Growth Lessons [Kindle Edition]

Naty Matos has written a wonderful book in Growth Lessons. At first, it was like reading her private journal, since she so candidly shares about her own shortcomings as she helps us glimpse what perfection in Christ looks like. My favorite quote is, "I'll be the first to admit that I overslept the day that they were handing out patience..." I think I did too!

My favorite section is the one on loving the unlovable.

So many times, as I read, I said, "YES!" and "I'm so glad to read these truths written in such down to earth and honest language!" As I said to myself, "I'm so glad I'm not the only one who struggles with this or that," I appreciated that Ms. Matos never lets her reader think it's okay to wallow in self-pity or sin.

In Growth Lessons, I was reminded of this beautiful truth: Our walk with the Lord is a process of growing up into the image of Christ.

Naty Matos says she has been through some tough times, but she doesn't dwell on them in this work. She keeps a sweet, cheerful attitude, a lot like the gardener, while gently and persistently digging around our roots, aerating our soil, fertilizing our ground, and pruning our parts to get some growth going.
She knows better than anyone what it's like to grow up "saved," but to only become truly converted after many years of "do-it-yourself" Christianity. What a timely message for today this book is. Folksy, flowing, as good as a chat over tea. Here's the heart of a fellow believer opened to us, begging us to open our hearts and examine our relationship with our God.
I can't think of a real surprise to tease you with from this book, because it's not so much new, as charmingly presented, drawing you along from subject to subject. It's a project, a patchwork quilt Naty invites you to work on together with her. Plenty of Scripture gets mixed in with Naty's own thoughts.
It's a blog, as I understand it, a person's scattered thoughts collected and shared, in a stream of consciousness style. Yet the author says she has a Masters Degree, so I have to say that there seems very little regard for traditional punctuation here, especially periods. She also says she grew up with other languages so I hope that is an explanation. I enjoyed the book and could recommend it wholeheartedly with that one proviso.

This book is a collection of meditations the author has had with her higher power. I'm not religious, but I am spiritual. I found that when I replaced "God" with "The Universe" or "my higher self" I could hear the message of each passage clearly. We can all benefit from pausing to question our daily motives and giving/receiving thanks.

I really related to the personal examples of the struggles and lessons learned from the author. For me knowing that there's always another level of perfection, peace, and knowledge to attain is very comforting.

I would recommend this book for anyone who would like some common sense and light added to their life.