Beth Moore (1) (1957–)

From my blog (review now live):

All My Knotted-Up Life is the first Beth Moore book I have ever read. I have never been part of the Southern Baptist Convention, but when Beth publicly stood up for what is right and her denomination dug its heels in and ousted her for it, her story caught my attention and I found my respect and admiration for her growing. When I learned that she was writing a memoir, I thought, “Now that is a story I would like to read.”

I pre-ordered the book and was so pleased to receive pre-launch access to a copy of the audio book as a surprise from the publisher whilst I waited for the hard copy to arrive. Listening to this book in Beth’s voice, with all the charm of her accent and the emotion she allowed to sparkle through, was such a treat. At one point my husband declared that she sounded like Dolly Parton, and he frequently sat nearby while the audio book played so he could listen to her story too.

Beth is a phenomenal storyteller. She brings the reader right along with her and touches on vulnerable topics in an honest, graceful way. I laughed often and shed a few tears. By the end of the story, I had grown to love her and had found in her a kindred spirit. She really is a great writer, and oh, how I do love outstanding writing.

I am no stranger to walking away from a denomination that holds to harmful or anti-biblical teaching or from the internal work and turmoil that can come as part of that process, but I have been able to take that journey without much public scrutiny. Beth took her stand for all the world to see, and see it (and respond) they did. Her courage, spunk, and conviction are so inspiring to me and I related to many parts of her story.

I highly recommend this delightful memoir. The hard copy is beautiful and the audio book was lovely. If I had to recommend just one of them, I would say to go with the audio book so you can hear Beth’s voice telling her story, but either way, I think you will love it.… (mer)

This book was recommended to me and I was surprised to find it readable and relatable. Well-researched, it tells the story of the apostle Paul’s life including his early years, his conversion to Christianity, his years of sharing the Gospel throughout the world through the end of his life. Moore was able to convey Paul’s passion for Christ while also describing his perseverance through all the abuse and trials he went through during his ministry travels. She combined historical facts with theological beliefs, using the Bible as her foundation.

What made this book stand out was Moore’s ability to explain Paul’s humanness. The description of his final years in prison was touching. I had never before considered this aspect of Paul’s life.

There are discussion questions at the conclusion of the book, making this perfect for small groups. I'm rating this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.… (mer)