Thursday, March 22, 2012

Book Review ~ God Loves Broken People

"God Loves Broken People (and those who pretend they're not) by Sheila Walsh 


Publisher's Description:

The other side of brokenness

"If I could write only one book in my lifetime, I would ask God to make it this one, the very book you now hold in your hands. . . ."―Sheila Walsh

God loves broken people. And when weary, wounded men and women find a way to open their bruised hearts and somehow welcome Him into their personal darkness, they will find a love beyond anything they have ever known.

When the glass house Sheila had lived in for so many years came crashing to the ground, she began a new life outside the safety of those walls. No, it didn't feel good, nor safe―not at all. But it felt true. Sheila saw herself as a broken lamb limping after the Shepherd, not knowing where He was going, but knowing that wherever He went, she wanted to go with Him.

In twelve stirring, insightful, and deeply revealing chapters, Sheila Walsh shows how personal brokenness can open doors of intimacy with Jesus Christ that might never open in any other way.

It's not that God loves broken people more than those who imagine themselves to be whole―it's simply that they know they are loved. They dare to believe it . . . and through such trust, a new wholeness emerges from yesterday's broken pieces.


My Thoughts:


I was looking forward to reading this book by Sheila Walsh.  I've known of  her background from singer to tv host to admittance to a psychiatric ward for severe depression to speaker at Women of Faith conferences.  So I knew she would be coming from a very personal place in writing this book.  And she does write honestly about her places of brokeness and the things  that she still struggles with today.  This was however, a book I found very hard to get into and to finish.  It felt disjointed to me and I had to really focus and plug away at it.  She tends to quote a lot of other people all through out the book which I don't like because to me personally, it breaks the flow of the author's voice.  And she tells a lot of other people's stories along with her own.  I also didn't quite know what to make of the chapter comparing some grace to what she calls "Halloween" grace.  I hated that term and comparison.   In glancing back through the book to write my review, I can see however, there were a couple chapters that I did get lots out of as evidenced by the heavy doses of underlining and writing in the edges in those chapters as compared to the other ones.  But all in all, this was a book that was, for me, more of a picking up nuggets type of a read.  There is an indepth study in the back but in all honesty, I only glanced at it.

Thanks to Booksneeze for providing this book at no cost to me in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

"God Loves Broken People" is available for purchase here and here.


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3 comments:

Faith said...

well, I saw this book at the christian bookstore and wondered about it. I didn't pick it up as I've never struggled with severe depression yet I do like Sheila...i have her CD of worship songs and it is beautiful. Hmm.....maybe I'll see if our church library has it and pick it up....not sure i'd like it!! i dislike when the author quotes so many other people!! I'd rather hear from them, themselves!! thanks for the review.

nikkipolani said...

I hadn't followed Sheila Walsh's journey -- just enjoyed her music from years ago. And I appreciate your take on the flow and content of the book.

Barbara H. said...

I hadn't realized she had gone through all that. I appreciate your honest reviews.