God Loves Broken People

(And Those Who Pretend They're Not)

by Sheila Walsh

I breezed through this book because it was enjoyable and easy to read while at the same time I had to mark several places so I could go back to re-read and give further thought.

I appreciate how Sheila wrote from her heart and her own painful experiences.  It is evidence of the truth she reveals in her book, that we are all broken, but some of us know it and admit it, that some of us embrace the brokenness and emerge a better person, and that by embracing the brokenness from heaven's perspective, we can find a place of comfort and solice.

Brokenness being the place where our lives fall apart, shattered by events or disasters.  Instantly.  One minute having the world at your fingers, the next minute, having nothing.

Sheila captures the "what we know for sure", which is the place where broken people find themselves.  I had to smile because I've repeated those words numerous times from my own broken place.  All we know for sure is "that Jesus loves me, this I know".

The author gave numerous examples of woundedness by including many stories of her own as well as those of friends or those found in her own reading and research. My favorite two examples are about communion.  The first one was about a group of prisoners, who although in separate cells, communicated through morse code and discovered they could share communion.  Even though they had nothing to share, they could still share nothing.  The other communion story was the precious sharing of a saltine and ginger ale between Sheila and her mother-in-law during her mother's last days, and thus, her last earthly communion.

I loved the author's insights through scriptures.  She has definitely done her own digging for nuggets of gold.  She so freely shared her nuggets, but as with all gold digs, there's nothing as precious as your own find.  Somehow, we can't appreciate or latch onto the truth, claiming it for our very own without picking up our own shovel.

The author includes a Bible Study with 13 lessons for just such a personal dig.  It would be well worth the study to assess one's own progress, whether in an individual or group Bible or support group.



Thomas Nelson has provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for this review which I freely give. I am not required to give a positive review.

Oh, To Be Queen!

I just have to post about Esther's preparation for queen-ship.

You gotta love this.  Esther had a beauty coach, her own personal trainer who took her under his wing.

Her personal trainer, named Hegai, became her advocate.  Hegai was so impressed by Esther that he treated her special.  He ordered a special menu just for her.  He ordered special perfumes and ointments just for her.  He even assigned 7 maids specially chosen just for her from the king's palace.

Do you wonder as I do if the king heard anything about this special girl who had impressed his eunich so much?  Did Hegai have a chance to tell the king that he had his eye on a special girl just for him?

Surely there must have been some commotion in the palace when Hegai moved Esther along with her 7 maids into the 'presidential suite'.  Yes.  Hegai moved her into her own special suite.

Why don't we hear more about Hegai?  He helped her.  He showed her the ropes.  He encouraged her and made her feel special.

So, Esther listened to Hegai and took his advise.  She trusted his advise and asked for nothing extra.  She pleased the king just as she was.  She had been prepared for just such a time as this; just being herself.

Who is your advocate?  Who pleads your cause?  Who speaks in your favor? Who defends you?

Hegai was a type of Holy Spirit or Messiah, Saviour, Christ.

Oh Lord.  Oh King of Kings more powerful than any earthly king.  I have need of nothing.  You have blessed me, pampered me, taken good care of me through all my days and I know I love you more deeply today than I ever thought a person could.  How does one love an intangible being?  With all my heart.  You Rock!

Offense or Favor?

Have you ever been offended by someone?  Of course you have.
Have you ever offended someone else?  Yes.  Of course you have.
Did you mean to offend them?  I will assume that you didn't for the sake of this post.
You probably heard about your blunder through the blessed 'grapevine'.  Did it surprise you?  Did it hurt you or offend you that you had hurt them?

The older I get the easier it is to let things roll off my back and give the other person the benefit of the doubt.  They had no idea they were pushing my buttons.  They would have no way of knowing that I would be hurt by what they said or did.  This makes it easier to be forgiving of them.

The last time I can remember feeling offended caused me to 'go somewhere else'.  My offenses seem to be with service providers and retailers.  'They' don't seem to care about service anymore.

In retrospect, these people have done me a favor.  I have gone to someone better or found another source or better yet, realized I no longer need such a service.

I have been focusing on Esther's story for the past several days in my quiet time and have so much to share and yet as I was baking today, as is often the case, my mind started writing today's post.  Having no idea where this was going, I sat down to type and realized, whether Queen Vashti meant to offend the king or not, she did.
 
AND, her offense opened the door to one of the most beautiful stories of hope and provision ever written. (Obviously, in my opinion.)

The story of the young Jewish girl who became the new queen and saved her people.

For Such a Time as This!

Once upon a time, 2485 years ago to be exact, there was a beautiful orphaned Jewish girl. Her cousin took her into his family and raised her until, one day, she was taken to King Xerxes' (Persia, which is Iran/Iraq today) palace for a year of training and pampering.  This year of training and beauty treatments were in preparation for a one night stand, or rather, chance to be queen.

Yes.  She had only one chance to make a lasting impression on the king.  After her one night, she would be taken away.  She would never go to the king again unless he asked for her specifically by name.

Wow!  How does one beautiful girl make a lasting impression, much less have the king remember her name?

The account of Esther is so encouraging for any girl, regardless of age.  The enemy has a plan of annihilation, But, God has a plan of rescue. His divine rescue was already set in motion with His people in their places then as well as it is today.

Even as Haman's plans to wipe out every Jew (man, woman, young and old) 2485 years ago failed, so Haman's descendants' plans to wipe them out throughout history and up to today will never be accomplished.  It may look like Israel is a small country compared to the power of all the united nations, but God has a plan of rescue.

Haman's lots drew March 7, 473 BC for the date of annilation.  As we know, the Jewish people live on and their God marches before them.

Celebrate Purim (the faithfulness of God) for victory then and victory now, for your personal life and for the Jewish nation.

Chag Purim Sameach! Happy Purim!

2 Weeks! 14 Days!

It's so encouraging and energizing when we have something to look forward to.  It just seems to add an extra bounce to our step and joy to our hearts.

I discovered that my mother has done her own count when she announced last night, "15 more days and then your hubby comes.  15 more days and you'll have a honeymoon."

I panicked.  My first thoughts were that she was reading my journal.  (I hope she can't read my thoughts.)

Once I got my panicked heart under control, I asked her, "why are you counting the days until my hubby comes?"  She said, "Because I want you to be happy."

 My heart breaks every time I think of her sweet little confession.  This season of caretaking isn't any easier for her to know she's taking me away from my family then it is for me to be away from them.