Book Review: Speak Love
I just finished up an Annie F. Downs book, Speak Love, and I just have one thing to say: Why did my fourteen year old self not read this book!? Probably because it wasn't written yet, but nonetheless, it would have saved me from so much heartache and drama.
In Speak Love, Annie promotes the idea (via The Bible) that we as women, young girls, and people in general have the power to create life or inflict death with our words. Annie touches upon the way we use words toward others, towards celebrities, in our social media, and even how we speak to ourselves.
Annie talks about the "mean girl" so often idolized in teenage girl culture. I have been there. I've been victim and the perpetrator of words that tear down instead of build up. As a teen, I absorbed hurtful words about my appearance and character and hoarded them up inside. In turn, I became the mean girl to myself. I was so critical, judgmental, and negative of my own appearance or behaviors that I became hypercritical of others. That's called insecurity and no matter how you cut it it's still pride- Not the best way to show love.
So, thank you Annie for writing this book for all young girls in an effort to prevent the struggle to know they are loved and to know they have the power to create life in others! AKA The Truth.
Speak Love impacted me in another way as an adult. Annie wrote a chapter on using words in your craft, and it just so happens I love to write (e.g. this blog). I stopped and grabbed a pencil and paper when I read these words:
Yes, says Annie:
Thankfully, this isn't about me anyway; it's about the potential to show others God. Speak Love was a fantastic reminder of the power of words and how we can affect the lives of others with simple sentences of love. This book should be mandatory for all girls going into middle school- the whole world would change if young women would encourage each other in love (this goes for grown ladies too)!
Annie talks about the "mean girl" so often idolized in teenage girl culture. I have been there. I've been victim and the perpetrator of words that tear down instead of build up. As a teen, I absorbed hurtful words about my appearance and character and hoarded them up inside. In turn, I became the mean girl to myself. I was so critical, judgmental, and negative of my own appearance or behaviors that I became hypercritical of others. That's called insecurity and no matter how you cut it it's still pride- Not the best way to show love.
For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks- Matthew 12:34As I've grown older I have struggled and matured step by step by the grace of God to bloom into a confident woman (work in progress). But I'm telling you, if I would have read this book when I was young, I could have gotten there a whole lot faster.
So, thank you Annie for writing this book for all young girls in an effort to prevent the struggle to know they are loved and to know they have the power to create life in others! AKA The Truth.
Speak Love impacted me in another way as an adult. Annie wrote a chapter on using words in your craft, and it just so happens I love to write (e.g. this blog). I stopped and grabbed a pencil and paper when I read these words:
Work hard to honor God with your words and your creations because once you make them, they're out there, ready to glorify God in the lives of many people.Wow. I have the power to glorify God with my words. Shouldn't I do something with that?
Yes, says Annie:
You will never know. I will never know. We will never know the full impact of our words or our lives. So we just live, wide open, encouraging others, sharing whenever we can, speaking up for those who don't have a voice, and creating art that points to who God is and how he loves.That may require some vulnerability.
Thankfully, this isn't about me anyway; it's about the potential to show others God. Speak Love was a fantastic reminder of the power of words and how we can affect the lives of others with simple sentences of love. This book should be mandatory for all girls going into middle school- the whole world would change if young women would encourage each other in love (this goes for grown ladies too)!
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