Life is often messy. God makes provision to help us move beyond our messes but often our first instinct is to hide, deny, ignore, or run from them. Yet it is in the middle of our mess where mercy shows up and offers a safe place to process our struggles, imperfections, doubts, and fears. Then with mercy by our side, we are able to move on and experience the grace and freedom God intended. 

In Move On best-selling author Vicki Courtney helps readers come clean with their muddy messes, revealing the deeper issues they must face, including: 

Christian snobbery
struggles and broken dreams
the past
shame
legalism
the need for approval
idols
fickle faith 

Once we face our messes, God, with his sweet mercy, can help us to get real, deal, and truly move on.

This book is jam packed, from cover to cover, with just plain ole’ awesomeness. There are personal stories, excerpts from books and relevant Bible verses to showcase the message of mercy in every day life. Vicki is honest and straight forward, which I love. She shares her own stories honestly, even when they’re messy. Often, as Christians, we judge though we should not. Myself included y’all. Whether that judgement is in silence or aloud, we are guilty of doing so from time to time. How many times we don’t extend grace to those who need it the most. But yet, we expect grace to be given back to us. Vicki goes on to show that mercy is so freely given and to find the light in every darkness.

This was a great read and I would highly recommend this book to anyone, no matter your age or stage in life. But especially to those of us who feel as though we have some sort of shortcoming. This book will challenge you and, if you let it, this book will change you.

This book was provided to me free of charge by Book Look in return for my honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

While there are ample books for women on dating, career, marriage, and motherhood, less prevalent are thoughtful writings about the everyday handling of female friendships. Inspired by the highs and lows of a backpacking trip across Europe with four gal pals, Marian Jordan’s The Girlfriends Guidebook charts a winning pathway through “jealousy, competition, control, anger, manipulation, and resentment-just to name a few less than cuddly aspects of our personalities.”

Informed by her faith, Marian encourages deeper friendships built on Christlike honesty and love, emphasizing the development of such qualities as loyalty, trustworthiness, compassion, and forgiveness. Jordan also makes it clear that The Girlfriends Guidebook should be read first with one’s self in mind… recognizing that when we are freed from our own emotional baggage we will really be able to enjoy the journey!

Well hello book written just for me. I mean, have you saw my struggle with friendships over the past few years? Yeah, this girl couldn’t wait to get her hands on this book!

As I started reading this book, I found myself saying “aahh, me too…me too” over and over again.  In this book are three key points super important to friendships.  First, as women, we need to make sure we allow God to fill our emotional needs. We can’t seek our boyfriend or spouse or other friends to fill that emotional need. Secondly, we need to realize our own sin nature has an adverse affect on promoting godly relationships. Our pride, envy and jealousy can get in the way and create such baggage that when left to grow will only destroy our friendships. Finally we need to understand and practice the characteristics of godly friendships.  

One certain bit of advice stuck with me…to have a friend, be a friend.  I will be the first to admit, once my feelings are hurt I immediately build a wall.  And I make you work mighty hard to get that wall broken down.  I know that’s wrong…I know I know I know…yet it still happens.  I know if I hurt a friends feelings, I would want them to extend grace to me.  So who am I not to extend that same grace back?

The book tells us to let go of emotional baggage to be a good friend. It is a great check up for the health of your current friendships. I highly recommend this book to any mom wanting to improve her friendships and to teach her daughters about godly friendships. I recommend this to any ministry leader wanting to teach a series on godly friendships or to do a weekend or week long retreat. This book will be an invaluable resource for this generation of women!
B and H Publishing Group provided this book to me for free in exchange for this honest review.