"A Sudden Glory," by Sharon Jaynes {a review}

Back Matter:

"Do you long for something more in your relationship with God?

The good news is that “something more” does not mean “doing more.” God is not waiting for you to get your spiritual life “right.” He wants to be with you right where you are.

The real question is not “What does God want from you?” but “What does God want for you?”
 
Sharon Jaynes understands what it’s like to have a “glory ache”—a longing to experience God’s presence on a daily basis. She also knows how easily working for God can get in the way of intimacy with God. And she’s discovered that we tend to make our faith journey much too hard.

In A Sudden Glory, Sharon uses Scripture and story to help you erase the line between your “spiritual life” and your “daily life” as you enter the sanctuary of God’s presence even in the middle of your busy, messy day. Here you will find your eyes opened to moments of sudden glory in which the Creator assures you of His love as you live and move and have your being in Him. Here you will discover true freedom—the freedom of experiencing God in a deeper and more intimate way than ever before."

I waited a while to read this because I am busy with so many other things—homeschooling, keeping everyone in clean underwear, keeping food in the fridge, unclogging toilets, etc.

I finally decided to clean out my school library recently because I'm parting with books and curricula that have piled up over the years. That is when I rediscovered this book.
 

Sharon's book is not a quick read. She writes in a way that requires you to concentrate on what is written and to think about the content.The theme of the whole book is that God is speaking to His children all the time—and we will hear His voice, if we take time to listen.

I love many of the quotes in this book, such as:

"We are...like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." (C. S. Lewis, as quoted on p 90).

"Because we approach the gospel with preconceived notions of what it should say rather than what it does say, the Word no longer falls like rain on the parched ground of our souls." (Brennan Manning, as quoted on p 97).

These two quotes sum up the overall content of this book, which the author wrote to help us to see the "glory" in every moment of our lives.

If you are feeling numb to God and missing His glory in your life because you are weighed down with cares, this is a great book to check out!


(Thanks to the publisher, Multnomah Books, for a free copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion.)