I have loved Nicole Johnson since the very first time I seen her as a dramatist with Women of Faith. She was always my favorite. She was the girl I most related to. She could make me laugh and cry within minutes, but always bringing me into the presence of Jesus.
So, knowing her work is why I chose this copy. With Nicole you get real. You get transparent. You get a girlfriend for life. She bares her soul and gives you room to see the real you in the mess of life. She joins us there in the midst of it all with love and grace. She leads us to Jesus. Let me just say that He shines through her brightly!
This is just a beautiful creation. I have been living in crazy. God's perfect timing. I will share a few (lol) of what I have highlighted. Those penned words that give me comfort, room for change, and a heart rummaging for God.
"I would never wish a crisis on anyone, but if you're in the middle of a catastrophe, don't let it go to waste. It will open you up and refocus your attention on your heart and your life. Don't think, I'll get through this crisis and then figure out how to live a better life. Every crisis has an offering in the midst of the awful. It's redemption for the suffering."
The biggest treasure for me:
"One thing I discovered during that time is that when the mind can't make sense of something important, it is reluctant to let it go. It's almost as if your mind says, "Wait, don't move on; I need more information before I can go forward." It keeps returning to the trouble spot over and over, trying to figure it out. Like some weary detective stuck in the rain, my brain kept returning to the scene, retracing the steps, looking for clues, trying hard to solve the mystery of The Day Life Fell Apart. If I could have solved it, I could have moved on. But the mystery remained a mystery and more questions surfaced and my brain could not let it go. The detective became a stubborn donkey and sat down, refusing to move. I was stuck."
"I do not have to make everything work all the time for everyone. I am not holding the world together by my effort. I pick up only the things that are mine to carry, and the weight of shouldering the reasonable responsibilities of my life now feels manageable."
"Strike while the iron is cold! It means using restraint "in the moment" to allow intense emotions to calm down before trying to have a productive discussion. When emotions are high, the brain is flooded and cannot function at its designed capacity. Nothing gets solved when people are yelling or not in control of their emotions. Sometimes striking while the iron is cold means waiting until the next day or the next week to bring up a topic that has been fraught with emotion."
If these were the only highlighted points of the book that brought great insight it would be enough, but there is so much more! I don't want to overshare. It's more amazing for you if you uncover these nuggets in your own reading of this gem. There is something here for everyone. Much is written as being a mom, but with Nicole's great ability she makes it so easy for the reader to connect with everything she is sharing.
As much as I love reading fiction, it's books like that bring me to better know myself and to call on my Savior all the more. Such great insight. I love when peeps like Nicole share their stories.
This book was a gift from Zondervan for sharing my review with you.
Nicole Johnson has a unique and creative voice. As an accomplished author, speaker, and dramatist, Nicole has performed in thousands of churches and arenas, including more than a decade of touring with the Women of Faith conference. She is also the founder and director of Seasons Weekend, a creative spiritual retreat. Nicole lives in Santa Monica, California, with her husband and two children. Find her writing at nicolejohnson.org, and follow her on Facebook@freshbrewedlife.
