I’m excited to share my thoughts on Part 3 with you all in hopes you share your thoughts with me! Whether you are going through a hard time, needing a little bit of inspiration, or just feel stuck, this book has some great practical wisdom. If you aren’t reading it, I hope you’re enjoying my notes!
Part 3 Notes from “She’s Still There” by Chrystal Evans Hurst:
Chapter 12
It truly is the little things in life, isn’t it? The beginning of the chapter was an excellent reminder to buy the flowers, stare out the window, read the book, take the bath and discover and do more of those things that bring me joy! And then I love the distinction that she makes that yes, those little things can bring joy BUT true lasting joy is from the Holy Spirit. All the other stuff fades and is imperfect. And boy, oh, boy do I know this to be true. I’ve tried to and continue to try to find joy in all the little things instead of in the Holy Spirit, but they always disappoint.
Almost every morning, I have “chair time.” I sit in my chair and align myself with God. If I don’t do it, I find I struggle (struggle even more so than normal). I used to think of “quiet time” as a chore or what “good Christians do.” Now, I don’t think of it this way at all, which is why I don’t call it “quiet time” – too many bad connotations for me -ha! All I know is that I NEED that time. I can’t really explain it, but I’m telling you, I NEED it. Am I the only one?
This is what I underlined:
“Like my daddy says, “Peace doesn’t mean you won’t have problems. Peace means that your problems won’t have you.”
“Know Spirit? Know peace.
No Spirit? No peace.”
Chapter 13
I could have underlined every single sentence of this chapter, and it’s probably my favorite chapter so far. I’m so grateful she was so truthful about the real pain (the deep dark pain) we go through in life. She touches the real stuff in this chapter, and I’m grateful to her for really going there. I’ve lived with this kind of pain, and everything she says about it rang true to me. I did, indeed, have to break down to break through. It wasn’t pretty, and oh man, it was so painful. And in a weird way, if I let go of my pain and my survival thoughts and ways, I felt like I was almost betraying my past self that had served me well (or not so well). Plus, I didn’t know another way to be or live. But it was worth it and continues to be worth it. I’ve never been able to feel the joy I’ve felt in the last couple of years. And then to realize God doesn’t let any of my pain go to waste and that he turns it all around for good- I’ve watched this happen, and honestly I have tears writing this right now. This chapter brings THE hope (the only kind that’s actually worked for me).
Chapter 14
Waiting around until I feel like it or have the right situation or the right tools to begin, I can soooooo relate to. How about you? When she said, “If you wait until… you’re pushing the pause button on your life.” Yikes. That hit me square between the eyes.
Chapter 15
This chapter is so practical. Don’t sit around waiting for the answer, just start and see where God leads! I like the point she made in Chapter 14 how “God proves over and over in the Scriptures that He loves to use people who are willing to do what they can with what they have.” At this point I’m like, Ok! OK! Let’s do this! I almost missed the most important line from the chapter. The last line. “And because God made you in His image, the more you seek Him as the ultimate answer, the more you will find out about yourself and the answers you seek for your life.”
And in case you missed it you can find more of my thoughts on Part 3 HERE I shared on instagram.
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