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Book Review Archives
Title: Joyful Surrender
Author: Cindy Tuttle
Publisher: Publish America
Copyright: 2008
ISBN-13: 9781606103166
Genre: Christian Living/Autobiography.
Book Size: 48 pages
Reviewer: Deborah Porter
Available Through:
Publish America
Amazon
The decision to follow a vocation as a nun or priest is not one made lightly, and it is not something every Catholic is called to do. Yet what does a passionate believer do when they finally discover they are not meant for convent life, but still feel drawn to a deeper sense of commitment and service to God? What do they do when they know, without hesitation, that they are called to a vowed life?
If they are at all like Cindy Tuttle, they follow the Holy Spirit's leading and create a way to develop personal vows that are meaningful to them, expressing their own journey and desire to serve God and others. For Cindy, this journey of discovery, faith and commitment led her to a place of Joyful Surrender to God-a journey she invites the reader to take as well.
For Ms. Tuttle, the road to this place of exuberant praise and inner joy was not always an easy one, with a number of quite hard life experiences that left her with painful emotional scars.
There was a bright spot for the young Cindy, however, and that was attending a Catholic school for her early education, even though neither of her parents was of that faith. This left a lasting impression on the author, and many years later God used that experience to draw her back to Him when she began to search for truth.
When her family moved to a new home, Cindy was enrolled in a public school, which was the beginning of her slide away from her previous delight in God. As more experiences left their marks on her, her self-doubt, fear and hopelessness grew. As an adult she developed health problems, had to go on Social Security, and had no alternative but to live in a boarding home. Then one day, Cindy had an "awakening," realizing that there was more to life than she was experiencing.
From that time, the author began to turn her life around. With hard work and a change of mindset, she began to live to serve the needs of others-something she has done with obvious enthusiasm and joy ever since.
It was at this time of personal growth that the author began her search for real significance and truth, which eventually led her back to those early roots in the Catholic Church.
The emphasis of the book switches then to Ms. Tuttle's desire to become a religious sister, followed by the eventual realization that this was not meant to be. After a period of great disappointment and confusion, she finally came to understand that a vowed life could be undertaken as an individual. The remaining three chapters of the book briefly outline her own three stage journey, bringing the author to the point where she made her final vows to God-a time of great joy and celebration.
Joyful Surrender is not a big book by any stretch. It can easily be read in an hour, and that brevity does at times work against it. The early chapters are more like a summary of facts regarding the author's life rather than a sharing of her life with the reader. As such, the connection that could have been built between the author and her reader in those first very important and personal chapters never really came to fruition.
The final three chapters turn somewhat away from being strictly autobiographical and lean more toward instruction, which I believe is the main desire the author had in writing this little book. Although Ms. Tuttle does briefly share how she worked through each stage on the road to making her final personal vows, the real emphasis is on helping the reader to adapt her experience to suit their own spiritual journey. Although definitely more substantial and relational than the early chapters, once again the brevity does leaves the reader wishing there was a little more depth.
Although Joyful Surrender won't hold any surprises for the mature Christian, new believers may find its simple advice and encouragement helpful in growing their faith, commitment and intimacy with God.
Overall, Cindy Tuttle has written a book that very much reflects her personal love for the Lord and her ongoing desire to help others.
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