I’ve been blessed to serve on the launch team for True You, a contemplative book written by Michelle DeRusha. It’s so good that my small group will be using it for our weekly discussions this January. If you’re looking for a great read to help you make a fresh start, True You is an excellent choice.
Letting Go of Your False Self
In our fast-paced world, it’s so easy to lose sight of our souls. Our lives are crowded with noise and stimuli, and itt can be hard for our souls to get the nourishment they need. Michelle uses the metaphor of pruning a tree to open it up for more beauty and life. She shows us practical ways to do that in True You.
This book is about slowing down, becoming more mindful, and listening to our heart cries while we explore our faith journeys. Michelle leads us through her own story of discovery and helps us see what we need to do differently to cultivate deeper faith.
I enjoyed Michelle’s honest, vulnerable prunings of pretense and insecurities. Few authors are willing to talk about their circuitous and frustrating paths toward success, and even fewer are willing to say that past book sales struggled along. Her transparency about failure inspired me to take a harder look at the masks I wear and gently set them aside.
Uncovering the Person God Created
By sharing her own journey toward spiritual contentment, I learned the value of sitting still and just being the me God created. Through this book, I received permission to set aside my massive responsibilities and simply enjoy nature, read a book, or take a walk every day. Those activities soothe my soul and help me listen more closely to what God is whispering to my mind, heart and soul.
As a gardener, I truly enjoyed Michelle’s extended metaphor about pruning and I gained many personal applications. Today, the first day of 2019, I’m looking at my schedule and deciding what needs to be pruned out. This will help me nourish the most important branches and bear more fruit. I’m skimming through my favorite quotes from True You to help me decide what matters most.
Favorite Quotes from True You:
There are so many rich, thoughtful ideas in True You, and here are some of my favorites.
“We do not need to heal ourselves–the indwelling Holy Spirit does that for us–but we do need to want to get well; we need to desire wellness and choose it.”
“Confronting your false self and naming it is a necessary and critical part of deep transformation.”
“God didn’t just lead Moses into the wilderness; he led Moses to the far side of the wilderness–to the quietest, loneliest, most isolated, most desolate place possible. And it was only in that place, away from the demands and distractions of ordinary life, that God spoke to Moses.”
“God calls us to stay and wait, and all the while, he is working out something we can’t see or even imagine.”
“Deep, radical transformation does not take place overnight. It is a slow process, requiring time for healing, waiting, listening, watching, resting, and recovery.”
“Nature has always been the place that frees me to be my truest self and the place I most often sense God’s presence.”
“Like trees, our well-being depends in large part on our connection with and integration into our community. We need each other for nourishment, connection, and support.”
I enjoyed Michelle’s personal stories, her practical application tips, and the frequent bursts of artistic descriptions of the beauty of nature. True You is like a lovely walk through the woods that leaves you feeling peaceful, refreshed and energized for further growth.
I received a preview copy of True You from Baker Books and Netgalley.
True You is like a lovely walk through the woods that leaves you feeling peaceful, refreshed and energized for further growth. #goodreads #christianbook #bookreview #trueyou @michellederusha Click To Tweet
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