I have read many of Beth's books and have immensely enjoyed her studies. There is something different about Beth. She is a woman of God who walks in the Spirit and shares His love and message. But what's special about her is her transparency. She knows women because she has heard their stories. She reaches out to women and wants them to truly experience God in a new way. In a whole way.
I began turning the pages of this book and found out that I too have strongholds. Strongholds I didn't even know were there. Through this study she moved me to pray more and dig in deeper. Deeper into the Word of God. It's in His Word that the Spirit moves.
I got to chapter 13, Touring The Ancient Ruins, and was broken. My chains were evident. I was chained in ways that I had not realized. Chains from my past. A past that I had to revisit. What I loved about this chapter and those following is that Beth didn't want me to revisit with a bitterness and anger, but to simply see and let go. To understand that my heart held stones that were immovable until I surrendered them to God.
I revisited my grandparents. Grandparents who I never received love from. A family that never said the words, I love you. A family of no emotion. Alcoholism, racism, family feuding, it was all right there in Beth's words. I felt that she was speaking directly to me.
"Our purpose is not to drag old skeletons out of the closet or engage in family bashing of any kind. We just need to make sure we didn't inherit any hand-me-down chains that interfere with the priceless benefits of our covenant relationship with Christ. He broke the chains of all kinds of bondage when He gave His life for us; however, many of us still carry them in our hands or have them dangling from our necks out of pure habit, lack of awareness, or lack of biblical knowledge. We need to recognize any generational bonds and ask God to remove them."
That's pretty powerful stuff! I found that I didn't hold the alcoholism or racism in myself, but the emptiness of not enjoying the benefits of having a family surround me with support and love. I laid it all down at the foot of the cross. I am so thankful for Beth's words. Words that brought me to see all that my heart still held.
"God's primary purpose in healing us from our hurts is to introduce us to new depths of relationship with Himself."
"We might not be able to change the past, but we change a few things more impressive:
- We can change how we look at it.
- We can decide how we're going to build on it.
"Christ came to set the captives free. Satan came to take the free captive."
This book is life changing. Beth shares the benefits and obstacles. When we recognize the symptoms of captivity is when we can truly be set free!!
This book was a gift from B&H Publishing for sharing my review with you.
Beth Moore is a writer and teacher of best-selling books and Bible studies whose public speaking engagements carry her all over the United States. A dedicated wife and mother of two adult daughters, Moore lives in Houston, Texas, where she is president and founder of Living Proof Ministries.
