Mary DeMuth says thin places are where the mundane meet other-worldly, where we get a glimpse of eternity. Her memoir, Thin Places, is the opportunity to see how God intersected the story of her life to bring redemption to rape, abandonment and fear. It is the profound grace of sharing painful realities and yet finding hope on the other side.
Mary E. DeMuth is an author, speaker and mentor. In over 30 books and with five translations, she seeks to bring truth and transparency to difficult places. Her work with authors is legendary and purposeful in bringing art to the surface.
Mary’s words touch the raw places of my heart, where the deepest fears lie. Am I loveable? Am I worthy to be given attention? Does God see me? The result of wrestling with God is where we learn God is enough. He is there for us. He allows the difficult so that we will lean on Him and find grace enough to share with all who will listen.
Mary gives examples of ways others spoke redemption over her life by kind observations and affirmations. It makes me wonder how often I spread praise, and if it is enough to lift someone else out of their despair? She says the kindness of others created opportunity to glimpse the lavish kindness of God. We really never know the full impact for good we can make on another life. And Thin Places provides motivation to try harder!
If you’ve ever struggled with the need for approval, jealousy or being critical of yourself, you’ll resonate with this book. Mary’s writing compels you to take a look at pain and release it so that you can find contentment in God alone. Is He enough? Will He understand me? Will He be okay with my messy heart? “Yes,” Mary says, “because He redeems my messes. Cleans them up. Polishes them until they shine so bright the reflection of Jesus smiles back.”
Dig into this book and find a holy anticipation welling up within you. Mary says, “I get to the end of myself more often now. Before, I found this perturbing, but now understand it to be God’s severe mercy. He loves me enough to show me how silly my lists are, how futile my self-flagellation is. He shows up in my need, my weakness – His paradoxical way of wooing me to His way of thinking. My way does not produce life in me. But when I acknowledge my need for Jesus, when I dare to let Him be my conscience, I experience… freedom all over again.”
Yes, freedom is God’s design for our thin places!
Sally
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book plus a book bundle from Zondervan in exchange for my thoughts and opinions of Breaking Busy.
