I really felt like the author had read my diaries! She said so many things that I have thought to myself and, not only that, but we like so many of the same things!

This book is for anyone who finds their world turned upside down by circumstances out of their control. For the author, it was finding that her parents were getting a divorce after decades of marriage. It made her feel like she could not depend on the normal things of her life any longer and I know exactly how that feels.

She is so honest and open about how she felt going through all these things. She felt lost and alone. I’m sure you’ve had something happen that makes you feel like there is no normal – nothing to hold on to – but here’s where the author helps to direct us. To Jesus. She reminds us that God is always there and working all the loose ends of the bad things into a good thing. It is during these times that we need to rest in God and rely on Him.

She also shares how she tries to make the atmosphere around her lovelier. She creates spaces that make her feel calm and peaceful, yet homey for her family. There is a lot of wisdom in this as we all need our homes to feel as peaceful and welcoming as possible, especially in the hard times when we just want to hunker down.

I also liked the questions that she asks in each chapter. It really makes one focus on what is important, especially our faith in God. I love this book and received an ebook to read for my review, however, I liked this book so much, and it made such a difference in my life, I am going to buy a hard copy of this book. Obviously, I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Let me start off by saying that I completely adore this cover (smiley face with heart eyes). Originally, when I was granted this request, there was no cover picture yet. So props to an amazing cover!

My plan wasn’t to read this novel until a little later on. Out of curiosity, I checked my Aldiko app and realized I only had three days left on my bookshelf!!

"Every hardship, each negative circumstance, and all brokenness is an opportunity to find more of God. Which, in turn, means to find more beauty."

I have a tattoo on my ribs with a similar quote: “We’ll wear our scars like medals of hope”. I truly believe that everything does happen for a reason, both the good and the bad. Every experience in life makes us who we are. Even though, at times, it can be rough, it leads us toward the right path in our lives.

"With every ending, God is authoring a beginning. Our current failures are being written into future opportunities."

This is great! People generally view endings as a bad thing. Really, it is the start of something great. This made me excited! I, for one, have a hard time imagining failures as a good thing. However, our failures bring us to the next great experience in our lives. How amazing!

"You must get lost before you can be found."

I truly believe that in order to get closer to God, we need that one terrible experience to get that “Aha!” moment and get back on the right path. It’s hard to realize what we truly need when life goes smoothly. When it is difficult, that is when we realize exactly what we need to do in order to change it for the better.

"The only person I had been battling was me."

I know, I am my biggest critic. I get so hard on myself with every mistake I make, and trust me, I never forget it! I know, for me, the hardest person to forgive is myself. I’m still trying to forgive myself for something I did (not even that bad) years ago.

"I thought I wanted to run, but what I really wanted, what I’ve always wanted, was to be found."

Don’t we all? I know, especially in relationships, what I want most is for someone to be there…no matter how hard I push. At times, things are rough and it’s easier to run away, however, sticking through it and figuring it out provides so many more benefits that running and not resolving an issue.

"The soul of a home isn’t determined by how it is decorated; it is determined by who and what reside in it."

I adore this quote. This is exactly how I feel about life. Spending time with those who mean something to you can be the greatest experience, even if it is just sitting on the couch and watching a movie. People (and pets) really make a home, not the material items inside.

This was exactly the read I needed. I’ve been feeling a little off lately and needed something to pick me back up! This novel did it for me!