In the middle of a difficult situation years ago, it was said to me, “Don’t worry. When God works it all out, He will hand back your life on a silver platter.”
The one sentence gave me hope and is something which remained tucked in the recesses of my memory until the last week.
Transformation is hard work and not without pain along the way.
In her new book, Brazen: The Courage to Find the You That’s Been Hiding, Leeana Tankersley writes:
There’s no real road map for growing into our soul. No formula for self-possession, expansion, investigating our desires, connecting with our longings. If anything, these are trial-and-error prepositions, attempts, and revisions. We listen, we lean in, and often we learn, all the while believing there are gifts in the process, something we will take with us that we couldn’t have acquires any other way.
(from page 172)
This journey with God means we will take risks, requiring great courage, as most times we will not have even a clue to our next step. We strain to hear His voice and then we second guess if it was Him at all. We must silence the voices which would seek to keep us from becoming all which we have been created to be and to do.
The author defines ‘brazen’ as “without shame”. She encourages each of us, through her own stories, to know we are loved by our God who has given us each an identity in Him, a voice which He desires to use, and purposes He will fulfill. God molds us into His own image while at the same time, molding us into our unique selves.
Each chapter includes prompts to challenge the reader to interact with the material in a way which helps the reader discover what has lay dormant in our lives. The book is written in three parts – Receive {Your Identity}; Reclaim {Your Voice}; and Recover {Your Soul}.
In reading the book, I remembered the truth about the silver platter:
Brazen is sure to challenge, encourage, and motivate each one of us to be courageous and fight for the life God has given us.
*** I received a copy of this book from Revell for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. This post contains an affiliate link.
Today I am joining …Testimony Tuesday and Unite and Literacy Musing Mondays and Intentional Tuesday and True Story and Booknificent Thursdays .
This sound like a great book. I’ve read Leeanna’s first book, and her strong voice and convictions really came through.
Your experience was such a great lead in!
This was my first book to read by Leeana. I truly was blessed to have read it and actually now want to read her others.
Sounds like such an inspiring book to DO, not just to read. Thanks for sharing it, Joanne. I’ll be on the lookout for this one.
You are exactly right, Lisa – it is a book which helps us to “do” thus effecting change in our lives.
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the review. Blessings to you and yours! I found you through Literary Musing Mondays.
Thank-you for this review. I like how she defines the word, brazen. Made me stop and think. Thanks for sharing!
Each chapter made me stop and think 🙂 Glad you stopped by!
God is so good to work with our rebellion and brazen spirit when we think or (know) we have been hurt and taken advantage of. May we allow the Holy Spirit to soften our words, our heart and our actions to please Jesus. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story.
Yes, Hazel. I am grateful for our God who not only loves us but knows just how to work in each of our lives, uniquely, to bring about the needed changes. We truly are life long projects. Blessings!
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the word brazen used with a positive connotation before. Very interesting. Thanks so much for linking up this post at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com this week!
Tina
Tina, I agree with you as I had not thought of the “word” brazen in a positive light before. This book puts an entirely new spin on the word. It is a wonderful book sure to inspire many. Blessings!