Worth Living, by Mary DeMuth (book review)

I admit it: I’m a lazy reader. I found I had to focus, really focus, in order to get into Worth Living by Mary DeMuth. I told myself it was the fine print (maybe I just need to have my eyes re-checked?). But man, am I glad I persisted. I was rewarded. Mary spilled her heart out on. every. single. page.

Mary is an authentic writer. Reading her truly personal stories, and deep feelings, I’m confident she lives the same way she writes – authentically.

I’m starting to realize it’s quite sad when I’m shocked by someone’s authenticity as being a true rarity. When did we start to expect people to be any other version of their true selves? Mary’s personal exposure and vulnerability truly is refreshing.

I think Larry Crabb put it best when he said, “We live to pretend, to hide what is bad and parade what is good. It prevents community from becoming grace-based and real. And it keeps us from enjoying God.”

Mary shares her heart, but there’s no glamourizing any of the details, and definitely no show-boating. She writes not to puff herself up, or to get noticed, but I believe, to develop a grace-based community. One of more understanding. More compassion. And she invites us in to experience it for ourselves. She does this by letting herself be vulnerable first.

I haven’t met Mary, but I’m pretty sure she is the real deal. She openly writes about her struggles with self worth. She willingly shares her story –in black ink and published for the world to read. Honest? There are days when I have a hard time admitting those same struggles to myself. Mary writes with true courage.

There were several chapters where I thought, “phew, I’m not the only one who thinks like this!” That’s the type of grace-based community I’m talking about! Isn’t it time that we all stop “hiding what is bad and parading what is good”? Wouldn’t we all feel a whole lot less alone if we did what Mary does and share honestly about what we are experiencing – processing?

In every chapter, Mary gently re-orientates our thinking to how God sees us. She moves us from seeing ourselves as weak to weakly strong; insecure to being found secure in Jesus Christ, & from yearning to be picked to discovering that we are in fact, Chosen!

Chosen. That’s one chapter/idea that really struck a chord with me.

Whenever I’m with a large group of people and we are called on to form smaller groups, my mind immediately goes back to the school yard when kids were selected to form teams during recess or even worse, gym class. Those memories are not my happy place. Often overlooked as a kid, the insecure woman in me still yearns to be picked, not drawn last.

Mary reminds me – I am chosen. Did you get that?! CHOSEN! She writes (in her chapter, I am Chosen):

God has chosen you. All your quirks. All that baggage. All those secret and not-so-secret failures.

You.

Are.

Chosen.

In a world that often leaves us rejected, It’s time to start believing GOD’S TRUTH – He chose you. Let God’s word penetrate your soul. “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name He may give to you.” (John 15:16)

Sometimes I think, “if so and so really knew me, and my past mistakes, would they still want to be my friend? Will people still think I am fit for ministry?” Some of my failures are not so secret, but I still worry about what people think of me. I want to know I’m still esteemed. As we are all walking wounded, I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in that thinking.

I felt these words jump out at me from Mary’s book, “I gave my reputation to Him to manage. I remember the release if felt when I realized this truth about God: He sees” (from her chapter, I Am Secure). I sat with that for a while, envisioning what it means to give my reputation over to God to manage. As a control-freak, I still struggle with handing over every aspect of my life to God. It’s crazy, isn’t it?! He planned my being here - my living is no mistake. Jesus Christ willingly gave up his reputation for mine, and in so doing, went all the way to the Cross. For me. And I’m still worried He might hold back? For some reason, I’ve never thought of handing over my reputation to the care and control of God. I like this concept. I need to do it.

For women desiring grace-based community, reading Worth Living might be a safe place to start.

Friend, “You were not meant to live a caged life. Bars should not cover the windows of your heart. Recognize your freedom and live that way” (Mary DeMuth).

My thanks to #EllensPicks for introducing me (yet again) to another “new to me” author.

#EllensPicks