Book Review – Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole

When I began reading Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole, I had no idea what this book was about, but it didn’t take long before I realized I knew the author.

I didn’t “know” her in a personal way, but I recognized her voice, the way she writes.  I flipped to the back of the book and read all the inside pages near the flaps (the ones we all ignore), and I realized Angie Smith writes Bring The Rain, a blog I read long ago.

When my last computer crashed, I lost all  my bookmarks, and unfortunately, Bring The Rain was one of them.

Then it hit me, she wrote What Women Fear.  I read that book.  It’s sitting on my bookshelf.  I really do already “know” and love this author.

Mended makes me love her all the more.

I didn’t have to read long before God hit me over the head with something.  You see, for a while now, I’ve been thinking that we girls need to support one another.  We should be in the encouragement business, promoting our friends and their goals and ambitions.  We ought to help them see their dreams fulfilled.  You know, give them a shout-out more often than not.

We’re in this life, the good and the bad, together.  Why not be a cheerleader to those around you?

In some very small way, I have been trying to live that out, but I’ve had the nagging feeling it is not enough.

Maybe while you were reading this, several people came to mind, like women from a playgroup, work, Bible study, social interactions, or anywhere else there would be the potential for you to feel threatened in your role or insignificant in your own skin.  I firmly believe Satan gets a major foothold when he convinces us that we have people we need to keep up with, when that voice in the back of your head whispers, “That promotion should have been yours,” or “If you invite her to this event, everyone will just forget about you,” or maybe even something like “There’s room for one, and if you help her up it will leave you in the dust.”

Resonate with you?

Sometimes every little thing in life becomes a competition, and we begin viewing the women around us as our enemies instead of as our teammates.  I don’t believe there’s anywhere comparison plays a stronger role than in a woman’s life.  You may disagree, but keep your eyes and ears open.  It’s there like a low drone just below the skin.

There is no competition, ladies.  There is no little room that only a few can enter.

There are two choices, and the ironic part is that they don’t affect the other person the way they affect you.

Start right now, and do something bold.  Ask God to humble you and raise others up.  If that last sentence made you bristle, chances are the Lord desires this to be a place that is fully surrendered to Him, and we can assume that this nudge is from the Holy Spirit.  We need to hear encouragement from other sisters in the Lord, and they need to hear them from us.  We need to stop believing that these words of affirmation do anything to jeopardize our own standing.

It can be someone you respect, admire, or any other number of things, but before the sun sets on this day, reach out and tell that person that she means something to you, and make a commitment in your heart to pray that God will use her.”

This is only one teeny-tiny portion of the whole book.  For this alone, you need to read it.

Here’s what the practical outpouring of this heart stirring looks like for me in blogland.  Expect me to be your cheerleader.  I plan on commenting as much as possible, pinning everything that’s pretty or helpful, tweeting up a storm (they’ll think I’m a regular cuckoo bird), stumbling posts, and sharing them every way I know how.

I’m on your side.

I’ll pray for your success and anything else I can think of as often as I can, or remember.

I want you to do well, to be well.

We’re in this thing together.

Now, go read the book and find out what other gold nuggets are waiting inside.

*** GIVEAWAY ***

Because I liked this book so much, I am giving away my copy.

It doesn’t end there.  I am also giving away my copy of the One Thousand Gifts Devotional that I wrote about last week.

And, as a bonus and because I like to be random, one lucky reader will win a copy of The Busy Mom’s Cookbook.

*** TO ENTER ***

Leave a comment.

There will be three different winners, one for each book.

Of course I would love for you to follow me all over the internet, but you do NOT have to follow me to win a book.

If you’d like to follow, you can find me on Twitter HERE, on Facebook HERE, and on Pinterest HERE.

“May the odds be ever in your favor.”   ~Quick, name that book!

I am going to ask you nicely to please share this giveaway.  Tell your friends and use the buttons below to share it on the web.  This giveaway will be open until Monday morning.

* All quotes were taken from pages 44-46.

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Tricia Gillespie