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Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace
After experiencing the death of both parents, Margaret McSweeney recognized the importance of community like never before. Through these difficult times in life, she learned how God uses gritty circumstances to conform us to the stunning image of Christ.
McSweeney also realized that she was not at all alone. It is for this reason that she decided to compile essays into an inspiring Pearl Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. Through this collection, readers will be encouraged by the heartfelt writings that deal with loss and hardship in a real and honest way. Respected authors such as Shaunti Feldhahn, Melody Carlson, Debbie Macomber, Robin Jones Gunn and others help remind every woman that they are not alone and that no circumstance is beyond the grace of God.
McSweeney uses the metaphor of a pearl in order to better describe the situations that ail us all. When an oyster takes in a piece of sand in order to create its coveted masterpiece, it is initially painful to the soft flesh of the creature. But after the pain, appears a clean, white symbol of simplicity, purity, and endurance that any woman would be proud to wear. McSweeney believes that each woman is a pearl and together, form a necklace of great worth. In this book, readers will discover community and women are alone in neither their pain nor victories in life.
McSweeney also realized that she was not at all alone. It is for this reason that she decided to compile essays into an inspiring Pearl Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. Through this collection, readers will be encouraged by the heartfelt writings that deal with loss and hardship in a real and honest way. Respected authors such as Shaunti Feldhahn, Melody Carlson, Debbie Macomber, Robin Jones Gunn and others help remind every woman that they are not alone and that no circumstance is beyond the grace of God.
McSweeney uses the metaphor of a pearl in order to better describe the situations that ail us all. When an oyster takes in a piece of sand in order to create its coveted masterpiece, it is initially painful to the soft flesh of the creature. But after the pain, appears a clean, white symbol of simplicity, purity, and endurance that any woman would be proud to wear. McSweeney believes that each woman is a pearl and together, form a necklace of great worth. In this book, readers will discover community and women are alone in neither their pain nor victories in life.
- GenresChristian
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 24, 2023
As many reviews have stated, this is not a book that you read in one sitting. Rather, each persons account read on its own, preferably with a gap in between. Some life stories resonated with me more than others, but all of them show how God has transformed a life, or situation. And He is worthy of Praise.
September 16, 2020
Actual rating - 3 ½. Good and inspiring, real life short stories.
November 17, 2009
Pearl girls is a compilation of some of my favorite authors and respected writers (sixty in total) who share their personal story of faith with you. You’ll be encouraged and inspired by their honesty and sincerity.
”Let Margaret take you by the hand and lead you to the place where grit encounters grace. And see for yourself what it means to become a PEARL GIRL.”
What I like about this book:
First off it’s easy to get into. You can read a story here and there. I love these books as a mother because sometimes I can only get two or three minutes to myself during the day. There are oodles of authors, so there are lots of ladies you can relate to and feel connected with. You’ll find God throughout these pages and be touched by a lot of the stories. I found myself smiling and teary-eyed in the same breath! It was easy to love this book because it touched on so many levels of life and had so many wonderful authors involved in it.
The amazing thing about this book is that Margaret Mcsweeney gives 100% of the proceeds go to two charities! Isn’t that amazing? This book is not only encouraging and life changing to us as women, but it is also changing lives of those who really need it.
Check out the charities:
WINGS (women in need growing stronger). The proceeds will help fund a Safe House in the Chicago suburbs. www.wingsprogram.com and Hands of Hope. The proceeds will help build wells in Uganda for school children. www.handsofhopeonline.org
For me, my favorite and somewhat surprising story that I loved was by Debbie Macomber – From a Marriage on the Rocks to One Built on The Rock; her honesty and openness truly touched me. If you’re a “Chicken Soup for the Soul” kinda reader you’ll really love this book, but in all honesty ANY and every woman can find inspiration in the pages of this book. We are all pearl girls.
”Let Margaret take you by the hand and lead you to the place where grit encounters grace. And see for yourself what it means to become a PEARL GIRL.”
What I like about this book:
First off it’s easy to get into. You can read a story here and there. I love these books as a mother because sometimes I can only get two or three minutes to myself during the day. There are oodles of authors, so there are lots of ladies you can relate to and feel connected with. You’ll find God throughout these pages and be touched by a lot of the stories. I found myself smiling and teary-eyed in the same breath! It was easy to love this book because it touched on so many levels of life and had so many wonderful authors involved in it.
The amazing thing about this book is that Margaret Mcsweeney gives 100% of the proceeds go to two charities! Isn’t that amazing? This book is not only encouraging and life changing to us as women, but it is also changing lives of those who really need it.
Check out the charities:
WINGS (women in need growing stronger). The proceeds will help fund a Safe House in the Chicago suburbs. www.wingsprogram.com and Hands of Hope. The proceeds will help build wells in Uganda for school children. www.handsofhopeonline.org
For me, my favorite and somewhat surprising story that I loved was by Debbie Macomber – From a Marriage on the Rocks to One Built on The Rock; her honesty and openness truly touched me. If you’re a “Chicken Soup for the Soul” kinda reader you’ll really love this book, but in all honesty ANY and every woman can find inspiration in the pages of this book. We are all pearl girls.
September 21, 2009
Pearl Girls edited by Margaret McSweeney is an moving book filled with stories to encourage your heart. A pearl girl is any woman who has turned the grit of her life into something beautiful, and each one of the authors of the stories within this book is a true gem. The stories run the gamut from hilarious to heart-breaking to hopeful. It's not the kind of book you want to zip through in one reading, but to take time to savor each story and take in its full message. Stories of rape, abuse, and depression all offer hope to readers that there is beauty on the other side, beauty offered by God, friends, and family. Some stories will give readers perspective on their own lives, others offer comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone, but all will touch the heart. All proceeds will benefit a safe house in the Chicago suburbs and women and children with AIDS in Africa.
July 13, 2009
Inspirational stories along with meaningful Bible verses make this a good read. I noticed that every time I went back to the book, there was a story speaking to something I was going through or had been through.
Kind of along the lines of the UpperRoom that you find in churches, but this time all stories by and about women and their situations.
Kind of along the lines of the UpperRoom that you find in churches, but this time all stories by and about women and their situations.
September 10, 2009
A georgeous collection of stories, compiled by Margaret McSweeney, tell of women encountering unexpected hardship in their lives: illness, disappointment, forgiveness... the list goes on. Each story is an encouragement and I encourage you to get a copy of this book, read it & then pass it on!
September 20, 2009
I think this book needed to be read one story at a time - not read in a few sittings like a novel. I feel I needed more time for stories to sink in before I went onto the next.... but I did enjoy reading about life experiences of authors I enjoy.
April 6, 2010
wonderful vignettes of true life experiences of Christian women
June 3, 2015
I enjoyed reading this very much,uplifting.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews