Article first published as Book Review: Making Sense When Life Doesn’t: The Secrets of Thriving in Tough Times by Cecil Murphey on Blogcritics.
I picked out “Making Sense When Life Doesn’t” by Cecil Murphey to review based on my own personal struggles. I am learning to look at life a different way. Chapter after chapter of this book stories told are stories of my life. Even though the struggle may not the same, it’s still a personal struggle. When a man of God can go through all the things that Cecil went through and still have faith that makes it a little more believable for me.
Looking at the table of contents, each chapter title says exactly what I need to hear. It flows perfectly. As I work on myself and reconfigure my brain to think about my past as lessons that needed to be learned, it makes it easier for me to read this book and understand that whatever has happened only happened for that little while and then I made it through. Somewhere along the lines I lost my faith and learning to get it back is something I struggle with every day.
Reassurance lay in the pages written by a complete stranger. Cecil Murphey knows struggle. There are so many wonderful quotes I have shared on my Facebook page. I am not sure which one is my favorite but I have to say that one of them would have to be this:
“My hurting friends don’t need my advice; they need my compassion.”
In my own personal experience, I just felt as if life was against me. Why were these bad things always happening to me? Why me? Poor me. Why is it that when there is a problem, someone always chimes in something to the effect of “well someone has it worse. Just be thankful your not homeless or being beat by your spouse” kind of thing. That is exactly what I don’t want to hear. Remembering that in my co-dependence that I need to mind the same rule and be aware that MY hurting friends don’t need my advice either! Sometimes we just need to be hugged or just know someone cares. We all know that someone else can’t always help or save us.
What a down-to-earth writer! Had he not mentioned he used to be a preacher I would not have known it. Isn’t it nice to be able to read and feel God and it not be preachy. Mr. Murphey says
throughout the book that he was not sure that he wanted to be a preacher for the rest of his life and that although he was great at it, it did not fulfill him.
I was inspired by these words I have read. Not just in my own faith in God but my faith in my own self. Knowing I can do exactly what I want to do with my life and not worry about how it suits everyone else. Staying true to your self is one of the many messages in this book.
I cannot express how much “Making Sense When Life Doesn’t” has touched my life and I will be seeking out further titles from Cecil Murphey. His writing is simple, honest and down right to the point. Even if it’s not the point you want to hear.
Making Sense When Life Doesn’t: The Secrets of Thriving in Tough Times
Cecil Murphey
Summerside Press (2012)
ISBN 9781609362249
Reviewed by Jennifer Hass for Reader Views (10/12)
Recent Comments