Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

Lisa

Bringing moxie into the mess: Review of Jen Hatmaker’s Of Mess and Moxie

Of all the Jen Hatmaker books I’ve read, this one feels like the best one. Maybe it’s just the best one for this season of life. (But it’s not just for women in one season of life.) Reading this book is like receiving a letter from a dear friend. I couldn’t wait to open it and see what she had to say.

And girl, did she have some things to say!

And:


(I received a copy of the book from the publisher. Opinion reflected in this view is my honest one.)

Jen talks us through the hard stuff of relationships without an ounce of “should” or “ought.” Her words show us what is possible when life takes a turn we didn’t expect or don’t want. (She also makes us laugh. So much funny here. Would we expect anything less from Jen Hatmaker?)

And it is this blend of funny and wise that makes this book a must-read. It’s not all fun. It’s not all serious. It’s mess. AND moxie. The same stuff of life.

Besides reflections on faith, parenting, and friendships, Of Mess and Moxie contains recipes, “how-to”s (not what you’re thinking, though), and inspiring quotes at the start of each chapter.

I should also mention that if you pick up one of these beautiful books, you’ll see my endorsement on the front pages. Jen asks for real-life readers to endorse her books instead of other “celebrity” authors. (My name’s in the back, too, among the book’s launch team members.)

I’ll read this book again because it is so life-giving. I hope you will too.

What I have to give: movie tickets, my words and my heart

If you read the words in this space often, you won’t be surprised to find me writing about refugees. Again.

This time, though, I have something to give you that is more than words and more than my heart. I hope to give you the chance to open your heart to refugees, too.

It’s been two years since my soul stirred and wouldn’t stop when it came to refugees. Fresh off a plane from Kenya where I’d witnessed a life I really didn’t know existed, I needed to do something. It’s a longish story you can read more of here, but the short version is that I started volunteering locally with a refugee resettlement agency.

And it has changed my life.

The specific ways are all over this blog space. Search for the “refugees welcome” category and you’ll find them, if you’re interested in reading about my first-hand experiences with refugees in our community.

If you’re more of a visual learner, I have something for you, too.

Later this month, a movie starring John Corbett hits theaters, and it’s all about a rural church in Tennessee on the verge of closing and the revival that came about when they welcome a group of refugees from Burma and start farming the church’s land.

And the best part: All Saints is based on a true story! (Look for a book by the same name if you want to read the story of the real-life pastor played by John Corbett in the movie.)

Here’s a peek at the movie:

I’ve seen this trailer twice and I tear up at the end every time. I can’t imagine the crying I’m going to do when I see the movie! (And I WILL see the movie.) I love the theme that’s presented here: that sometimes doing the right thing means going against what you’ve been told. It’s got the makings of a feel-good movie (as well as a tear-jerker) and that draws me in.

Guess what? YOU can see the movie, too!

As part of a promotional campaign for the movie, I have two tickets (in the form of digital Fandango codes) to give away absolutely free to one winner! (Thanks to Sony AFFIRM! for the tickets!)

Exciting, right?

All you have to do to enter is a leave a comment ON THIS BLOG POST. I’ll pick a winner on August 18th, a full week before the movie releases, so you can plan your movie night out. (Eat popcorn! It’s the best!)

And if the trailer didn’t generate enough interest, here’s another clip, a behind-the-scenes look at one of the main characters:

I love being able to see some of the real-life people featured in the movie. Even if you don’t win this giveaway, I would encourage you to get a group of church folks or refugee-minded friends together and check it out. And let me know what you think! I’ll post a follow-up after I’ve seen the movie once it has released.

So, to sum up: Leave a comment, any comment on this post– even “Yes, please” or “Count me in!” qualifies–and I will randomly select a winner on August 18. Make sure I’ve got a way to contact you when you comment, or check back here in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, you can check out everything movie-related here.

Good luck!

Disclosure: As a featured contributor of Sony’s ALL SAINTS Influencer Program, I received the value of two movie tickets in exchange for an honest review on my blog.

 

 

 

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