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Erin

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Erin is Currently Reading

Erin is currently reading

Memory Lane (Sons of Scandal #1)

by Becky Wade (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 30, 2023 03:38PM

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The Enneagram Type 9: The Peaceful Mediator

by Beth McCord

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Oct 11, 2022 07:17PM

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Tattered and Mended: The Art of Healing the Wounded Soul

by Cynthia Ruchti (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: inspirational, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in July, 2015

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Erin said: " Cynthia Ruchti is quickly becoming a favorite author, as she has a special gift for reaching into hearts and leaving behind tendrils of hope. Her books have the unique ability to instill in the spirit a desire to connect with God and what He is doing Cynthia Ruchti is quickly becoming a favorite author, as she has a special gift for reaching into hearts and leaving behind tendrils of hope. Her books have the unique ability to instill in the spirit a desire to connect with God and what He is doing - especially if what He is doing is not what we want or expect and instead seems dark and strange. In those times it would be easy to sink into despair, but Cynthia steps in and offers this thought in Chapter 1: "People are tattered. Some say, 'Then let's make tattered fashionable.' But God invites us to mend."

To help us grasp how God desires to mend our tattered souls, Cynthia illustrated how master craftsmen restore things like tapestries, quilts, art, stained glass, jewelry, etc. She tells about the expert knowledge each artisan must have, and the painstaking care that goes into each project. Who has more expert knowledge of souls and spirits than their Creator? And His care for His children far surpasses the most delicate mending techniques the world has known.

I loved that Cynthia doesn't brush past the things that wound our lives. "Pain is not a choice," she affirms on page 163. I don't think any of us would choose it if it were something we could pass by. But nothing touches our lives without God's knowledge, and He has a plan for our recovery from the very beginning. "That's the artistic eye. It sees pre-art in our tatteredness. Before the crisis hits, he's planned what he'll do here, and here, and here, to allow the art to emerge from the dark, cold, damp cave of pain." (Chapter 10)

Seeing God work beauty from our worst moments doesn't mean they are no longer part of our lives. "Have you ever assumed, like I have, that the only legitimate healing is complete healing? The only soul-mending that counts is eliminating the pain, fully restoring what was lost, reclaiming everything we once had? What if sometimes, rarely but sometimes, the outline of the hurt tells the story more effectively than if it were erased? Undetectable? No evidence we were ever wounded? What if?" (Chapter 5) We aren't in charge of our healing. We can cooperate with God and let Him work His artistry on our worn places, knowing that what He chooses for the repair still might not be what we would choose. But His faithfulness and His ability to weave beauty is not limited by human scope.

This book ministered to me in a very personal way. I had grown weary and tired of my life's struggles - the tears in the fabric, the frayed edges that I can do nothing about. To be reminded of all the ways God is working and using these things in my life brought an incredible strength. I believe anyone who is going through a time of feeling worn and wondering if God could possibly be working good through their present circumstances would benefit greatly from this book. Be sure to put on some good worship music, surround yourself with loving community, and remember that our Father has a multitude of ways He is working to, as the chapter titles in this book put it, rescue, reconstruct, recycle, restore, reclaim, repair, recover, redeem, refurbish, and regenerate you and your tattered soul.

I received my copy of the book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.

This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com ...more "

Jul 15, 2015 01:20PM · see review

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