Standing on His Promises: Finding comfort, hope, and purpose in the midst of your storm, by Joan M. Blake
My review: ★★★
This book is part memoir, part meditation workbook. Each chapter tells a bit of the author’s life, ending in a prayer and a lesson / reflection from the author, plus a reflection prompt to think through about your own life. I enjoyed learning a bit about life in Trinidad and Tobago, following some of the experiences from the author’s life, and thinking through how her lessons apply to me. My favorite chapters were those about dealing with emotions like anxiety, fear, anger and guilt.
While this is a book for helping you ‘in the midst of your storm,’ for most of the book, it didn’t feel like the author was going through a storm. Toward the end of the book you see why this title is justified, but I have to admit I didn’t feel much of a personal emotional reaction / connection to the author’s experiences until then. I would have also appreciated attention to different details; less information about mundane things like what clothes people were wearing on what date, and more about people and the author’s emotional connections with them.
There is definitely some hard-won wisdom in this book, and I appreciate the author’s willingness to open up on some personal mistakes and experiences. The reflections are valuable for thinking through your own attitudes and approaches to life. This is a good book for anyone who’s trying to find their way through emotional turmoil, or simply looking to meditate and work on becoming a better person.
