She had my attention as soon as the introduction was read as she explained who should read the book:

“It’s for everyone who doesn’t understand their identity as beloved. It’s for everyone who can’t imagine their weakness might be their greatest strength. It’s for everyone who thinks strength comes from trying harder and doing more. It’s for everyone who struggles and for everyone who loves the struggling. It’s for everyone who’s sat in the dark with a silent God, looking for a glimmer of hope that they’re not alone. It’s for everyone who needs to know that being poor in spirit is the richest place of all. That’s where the treasure is buried.”
(from page 22)

Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy is a journey through the hard and dark stories of her life. But they are more than stories for in each story, she tells us of how God met her in those very places. She brings this truth to life – that it is through weakness, and not through our strength, education, and experience – that we best display Jesus in our world.

The book is broken down into four parts:

1. Weakness
2. Hope
3. Strength
4. Glory

Her story includes poverty, illness, abuse, racial injustice, and disability. She vulnerably shares her pain and doubt only to reveal her discovery of God in each experience.

“The place of blessing we give from is our understanding that all is grace and everything belongs to God … Grace levels us and humbles us to see our neighbor as ourselves. It frees our hands to give and guards our hearts from greed and self-gratification.”
(from page 42)

She beautifully reminds us:

“The nature of the gospel is to confront, but its purpose is to set us free.”
(from page 96)

The book is hard to put down as Alia Joy writes in a beautiful and vulnerable way, her words drawing you into her journey. Upon reading the last page, I heaved a big breath and was filled with hope.

Our journeys will each be different, and in many ways alike. Things in this life will never be right, or as we desire, or expect. But we always have hope, for hope is found in Jesus, our Redeemer in and from all things.

“We bear witness to the goodness of God in the most unlikely places. He is our all in all – we know this from the desperate spaces when we had nothing else. No other route, no calmer sea, no other choice but surrender. And that is a gift. That is our glorious weakness.”
(from page 222)

This truly is a book for everyone.

~*~*~*

**I was provided a copy of this book by Baker Publishing Group.  All opinions are honest and my own.  This post contains affiliate links.  If you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small percent at no additional cost to you.

Today I am joining … Heart Encouragement and Tune In Thursday and Booknificent Thursday .