My Ahhhhmazing book part one

So...remember how I was telling y'all about the Ahhhhhmazing book I had been reading (but have now completed) in this post. Well, the title of the book is All I need is Jesus and a Good Pair of Jeans. The title alone just sounds like it be a good read, right? Well, that's what I thought - so I ordered it. Actually I went online to order a book my friend in MOPS told me about called Life on Planet Mom and the jeans book (we'll call it) I am so impressed with and must gush about popped up on Amazons little "people who liked this book also liked xyz" section and there it was. The title caught my attention and after reading the description and ratings I had to have it.
The authors name is Susanna Foth Aughtmon - say that 7 times fast. Dare ya! Ha. Anyhow - I just want to meet this gal. You know how sometimes you read something and you think to yourself - me and that girl could be friends. That's how I felt when I read SO MANY things in this book. I think my favorite thing about the book in general is just how raw and honest she is. She isn't afraid to expose her "flaws" and what she has learned about them and what the Bible has to say about said flaws. I just really related in a BIG way.

There were two chapters in particular that I really identified with and really learned something from - chapter 19 titled I cry a lot and chapter 23 titled I have a Long Way to Go.

Now.....let me precede what is to follow with a big fat I am not trying to break some kind of plagiarizing rule here or something, but I do want to share some of my favorite snippets from those two chapters to tempt y'all cause girlfriends - you need this book! Onward....

Chapter 19 - I Cry A lot
The basis of this chapter (or as I read it) is to think about/talk about why it is that we women think we must be Sheera 24/7 - keep it all under lock and not share our struggles, heartaches and pain with others! Amen sister! I mean, how often have you guarded your emotions from your friends? How often have you felt others guarding theirs from you? Is it because they don't trust you? Is it because they think you will judge them? Is it because they are afraid they will look less than perfect? What is it and why do we do it? It inhibits true, deep and meaningful friendship!

Aughtmon says the following: "There are few things more soul baring than sitting with someone while you sob. While you cry over a job interview gone awry or a boyfriend who cheated on you. While you grieve over a loved one or the death of a dream. While you mourn your first speeding ticket or buckle under a month's worth of stress. Crying with someone is intimate and soul baring. Why is it that we supergirls have trouble showing who we truly are? Why are we so afraid to share with others, even the ones who love us most, what touches our hearts and crushes our souls? We fight back the big lumps in our throats and blink 50 times per second to keep the tears corralled. Why do we choose to cry alone? Well, for one thing, very few of us cry pretty. There are the puffy eyes, splotchy cheeks, pink faces, runny noses, various squawks, hiccups, the after-crying shudders, crumpled foreheads, and do I really need to go on?
..........
We supergirls really would like to cry, but we feel that crying belies a weakness in us. It hurts to let people know we are hurting. The vulnerability costs us too much. We want to be strong. We think if we cry, we give our strength away to whoever or whatever causes our tears."

Isn't it so true y'all? I LOVE the honesty just steeped all through this book. It's just one of those books that has you saying "Amen, preach it sister" as you read. It makes you look at yourself...hard....in a good way though. For every chapter there is scripture and tons of God's grace imparted (Praise the Lord) but it's just nice to hear the "me too" in this book, you know?

Food for thought........my thoughts on the other chapter to come......