Stained Glass Hearts by Patsy Clairmont

Subtitle: Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Author Patsy Clairmont is a Women of Faith speaker known for her knowledge of the Bible and her use of humor in her writing and speaking. I had never heard of Women of Faith or Clairmont before I read this book. I chose Stained Glass Hearts from the available books based on its title and cover. Plenty of book shoppers do the same thing, so I'm not alone.

The stained glass theme is interesting in that it is an example of how broken pieces can be assembled to create beauty. Clairmont wants us to understand that, no matter how "broken" our lives are, God can help us make something beautiful from the pieces. She uses stories from her own life along with Bible verses and quotes to illustrate her point. Each chapter ends with an Art Gallery. Here she connects various art forms to the content of the chapter. Sometimes she lists art works, poems, or Bible verses. Other times, she suggests music or provides web URLs that you can access to enhance your understanding of her point.

I enjoyed parts of the book, but some chapters felt like they would be more effective if they were spoken. I suspect that Clairmont has used some of this material in her speaking ministry. Some parts were very well-written, but others felt a bit disjointed. It can be a quick read if you don't tarry over the end-of-chapter material. It could be used as a study book, too.

Thomas Nelson, publisher of this book, is also the current owner of Women of Faith. It is common practice for speakers to sell their books at their speaking engagements. People who have heard Clairmont speak would probably appreciate this book more than someone, like myself, who had never heard of her. At $16.99 SRP, I don't think I would have bought this book off the shelf.

To summarize, I have mixed feelings about the book. I suggest that you go to Stained Glass Hearts on Amazon.com where you can use the Look Inside feature to check it out for yourself.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”