Moonglotexas“We don’t allow ourselves to feel the emotions that flow as a result of our distrust, and we are unable to connect with people or God. We guard our heart and keep those we love at bay to resist the pain that may come. We feel unworthy of loving well and accepting love.”
From “In want + plenty“ by Meredith McDaniel
Starting from the want we all feel in life at some point, Meredith McDaniel, in In want + plenty walks the reader through how to recognise and appreciate the manna God provides each day. She shares her hope that “using the book of Exodus as our guide, we will travel together on a narrative journey—a quest if you will—to trace the hand of our Creator throughout a 440-plus-year wilderness.” It is a familiar narrative but, using her psychology background, Meredith shares new truths nestled in this historic journey.
Throughout the book deep, reflective questions are shared and there is plenty to ponder on. This is not one to rush but to rather to relax into and savour. In learning to appreciate our daily manna, Meredith shares several practices to achieve a sense of peace. She remarks “Rest comes in the stillness of surrender, when we relax and realize we cannot hold it together. Opening our hands to what Jesus has for us in the moment versus what we think we need breeds peace. When we learn to live in abundance instead of scarcity, a calm comes over us. We can start to hear God whispering for us to lean on him and lay down all the thoughts that are swirling. We start to breathe again in the silence.” I loved these elements to the book.
“If you were to hold out your hands right now, what would you list as manna in your life? Are your hands starting to fill up? How does this shift your perspective?“
From “In want + plenty“ by Meredith McDaniel
Meredith goes on to tackle a difficult part of living the plentiful life, coping when hard time strike the ones we love. She shares several case studies and, through stories, she shows us how to live through the pain whilst drawing on God’s power to get us through, drawing on His provision and love. It’s inspiring and hope-filled.
“Sometimes it’s not even our own longings that affect us but the longings of those we love. We ache as others ache. Amid all the heaviness this world brings, we can see the loving hand of God threaded throughout each story, and his provision.”
From “In want + plenty“ by Meredith McDaniel
Exodus has so many key happenings which teach the people how to live for God and what that should look like. Accordingly, it is jam-packed full of relevant lessons for us. Meredith contemporises it for the reader and helps us to put it into practice.
“We are all image-bearers, uniquely designed to help point like arrows back to our Creator by the way we live our life.”
From “In want + plenty“ by Meredith McDaniel
I loved this one from start to finish and will be referring to it in the future. If you are looking to move from the “want” culture of the world to the “plenty” one of God, this book will show you how and deepen your appreciation for both the manna given by God daily and the journey the Israelites went through. It’s a five out of five on enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
From the back cover:
Although our circumstances vary, we all ache with a longing for something more. We are born with dreams, and some of us even have detailed plans about how to make them happen. Yet we all come to a point in life when we realize that we are not in control. A loved one gets sick, a tragedy occurs, our plans backfire. What we may not realize is that even if we can’t depend on our circumstances or even ourselves, there is One who will always provide what we need, just when we need it.
With compassion and enthusiasm, Meredith McDaniel invites you to walk alongside God’s people in Exodus as they wake up each morning to manna, God’s provision for them in desert places. As she unfolds their story of complete dependence on their Creator, you’ll discover through guided journaling how God is providing for you right now, where you are in your own unique story. Along the way, you will develop a comforting awareness that you are seen, guided, protected, and filled by a good God in the person of Jesus.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
