The Pages of Her Life by James L. Rubart

Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko

About the Book:

Allison Moore is making it. Barely. The Seattle architecture firm she started with her best friend is struggling, but at least they’re free from the games played by the corporate world. She’s gotten over her divorce. And while her dad’s recent passing is tough, their relationship had never been easy.

Then the bomb drops. Her dad was living a secret life and left her mom in massive debt.

As Allison scrambles to help her mom find a way out, she’s given a journal, anonymously, during a visit to her favorite coffee shop. The pressure to rescue her mom mounts, and Allison pours her fears and heartache into the journal.

But then the unexplainable happens. The words in the journal, her words, begin to disappear. And new ones fill the empty spaces—words that force her to look at everything she knows about herself in a new light.

Ignoring those words could cost her everything . . . but so could embracing them.

My Review:

Do you ever read a book and stop to wonder if it was written just for  you (but you know it wasn’t)?

I can’t count many times I did that with this book. I was sitting there, absorbing the story and thinking about how real and just amazingly deep this story was.

You have several characters in the book, the sibling pair along with their mother. I hardly have words to describe it, other than this story brings to life how sometimes totally confusing life can be, when you think you are doing the right thing and maybe you are, yet things are just going worse and worse.

Do you get down to the nitty gritty and just write/talk or look to God for the true guidance in your life?

I just went through a tough year, and it is not likely to get easier. But reading books like this with deep spiritual encouragement, along with just the love of God seeping through every page really just brightened my whole life. I was refreshed and ready to keep going. I am thankful to authors that take the time to create stories that inspire.

It is so hard for me to stand up for myself, and when you know you can lose everything if you do? Wow. It is even harder. I related so much to Allison and wanted to just be her best friend when I was done.

I highly recommend this book.

 

The Bible- Weaponized.

That title alone could bring about a lot of confusion. For some, they are imagining “The Sword of the Lord” as in Christianese terms, the bible could be referred to.

For some though, they may be thinking along the lines that I am. When the bible has been used to hurt, kill and wound other people that believe in it.

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Galations 5:13, 14″

I think often this verse is not one that is pulled out too often.

This week, I was in a car driving along a road near familiar places to me. As I traveled and the road signs went flashing by, memories flooded in.

Unbidden. Unwanted. Painful Memories.

The bible being used as a weapon, rather than loving on ones neighbor. “Christians” that claimed love, biting and devouring one another while seeking to use chains of legalism to bind others.

“You know the bible says to submit to your husband. You should do whatever he tells you, as long as it is not sin. Oh, you think that is sin? You are just trying to avoid your wifely duties. Smile and bear it. Take up your cross.”

The words sound good. “Take up your cross.”, “Deny yourself”, and other biblical terms. But how are they applying in cases where people are harming others, and using biblical excuses to cover them up?

“The bible doesn’t talk about self care or taking care of yourself. You should be careful about how much you think about it. Depression is likely being caused by sin you have not confessed. Instead, work harder to deny the lusts of the flesh and sacrifice yourself. If you die, isn’t it to the glory of God?”

They are taking advantage of something. The fact that many people are willing to do just about anything for God. But when they are taught about a false god that demands so much more than he gives, it ends up being a false religion.

I was willing to do anything for God. I still am. But I know God, and what He will ask of me. I am not listening to the voices of others telling me what God is saying as as cliche as it sounds, I know His voice. When those others butt in and try to tell me in different voices that they are the voice of God, that is when I can easily reject it.

As I drove down the highway of memories, I rejected those thoughts of legalism and condemnation that rained down, and put up my umbrella. “Not today.” I’ll say. “I am walking with my Savior today.”

I am rejecting the use of the bible as a weapon to kill and heap death on others, and instead embracing using it to show the Love of God.