Welcome to the first EVER C. Style Book Club! If you haven’t ordered your book, we are reading She’s Still There by Chrystal Evans Hurst. You can buy it here.
I’m sharing my thoughts and takeaways in hopes that you all will do the same with me. I’ve noticed that when I share something with you all, often times, I learn something totally new when you all share back with me in the comment section! It’s what keeps me sharing, so keep it up! I’m going to try to be as succinct as possible. I’d ask y’all not to judge me, but I’m not in control of that. And even if I ask, you’re human so… Hahahaha!
Chapter 1
In Chapter 1, when she asked us to believe that we are masterpieces and our lives are a masterpiece, I was taken back. Really? You want me to think of myself as a masterpiece? I don’t feel like a masterpiece. I’m not trying to be self deprecating here. I lived more than half my life thinking I had it all figured out. I knew it all. I had been through some hard times, but I’d pulled myself up by my bootstraps and I was fine! Only to be completely and totally humbled by life specifically when I became a mom and an “influencer.” So, seeing myself now as a masterpiece didn’t feel right.
And as for seeing my life as a masterpiece? Well, let’s just say, I really related to this line from the chapter, “As a young, twenty-something-year-old girl, it hadn’t been that long since I’d felt full of hope, promise, and excitement… Where had I gone? Where was the girl who once lived in anticipation of the beauty of her life? How did I lose her? And how would I ever get her back?” It wasn’t that long ago I can remember daydreaming about my future life and being so excited about it! So, I really struggled with this bold statement to consider myself and my life as a masterpiece.
That’s when I decided to look up what a masterpiece is to see if I could make a little more sense of this. A masterpiece (according to lexico.com) is a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship. And that’s when it hit me, it’s the work of someone else’s that people look at and deem a masterpiece! It has everything to do with the creator/artist of that piece! People look at it and think the creator’s work is awesome!!! It’s HIS work! I am a masterpiece and my life is a masterpiece because God created me and my life, and He creates amazing things!!! HE is the ultimate creator! Now I get it! I am a masterpiece and my life is a masterpiece, not because of me or what I’ve done, but because of Him! What he’s done! What He created and is creating- (I am a work in progress after all)! Which is why I loved this line, “The girl you wanted to be— or the girl you never were sure you could become— is already a divinely inspired masterpiece. Every day that you live, you have the opportunity to do the work of honoring the plan God has for you.”
So I guess my job is to just step into His work. Or shall I say to honor His work by being me?
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
That’s what I learned in Chapter 1! And honestly, that’s such a BIG learning for me that if that’s all I get from this book, I’d still consider it one of the best books I’ve ever read. Basically, I’m saying don’t expect me to have the same kind of epiphanies in the next chapters. Ha!
What did you learn from Chapter 1? What’s your chapter 1 takeaway?
Chapter 2
Here’s what I underlined:
“While you can’t control everything in life, you can do at least one thing: every day you get to choose to honor you.
There will never be another person to grace the face of this earth who is like you.
There are people who only you can love (I sat with this line for a bit. It hit me. There is only one mama for my boys who can love them like I do. What a privilege. Wow.), places that only you can go, and things that only you can do the way that you would do them.
You have the opportunity to choose every day to honor the loveliness that you uniquely bring to the world, even if the world doesn’t seem to be holding up its end of the bargain to bring the lovely to you. You are a unique creation. There is no one like you. And that is exactly what makes you so indescribably precious…”
P.S. “Baby Jessica” is seared in my memory, too.
What did you underline from Chapter 2?
I can’t wait to read your comments! Simply submit them below, so we can all benefit!
If you’d rather me not share your comment, it’s no problem, just let me know!
Hello, I read this book when I lost my job of 18 years in 2018 due to downsizing . I enjoyed reading it I felt like this book was about trials and tribulations. Plus, I felt that I rediscover myself.
I’m really enjoying it as well.