Review of Arise

[Nonso Samuelson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Arise" by Doreen Moore-Barrett.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Arise by Doreen Moore-Barrett tells how life is a gradual process with many ups and downs and how giving up is not an option, especially when one has faith in Christ. It describes life as a collection of experiences during different seasons, some of them exhilarating and filled with awe and wonder, and others so terrible you feel death could be a kinder option. It teaches those in the latter category how to hold their heads high and navigate the choppy waters of life. It shows them how to rise, find healing, manifest their full potential, and live a whole and meaningful life.

This book is an uplifting piece of literature. Doreen wrote fifty short, practical, and insightful stories geared at elevating people and helping them overcome setbacks, struggles, pain, and hurt and believe in God for the healing they sought. She categorized these stories into four sections, each section named after a season in the year: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. This division was an implicit reminder to me that no matter what challenges I'm passing through, they won't last forever. Doreen's writing also showed me how to find tangible and spiritual blessings while still in a bad season/circumstance. Take the winter season, for instance. It's marked by severe cold and commuting difficulty, yet it's also the season of love and joy where people spend time with family and loved ones.

The core of the author's message was strong and spoke to me: nobody is permanently marred by their circumstances or bruises from the past. She also advises putting one's faith in Christ to help them rise from the ashes of their past and build a fulfilling and successful life. I'm a Christian, so apparently, I had no problem with this message. And regardless of your religious leanings, I believe there's a message of hope in this book for everybody.

I always love it when an author employs short stories and anecdotes in their writing, whether they are true or made-up stories. Doreen drew from biblical stories and her real-life experiences. I can see how these stories would help any reader understand that they're not alone in their journey to find God and healing. They also helped to drive home the author's assertion that Christ is our savior and redeemer and wants to give us life and a new hope despite our shortcomings. The author included scriptural quotations that were logically compatible with the stories she told. At the end of each chapter, she included declarations for the reader to use for self-affirmation. As I said those words to myself, they felt powerful and brought a calmness I appreciated.

There was nothing to dislike about this book. It was beautifully written to aid people in building a healthy self-image and a good relationship with God and others. The book was also exceptionally well edited, and I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to individuals who feel lost and need a wake-up call.

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Arise
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[Blessing E]

This book will be better appreciated by Christian's. However, open minded people of other religious views can also read it

[Ifesi]

This review sounds interesting. The author did a nice job in presenting the book to be interesting and easy to understand. Thanks for a wonderful and intriguing review. Looking forward to reading this book.

[Uwe Neufeld]

I heard on the radio of an active member of a church who committed suicide. Afterwards it was told that the person had never been a true chrstian. I find this very unfair, though I agree, one should never loose faith and always rely on God.

[nwankwo chibuchi]

My mindset definitely aligns with this book. Giving up is never an option. I'm adding this to my bookshelf with immediate effect. Beautiful review.

[Titus Fuller]

This book seems to be a perfect read, life challenges can get insurmountable at times and we all do need some form of encouragement.