Sometimes you read a book and a particular emotion or thought stays with you. Might be good, or the opposite, but still, something lingers. With Rachel Mojo's book, One More Step---the taste left is a sweetness.
She's lived through a lot of pain, including a failed marriage, a marriage to another believer no less, to a man who appeared to just let go, yet even great effort couldn't save it. She has a daughter with a life-limiting disease, which maybe more than anything else in her life has lent her that sweetness. She's not bitter, but worn and sensitive to others who have experienced or are living through disappointments. Those times when life surprises, and not in a good way.
One thing that struck me more than anything else was this: In the discussion questions she asks, "Have you ever received permission from a friend to ache freely? If so, how did it make you feel?"
I find that awesome and a bit sad. We tend to stuff our pain inside, not sharing, being ashamed of what we live with. Rachel tells us to not feel bad about what God allows, but to grow with it. She speaks of a word she heard Him speak to her:
"Girl, when you feel like giving up, that is definitely not the time to give up. When you feel like giving up, that is when you need to rely on my strength and remember my promises. The feeling of wanting to give up is temporary; the joy you seek is permanent. True joy is not relevant to physical location or type of service. True joy can be found only in me."
(i received this book to review from blogging for books)
