For the last year the world has seemed to be out of control. Life has changed swiftly and in ways no one could have anticipated. Every day our souls are bombarded with news, press conferences, and opinions filling our hearts and minds with overwhelming emotions. Often we are left wondering how to process it all.
The Beauty Of An Uncluttered Soul, by Carla Gasser, is a nine week journey to regain the health of our soul by restoring order and simplicity, thus gaining back peace and purpose.
The author turns our focus to Galatians 5:22-23, where we find the fruit of the Spirit, and the attributes of a life which finds it rest in God. She explores each characteristic of the fruit, using the study method she calls “SOUL”:
- Search – for biblical truths on the soul qualities.
- Observe – how do others demonstrate these qualities and how can we practice and thus develop the same.
- Use -the knowledge and understanding to make application to our lives.
- Lean – on God to fill us with these qualities by spending time with Him in prayer, solitude, and worship.
The study is broken down into three sections which address the following questions:
- Checking your attitudes: How do you respond to God?
- Checking you actions: How do you relate to others?
- Checking your habits: How do you renew your soul?
A few of my favorite quotes from the book are:
“Paul intentionally places love first in the list of the fruit of the Spirit because for us to develop or demonstrate any of the other eight attributes, we must soak, submerge and immerse everything in love.” (page 16)
“When we display kindness, we seek to rebuild, bring back. and heal a person or a relationship while maintaining its integrity and value. Because kindness puts others and their needs first, it has the potential to restore and heal.” (page 65)
“When we walk in the Spirit and daily beautify our souls, we make Jesus visible to the world. Jesus loves and serves through us when we display these qualities.” (page 131)
The book is beautifully illustrated by Vivian Kammel making this a wonderful book to not only keep but to give to give as a gift. The Beauty Of An Uncluttered Soul brings a much needed journey into the familiar fruit of the Spirit:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, NASB)
** I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small percent at no additional cost to you.
Today I am joining … Heart Encouragement and Booknificent Thursday .
Sounds like a great book, Joanne! I literally wrote about attitude and habits this week too in beating the winter blahs! It’s so important to set our soul and mind first which then determine our actions. Thanks, i’ll check it out!
This book was refreshing to me. I so agree, Jill, only when our souls and minds are set first, will our actions follow suit.
Thank you for sharing as it sounds like a good read. Very nice review.
Thanks for this good recommendation. The 3 questions the author posed have made me think. How do I respond, relate, renew? Good things to ponder.
Yes, I too, found it interesting that each section posed a question to ponder.
At the start of a new year I always think about decluttering my home, but I don’t think about the fact that this would be good for my soul, too. Thanks for sharing this review. I’ll definitely add this one to my list of books to read.