Move On


Move On: When Mercy Meets Your Mess by Vickie Courtney was one of those books that, by the description, sounded like it would either be amazing or a flop, so I opened it up not sure what to expect. Well, it was amazing! The description reads:

"You can say good-bye to the person you've been pretending to be!

Life is often messy. God makes provision to help us move beyond our messes.

Oftentimes our first instincts are to hide, deny, ignore, or run. In Move On best-selling author Vicki Courtney helps readers come clean with their muddy messes, revealing the deeper issues they must face, including:

-the need for approval
-struggles and broken dreams
-shame
-legalism
-idols
-Christian snobbery

It is in the middle of our messes, Vicki says, that Mercy shows up and offers us a safe place to process our struggles, imperfections, doubts, and fears. Once we face our messes, God, with his sweet mercy, can help us to get real, deal, and truly move on. Then with Mercy by our side, we are able to break free and experience the grace and freedom God intends."

First of all, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning. The cover is truly what drew me to the book in the first place. It's vibrant, engaging, and compelling. Once I opened up the book, I found that the contents were wonderful as well. Vickie starts off the book by telling the story of her Christian college-age engaged son confessing that his fiancee is pregnant. I, like Vickie, did not become a Christian until my early 20s, so I've had a lot of messes in my life as well (both before and after I got saved - just like Vickie!) so I appreciated the upfront honestly throughout the entire book. She confesses her own mistakes, messes, and mishaps. This is one of the most "real", honest Christian books I've ever read. I appreciate Vickie's transparency and willingness to share her struggles, and how she encourages all of us to share our struggles as well. This was a quick read and something you'll have trouble putting down - at just 191 pages, I read it in one afternoon. As soon as I read the Preface describing her son's confession, I was drawn in and hooked. Vickie points us over and over again to the grace and mercy of the Saviour, which is something I need a daily (and sometimes moment by moment) reminder of. I especially liked her emphasis on tearing down judgmental, Pharisaical behavior in the church - which, if we're honest, we all can succumb to at times. This is a very important book and one that every Christian today should read. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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