First Book Review!

Today is day 3 of Monster Cold. It has laid me out. I've even called in sick to work. I usually hate to do that since it's just a cold, but I am not feeling the love toward the actions that led to me catching this cold. In light of that feeling, I'm going to try to do my part of not passing this thing on to anyone else, my husband excluded! I'm tired of laying around, but today is kinda cloudy and cool, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. It also allowed me to start and finish a little book that was so sad and sweet.

Dorie The Girl Nobody Loved is a little book I just read. It only took me a couple days of intermittent reading, but it had my full attention. I found it on a shelf in Salvation Army (a place we frequently shop due to the fact that my husband literally burns through clothing and I can't pay full price for books to fill my dream library). In my lofty literary lists, this isn't a heavy hitter. In fact, it was a nice reprieve from some of my heavier reading material. It's a very quick, easy read.

I would not say that this story is light, however. I am so blessed to have grown up in an "ideal" setting. I had 2 parents, in the same house and on the same page, to rear me and my siblings. I was privileged to have the freedoms of farm life as a child which meant running around a fence-less yard and riding my bike as far as I could. My parents were not rich, but not poor and we had many things beyond the necessary. I had the blessings of growing up hearing the stories of Jesus and was encouraged to make Him real in my life. I loved my childhood, even though I was the "strong-willed" one! I was loved by my parents and grandparents. Still am. Dorie was not.

In fact, Dorie had none of the privileges I had growing up, but God made Himself real in her life too. I was horrified to read of Dorie's childhood and moved to tears to see how God held her. Dorie's story was a great story of true love, forgiveness, mercy and a million other things that exemplify a life lived for Christ. It was not a story of being a victim, rather being victorious. I cheered for her! I enjoy biographies of those who have walked before me successfully! It is so encouraging. I also saw how I should live out my religion through the active mission in James 1:27. I have been loved specifically so I can show love.

The only criticism was that it could have been more. It seemed to skip over so much. Perhaps the details would have been too much? Given the length of the book, I don't think it was meant to be a full biography, but her story of the transforming power of God's love.