[Book Review] Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst - [책리뷰]

Writer: Lysa TerKeurst

Date of writing a book review: 2021.10.27.Wed

Where I bought a book: @Barnes&Noble Booksellers in Seattle

@Barnes&Noble Bookseller in Seattle

Inside the bookstore! It was pretty late at night, so there was very few people at that time!

After we went to the bookstore, we headed to one of my favorite cafes in Seattle! 

Before I write about this book, I should start off the date I got this book from my dearest friend, Sara. We met at the church when I firstly moved to Seattle without knowing anyone. I still remember the first date when I got there at the rooftop, where it was very sunny yet everyone was wearing a mask due to COVID. It seemed the sermon just ended and I'm pretty sure I looked a bit lost over there, by just looking around what's going on there. Then Sara came to over and we had a very casual talk and then became such a close friend to share about God and every small and big step of life that's been going around us. Although my life in Seattle was definitely in the season of ups and downs, yet she was very encouraging and such a supportive friend who can really embrace me and give a huge hug. A day before I'm off to go back to Korea, we had such a good time of saying goodbye. And at the last moment, we went to the bookstore and she had given me a book, "Uninvited" which is about how to live as the loved when feel less than, left out, and lonely. I thought this is going to be the one book, and she has given me this book as a gift.

 

Once I got back in Korea, it was really busy for the last few weeks. I didn't have a phone number in Korea, so needed time to register for that, and there were so many other things I had to take care of. Although I have joined a new bookclub, finished on reading one of the books and had such a good quality time during the session, yet I didn't get a chance to pause a little bit and spend my time with God. Since I had to find a new church community back in Korea, it was a bit difficult also as I was not a part of any of the communities to share yet. Although I'm still in the midst of the finding a good community, while I was reading this book, I could see myself that God is really with me! I could feel His warm embrace and whisper that "Oh my dear daughter, I'm with you". I think God has known before that I'm going to pass these time of the seasons of my life, and wanted to still talk to me through the book.

 

There were so many parts that I have highlighted and be reminded. In general, this book is about how the writer has gone through her personal moments of how she was reminded that she is a daughter of God although some situations that she was uninvited, felt less than, left out, and lonely.

Page 49, she talking about how she was trying so hard to see how she can fix her life and look for what would fulfill her life. Then, she realized that we have the power in Christ to go over those rejections because God is ful-fully loved and accepeted and empowered us. 

It was such good reminder to think of. When I was working at Amazon, I was always be surrounded by this thought that I have to prove how great I am and how much capable I am to get recognized and accepted by peers and manager. However, although it is important to be the one at the workplace, yet I realized my foundation was a bit shaken that it was not based on Christ, yet by my own performance. That's why my heart was not fully fulfilled. As I try my best to get out of from my own trap, more step I put into this thought that I should be the one to prove my performance, I draw myself into more into empty heart. But it was such a good reminder that being accepted is not depend on what I've accomplished or how much I've loved. God is fully brigning us to this fullness to us. We should be always be reminded that we're fully empowered and accepted in Christ who is fully given power to us. 

 

Although I was reminded and empowered by those phrases, yet my enemy was well knowing me that playing around my head by saying "But hey, look at you. Do you really think you live like a daughter of knowing that you're loved and accepted? Is it how your day to day would look like?" Unfortunately, I could confront my own vulnerabilities that I'm not. Then the book was saying "trust" is like an air. It was aha moment for me! Yes, trusting is tough to draw, but it's there! It's just the fact that I should trust and take it, not about to prove it!

Then, she was listed down how we're spinning our thoughts like "It will happen if you chase a guy, opporutnity, possession, etc to make us more full." However, it is simply because we forget God is empowering us to hold us. What a great portion of part to be reminded! To some of you guys, it might be just "oh, I know" or think as "That sounds so obvious", yet it was a great reminder to think that as we have "What if-, then it would fill my part of empty hear", yet we as Christians already know and experienced that none of those would make you fill full. Only Christ and really bring you the true joy and full heart.

Also, there was a part of the book talks about how friendship also hurts us, yet how to walk through those time in Christ.

 

Ephesians 6:2, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world would against the spiritual forces of evil int heavenly realms.

This verses hit me again like I've never heard before. When I was in college, me and my friends talked a lot about this part of the Bible, so that the all the relationship difficulty doesn't point to those people, yet those enemies behind those people. However, as I spent so much time by myself for the last years of working at home remotely due to COVID and not able to meet new people or even friends freely, I was not able to connect this verses to be reminded. When I was working and having some trouble, it was easy to direct the point to the person, rather than to think that there is the spiritual forces that make the person to hurt me. Before I read this part of the book, I totally forgot about it, yet was easy to draw my attention to those people and make call that out that's all their faults. In this chapter, the writer was making it clear that we have a common ementy, therefore we can choose to live in truth or lie. 

 

She has listed down and be reminded that she would remember her job to be obedient to God. That's it. She chose to fight for her friend. That doesn't mean she would reconnect. She simply chose to not because she's right, not because she's right, but because "We want to honor GOD!". I think it's simple but very powerful part that we're not trying to fix or resolve any kind of issue by own our power or own wisdom. Because eventually those would not help those already happened situations. However, knowing who is the real enemy is the key of the life. And choosing to see the real enemy is simply coming with honoring God. To us, it gets easier when we just lay down those to point to someone or situation. Nevertheless, overall the most important thing to keep in mind is to remember how to honor God and one of the ways to honor him is by knowing who is the real enemy.

Exploring new cafes, and having coffee and book = what a blessing time to enjoy my day! 

In other chapter, she has shared when she felt she is just being silently stand by, withholding answers and solutions for which she've cried out. I was pretty in the similar situation when I was having a very difficult time alone in the States. God seems he is very silent and not present his face in my life. He seems very quiet and unpresent on those moments. I cried at some of the nights and no one would know that. Some of nights, I cried out with so many tears but no one would know I have cried out to God. I had those nights of not knowing what's going on and what would be going on my life, and feeling very exhausted and unsure. I had those nights worrying about my future and my present, yet even not knowing what I'm doing for my life. I had those nights of crying out not knowing where I'm going and what I'm doing for. There were so many other nights that I cannot even share much, yet God was still silent on those moments. I felt very alone and isolated, yet everyone else have their friends and families.

 

But in the chapter, she was saying God is always at work and we should remember that when we feel rjected and passed over for someone else, yet He is still at work and doing something entirely beyond what we're thinking.  It was very powerful to read and remind that God is still at work. As we as humans cannot understand fully how amazing God and extended our Father can do, it is easy to focus our lenses only to our present or reality, yet God is still at work. We can't be sure what exactly he's doing or what he's making us to be prepared for, yet He is with us. That is the unshakeable truth that never change. He is there and be present and being with us although I have gone through those lonely nights with cries.

Another cafe to enjoy a cup of tea, snack, and a book:) 

As I'm having such wonderful time with my family and friends over in Korea, yet there was another part of my side that "How can I get a job in Korea?". In some of the days, I had this unexplainable fear to think "What if- I don't get a job" kind of question. Sometimes, I have a full confidence that I can get a job anywhere in Korea as I have a such a great experience at Amazon and learned a lot and developed my software engineering skills as to be a great software engineer. However, as Korean culture is very different than America in terms of the interview processing, I had this unexplainable question mark that "What if-"... Then Like 10:2 was saying

"The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields"

And I was thinking about my first time of job hunting seasons where I have applied more than 500 jobs, yet only received one offer finally from Amazon out of college. Additionally, it was very beginning of pandemic due to COVID at that time, so I had this fear of not getting a job in the States. I have received so many rejections which caused me to think that I'm not enough to get a new opportunity and it became much harder as an international student to get a job. However, the book was saying our exact brand is beatiful. We choose to live loved in this life journey and remember that God has in mind for us, more than we imagine. 

It was another way of good reminder to redirect my prayer that I want God to be the leader of my life again and lead me. I don't want my job in Korea is just for looking for the company's name or reputation, yet to pray about "How to be the worker in his field" although I work as a software engineer yet be present as a Christian who follows Jesus in my future workplace.

 

Lastly, she has emphasized that our life will always have troubles and will find small/big rejections, but Lord doesn't just watch our struggles, yet he protects all his children, to those who are broken. 

AMEN! I have very encouraged and reminded by this book that my nature and foundation is upon God, not by my own understanding, performance, or outcome. I have no idea how my life would look like in Korea, where I would work for, and whom I'm going to work with, or where to live on, yet one thing I can be confident about is that God is at work and he will be leader of my life. I'm going to surrender by him and honor him and know how to listen to his voice humbly. Although I'm living in the midst of unknown (yet for sure this would be like for my rest of life), I'm so blessed and overwhelmed that God is with me and I'm his daughter. Thank you Lord, to be my good good Father.

Today, I finally finished on reading a book at this modern cafe with a cup of coffee! 

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