"IN THE MIDDLE of the MESS ...

"IN THE MIDDLE of the MESS ...

... STRENGTH FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL, BROKEN LIFE"
by
Sheila Walsh
{release date 11/7/17}

is not just Sheila Walsh's story

but it's ours!

Sheila concludes her book

with this truth:

"No matter your circumstances ... You have a story, and that story has its own peculiar mess. You can confess that story to Christ and let go. You can let Him start a work of healing, even now, right in the middle of your mess. ... Together, we find strength for this beautiful, broken life." ... "I believe one of the greatest miracles of all is ..." Sheila Walsh, "In the Middle..." {you'll have to read her book to find out}

... however, Sheila weaves her story unwaveringly once again  (for some of us who are familiar with Sheila, or to capsulize it for those new to her life story) with complete vulnerability  throughout each of the 12 chapters with added recent updates in her life as well, that has brought her through a deep journey of (with) 'brokenness' that we can relate to in our own lives and 'messes'. Sheila has a personal style of writing and speaking that gently and compassionately touches our soul with hers while teaching us spiritual (biblical) ways that we too can apply and use to equip ourselves to connect with God and overcome our own struggles in life better through confession, community to share with closely, Scripture meditation (contemplation) and daily connection with Jesus in honest prayer (communication with Our Father). 

Midway through her book "In the Middle of the Mess", I discovered her first session of the DVDs that accompany her Study guide and this book, so I just had to order the Study Guide also. Although each chapter in the book ends with "Reflection", the Study Guide does so much more, breaking down the 12 chapters into 6 sessions of Brokenness (that was most helpful to me and well worth getting, but this is not a review of the Study Guide). Yet for me, it's a total package! The videos are so well done! 

I couldn't agree more with so many points that Sheila brings forth, chapter after chapter becoming my new favorite, until I was stopped dead-on with the following truth I read right before the middle of this book ... and then every line kept pouring into my own brokenness with more and more freeing, healing truth and deliverance.

"So many coping mechanisms, avoidance techniques, and lies. They kept me blind to where Christ was in the middle of my mess ... But this is the beauty:sometimes even when we try to avoid the truth, God uses the smallest hands to invite us into the safety of deliverance."

There were moments of tears and moments of sheer delight as I continued reading through Sheila's words, Sheila's story and saw mine (though we hardly share the same past or story), each of us have gone through struggles that help us get the point being made, in such a relatable way. This is Sheila's gift to us. This is her lifeline to us (as Ann Voskamp wrote)! And it may be ours to someone else. 

This book is meant for everyone, not just those who have struggled with depression or deep hurts and messy lives ... it's meant for the weak and the strong to come alongside another human being waiting in the shadows, feeling isolated and alone, in need of a listening ear, a helping hand, an understanding, brave heart, willing to meet one another "in the middle" and find strength to overcome and go forward, changing lives for the better. Highly recommended read, church study, and for personal individual growth. I have much more to say but you'd be better off just getting a copy for yourself. Reading this book has given me a new found strength with God to deal with my brokenness and spiritual practices to put into use in my messes, and I know I will be rereading and turning back to this as a study again.

*{my actual book review is still coming}

I'm right in the Middle of the book - OK, just past that in

"Beautifully Broken"

which might be

the reason

for my

delay

but

my review 

is on its way

[After viewing Session One at Faith Gateway of the Study Guide for this book, I had to take a longer pause and view all 6 sessions available at Study Gateway because I couldn't wait. The DVDs that accompany this book and study are exceptional and so beautifully done! Sheila Walsh adds such compassion and understanding to her beautiful vulnerability of her own story used as a lifeline to help others facing overwhelming struggles with a new hope in allowing God into our dark places and hurts honestly.]

Book Description

"How do you turn your struggles into strengths?  Beloved Bible teacher Sheila Walsh teaches readers how the daily spiritual practices of confession, meditation on God’s Word, and prayer result in fresh freedom in Christ.  In her long-awaited new book, Sheila Walsh equips women with a practical method for connecting with God’s strength in the midst of struggle. From daily frustrations that can feel like overwhelming obstacles to hard challenges that turn into rock-bottom crises, women will find the means to equip themselves for standing strong with God. Using the spiritual applications of confession, prayer, and meditation on Scripture to form a daily connection to Jesus, women will learn how to experience new joy as a child of God who is fully known, fully loved, and fully accepted.  In the Middle of the Mess, Walsh reveals the hardened defenses that kept her from allowing God into her deepest hurts and shares how entering into a safe place with God and practicing this daily connection with Him have saved her from the devil’s prowling attacks. Though we will never be completely “fixed” on earth, we are continually held by Jesus, whatever our circumstances." Thomas Nelson

*Posting before release in case you want to
PRE-ORDER to receive bonus gifts {just click on link and pre-order at the top} * written on 11/6/17 prior to my review

Disclosure: I received this book free from Handlebar in return for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the  FTCommission’s  16 CFR, Part 255

"LifeGrowth Guide - You're Already Amazing" by Holley Gerth

THESE TWO are TOO AMAZING and so is HOLLEY GERTH! +
=
Amazing!!!
combination of 
"embracing who we are, becoming all God created us to be"
written aMazingly from the heart of
Holley Gerth
which truly is such a personal encouragement from this
best selling writer, certified life coach, speaker
and co-founder of (in)courage
<><><>

I had the added advantage of not only reading simultaneously both books {due to the precious heart of Lori Schumaker who had a giveaway, but also decided to give actual hands-on copies to me, not even the winner} but actually working through the LifeGrowth Guide along with Holley Gerth and other readers through Holley's aMazing Online Book Club and exceptional resources made available on her website. Although the LifeGrowth Guide actually can stand and be read on its own with excerpts from the original "You're Already Amazing" included in it, if you are like me and missed out on reading the first one, it's so much better to read them both together as instructed at the beginning of each "session" of the "LifeGrowth Guide". 
There are only 6 sessions in the "LifeGrowth Guide" and the book "You're Already Amazing" actually has 11 chapters plus a "Go Deeper Guide" which makes both of these great for small groups at church or individual or with an actual counselor, although Holley's gifted in "counseling" and the exercises in both show her very qualified expertise plus the heart of a sister in Christ speaking frankly and openly with you throughout her books. She's as real as they come and a genuine kindred spirit that really cares! which shows in her writing in her books and on her blog (and in case you did not know on some very special cards that she's created at Dayspring). These 6 sessions – each with a section in the workbook also have a video session that’s about 10 minutes long are: 1)Who God Created Us to Be, 2) What’s True No Matter How We Feel, 3) Our Amazing Journey with Jesus, 4) God’s Plan for Our Relationships, 5) God’s Purpose for Our Lives, 6) How We Can Thrive for a Lifetime. The LifeGrowth Guide has sections in the workbook to answer specific questions, journal your thoughts and prayers, and do other creative exercises to help you GROW. Each section ends with a part called "Your Life Coach" and that is who Holley has become to so many of us struggling with our self esteem or believing we are aMazing. Her charts, tips, notes and wisdom from her own life and God's Word add so much to this edition. Holley has gone a step beyond with this new "LifeGrowth Guide" of "You're Already Amazing". 
If you were privileged to have read "You're Already Amazing" best-selling book (published in 2012) and participate in the (in)courage online book club of this original one, then you have a definite sense of how Holley dares and empowers you, the reader, to discover our God ordained potential within ourselves then this "LifeGrowth Guide" will move you onward as a wonderful interactive means to engage fully in this process. Either way, reading the "LifeGrowth Guide" with or without having read the original, you'll find new information and more applicable exercises and questions to help you know who God created you to be and become. I believe this book would be ideal for a new believer or a weathered believer, who has yet to grow in ALL the ways of knowing who we are in Christ Jesus and to further develop our abilities, and reaffirm us by reminding us all who we are and encouraging us to become more for ourselves and then for others better. 
Reading the "LifeGrowth Guide ~ You're already aMazing" challenged me and stretched me in new ways! Holley writes as if she really is sitting down with us and talking to us individually with her own and other's life examples in a clear, understandable fashion. I cannot say enough good about all Holley has put together to further us in believing that we already are amazing and have all it takes within us to grasp how God sees us and made us. 
I requested this book originally from NetGalley from Revell Publishing because I was afraid that I would not be able to afford getting both and I wanted to participate in Holley's Book Club {but as you have read, Lori Schumaker made it possible for me to receive both books in their soft bound edition, which I simply love to page through and hold in my hands with adequate space to journal and make notes or answer.} I will go back to this book as an excellent resource over and over again as well as continue reading at both Holley's and Lori's blogs. 

" Disclosure: I received this book free from NetGalley and Revell Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

*You can go back on this blog on "aMazing Mondays"  from March - May or search for "Already Amazing" to see links to Holley's and some of what I shared during the Book Club in 2016. "aMazing Mondays" started here because of Holley's books! She and her books are really "aMazing"! I am so sorry that the review of this book and another just as wonderful book is so late (the other will somehow have to be inserted somehow during my summer book club either on Weds. or the weekend so it is not even later). My apologies to these authors and their publishers that gave me review copies but this was out of my control.