Best Books
I have been in the Christian bookstore business for over forty years. That’s a long time. It’s long enough to remember receiving a new book from Lifeway written by a new author named Beth Moore. I remember putting a few copies on a shelf in the back of the store, unsure as to whether they would be of interest to anyone or end up being returned. They were, of course, never returned.
Since that day, millions of Moore books and Bible studies have been sold. Churches of all denominations have used her videos, hundreds of thousands of women from all denominations have attended her events, and for many years her name was synonymous with Baptist Bible study. Few Bible teachers, if any, both male and female, have taught more people about the Bible than Moore. For two decades, Moore ministered to multitudes. She was the most prominent woman in the Southern Baptist denomination. Nobody else was even close. My, how things have changed. In her new memoir, Moore shares her story. In All My Knotted-Up Life (Tyndale), Moore offers a thoughtful and deeply personal account of her journey. It is, at times, brutally sad and painful. It is also filled with joy and humor. I laughed aloud many times, got indignant on her behalf, was filled with remorse at the depths of pain in this world, and sat back in awe at the grace of God found in her story. The last chapter is so moving I fought back tears.
All My Knotted-Up Life is the best memoir I’ve ever read. That needs repeating. In my forty years of Christian bookselling, with decades of reading biographies both religious and secular, All My Knotted-Up Life is the best memoir I’ve read. If you are a fan of Moore, you need to read her book. If you despise Moore, you really need to read her book. Whether you’ve read every book by her or have no idea who she is, whether you are a man or a woman – I can assure you that All My Knotted-Up Life will be worth your time. You will have a better understanding of not just one of the more interesting figures within American Christianity, but of how God uses ordinary people, with all our limitations and baggage, to bring grace into the world.
-Darrel Holcombe, Owner
Sanctuary Christian Books and Gifts
Colonial Promenade, Alabaster
www.sanctuarychristianbooksandgifts.com
205-663-2370
