Left to Tell

I have been reading a lot more lately, which is like a little piece of heaven!

I highly recommend this latest book, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust.  The opposite of a little piece of heaven, it is terrible and heartwrenching and confusing to see the human race attack itself in this manner.  But as with many survivor stories, the feeling the reader takes away from the experience of reading is one of truth and light and hope and positive energy. 

A Christian myself, I felt familiar with the experiences and background she shared as part of a deeply religious family.  At least I thought it was familiar.  As the book went on I was floored at the transcending power of faith in action.

One of my favorite quotes:

I was certain that God had a greater purpose for me, and I prayed every day for Him to reveal it to me. At first I was expecting Him to show me my entire future all at once – maybe with a flash of lightening and a clap of thunder thrown in for good measure. But I came to learn that God never shows us something that we aren’t ready to understand. Instead, He lets us see what we need to see, when we need to see it. He’ll wait until our eyes and hearts are open to Him, and then when we’re ready, He will plant our feet on the path that’s best for us . . . but it’s up to us to do the walking.

Folks, I know that I could not have faced these trials in the same manner as Immaculee.  It was a glaring reality as I read.  I admit I give up so easily in the face of difficulty.

Through her sharing her mindset with us and telling us what she learned I am forever changed for the better.  I closed the book filled with thoughts and plans of how to view my circumstances differently.  I also took with me the lesson of visualization.

Someone had once told me that it was important to visualize what you want to happen in the future, because doing so could actually help make it come true. Well, thanks to God, I’d become a big believer in that philosophy.



[ . . . ] I knew that whatever I envisioned would come to pass if I had faith and visualized it with a pure heart and good intentions, and if it were something God thought was right for me. It was then that I realized I could dream and visualize my destiny. I vowed that I’d always dare to dream for what I wanted. And I would only dream for beautiful things like love, health, and peace, because that is the kind of beauty God wants for all His children.

I like knowing that I have more control over my future than I previously thought.  I am going to implement little changes and experiments in my life, envisioning the me I want to become.  The me *HE* wants me to become.

Please read this book!