Do Small Things Matter for Eternity? {Rhinestone Jesus Book Review}

Sometimes I wonder if what I do really matters. I’m a wife and a mom. I write blog posts and newspaper columns. I do laundry and give the dog baths. I teach a weekly Bible study. I consult with small businesses and help develop social media strategies.  And I read a lot of books.

My life is pretty small. I don’t say that disparagingly or with any shame. I have a great life — a husband who loves me, a daughter who brings us so much joy, an encouraging family, the best friends, an awesome church, and work I love.

But still, sometimes it feels small. Other women do bigger things — traveling across the globe to tell stories of the poor and oppressed, speaking a message of hope to thousands of women, writing best sellers that challenge us to know Him more.  Other women have bigger stories — marriages that have withstood betrayal and heartbreak, mothers who face challenges I cannot begin to understand, bodies and hearts who have dealt with emotional and physical abuse I cannot begin to fathom.

And then there’s me …

The girl who Instagrams waaaaay too many photos of her crazy dog. The speaker whose favorite piece of advice is, “Go ahead! Take a nap!” The entertainer who loves to tell a great story that makes people belly laugh. The homemaker whose nemesis is laundry. I don’t do big things. I’m not even sure I aspire to them {unless you count being caught up on laundry as a big thing in which case I definitely have seriously big dreams}. So here I sit in my kitchen listening to cars drive by and children play and dogs bark in my small town … and I wonder, can the small things I do have eternal meaning?

Enter Kristen Welch, one of my favorite bloggers. I love her because she really appreciates the hilarity of that time my husband got locked in the bathroom and had to climb out the tiny window — surprising me when he entered the room where I was frantically trying to unlock the door with a screwdriver. {Yes, that little escapade won me a “one of THOSE families” necklace!}

But Kristen is more than a blogger. She is the consummate storyteller. She makes me laugh and cry and inspires me all the time in a thousand ways.

And now Kristen has written her second book, Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Sparkly, Safe Faith Is No Longer Enough.  I literally read the book in 24 hours. I could not put it down. I underlined and wrote it the margins.  I stopped to pray several times.  This book is the story of Mercy House, a ministry birthed from a blogging trip with Compassion International. This book is the story of a marriage redeemed and made stronger.  This book is the story of children and chaos. This book is the story of a woman who was willing to say yes to God in the middle of her mess.

But most of all, this book is the story of a God who looks at us in all our smallness and says, “Yes, those things you do, those things you think are small, they matter. They matter to Me and they matter for eternity.”

I told you my life seems small. But here’s what I didn’t tell you …

I believe all these things I do like helping my husband and encouraging my daughter, investing in the women in my church, serving in my community … they are not small!

It all matters. It’s me saying yes to God in the middle of my mess.  It’s me, knowing marriage is hard work and saying, “I’m in this for life. No matter what.” It’s me, realizing the years of my daughter living in our home are rapidly ending saying, “I choose to stay home to attend ball games and make spirit sticks because this is where God calls me right now.”  It’s me, gathering in a room every Wednesday night for the past two years with other women and opening the Word knowing I’m not equipped to teach from Genesis through Revelation but trusting God to give me the words and finding He is faithful. {By the way, this sweet group of ladies has studied from Genesis through Daniel and we will start on Hosea next week. I think we’ll be finished with the whole Bible by 2016 … and then they asked if we could start over again! Glory!}

Saying yes to God isn’t about what we have or how much we can do. Saying yes to God is realizing He is all we have and He is the One who can.

He wants us to say, “Yes!” right there in our mess!

I’m in for that … and I hope you are too!!

Saying yes in my mess, Teri Lynne

I cannot recommend Rhinestone Jesus highly enough. If you are only going to read one book this year, make it this one. If you are only going to read one book in your life, choose the Bible! But if you manage to read a second, Rhinestone Jesus is the one I’d suggest. Seriously. Here is the link to purchase from Dayspring, where you can also purchase products that support Mercy House. Just click on the image below {which is an affiliate link} to purchase Rhinestone Jesus for $15.99. The proceeds from this book will go to continue the ministry of Mercy House … y’all, buy this book!!!!

If you prefer to purchase through Amazon, you can find the link in my recommended resources in my sidebar.

{I did receive a free copy of this book for the purpose of review … but truly, all opinions are my own … and my opinion is you need to read this book!}