Still Waiting by Ann Swindell

I don't really know what I was expecting with Still Waiting. Most of you know that I've been waiting for stuff for a long time. Seems I have a problem with being okay waiting. So I think I thought, maybe this chick can give me some insight.

I got it and I'll be honest I had a chip on my shoulder, I mean I've been waiting for over 20 years for something that more than likely isn't going to be a part of my story after all. I may have had an old lady moment where I thought about how I have t-shirts older than her (I don't, but I did think it). Fortunately, I didn't let that chip stop me because she's got some stuff I needed to hear!

Ann Swindell shares about her journey with trichotillomania, which is the uncontrollable pulling of hair. She particularly pulls her eyelashes and eyebrow hairs and has done so since she was 11. She weaves her story with a fictionalized account of the Bleeding Woman from scripture.

The fictionalized story is very well done. The additions are based on historical facts and that story alone is worth the cost of admission. But then she adds in her own struggles and opens them up enough that you can see the commonality of all of our struggles. You may not have trichotillomania, but you have your own burdens and can walk alongside not only Ann but the Bleeding Woman in her telling of the story.

The really good part is at the end. Because Ann reveals that she's not been healed. I mean you get there and you're thinking the whole time, that it's going to happen, but it hasn't. What she shares in that reality is what she has received instead of physical healing. And is often true of gospel stories, Jesus is most concerned with our eternal healing and our relationship with him. And that relationship doesn't start far off in the distance, it's in the here and now! We don't have to wait for "life eternal" to spend every day with God, we get to do that right now!

There is hope in this story. And it's not a pat "one day" kind of hope, it's a real gritty, I know that what I have is good even in the midst of the difficult kind of hope. So, if you need a little encouragement in the midst of your waiting, get a copy.

A copy of this book was given to me by Tyndale House Publishers for the purpose of review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm never required to give a positive review, but I'm thankful when I can.

Comments

Stories from the Kitchen: Taste and See

I celebrated my birthday last weekend. It was wonderful and the leftovers left me with a question or two. Find out what they are and how I'm currently answering them in this week's podcast. Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 2: Taste and See Notes from the episode: Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg Dad’s New York Cheesecake (from the back of a Philidelphia Cream Cheese package) 1 ⅞ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ to ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar, divided 2 lbs cream cheese (4 packs) 2 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 450F Mix well graham crackers, 2 tbsp sugar, and enough butter that the mixture holds together. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the freezer while preparing the filling. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just blended. S

Tasty Tuesday: Roasted Broccoli

I ran across this recipe on Pinterest the other day that was labeled " The Best Broccoli Of Your Life. " I normally either steam our broccoli in the microwave or saute it with olive oil and red pepper flakes on the stove top. I decided this would be something to try. I did the salt, pepper and olive oil part of the recipe. I didn't have the majority of the other ingredients. In fact, all I had was a little bit of Parmesan It was wonderful. Not the best broccoli of my life, but honestly, it was pretty close. And if I had the lemon juice and all that jazz, it may very well be the best. What have you been eating lately?

Sweet Caroline by Kelda Poynot

First off, my copy of Sweet Caroline (aff link) is not a gifted review book, I spent my well earned Amazon No-Rush Rewards money on this book. Second of all, this is not my standard close door kind of romance. Third of all, this is a really fun read. Caroline is a hard working young lady that is doing all that she can to make ends meet and to get her graduate degree. Part of that work is renting out the room above her garage. When she answers the phone of an unknown number, believing it's a future tenant, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. The young man on the other end of that call, Hashim, is tall, dark, and mysterious in all the right ways. The story quickly moves from the girl next door falling for a stranger to a fight for their lives. And in true real life fashion, those fights aren't just with external enemies but the ones we carry within. It's an entertaining story of Caroline and Hashim, discovering their love for each other and fighting to

Tina The Storyteller

Search This Blog