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Broken into Beautiful: How God Restores the Wounded Heart
God delights in transforming lives. In Broken Into Beautiful, singer and songwriter Gwen Smith's first book, she tells the real-life stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls, and the God who makes them beautiful again. Each chapter features a compelling personal story coupled with relevant biblical teaching and application. Readers will meet women wounded by infidelity, abortion, widowhood, abuse, and other tragic events, only to discover the joy of being restored by a loving heavenly Father. The book will remind women of all ages of God's willingness to eternally forgive and forget and of His heart to transform broken lives. Readers will be empowered to believe truth, to remember grace, and to live for God's greater purposes. Broken into Beautiful is ultimately about a beautiful Savior who became broken for us so that all who are broken can be transformed to reflect His beauty.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
70 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Gwen Smith
21 books22 followersGwen Smith is a speaker, author, songwriter, and worship leader who inspires women toward the heart of God through stories, songs, and Scripture. Her fun, enthusiastic, and relatable communication style puts audiences at ease and bridges generational, denominational, and racial divides. As a co-founder of the conference and devotional ministry Girlfriends In God, Gwen has helped thousands of women experience how the Word of God and the power of grace, through Jesus Christ, rejuvenates faith and enriches lives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 24, 2011
A good read filled with testimonies and how we are all broken. "Brokenness. We don't want it, but we've all got it. When our brokenness is surrendered to God, restoration begins and beauty blooms." How wonderful is our God!!! At the end of the book I found one of my favorite sayings "God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called." It always humbles me to know how blessed I am by what God has equipped me to do just in these past 2 years alone. Thank you Lord!!!
June 4, 2009
“Gwen really helps you understand that no matter what sin—God can change you...
“I have been reading it this week and have been challenged with some of my own ‘impossible’ issues and mistakes, and honestly I’ve felt my heart lifted after this book. It really opened my eyes and gave me some peace that I needed...and help me give a few more of my ‘issues’ over to God instead of clinging onto them the way I stubbornly do at times.
“I would thoroughly recommend this book to people who are struggling or can’t feel like they can get over their issues...who may think that God isn’t big enough to cover their issues. Because He is! It really is a great example of how God can turn our brokenness into beauty. You can really get a feel for Gwen’s desire for us to be closer to God and through her own trails and trails of others she helps us realize the only hope we can rely on is God’s.”
“I have been reading it this week and have been challenged with some of my own ‘impossible’ issues and mistakes, and honestly I’ve felt my heart lifted after this book. It really opened my eyes and gave me some peace that I needed...and help me give a few more of my ‘issues’ over to God instead of clinging onto them the way I stubbornly do at times.
“I would thoroughly recommend this book to people who are struggling or can’t feel like they can get over their issues...who may think that God isn’t big enough to cover their issues. Because He is! It really is a great example of how God can turn our brokenness into beauty. You can really get a feel for Gwen’s desire for us to be closer to God and through her own trails and trails of others she helps us realize the only hope we can rely on is God’s.”
April 2, 2020
Wow! Loved this book. Inspiring and beautifully written. It strengthened my testimony and definitely made me realize that we are never alone in our struggles. And when we share our struggles with others, it can bring us joy and bring us closer to Christ. Favorite quote "When all else fails, all that's required of us is to just hang on to our Faith, hang on"!
September 25, 2022
I was crying from page one. This book tells the real-life stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls, and the God who makes them beautiful again. Each chapter features a compelling personal story coupled with relevant biblical teaching and application. Readers will meet women wounded by infidelity, abortion, widowhood, abuse, and other tragic events, only to discover the joy of being restored by a loving heavenly Father.
The book will remind women of all ages of God's willingness to eternally forgive and forget and of His heart to transform broken lives. Readers will be empowered to believe truth, to remember grace, and to live for God's greater purposes. Broken into Beautiful is ultimately about a beautiful Savior who became broken for us so that all who are broken can be transformed to reflect His beauty.
“My friend, we need to stop beating ourselves up for sins of our past. We need to stop allowing guilt and shame to chain us to unproductive living. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming human, endured an excruciating death, and then defied the grave in His resurrection so that we could be restored to a place of complete healing. Complete healing.”
The book will remind women of all ages of God's willingness to eternally forgive and forget and of His heart to transform broken lives. Readers will be empowered to believe truth, to remember grace, and to live for God's greater purposes. Broken into Beautiful is ultimately about a beautiful Savior who became broken for us so that all who are broken can be transformed to reflect His beauty.
“My friend, we need to stop beating ourselves up for sins of our past. We need to stop allowing guilt and shame to chain us to unproductive living. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming human, endured an excruciating death, and then defied the grave in His resurrection so that we could be restored to a place of complete healing. Complete healing.”
June 25, 2018
This was a great book for all women of nearly all adult ages. The author has a lot of insights that I related to and stories that I saw myself in. It helpful in knowing my value through God and how He has rebuilt me into a beautiful woman from a broken one.
August 29, 2018
Very Uplifting
I heartily recommend this book for broken people who are unable to get past their guilt for past wrongdoings. Let Jesus into your life to lead you to share your story. Find solace in this beautiful book.
I heartily recommend this book for broken people who are unable to get past their guilt for past wrongdoings. Let Jesus into your life to lead you to share your story. Find solace in this beautiful book.
March 26, 2019
Oh this one made me really think and realize that I need to follow some of the advice provided here to confront my brokenness and to use it to tell others about what God has done in my life.
Great writing style, very relatable.
Great writing style, very relatable.
April 18, 2018
I recommend this book to any woman who feel broken, worthless, not good enough, unloved, etc. Very eye opening and heart filling.
March 1, 2021
Great book.
June 26, 2022
Such a sensitive topic, well written.
Read
December 15, 2016So many of us find ourselves BROKEN. But God can make all things BEAUTIFUL if you will let Him.
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I picked up Gwen Smith's book from a pile of books I have purchased and never finish reading because I am writing a series of devotionals on emotional trauma. I wanted to find out how others dealt with their own traumatic events and how God helped them recover.
We have all found ourselves broken and unable to fix it. Only God can restore our hearts and make us whole again. Gwen brings to mind how this life can beat us up and break our tender hearts. Each chapter tells of someone she knows personally and links her together with a Biblical woman. She then shows us that "God can use each and every person who surrenders her brokenness into His hands...no matter what." It doesn't matter if we are broken from past sin. Sometimes, we ourselves have sinned. Other times, those around us have sinned and we became the object of the sin. Either way, God CAN use the brokenness and turn it into something beautiful. The key is our own surrender of the heart. We must allow God to do the work in our hearts and lives. Then and only then will the beauty shine through.
Each chapter ends with the lyrics of one of her beautiful songs.
Gwen reminds us that Satan would like to take us down for the last time. He wants to defeat us and convince us that God does not care.These crafty lies of the evil one can hold us back and keep us struggling in the hurt. We must let the lies go. Stop believing the lies and begin believing in the God who created us. Gwen tells us that "when we invite God into our circumstances, He will faithfully respond to our needs". And then we will experience His peace, his presence, His power!
Affiliate link
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I picked up Gwen Smith's book from a pile of books I have purchased and never finish reading because I am writing a series of devotionals on emotional trauma. I wanted to find out how others dealt with their own traumatic events and how God helped them recover.
We have all found ourselves broken and unable to fix it. Only God can restore our hearts and make us whole again. Gwen brings to mind how this life can beat us up and break our tender hearts. Each chapter tells of someone she knows personally and links her together with a Biblical woman. She then shows us that "God can use each and every person who surrenders her brokenness into His hands...no matter what." It doesn't matter if we are broken from past sin. Sometimes, we ourselves have sinned. Other times, those around us have sinned and we became the object of the sin. Either way, God CAN use the brokenness and turn it into something beautiful. The key is our own surrender of the heart. We must allow God to do the work in our hearts and lives. Then and only then will the beauty shine through.
Each chapter ends with the lyrics of one of her beautiful songs.
Gwen reminds us that Satan would like to take us down for the last time. He wants to defeat us and convince us that God does not care.These crafty lies of the evil one can hold us back and keep us struggling in the hurt. We must let the lies go. Stop believing the lies and begin believing in the God who created us. Gwen tells us that "when we invite God into our circumstances, He will faithfully respond to our needs". And then we will experience His peace, his presence, His power!
January 12, 2017
Gwen Smith opened herself completely; not hiding anything about sins in her life. She caused me to reach for tissues crying over other women who have completely different personalities than I do, weak where I am strong, and strong where I am weak.
Her book broke through my barrier; I did not have an abortion. I had a miscarriage labeled abortion; which caused me grief and a woman in the hospital victimized me accusing me of drinking and using drugs; all through my pain of miscarriage. It was a horrible time; I wrote a catharsis and published the book. Gwen's talking about God forgiving and loving helps the "now" me dealing with my never ending divorce I do not want. It showed me restoration is still coming.
Her book broke through my barrier; I did not have an abortion. I had a miscarriage labeled abortion; which caused me grief and a woman in the hospital victimized me accusing me of drinking and using drugs; all through my pain of miscarriage. It was a horrible time; I wrote a catharsis and published the book. Gwen's talking about God forgiving and loving helps the "now" me dealing with my never ending divorce I do not want. It showed me restoration is still coming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2009
This is a wonderfully encouraging book written in a very personal way. It's Swen's story of finding grace through God and how we all, no matter what our past is like, can find our way into the arms of our forgiving Father. She encourages us to share our stories with others, to reach out to other people, and share God's love and grace with them. Well written, and a pleasure to read.
November 23, 2013
Very much a work from the heart. There were parts I found a bit overwrought or overlong, but the message itself is solid. Smith weaves together stories from many different women who have different hurts, illustrating painful but ultimately redemptive themes. Effective use of not only Scripture, but excerpts from renowned pastors and apologists to back up her conclusions.
July 16, 2015
This is a beautiful, personal account of how God healed Smith's broken heart. The author pulls no punches. She bares the most horrific mistakes in her life to show how God can heal the deepest, most painful emotional wounds. The author proves that with God's help one can go on to live a meaningful, happy life even after making a huge mistake.
August 17, 2010
This is the BEST book I have read in a long time!!
March 5, 2012
Currently reading with Book Club Group, "Gracenotes." I'm guessing when we started this book. We usually read about a chapter a week and have a great discussion.
July 8, 2011
Great book! Inspiring
February 14, 2012
I would encourage women, Christian or not, to read this book. I felt myself in each chapter. I cried a lot and thought hard about my personal life.
Want to read
April 9, 2012Autographed copy
June 3, 2012
This is a great book of how God can take our broken pieces & restores us so that we may glorify Him! Love this book!
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June 6, 2013Great book very uplifting.
July 28, 2013
Its beautiful.
Read
March 16, 2015loved it
March 10, 2015
very good book.. makes you think..We are very lucky to have a forgiving God.
November 14, 2015
I read this as part of a book group. It was a good reminder of where and Who we're to look to when determining our worth and finding forgiveness.
July 12, 2015
Really good book
February 7, 2016
Touching
This is a must read for all women. Gwen shows how God can use anyone to bring His love to the world. Even if you have been broken once before.
This is a must read for all women. Gwen shows how God can use anyone to bring His love to the world. Even if you have been broken once before.
March 2, 2016
Gwen touches all the hot spots and lets us see the work God can and will do in all of us if we just let go!
December 27, 2013
Great book! If you've ever been broken in any type of way, you should read this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews