The subtitle of this book caught my attention: How Jesus heals you when others hurt you. It’s a beautiful sentiment, and I believe that it’s true. I was curious to see how this widely-published author would set out principles of grace, forgiveness and faith against the backdrop of her own life.  The book trailer was very powerful, and I looked forward to reading her story.

The book isn’t as much of her story as I’d hoped. It’s more self-help, recommending specific steps one can take towards forgiveness. It’s more about what we should do than what God does. I wish she’d shared more specifics of how this transformation has played out in her life. You can tell by the things she alludes to (“the man who stole our house,” for example, or several places where she mentions feeling betrayed by church leaders or close friends) that she has been through a lot, and comes to this book with experience to share. I wish she had shared it in scenes, shown us how Jesus worked in her life, rather than telling us that he did.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.