I finished A Place Called Blessing: Where Hurting Ends and Love Begins a few days ago and I've been thinking since then. Some books are like that. Sometimes, I finish a book and I can immediately sit down and write about it. Other times, I have to give it a day or two to sink in, or to think about what I want to say. Honestly, it's a good book. I just can't say unequivocally that I liked it. It made me cry too much. I don't like books that make me cry. I read to either escape or learn, not to be sad.

The book is based on a previous book by Trent,[b:The Blessing|205856|The Blessing|Gary Smalley|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172677034s/205856.jpg|529970]. According to Trent, the blessing "involves looking for specific ways to move toward others and provide them with five essential elements:
Meaningful touch
A spoken message
Attaching high value
Picturing a special future
An active commitment"

Trent says we are called by Jesus to do this as his followers. Obviously, we need to care for others and take care of each other, but the verses noted only speak of God's blessing to his people and say nothing of these elements. I'm not saying these aren't Biblical principles; God does attach a high value to us (Matthew 10: 29-31), and we do have a special future, not just in Heaven, but here on Earth (John 10:10). I guess I'm saying the author should have used verses like these to demonstrate his point instead of only the ones he gave (Gen 12:2, 1 Peter 3:9).

The story itself is heartbreak after heartbreak, with some love and a little hope thrown in. As a small child, Josh lost his parents in a drunk-driving accident. (Not that they were doing much for him and his brothers anyway, but they were his parents.) Then a tragic mistake separates him from his brothers. So I cried for the first 30 pages of the book. Eventually, he grows up, and meets Mike at work. Mike and his mother, Anna, become Josh's new family and he finally experiences all the love, nurturing, and "blessing" he didn't get as a child. That part of the story is wonderful. It's not all sunshine and roses, and there are some rough patches, but Josh learns that he really is worthy of love and families aren't always related by blood.

Then I cried for the last 30 pages. I won't tell you more because it would spoil the story. But, really, it's only 159 pages and I cried through 60 of them. That's almost 40% of the book. That's too much "sad" for me. But if you ignore that, this really is a good book.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. All opinions are my own. ( )

this is an amazing book. From start to finish i couldn't put it down. I read it in a day. Such a heartbreaking and heartwarming story. I think everyone should read this book I'm sure glad i did.

A child should never have to go through what Josh did, but made him a stronger person and a better man.

No matter what happens in your life God is always there. You may not understand why? but there is always a reason.

John Trent told a good story with a wonderful message ( )

Trent, John. A Place Called Blessing: Where Hurting Ends and Love Begins. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011.
This book tells the story of Josh, a young man orphaned at an early age. After a fire at a foster home that killed a young child, Josh is split from his two brothers, who are adopted, while he spends his youth living in a state children home. When Josh turns eighteen, Josh is hardened but is able to find a job in construction. Eventually, he befriends Mike, a college intern, and rents a room with him and his mother, Anna. Josh resists their attempt at friendship, but eventually allows them into his life. Josh learns to love when Mike cancer comes back. Josh promises to take of Mike’s mother when he dies. Josh is helped by Mike’s cousin, Lori, after Mike dies. Josh and Lori fall in love as they are taking care of Anna. Josh understands the meaning of love when he finds out that the young girl he killed was Anna’s daughter. Mike and Lori eventually marry and he is reunited with his brothers.
This book was an easy and enjoyable read, though a bit predictable. If one is looking for a “warm fuzzy” book then I would recommend this book. This book shows how a person can change their life and others through love and blessing. However, there was some confusing aspects of this book. The book is written from a first person view, however, at the end of the book the author mentions that there were some aspects that were fictionalized. However, I am still not sure what is fact and fiction. In addition, the purpose of the book is unclear. The book is written as part of a project for strengthening families, however, the book itself is not really about families. Rather it is about people reaching out to each other. Nevertheless, even with these problems, the book is worth the read. ( )

A Place Called Blessing is a story based on the original book by John Trent, The Blessing. This story takes one step further the five essential elements to being a blessing to others; meaningful touch, a spoken message, attaching high value, picturing special future, an active commitment.
The story begins with Josh as a young boy and his two brothers being raised by their parents who are too ‘young and dumb’ to take care of them. The boys fend for themselves and often are neglected and left hungry. The parents are killed in a car crash and Josh at the age of 4 is put into the Foster Care system along with his brothers. Being difficult to keep 3 active boys together, Josh often times was without his brothers and rotated between foster homes until he was 6. Tragedy at his next foster home ends him up being labeled as non placeable in his own eyes, and he continues through the system until he is released at age 18 with no family and no money. God had a plan for Josh though and through courage and perseverance he landed a good started job, stayed nights wherever he could find. Eventually he got a job with the city, found a room to rent and life was progressing. He became friends with the home owner Anna and her adult son Mike, and for the first time in his life he was able to see what The Blessing was truly about.
Each of us a Christians should strive to make our home and our hearts a place called blessing. To reach out to those who are lost in the world, regardless of age or stereotypes. I appreciated the story format of the book , for me it is easier to grasp the message and theme through story mode than a nonfiction type format. The subtitle of the book is Where Hurting Ends and Love Begins, and that would be a place we all pray for. ( )