Church of the Small Things: The Million Little Pieces That Make Up a Life

Melanie Shankle

4.08 out of 5 stars

3,268 ratings by Goodreads

9781543638080: Church of the Small Things: The Million Little Pieces That Make Up a Life

ISBN 10: 1543638082 ISBN 13: 9781543638080

Publisher: Zondervan on Brilliance Audio, 2017

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Is my ordinary, everyday life actually significant? Is it okay to be fulfilled by the simple acts of raising kids, working in an office, and cooking chicken for dinner?

It’s been said, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.” The pressure of that can be staggering as we spend our days looking for that big thing that promises to take our breath away. Meanwhile, we lose sight of the small significance of fully living with every breath we take.

Melanie Shankle, New York Times bestselling author and writer at The Big Mama Blog tackles these questions head on in her fourth book, Church of the Small Things. Easygoing and relatable, she speaks directly to the heart of women of all ages who are longing to find significance and meaning in the normal, sometimes mundane world of driving carpool to soccer practice, attending class on their college campus, cooking meals for their family, or taking care of a sick loved one.

The million little pieces that make a life aren’t necessarily glamorous or far-reaching. But God uses some of the smallest, most ordinary acts of faithfulness—and sometimes they look a whole lot like packing lunch.

Through humorous stories told in her signature style, full of Frito pie, best friends, the love of her Me-Ma and Pa-Pa, the unexpected grace that comes when we quit trying to measure up, and a little of the best TV has to offer, Melanie helps women embrace what it means to live a simple, yet incredibly meaningful life and how to find all the beauty and laughter that lies right beneath the surface of every moment.

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About the Author

"I'm a desperate housewife. I live in the country. I channel Lucille Ball, Sylvia Plath, and Ethel Merman. Welcome to my frontier!"

My name is Ree. I'm also known as The Pioneer Woman on my website, ThePioneerWoman.com.

Years ago, after living and working there for several years, I left the great city of Los Angeles . Fleeing a dead-end relationship with a surfer, I planned a much-needed pit stop in my Oklahoma hometown before beginning my new life in Chicago. While home, I met and unexpectedly fell in love with a Wrangler-wearing cowboy whose icy-blue eyes made me forget myself. Before I knew it, I'd canceled my Chicago plans, married the cowboy, and was bearing his children and chasing cows off my porch on his cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Review

Shankle (Nobody’s Cuter Than You), writer for The Big Mama Blog, thinks life is simpler than people make it. Through 19 rip-roaring chapters on the pains and foibles of everyday life, readers will laugh at Shankle’s self-deprecating account of her many mishaps and misunderstandings, including the struggle to find a job after college, learning to live with a pristine white couch she was afraid to sully, redoubling her efforts to work exercise into her daily routine, and trying to find a doggy day care for her two renegade pups. Shankle revisits her childhood in later chapters, which allows her to dip into more serious matters such as her parents’ divorce, how she made time to spend with her grandparents, and her evolving relationship with her younger sister. Fans of Martha Bolton will find much of the same wit and levity in Shankle’s writing. Most chapters close with a “Small Things” list that begins with a quote and includes lessons and reminders gleaned from the theme of the chapter. Shankle’s winsome book will be well-received by Christian readers looking to be more conscientious in everyday life. (Publishers Weekly)

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