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LEAVE NO WORDS STRANDED IN YOUR HEART.
“Many of us go through life with words and feelings stranded in our hearts. Words we deeply feel but never say. Sometimes we never have the chance. We don’t always get to say goodbye. We don’t always know when will be our last hug, high five, smile, laugh or ‘I love you.’ All we have is today, now, and what we do in this one, shining moment.”
ABOUT THE BOOK
Say All the Unspoken Things encourages us to unlock our hearts and love more deeply, more intentionally, and more immediately so our relationships flourish and we experience all God intended in our families and friendships.
Our children, spouses, parents, and friends may know we love them, but shouldn’t they hear it from us regularly and feel it profoundly? For some reason, many of us rarely share our hearts or speak those deep, hidden sentiments. Or we hold on to them for a day yet to come. John Sowers encourages us all to release the stranded and exiled words we have in our hearts—those unspoken things—so there are no doubts in our relationships nor regrets in our lives.
Written in the form of personal, heartfelt messages from a father to his daughters, these love letters will echo in the heart of readers, reminding them that ultimately their Father in heaven loves them and is for them. This, combined with wisdom for life, will make this book a treasure for parents and grown children alike.
My Thoughts
This book is a beautiful read for parents, especially if you have daughters. It’s a collection of letters from a loving father to his three daughters written during the first year of the pandemic. Even though the author was writing to his daughters, I felt like he spoke directly to me. The past few years have been an emotional roller coaster for many of us, and it had us all thinking that we don’t want to leave the unspoken things unsaid. As I read this book, I could feel the author’s heart in every letter. He touches on topics such as bravery, wonder, beauty, kindness, romance, boundaries, guarding your heart, and God’s patient love.
The author has written 33 “letters” categorized in 8 different divisions:
Part 1: You Are Created
Part 2: Identity and Purpose
Part 3: Growing Young
Part 4: Becoming
Part 5: Developing Character
Part 6: Friends and Relationships
Part 7: Finding and Being In Love
Part 8: Dreams and Legacy
This book is a great reminder to speak more freely and move away from a distracted shallow life. It will leave you inspired to love those around you well and leave a lasting legacy.
One of my favorite quotes in the book,
“We are addicted to distraction. When we are distracted by screens, we miss everything. To live in wonder is to pause. To live in wonder is to pay attention.”
In this damaged and fatherless world, I found it refreshing to find a dad who tapped into his heart and revealed to his daughters what truly matters in life, and how much he loves them.
“Beauty hovers over all of us, in our darkness and our light, in the withered frailty of life, in the breathless triumph of death. Beauty is in our sleeping and waking, our innocence and tragedy. Beauty is found in small, unseen gestures of love, humming softly in every act of kindness.”
Another favorite quote, “If you live complaining and speaking of your losses, ruminating on bitterness, hurts, and negativity, you will become these things. But if you live grateful and speak life, if you meditate in your hearts on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,” you become these things. Be mindful of the stories you tell yourselves and the stories you tell others about yourselves.”
If you are looking for a deeply moving and meaningful book this Spring Break, I highly recommend this one!
Is there someone you haven’t said “I love you” to in awhile? I encourage you today to write a letter, send a quick text or DM, or call someone you love and tell them.
I have received this product through the Front Gate Media exchange for my honest and unbiased product review; all opinions are my own.*
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Sowers is an author and speaker.His work and writings have been featured by Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, Mariah Shriver, Oprah Radio, the Oregonian, theOklahoman, and others. John received thePresident’s Champion of Change award at the White House from President Obama.
John led a homeless shelter and has worked with youth and in prisons. He co-founded The Mentoring Project with Donald Miller and was multi-language director for the Billy Graham Association–working with twenty-six language groups in Los Angeles and New York.
He received his master’s of divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his doctorate from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of Fatherless Generation: Redeeming the Story and Heroic Path: In Search of theMasculine Heart. John has written for the White House, Relevant magazine, Wilderness, and other publications. But his favorite accomplishment is being a dad to his three daughters, Rosie, Dass, and Eva. John lives in a cabin in thewoods near Ozark, Missouri.
I loved this book too! So much goodness packed into a slim little volume. Loved the quotes you chose; 2 different from mine and one of the same! 😊