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A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live
by
The majority of us would not necessarily define ourselves as artists. We're parents, students, businesspeople, friends. We're working hard, trying to make ends meet, and often longing for a little more--more time, more love, more security, more of a sense that there is more out there. The truth? We need not look around so much. God is within us and He wants to shine throug
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Paperback, 224 pages
Published
October 1st 2013
by Fleming H. Revell Company
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Start your review of A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live

Oct 14, 2013
Caroline Rose
added it
Two and a half years ago, I discovered www.chattingatthesky.com after a dear friend shared it was the first blog she’d ever followed. I immediately found myself at home. There author Emily P. Freeman was working through some ideas on what it meant to create art. I printed out her post, Fourteen Ways to Make Mediocre Art, and pasted it to the mini file on my desk, where I see it every day.
Emily has continued to explore this idea of being an artist on her blog. She’s written A MILLION LITTLE WAYS ...more
Emily has continued to explore this idea of being an artist on her blog. She’s written A MILLION LITTLE WAYS ...more

I would like to buy this book and highlight in it.
I read a library copy but I think it's a book to "chew on" and digest.
Looking forward to discussing this book with my cousin. ...more
I read a library copy but I think it's a book to "chew on" and digest.
Looking forward to discussing this book with my cousin. ...more

This weekend I soaked in Emily P. Freeman’s A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live.
I had eagerly signed up to review this book. However, once it arrived, I approached the content warily, thinking I’d find it filled with popular advice about how to find your voice and make it heard and rise above the crowd . . . you know, the things people who get paid for their art tell the rest of us.
But Emily’s insightful take on art encompasses all expressions of God’s beauty and incl ...more
I had eagerly signed up to review this book. However, once it arrived, I approached the content warily, thinking I’d find it filled with popular advice about how to find your voice and make it heard and rise above the crowd . . . you know, the things people who get paid for their art tell the rest of us.
But Emily’s insightful take on art encompasses all expressions of God’s beauty and incl ...more

I am sorry to give this book only two stars since the author is so honest and vulnerable and also talks about her fear of critics. I have never read anything by Freeman before, so it might be that I could like other books by her, but I didn't like this one. I often felt confused by what she was trying to say. Though I understand her concept of art - "the thing that makes us feel most alive", it was so unhelpful, confusing and wishy-washy that I had a hard time putting it into context.
There were ...more
There were ...more

I really hate giving Christian authors I respect less than five stars, but really I found this book about uncovering the art inside to be only average. If you're only going to read one book about doing the work you're meant to do, please read Steven Pressfield's The War of Art. It's one you'll return to again and again. Emily Freeman's book was aptly titled. I literally felt like I was reading the exact same sentence a million different ways. Basically, she says, "You are art and you make art, b
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I am stingy with my 5 star reviews (also a bit inconsistent, but that’s another story), but I can’t help giving A Million Little Ways five stars. This book is inspiring and encouraging and real. It takes the reader by the hand and leads her not only to the edge of the cliff where we, as creators, can jump off into the great excitement and fear that creativity brings, but also, she brings us closer to God. I appreciate the reminder of why I create and for Whom I create, along with the shot of cou
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I really wasn't expecting to love this book. I thought it would be another spiritual, fluffy "self-help" type of book. But WOW, did it SPEAK to my SOUL.
I'm in a weird season, a weird funk and my heart is a bit hard and bitter. It's tougher and tougher these days for a book to emotionally impact me because I'm in a weird place but dang, this book is currently FILLED with post it notes.
If you're in a waiting season, or you have big dreams and you don't know how to act on them, or you aren't sure ...more
I'm in a weird season, a weird funk and my heart is a bit hard and bitter. It's tougher and tougher these days for a book to emotionally impact me because I'm in a weird place but dang, this book is currently FILLED with post it notes.
If you're in a waiting season, or you have big dreams and you don't know how to act on them, or you aren't sure ...more

This book was more than I expected.... I thought it was a book about art and creativity. And it is, but it is also about being brave, trusting Jesus, and living a life only you can live (whether you consider yourself an artist or not.)
I listened to this on Hoopla, I love Emily Freeman’s voice, and it is free, so I highly recommend that. But I also ordered a copy to underline, absorb and keep because I need it to sink more deeply than I can manage while listening/driving/doing laundry etc. Highl ...more
I listened to this on Hoopla, I love Emily Freeman’s voice, and it is free, so I highly recommend that. But I also ordered a copy to underline, absorb and keep because I need it to sink more deeply than I can manage while listening/driving/doing laundry etc. Highl ...more

The old adage, "Chew the meat and spit out the bones" applies here. But the meat of this book is so delicious that I'm glad I pushed on when I disagreed. Two concepts in particular (the different ways art can be an idol, how criticism helps us) impacted me. I'll be chewing on this one a long time. So convicting, and yet so encouraging and gentle.
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I recently joined Emily Freeman's Hope*Writers community of writers and her book was added inspirational motivation to press forward in becoming the artist/writer God created me to be. I tried sharing my kindle highlights for the first time (if anyone wants to have a look and let me know what you think). "When we embrace the beauty of our design, when we recognize that he has made us to be unique expressions of himself, when we receive the gifts he has equipped us with and have the courage to po
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Books which encourage people to continue our art, especially from a Christian perspective, are always welcome on my shelf. This one by Emily Freeman has several aha moments. She talks to all kinds of artists; the type who know what they want to do but are too scared to step out, and the type who launch out, confident in their mastery of their craft, but are disappointed by results.
It begins by explaining how anything at all can be made into an art form - hence the title. Our divine image bearer ...more
It begins by explaining how anything at all can be made into an art form - hence the title. Our divine image bearer ...more

Oct 10, 2015
Charity Tinnin
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Writers, Artists, Anyone with a Dream.
Shelves:
read-non-fiction
It's not often that I devour a non-fiction book in a day, but AMLW awakens that longing inside to be fully alive, fully YOU. And so I read like a mad woman only putting it down halfway through because I couldn't take in any more information at that sitting.
I already knew what my art is -- I am a story-teller at heart. But in my current season of life with CFS, I've struggled with my inabilty to write, edit, critique, etc. Am I just supposed to wait until it IS the season to write? Will there eve ...more
I already knew what my art is -- I am a story-teller at heart. But in my current season of life with CFS, I've struggled with my inabilty to write, edit, critique, etc. Am I just supposed to wait until it IS the season to write? Will there eve ...more

If you love Ann Voskamp's writing style, you'll enjoy this book.
For me though, the writing style is too wordy to truly sweep me along.
But that's a personal preference.
As far as the message of the book, I felt it was good, necessary and would be great for anyone with CREATE as their one word. I did feel that the first part could have been shorter and the last half of the book could have gone deeper.
And another personal preference, the use of the word "art" got a bit much for me so in my mind I si ...more
For me though, the writing style is too wordy to truly sweep me along.
But that's a personal preference.
As far as the message of the book, I felt it was good, necessary and would be great for anyone with CREATE as their one word. I did feel that the first part could have been shorter and the last half of the book could have gone deeper.
And another personal preference, the use of the word "art" got a bit much for me so in my mind I si ...more

I've been waiting to read this for quite some time. But it really missed the mark. There's a disjointed undercurrent which was difficult to overcome. While the author references "the art" its unfolding was scattered and failed to pin down what she wished to convey. We're given a plethora of examples labeled "art" but the reader would have been better served by having the subject presented from a clearer perspective.
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This book is the Christian sister of Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic. They're different, of course, but have very similar themes. While I enjoyed Emily's book Simply Tuesdays more, this was still a good read for faith-filled creatives.
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This gets classified with a small group of books called "books that took me absolutely forever to read." 😊 It wasn't because I didn't like it, but because I kept overloading and needed time to digest. This is a book of great little gems that made me think. Emily has a lovely way with words and metaphors which makes it a delight to pick this book up over and over.
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I remember hearing about A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman, when it was first published several years ago, but I never read it; several weeks ago, though, my mom mentioned she had read it and was describing it to me, and, intrigued, I decided to read through it myself. Click here to read my full review.
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i started this book intending to skim it for the highlights. but by the third or so chapter, it had pulled me in, and i ended up soaking in it, thinking about it, and writing about it. so it did good things for me. it reminded me to live as a brave artist because i am made by the Artist God.
in summary: 'henry and the chalk dragon.' in prose. for grownups. ...more
in summary: 'henry and the chalk dragon.' in prose. for grownups. ...more

This is one of THE MOST INCREDIBLE BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ; Emily Freeman writes magic. :) If you are a human, you need to read this book.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

I love Freeman's blog, but the book didn't strike the right note for me. At the end of 2013, I read a small stack of books about creativity, from various points of view and with various areas of emphasis. I think I bogged down on this one for two reasons. 1. The ideas aren't fresh. I wanted to think about this subject in a new way. I get that one can be creative in washing the dishes, but I want more than that. 2. I wanted the information to be more concrete. This talk of callings, showing up, w
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“I don't believe there is one great thing I was made to do in this world. I believe there is one great God I was made to glorify. And there will be many ways, even a million little ways, I will declare his glory with my life.”
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31 likes
“God is not a technician. God is an Artist. This is the God who made you. The same God who lives inside of you. He comes into us, then comes out of us, in a million little ways. That's why there's freedom, even in the blah. Hope, even in the dark. Love, even in the fear. Trust, even as we face our critics. And believe in the midst of all that? It feels like strength and depth and wildflower spinning; it feels risky and brave and underdog winning. It feels like redemption. It feels like art.”
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13 likes
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