You may ask – and rightfully so !- what being a Christian (or not) has to do with self-help?
I have discussed my own beliefs many times in this space. A few mentions are HERE. In a nutshell, I believe in many things, including the Jesus of the scriptures. That I do is not a reflection on you… nor am I (in any way) insisting or even requesting that you believe as I do. (I’m not sure that’s a good sentence structure but it says what I mean.)
However, I know some will appreciate a review like this… and since I stumbled across it and loved it… well, here we are!
The book is called The Esther Anointing by Michelle McClain-Walters. (There are a handful of other “Anointing” books listed HERE, if you’re interested.)
Stumbled across… not actually. You see, I follow a YouTuber called The Kneady Homesteader. I found her several years ago as I was falling through a rabbit hole. My cousin introduced me to survivalist videos, like guys camping in snowstorms. Don’t ask, except… I like disaster films… so maybe it’s kind of in the genre? Anyhow, one thing led to another and I found myself on videos about canning staples. My grandmother used to can apricots and pickles. I miss her and those gentler times (though in truth, I was just a kid. Adults would have told me that wars were blazing and it wasn’t a gentle time at all. But I digress.).
Anywho, Kneady (as she is known) is actually Heather, and she is sweet and engaging. Also a Christian.
Okay, so… a little over two years ago… Heather disappeared, and we (as her followers) didn’t know why. Then, she came back with a horrific story. And it was absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever watched. And I’ve watched some stuff! (That’s a live link if you’d like to watch it yourself.)
In short, her family was hit head-on, just after the holidays, by a drunk driver. Her husband was killed instantly. Their two children (in the backseat) were hurt (some broken bones) but would be okay.
For Heather, almost every bone in her body was broken and she was at risk of losing a leg because it was utterly shattered, as she was, in every conceivable way. It was also in the midst of the pandemic and she was left for hours alone without getting to see her husband once last time, or hug (or even touch) her children or anyone else.
How would ANYONE overcome something like that?
For the last two years, we have watched her healing journey. It has been nothing short of amazing… not easy… but a stunning testament to the human spirit. Heather would say all the glory goes to God.
Okay, so… late last year, she felt led to ask if anyone would be interested in an online prayer circle, where she would check in once a week and share some things she’s found to be helpful. More importantly, it would also be a space to hold others in prayer. Normally, this would not be something I’d be interested in but I found her so genuine and humble that I wanted to support her in a small way. And don’t get me wrong, I also believe prayer is powerful, especially in numbers. So, I (along with many others) said we’d like that. And so it began a month ago.
During the first “meeting” she mentioned this book and read from it. I loved a prayer she shared and decided to buy the book myself.
So, here we are.
The cover of the book says, “Becoming a woman of prayer, courage and influence”.
In the early pages, we are told that the Esther Anointing is a point of convergence where God (“the great apothecary” <<< I LOVE that!) “took all the bitter and sweet experiences of Esther’s life and crushed them together under the oil of the Holy Spirit.”
I’m not here to rewrite Esther’s life story nor am I a Biblical scholar. All I will say is that she was a Jew, a Queen, and a woman of influence. More of her story is touched on throughout the pages, of course, but you don’t need to know anything about her to find value in this book.
If you’re in the mood to pray and want some inspiration, this book brings it! There are prayers in every chapter and I loved one of them so much I wrote it out in my journal.
Yes, this book is Christian. It will appeal mostly to Christian women.
But there is something else that weaves its way through and feels very inclusive to ALL…
Let me give you an example…
Myrrh. You know, the oil. Did you know it reduces inflammation and boosts immunity? Eliminates respiratory ailments; congestion, colds, and coughs? Cures ulcers, gingivitis, and bad breath? Me neither! How cool is that?
We’re also told that the word myrrh comes from the Hebrew word mara and means bitterness. And then there are a few pages about the perils of allowing bitterness to overtake our lives.
I like those little non-religious segues. Very self-help-y!
As I’ve said a bazillion times, you can find self-help ANYwhere! This little book was something I needed at a moment in time. It spoke to me. It may speak to you…
I hope so!
Simply Sheryl 