Mended by Angie Smith

There are a few authors that are my favorites…no matter what the title of their new book is, whether it sounds useful to me or not, I will generally try to snatch it up! That is exactly how I feel about Angie Smith. I began reading her blog a few years ago when she was pregnant with their 4th daughter, Audrey, and shared about her pregnancy, Audrey’s diagnosis, her birth and the few precious hours they had with her here on earth. Angie’s writing through the pain was intense and beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

When I agreed to review Mended, I had absolutely NO idea what this book was about! I was actually a bit surprised when I learned that this book had come out because I had not heard a lot about it yet. I was very excited to dive in.

This book is unlike her previous 2 books, both of which I have read. I Will Carry You is the story of Audrey Caroline’s precious life, Angie’s pregnancy, their choice to carry Audrey to full term, and their few short hours with her here on earth. If you haven’t read this book, you absolutely should. And, if you know anyone grieving – be that the loss of a child or anyone else – this is a great book to give as a source of encouragement. Angie’s next book, What Women Fear, was excellent as well! I actually read it earlier in the year (thanks to a Kindle loan from a friend!) and was surprised by how much I got out of this book. I don’t consider myself one with a lot of fears, but when you define fear as being the opposite of faith, well, it definitely was a book I needed!

Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole is a different kind of book from her previous two. I was expecting the book to be a little bit like her book on fear…taking us through a journey of learning and understanding brokenness and God mending us. But, it really isn’t a self-help type book at all. It is more of a devotional, actually. And,  I struggle to even call it that, because sometimes devotionals are fluffy or too light, ya know?

Each “chapter” in this book can stand alone. It is a short writing of Angie’s, like a devotional or encouragement piece. These are stories from her life where God has spoken to her in a way that is uniquely Angie and she is able to relay those lessons to us. Some of these entries I recognize from her blog, because I’m a bit of a blog stalker and read her blog whenever she has a new post! 🙂

At the end of each entry or chapter, Angie has put a few questions or thoughts, things for you to think about for that day. She suggests not rushing through this book, but reading 1 entry per day as you start your day with the Lord.

I love that Angie shares her struggles with us, and through those struggles and the pain she has experienced in life, she encourages each of us that God can use us in our brokenness. This is a message we all need to hear, I think. Myself included. I hope if you are needing some encouragement today you will check out this book. You will be blessed and encouraged to live confidently in Christ – because of what He has done, nothing of what we have done.