This is a book review I shared with my church family at Faith Reformed PCA, Erie PA. I thought some of my blog followers might also be interested.
Ok, FRC family, here’s another book review…
Ok, FRC family, here’s another book review…
I
bought the book Undone: A Story of Making
Peace with an Unexpected Life by Michele Cushatt when it was first
published, on the recommendation of a friend of mine who was on the advance
team. When the package first arrived I opened it, immediately started reading
the book… and then got scared and put the book down for six months. The book touched a nerve in me that I was not
wanting touched.
But
I finally got tired of living around it, moving it from coffee table to end
table to night stand to end table again and just plunged in. Nerves were still
zinged, but I was ready for it now.
Undone is a memoir of Cushatt’s life –
a divorce, remarriage, single-parenting, step-parenting, a cancer diagnosis,
foster children. She is open and honest about her life without getting in to
the gory details, respecting the privacy of those involved while still managing
to get across the emotional and spiritual messiness. That takes talent, wisdom,
and more importantly, love for those involved. I admire that.
As
a lifelong Christian, Cushatt knows how she should have reacted to the
“undone” details of her life. She
truthfully admits to what her reactions
were (crying on her closet floor being one of them), and she faithfully
proclaims how Jesus brought her through those times.
Her
stories (and that’s what this book is, a collection of stories from her life)
are not so extreme so as for readers to not be able to relate. These are situations where many of us could
find ourselves. It is in these common events that Cushatt is able to
see the hand of God at work. In fact, she learns it is because of these
events she is able to see God, become more like Jesus and be able to love her
neighbors better.
Just
as “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weakness”, sharing in Christ’s suffering allowed her (and all of us) to demonstrate
grace and mercy to those we come in contact.
Michele
Cushatt is a nationally known speaker and this is her first book. Her writing
style is conversational, with many comical and self-deprecating asides. In other words, she writes like I speak…and
write. It is a quick read, and though it might be classified in the Woman’s
Section, it is not a “chick book”. Men
would enjoy it, as well.
If
you read it, let me know if you agree...or not.
Barb
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