Angie Smith (1)

There were some good nuggets in here, and I really liked Angie's exposition of scripture. She breaks down some of the "big theology" (especially the meanings of Greek and Hebrew words) and puts it into a form that laywomen can understand without watering it down.

Angie is really funny, but she constantly interrupted herself to go on long tangents that were meant to lighten up the text; instead, they were just distracting - her humor and her anecdotes were never related strongly enough to her main topic to be insightful or memorable.

(I got the impression that many people who have read Angie's other books must have not understood her sarcastic, snarky sense of humor, and so she felt the need to over-explain her humor in this book.)

My favorite part was actually the exact same message I heard her give in person last year - she delves into the story of Abraham when he's about to sacrifice Isaac, explaining that Abraham told his son that God would provide a lamb and in the story, it's a ram that is found in the thicket. She relates this back to her own life:

"My eyes were locked on a thicket instead of a cross. I was relying on a promise He never made me. And even when it feels hollow, I force the words because I know there is power in the truth. Satan comes in the most broken moments and he whispers lies and asks me if I'm sure God is for me. Am I sure He is good? Am I sure He provides? There is power in truth, and I shout it with my soul - No. I am not sure about the ram. But I am certain about the Lamb. The enemy of my soul will not convince me that my circumstances reflect the way God is providing for me. It is simply not so." (p. 167)… (meer)

I was blown away by the bible study Angie Smith did, Seamless. I loved her transparency, her humor, and the way she put things together for people that did not grow up in church and/or if they did how to tie things together from Old Testament and New. Likewise, I appreciated her use of visual aids with maps, pictures, and other tools to help bring these stories to life.

Furthermore, I enjoyed this book as the author continues the same style of writing and teaching about how bible characters relate to one another and God. Helping readers see the whole story, see the bigger picture. Here’s a peek at her humor in the midst of a bible story. Angie talks about Adam, Even and the Serpent and the disillusion of perfection and the reality of our true condition after the fall. She says,…”God’s first recorded words, “Where are you?”

“Rest assured, he was not looking down into the garden like, “Oh my gosh, these are my first people, and I’ve already lost them. PERFECT.” No, he knew where they were. He wasn’t asking about their physical location; he was asking about the posture of their hearts toward him.”

I highly recommend this for everyone. I know it is one I’ll be reading over again. There is so much in here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org… (meer)