Christine Hoover

I agreed with much of what the author said in the book, and I think that for women who have never seriously contemplated the importance, purpose, and challenges of friendship, this will be a very helpful read. Even for those who have considered it before, this will likely serve as a good reminder.

Hoover addresses some issues that are difficult to swallow, such as: friends don't always come "packaged" the way we want them to; one friend cannot be our everything; our friends will hurt us and we will hurt them and we need to address these conflicts rather than ignore them; as Christians, we need to call out sin in the lives of close friends and be willing to hear constructive criticism from others.

Having said that, I had a hard time connecting with Hoover's writing style. She writes with a vague, intuitive quality; often, her "examples" are not very specific and detailed, which is something my brain needs in order to make connections. I don't just want to hear that her friend was hurt and that they made up... I want to know what happened, why the friend was hurt, which words were spoken to wound and to heal... I want the whole story!

I found the book lacking on the topic of making friends. Hoover believes that if a person initiates enough and does "all the right things," they will naturally attract friends. She doesn't really address the fact that others may never respond or reciprocate. Even God, the perfect friend, is rejected all of the time, so how much more true will it be for us, who are imperfect despite our best efforts to improve?

I do think many women will learn from and be encouraged by this book, but it wasn't my personal favorite.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley.… (altro)

Searching for Spring is centered around the truth that God will make all things beautiful in time. The writings within turn encounters with God’s beauty into inspiration for our life with Christ, encouraging us to seek out His beauty in all things, from the joyous to the grievous.

Christ's provisions for us on the Cross are presented with colorful illustrations that reveal His beauty to even the newly seeking heart. In presenting key aspects of our Christian spiritual journey, the book could serve as a helpful enjoyment on one’s journey through discipleship.

Though a bit wordy at times, this was not fault enough to be a detriment to the contents within. A few sections especially impacted me:

- The chapter on waiting and quieting ourselves before the Lord was a needed reminder to cultivate and guard such times with the Lord, teaching us to trust God even as we wait for Him to beautify certain areas of our lives.


- How the author shares about needing to know she was loved to the point of seeking to meet this need through striving and performance. It encouraged me to discover I was not the only one who had to be freed from such a merciless prison. God is so good to us.

Searching for Spring in hand, take a moment—many moments—to stop and relish the beauty of the journey with Christ. Then, take this rhythm into daily life, searching out God’s love notes of beauty—large and small—with all your heart. Thrilling encounters with His beauty await every heart’s need for hope and courage in this journey through life.… (altro)

How times have we said or heard someone say, “I love you with all my heart.” Those that profess usually truly believe they do, but do they? There are actions and outward signs if an “all my heart” love is the real deal. This is true also with a Christian’s love of God. Children of God make this declaration often, but again is it true? This book helps us look within and see if the Lord does have all our heart. I personally feel this is very important and much needed if we are to serve Him that does love us with all His heart.
It is easy in our day and time to give bits and pieces (be they large or small) of our hearts to other things. There are so many to choose from, pulling at our emotions, affections, time and attention. We may not even realize we are doing it. Ms. Hoover calls them “allegiances” I see them as other gods, anything that comes between us and God. She presents these in a way I had never thought of before. Anxiety and Isolation, two the author names, made me realize I had never looked at them in this light. These were eye openers to me! As the author points out they are all part of the kingdom of “self”.
Once we become the Lord’s nothing can take His place or we will be robbed of our joy and leave us in despair and frustration. If one is not careful they will be caught up in the endless circle of pursuing them to meet our needs that only God can.
Ms. Hoover’s style of writing was easy to relate to and touched my heart. The questions at the end of each chapter gave me a time to reflect and take a good look at myself.
I like books that cause me to dig deep within and point out any blind spots in my Christian life that need correcting. It is not a book you will want to read quickly, but work through and absorb all it has to teach. I found it helpful, but also especially relevant for the times we are facing.
I received this book from Baker Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.… (altro)

Christine Hoover hit the nail on the head with this fantastic book. My husband and I planted a church in September of 2012, and it has not been an easy road to walk. Reading this book was like sitting down and talking with a new best friend who's been where I am now. Christine doesn't sugar-coat how hard the church-planting life is, but with gentle encouragement, she challenged me to embrace God's calling on my life, and reminded me that the Christian life is one of sacrifice and taking up your cross to follow Jesus. The book is chock-full of great advice on every subject from marriage to friendships to fear and stress, and from a solidly biblical perspective. I wish this book had come out before my husband and I started our church-planting journey. If you are a church-planter, are considering church-planting, or even if you're simply a woman who longs to be recklessly abandoned to God's calling on your life, you should this book!… (altro)