend pouring out her soul for the whole world to see? You don’t, so I’m not going to try. All I know is that this book makes me want to drive up and give her a hug, but also to thank her for the reminder that God is glorious in all the places where we are not. He may not fix everything hard in our lives, but He is still good.
persistent_reader's review against another edition
5.0
This book is both a testimony and a challenge. In her testimony, the author has endured so much suffering in her relatively young life. Yet she did not become bitter because she realized that her weakness was the way she found that God was with her in and through her trials.
The challenge for us is to resist the culture's and Christian subculture's prosperity gospel that life is about strength and success and that if we do the all right things, we will be blessed. Alongside that challenge is accepting that God receives us in our weaknesses. After all, he is weak when we are strong.
It's a beautifully written, transparent book and exactly what I needed.
The challenge for us is to resist the culture's and Christian subculture's prosperity gospel that life is about strength and success and that if we do the all right things, we will be blessed. Alongside that challenge is accepting that God receives us in our weaknesses. After all, he is weak when we are strong.
It's a beautifully written, transparent book and exactly what I needed.
aclaybaugh's review against another edition
3.0
I’m probably in the minority with this one. I loved the craftsmanship of the writing, how things could be shared so beautifully and honestly. Alia Joy doesn’t shy away from the incredibly hard things, and I’m so thankful to see that in a Christian book for women. I know that this is meant to be a memoir/reflection on God’s work in her life, but I felt like the same ideas were repeated across the chapters and it became hard to keep reading when I felt like I had encountered similar ideas earlier on. Another Goodreads reviewer said it could become choppy, and I agree. Overall, I’m thankful to have read this.
beckylmccoy's review against another edition
This book. A giant hug for a broken heart. It's so nice to have found a kindred spirit here and so much affirmation. Suffering is not the antithesis of holiness and Alia's words do an exquisite job of comforting the hurting and broken.
aebooksandwords's review against another edition
5.0
The way Alia writes, so expressively, rhythmically, and colorfully draws you in as she shares her own life with honesty and vulnerability while also drawing from God’s goodness, truth, and faithfulness to encourage the reader who relates to the challenges of life, grief, and suffering.
It also provides an eye-opening glimpse into what it’s like to have bipolar disorder, deal with poverty and health challenges, and also what it’s like to be the child of missionary parents and the unique struggles this inserts into one’s life.
This was a five star read for me. I think I can say with confidence that if Alia writes any new books I will be first in line to buy them! This book is one of my favorites this year.
"There are no warranties for the wear and tear we encounter in our lives. Only a promise all will be made new."
(Note: SA trigger warnings for this one.)
It also provides an eye-opening glimpse into what it’s like to have bipolar disorder, deal with poverty and health challenges, and also what it’s like to be the child of missionary parents and the unique struggles this inserts into one’s life.
This was a five star read for me. I think I can say with confidence that if Alia writes any new books I will be first in line to buy them! This book is one of my favorites this year.
"There are no warranties for the wear and tear we encounter in our lives. Only a promise all will be made new."
(Note: SA trigger warnings for this one.)
so_intoreading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I liked this book.It has helped me find answers to some of the questions I have struggled to deal with as a Christian.Even though that is the case it was extremely hard for me to finish this book because it was giving memoir vibes which am not really a fan of but at the same time it was extremely hard to follow her story through….Oh and I loved the poetic side of the book with that being said …It would definitely be hard for people who have zero interest in poetry to like this book…
hannahcomer4d's review against another edition
5.0
It's hard to put this book into a short review, so I'll keep it simple.
Alia Joy offers hope without ever being cliche. She reminds us that God can be with us and we can still suffer. She encourages us to be honest with our pain and our humanity.
There are no easy answers in this book. Instead, we have a beautiful, complicated picture of suffering and the ways God uses it.
Alia Joy offers hope without ever being cliche. She reminds us that God can be with us and we can still suffer. She encourages us to be honest with our pain and our humanity.
There are no easy answers in this book. Instead, we have a beautiful, complicated picture of suffering and the ways God uses it.
megpsmit's review against another edition
4.0
I found this book to be a similar writing style to Ann Voskamp which is not my preferred writing style. I did find this book to be refreshingly honest and open in sharing Alia’s hard life story. I loved that she is willing to question God and work though her faith instead of giving up.
parchouliprentice's review against another edition
I do not feel like I can accurately rate this book.
On the one hand, it’s written very beautifully with sometimes hauntingly poetic prose. I also feel like I know the depth of the author’s soul and she would always make space for me at her table.
On the other, it reads like a series of blog posts meaning to hold a common thread, chapter by chapter, but somehow became too tangled and didn’t make its point.
On the one hand, it’s written very beautifully with sometimes hauntingly poetic prose. I also feel like I know the depth of the author’s soul and she would always make space for me at her table.
On the other, it reads like a series of blog posts meaning to hold a common thread, chapter by chapter, but somehow became too tangled and didn’t make its point.