Pearl Girls, compiled by Margaret McSweeney (lived by many!)

Hang in with me on this one: I'm not sure it will end up as a review or as my own Pearl story...

I've walked with God since the age of seven, and accepted Him as my Savior at the age of nine. That makes nearly forty years of getting to know the Almighty One...and yet He still surprises me when He knows just what I need at the exact moment I need it.

Lately, I've been having horrific nightmares. Not nightly, but often enough to leave me fearing sleep. Which is sad, because anyone in my family will tell you, "Mom's a sleepaholic."

But the last few years haven't been easy...basically, since my mother passed away in August of 2006. I haven't been the same. I learned a hard lesson the day I received that phone call.

I learned I leaned on her far more than I did on God. Or anyone else, for that matter. So, when she was moved from this life to the next, the prop went out from under me and I fell.

Hard. Bruised, scared, and uncertain, I've spent the last three years re-navigating life. Learning what it means to not lean on others and lean on Him instead. Shaking off fear of loss or pain, and figuring out who this 'other me' is and whether she's 'enough'.

Sad, huh?

Enter "Pearl Girls", a book I've been eager to review ever since I learned of its creation. A lurker at the Pearl Girls website, I read stories of encountering the grit and grace while ruminating on my own story.

In the process, I've realized two things. Three actually (I do that a lot, so pardon me if it gets annoying).

First, we all have multiple stories of encountering grit and experiencing grace. I'm sure there is 'that one' story that seems to define us, but in truth we live out multiple chapters of this one great story of life that God has gifted us with. And we are constantly becoming...redeemed, but in the process of redemption.

Second, one woman's grit isn't another's...but that does not diminish the agonizing that comes with that bit of grit. Don't despise one another's pearls because of your own, or overlook your own because it doesn't seem as glistening as another's. It isn't in comparing our pearls that we become strong...it's in stringing them together with the Pearl of Great Price (Jesus, for those who might not know).

And finally, this is a book that must not be missed. After battling yet another wave of nightmares and even illness last night, awakening confused and out of sorts to the point of depression, This Book brought back tears, smiles, laughter, astonishment...

...and hope. Hope that even the grit I'm encountering today can be "nacred" (not even certain that is a word--but now it is) into tomorrow's pearl. Not for me, or even for you, really...

...but for Him. Check out the website, get the book...read the book, share the book, and share your story.

Because we all have one to tell. At least one. Maybe more than one (remember my first thought? Or maybe it was my second one. Okay, I told you....I do that a lot now....don't say I didn't warn you:-)

Happy Reading!





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