Author: Valerie Woerner
Source: Received from publisher via LitFuse Publicity Group
Buy book: here
Are you tired of waiting for change to happen in your life? Do you feel stuck, even though you want to live more intentionally?In today’s world, our most precious pursuit of a life well lived gets squeezed out by the silliest of things: binging on Netflix or ice cream, shopping trips for things we don’t need, bad habits we can’t seem to get a handle on, and so much more. Valerie has been there despite knowing what she wanted for her life. Actually do it? That’s the challenge.
After gobbling up all the non-fiction and self-help books her donut-filled belly could handle, she decided it was time to put her knowledge to good use and start actually living it out. You will hear about her journey through victories and plenty of failures and find practical tips to apply to your own pursuit of holiness. You will find homework at the end of each chapter that includes a worksheet to put real change in motion for your own life as well as recommended books to further study those topics that really test you.
Review:
I've been in a funk. Stuck in a rut that is so deep that all I could see was the next step in front of me, but nothing else. Moving aimlessly in the endless routine of day in and day out as a working mother with no relief in sight.
I think that's why I absolutely adored this book. It's the book that I wish I had written because it was everything that I needed in my life right now. So much of what she wrote in this book resonated with me. Fellow book nerd, knowledge junkie? Check and check!
I've been following Valerie on Instagram (@valmariepaper) for awhile now. I've always found her posts not only beautiful, but inspirational. I love her prayer journals and have been eyeing them for a long time. There was a period of my life (early in my marriage and pre-kids), when I would diligently keep a prayer journal. It was probably the time of my life when I felt the closest to God. In all honesty, I miss it. I miss Him terribly. This book has inspired me to start a new one again.
What I appreciated about this book is that each chapter was a quick, succinct guide to different areas of your life: joy, friendship, self-control, margin, etc. My favorite guides were to habits, balance, and comparison because they are the current demons that are at the most forefront of my life right now.
Valerie writes in a way that is totally relatable, real, and at times humorous. It felt like sitting at a coffee shop with a close friend and bonding over common struggles of daily life. I think the Enemy wants nothing more than to make you think that you are alone in your daily trials and tribulations to make you feel isolated and like you're fighting the battles with your own sheer willpower and strength (or weaknesses, rather). It feels validating and refreshing to know that I am not alone and even though my journey and pursuit towards holiness in my walk with Christ will not be perfect, at least I know that I've got God on my side. I really don't think I'll ever be the same after reading this book and I'm thankful that I had the chance to read it through Litfuse. I am looking forward to the next steps in my journey as a Christ-follower, wife, mother, and woman. Thank you Valerie, for writing this book that spoke directly to my heart.
I zipped through this book a little faster than I would have liked because I didn't have "balance" in my life, but I plan on rereading it again, slower... to savor each chapter and read it more like a devotional. I highly recommend reading this book like a devotional. That way, you have time to let the lessons of each guide sink in. I can also see this being a great book to study together in a study group of women in a bible study/small group environment.
Lastly, I also appreciated that she also provided free homework worksheets and resources on her website to go deeper with the material. Please check out her website at: http://www.valmariepaper.com.
Rating:
5 out of 5 stars
About the author:
Valerie Woerner is owner of Val Marie Paper. She and her husband, Tyler, live in Louisiana with their daughter, Vivi Mae. The Finishing School is her first book.
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