Skip to main content

SOCIAL MEDIA

Book Review: Everywhere Holy by Kara Lawler

Wednesday, April 22, 2020



Happy Earth Day, My Lovelies!  I hope you are enjoying God's beautiful creation wherever you are.

Today I have the honor of sharing with you a very timely memoir/inspirational book entitled Everywhere Holy from blogger and author Kara Lawler.

According to Goodreads:

“Readers who are dealing with depression, parenting struggles, questions of identity and self-image, or who simply find it hard to bring prayer into their chaotic life will find welcome encouragement in Lawler’s rejuvenating words.” – Publishers Weekly

Popular writer and blogger Kara Lawler shows women how to embrace the sacred in mundane, ordinary life--and in the process, discover themselves.

Life doesn't have to be lived on grand mountaintops for it to be meaningful. We can see God at work right where we are: in our ordinary and mundane routines, in the faces of our family and friends, and--especially--in nature.

Kara Lawler speaks to the hearts of those who find themselves lost in the midst of their chaotic schedules and weary attempts to be all that is expected of them. Everywhere Holy addresses our deepest struggles, including:


How to feel joy, despite depression and anxiety
Dealing with hardships and understanding unconditional love
How to view life as an adventure, even when that feels too hard
How to feel more connected, more grateful, and more at peace


In beautiful prose, Lawler describes the unique sacredness found in God's creation and offers fifteen inspiring insights for cultivating it day-to-day. She encourages you to make this lifestyle change through the observance of small acts. In so doing, you will discover a holy space that honors God and the life you’ve been given--and will discover yourself and your unique place in the holy that is everywhere, whether it’s in the woods behind your house or in the face of a stranger on a bus in a busy city. No matter where you are, there is holy free for the taking. 


My Review

I read this book just before the phrase social distancing became a part of our everyday lexicon.

The timing couldn't have been better.

Kara Lawler spent her early childhood in a rural area of Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains.  She felt God's presence in nature, especially in a beautiful clearing in the woods near her home.

Fast forward several years: When Kara was a college student studying in England, she visited Salisbury Cathedral.  She was overcome by its beauty, and she strongly felt God's presence in its grandeur.


Salisbury Cathedral

"I was only twenty years old and his whisper was there, his window was there, and I was afraid I wouldn't see it or hear it again if I left...I had felt God in that church as I had in nature, but I hadn't considered that I could meet him everywhere and anywhere if I only looked.

...and that's the premise of the book, and I love it.  Kara shares how she finds God in the mundane routine of life while mothering her children and struggling with anxiety and depression.  Kara's tips can help her readers find peace while delighting in God's presence. It's a change of mindset that can actually be practiced daily through observing small acts and living in the moment.  I'm sure y'all have heard of "mindfulness," and this book definitely applies to that process, yet is has a Christian twist: You can find that God is everywhere in your life, and in doing so you honor him wherever God has placed you.

During this lockdown, I've reflected quite a bit on this book.  I think that this time, as horrible as it seems on the surface with so many people suffering from illness, job and income loss, and anxiety can also be considered a blessing.  It's forced us all to slow down, live in the moment, and be still.  Our children are home.  College students are taking online classes at home.  Families are enjoying dinners together.  We're keeping in touch with those who don't have a full house, and we're reassessing what's important.  And in the stillness is where we can hear God's voice... a blessing indeed! 

Although Kara and I are at different stages of life, I still learned from her.  I, too, remember cleaning out lunch bags after school.  But don't be put-off by the book if you don't have elementary aged children because wherever you are in life you can learn from Kara's tips on how to feel God's presence everywhere.

And why not start at home, where we all are presently.  Where we're discovering that online church isn't a terrible thing; it isn't a horrible substitution for being present at our churches.  After all, so many people are participating in these online services: The gospel is reaching millions of people. (However I cannot WAIT until I can finally worship with my church family in person.) 

This is such a timely book, and it couldn't have been published at a better time in history.  I hope you will consider ordering it from your local Indie bookstore because like other small businesses, they are hurting now.

Below is an IndieBound affiliate link for purchasing Everywhere Holy.  


Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org



Below is a book trailer for Everywhere Holy





Disclosure:  I received an ARC of Everywhere Holy from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill



5 comments

  1. Hello sweet friend. Sounds like a very nice book. Hope you are well and staying safe.
    xoxo
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  2. RJ, this does sound like a good book, especially for these strange times we find ourselves in.Thanks for the review. Take care.......

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi,
    Thank you for the review. I enjoyed the video clip too.
    Stay safe,
    Carla

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a book I would definitely read and it sounds like she grew up not too far from where I was born/raised. Hope you and your family are all doing well, Ricki. Stay Safe- xoDiana

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi,

    I am a poet. I am from India. I like your blog. I always take inspiration from others to learn.

    It is said, “Everyone has something to teach us”.

    I have a blog. Please visit mine and leave your comments.

    https://pushkarsbisht.blogspot.com/

    Regards,
    Pushkar

    ReplyDelete

Comments are friendly!


Hello!

I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

Follow me on Instagram