Book Review: Longing to Belong

 

Longing to Belong

Discovering the Joy of Acceptance

by Shawna Marie Bryant

 Abilene Christian University Press & Leafwood Publishers 

Leafwood Publishers

 Christian  |  Religion & Spirituality 

Pub Date 14 Jul 2020

I am reviewing a copy of Longing to Belong through Leafwood Publishers and Netgalley:

In Longing to Belong Shawna Marie Bryant reminds us that words  do have power, they can hurt or they can heal.  Words can either bring life or bring death depending on how they are used.  We are reminded that God has given us a heaven sent weapon with divine power, our heaven sent weapon was crafted to cut through lies and hold thoughts captive,  we can demolish the deadly effects of every debasing thought or deed, by using our tongue to speak the truth.

This book goes on to point out  if we believe we are unlovable, we will never know the truth about how powerful God’s love is or grasp what it does for us.  We are reminded too that when we feel rejected it affects us physically as well as spiritually, but when we know the truth of God’s love it heals us in body, mind and spirit.

This book serves to remind us that we are special, that we are not invisible.  The author goes on to talk about the three types of forgiveness being exoneration, forbearance, and release.  Exoneration is wiping the slate entirely clean.  Forebearance is used when the offender only partially apologizes or mingles their sorrow over the hurt they caused you, and to release means simply to let go.  

In this book Shawna shows us how to deal with the hurt and grasp the keys to  the future when we have been rejected by others.  She goes on to show us that our Creator is not a harsh taskmaster or a harsh critic who needs to be feared.  Instead, learn to claim your rightful place as accepted by God and live in joy.

Longing to Belong would be a great book for individual or a group study, on forgiveness and overcoming rejection.

I give Longing to Belong five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

This book reminds us that we are called to forgive, and then the author goes on to show us how to work towards forgiveness.  This book reminds us that though we have enemies, we can still walk in victory.