Strangers at my Door

If anyone needs an easy, inspiring book to read, I've got one for you!
Strangers at my Door by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove.

Strangers at my Door is a compilation of stories about this man and wife's journey of opening a hospitality house in a poverty stricken, crime infested neighborhood in Durham, North Carolina. Their motivation is to find Jesus in the stranger at their door. They invite people in to eat, to talk, to question, and even to stay and live. They function as a diverse family with responsibilities, fellowship, prayer, and struggles. Drug addictions, criminal activity, abuse, prostitution, homelessness are just some of the realities they face. The stories show us that it isn't always easy to find Jesus in the stranger at the door, but in the end, it is always worth it.
This book really tugged on my heart strings. It opened my eyes to issues I had never seen or heard of before. It broke my heart to read of the struggles that they face. It uplifted me in unexpected ways.

I'll share a few of my favorite quotes from the book, but don't let that take the place of actually reading it as a whole. I'm confident that it will be a blessing in your life to read about this hospitality house.

"To leave the door locked--to close ourselves off from another person in fear--is to reduce our capacity to connect, to love, to be fully human." 

"Welcome everything, and you'll witness miracles." 
Even in the most dirty and intimidating situations, miracles can happen.

"Is it safe? No. But companionship never is. It is drawing close to another person despite our fears. It is an embrace that comes int he midst of conflict, pushing us deep together, not further apart. It is, at its best, a glimpse of glory. But it's never safe."
I feel like this quote rings true for a lot of us. Maybe it's when we see a homeless person on the corner or when we meet a person who was just recently released from prison. Perhaps its when we're looking for neighborhoods to live in. I think this is a great perspective to have, because it's true...companionship (any kind) is never safe since we are imperfect beings. There is always a risk of being hurt by anyone, no matter their circumstances.

"But the dividing line between good and evil does not run between those who've been to prison and those who haven't. It cuts through the center of every soul."

"Those couple of hours int he library each week--they were the only time when I was locked up (in prison) that I felt like a human being."

Because behind the homelessness, the addiction, the abuse, there is a heart. 

A heart that was created in the image of God.

A heart that is loved by God.
A heart that longs to be loved and accepted by others. 

We can't ignore that truth, but we should embrace it.

No one is too far from redemption with God's immense grace.

Finding Jesus in the stranger, can give us all the strength we need to love them past their mistakes.

Check out this book-you won't be disappointed!

The Insatiable Quest for Beauty

This review is practically a year overdo...please forgive me, Tiffany Dawn! It's been a crazy year, as a lot of books on my list. Better late than never, right?!

 

The Insatiable Quest for Beauty is an easy read for girls and women in general, but guys can also join in on this great read, too! Tiffany writes in such a real way that it feels like she's talking to you or as she would say, "on a coffee date". She explores the many struggles that girls often face such as weight issues, insecurities, and dating. Tiffany, herself, has had many tough experiences and has so graciously shared them with us in her book.

The book is divided into 12 chapters, also known as "coffee date topics".
In every chapter, she includes a diary entry and a quote or song lyric that sets the stage for the rest of the chapter. At the end of each chapter, she poses questions that will make you think, as well as a link to her website so you can watch videos pertaining to the specific topic in the chapter. She challenges us ladies, to find our worth in Christ and not in what the world tells us. Also, she gives us different ways to work on our insecurities in hopes to better ourselves, as well as our relationships. With the help of many Bible verses and real stories, we can be encouraged in Tiffany's book.

I want to share one of my favorite quotes from the book...
"Don't date to find your worth, because you already have your worth. You are already valuable, and you are too precious to throw your heart at guys who don't treat you like a daughter of the King. Your worth is wrapped up in the love of Jesus Christ, not in boys."

The Insatiable Quest for Beauty would be a great book to read in a small group/Bible study or simply by yourselves. Learn more about this wonderful book and how to buy it at http://theinsatiablequestforbeauty.com/.