You're Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be By Holley Gerth A Book Review
Normally I don't read a whole lot of self help type books. I'm more of a fiction girl. The reason for this is sometimes I become frustrated with these introspective books because I find in them a tendency to only point out the problems with only a vague gesture towards a solution. I have great hopes before I start out on my reading journey that maybe this book will change everything and I will become the perfect person I want to be with the simple steps that are about to be laid out for me. As you can tell, I am not perfect so none of those books accomplished what I hoped they would.
When I received the email offering me an opportunity to read You're Already Amazing to blog about it the title immediately peaked my interest. I quickly responded that it would be something I would be interested in but was nervous that this would be a book that would simply offer me a pep talk of all the things I have already heard. You know the ones, "God made you and loves you just the way you are." "You are fearfully and wonderfully made." I know these things in my head but it's a different thing to hold them in your heart and really believe that we are okay the way we are. I knew I had to read this book though because it seemed to line up so nicely with what I had been hoping to accomplish with this blog, an understanding of my own self worth. When I received the book I started out with some trepidation and braced myself for the first unsubstantiated claim.... that didn't come.
After reading the first chapter I was already hooked on this book. It's written in a very real and honest way that shows you that Holley herself has struggled with these same issues. She shows you she understands how and why we think the way we do and offers valid steps to change the things we would like and accept the parts of us that God placed in us for a reason (you know, the ones that just don't seem to make sense to us). It is wonderful to know we are not alone in feeling that we aren't doing enough, being enough or are perfect enough. This book was contained excellent explanations for why we as women feel, act and believe the things we do about ourselves. For me this was a good validation of not being alone in how I feel. It is encouraging to be able to identify with Holley and the other women she wrote about. It was also fantastic that she identified the different personalities, characteristics and categories we tend to fall into and how we can use those difference to work for us. In short she recognizes that we are not all cut out exactly the same but those differences what makes us who we are. She showed the strengths and struggles of each method of living that pointed out the unique ways we are gifted by God to be the blessing he would like us to be. It was amazing to see how some of these traits I have always thought of as weaknesses can be used instead as strengths to truly bless the lives around me.
The book is written in such a personal and personable manner that I truly felt I was getting to know Holley's heart and along with it Gods love for me, just the way I am.
If you are a woman and sometimes struggle with feeling like you're good enough (yep, I think that covers everyone) then I believe there is something for you in this book. I even feel that reading this book could be beneficial for some men since I know women are not the only ones that have self esteem issues. Although most of the data and information is directed at the hearts and minds of women. Husbands could also gain valid insight into the minds of their wives, if they could ever be convinced to read it. I will admit to subjecting my husband to a few passages here and there.
In response to this book I will be taking the next step that I feel God is leading me to. I have decided that I will be planning a book study in the fall. I have been blessed and changed by the response I have received from the readers of this blog, something I started for the purely selfish reason of working out in words my own issues. I am constantly surprised by the people in my life that tell me they have read and been touched by the things I've said. It's somewhat shocking to know that other people have also felt the same way as I have. This book did that for me as well. It showed me once again that there is a wound in the hearts of women that is raw and searching for healing. I believe this book helped point me to the healer and showed me the way to take steps to protect the tender flesh as it is knit together again.
I usually read books faster than I read this one but I still did not go through it slowly enough to do all the exercised and study. I needed to finish in time to review it for the blog. It will be a book that I can go back to during different phases of my life though as well as my plan for the study in the fall. The plan so far is to do one chapter every 2 weeks and really dig deeply into the text. I know that our lives can be very busy and finding time for a book like this could be difficult but it could be SO worth it! Maybe you can join me as we journey towards our amazing realizations in the fall or if you live too far away and can't join us in a physical sense I believe I will be also blogging a walk through the book to accompany the study. I would love if you would journey with us even from afar! I'll keep you posted.
I also want to send out now a thank you to everyone that has read, commented or spoke with me about this blog. It has been an excellent encouragement to me to continue the work of accepting who I have been created to be! I hope all of you can also say honestly that You're Already Amazing too, because I know it's true!
When I received the email offering me an opportunity to read You're Already Amazing to blog about it the title immediately peaked my interest. I quickly responded that it would be something I would be interested in but was nervous that this would be a book that would simply offer me a pep talk of all the things I have already heard. You know the ones, "God made you and loves you just the way you are." "You are fearfully and wonderfully made." I know these things in my head but it's a different thing to hold them in your heart and really believe that we are okay the way we are. I knew I had to read this book though because it seemed to line up so nicely with what I had been hoping to accomplish with this blog, an understanding of my own self worth. When I received the book I started out with some trepidation and braced myself for the first unsubstantiated claim.... that didn't come.
After reading the first chapter I was already hooked on this book. It's written in a very real and honest way that shows you that Holley herself has struggled with these same issues. She shows you she understands how and why we think the way we do and offers valid steps to change the things we would like and accept the parts of us that God placed in us for a reason (you know, the ones that just don't seem to make sense to us). It is wonderful to know we are not alone in feeling that we aren't doing enough, being enough or are perfect enough. This book was contained excellent explanations for why we as women feel, act and believe the things we do about ourselves. For me this was a good validation of not being alone in how I feel. It is encouraging to be able to identify with Holley and the other women she wrote about. It was also fantastic that she identified the different personalities, characteristics and categories we tend to fall into and how we can use those difference to work for us. In short she recognizes that we are not all cut out exactly the same but those differences what makes us who we are. She showed the strengths and struggles of each method of living that pointed out the unique ways we are gifted by God to be the blessing he would like us to be. It was amazing to see how some of these traits I have always thought of as weaknesses can be used instead as strengths to truly bless the lives around me.
The book is written in such a personal and personable manner that I truly felt I was getting to know Holley's heart and along with it Gods love for me, just the way I am.
If you are a woman and sometimes struggle with feeling like you're good enough (yep, I think that covers everyone) then I believe there is something for you in this book. I even feel that reading this book could be beneficial for some men since I know women are not the only ones that have self esteem issues. Although most of the data and information is directed at the hearts and minds of women. Husbands could also gain valid insight into the minds of their wives, if they could ever be convinced to read it. I will admit to subjecting my husband to a few passages here and there.
In response to this book I will be taking the next step that I feel God is leading me to. I have decided that I will be planning a book study in the fall. I have been blessed and changed by the response I have received from the readers of this blog, something I started for the purely selfish reason of working out in words my own issues. I am constantly surprised by the people in my life that tell me they have read and been touched by the things I've said. It's somewhat shocking to know that other people have also felt the same way as I have. This book did that for me as well. It showed me once again that there is a wound in the hearts of women that is raw and searching for healing. I believe this book helped point me to the healer and showed me the way to take steps to protect the tender flesh as it is knit together again.
I usually read books faster than I read this one but I still did not go through it slowly enough to do all the exercised and study. I needed to finish in time to review it for the blog. It will be a book that I can go back to during different phases of my life though as well as my plan for the study in the fall. The plan so far is to do one chapter every 2 weeks and really dig deeply into the text. I know that our lives can be very busy and finding time for a book like this could be difficult but it could be SO worth it! Maybe you can join me as we journey towards our amazing realizations in the fall or if you live too far away and can't join us in a physical sense I believe I will be also blogging a walk through the book to accompany the study. I would love if you would journey with us even from afar! I'll keep you posted.
I also want to send out now a thank you to everyone that has read, commented or spoke with me about this blog. It has been an excellent encouragement to me to continue the work of accepting who I have been created to be! I hope all of you can also say honestly that You're Already Amazing too, because I know it's true!
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