A book about grace now? Could I leave the "valley of the shadow of death" even for a moment and enter the grace and peace of God amid this crisis? I wasn't so sure that I could do that, let alone review a book about it. As I considered whether or not to review this book, I started to gather my thoughts on the topic and my experience of grace.
Then the insecurity began to set in. Of all the tenets of faith, grace was the one that I probably struggled with the most. Oh, I had read all the verses and tackled the tough theological theses about it, but somehow its message alluded me.
I wondered why this would be? Why would I not be able to fully ensconce myself in the clemency of grace? Perhaps my childhood religious denomination unduly influenced me with a marked emphasis on "works"? Is the New York culture to blame with its emphasis on pretension and self-glorification? Or is it my proud nature to push away the notion of God's blessing upon me in spite of my inherent sin and unworthiness? My decision to review this book started to feel more and more like an appointment with God that must not be avoided.
I was startled one bright and sunny morning when my masked and gloved mailman threw a padded package at my front door. I did not grab and tear open the package as I ordinarily would have done in the carefree days that are now gone. Instead, I isolated the package until all possible traces of the coronavirus would be obliterated. Then I opened my package and found a sweet bubble-gum colored book with gold lettering: Grace Looks Amazing On You. Is that really true? She was going to have to prove that to me.
And prove it she did. The power of this book began to impress itself upon me immediately. Behind this bubble-gum facade, there was an implicit challenge to stop my game playing and commit myself to some serious soul-searching. In choosing to make this book a one hundred day devotion, author Amy Seiffert immediately establishes a significant time commitment towards the study of grace. One hundred days of breaking down defenses and strongholds. One hundred days, one hundred scriptures: it was like someone blowing a shofar in my ear telling me to wake up!
Amy Seiffert begins every devotion with a scripture portion, shares meaningfully from her life, and ends in a prayer. These devotions provide just enough spiritual food to nourish our hungry souls. They each point to one aspect of how grace looks in everyday life, even in places you may not have seen it hiding.
Even though the author published this work just before the virus outbreak it feels as if this book addresses the pandemic. Ms. Seiffert gets real because God's grace can heal. She shares her life in an intimate way so that by the end of the book I felt a bond crossing the distance between Westchester County, New York and Bowling Green, Ohio. The bond that connects the believer to each and every other believer. The bond that makes you feel that you are not alone.
This book touched my heart with the deeper meaning of God's steadfast love in my life. Something that we need now more than ever. Grace is an antidote to the current worldwide crisis, but we must take time each day to reflect upon that. Amy Seiffert's book is a great way to do that! Don't waste another minute trying to attain what God so freely gives. Add Grace Looks Amazing on You to your summer reading list.
* Please note for all my United States readers there is a special giveaway to celebrate the release of Amy Seiffert's new book. Take advantage of this as time may be limited. Enjoy! https://www.blessedfreebies.
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