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When I was a young adult, my grandfather told me the greatest legacies I could leave were the stories about my family. His words continue to resonate with me. Most of my readers will find these stories relatable because they have had similar life experiences. I am inspired by the way God continues to love me even when I mess up, and my desire is to praise Him through my work. Life doesn't always turn out the way we thought it would--and we see evidence of that daily. We're surprised, but God isn't, and He is right there walking us through each step of the mess. It's our job to find the beauty along the way in this journey, and that's the focus of these stories.
Reviewed by Joy Hannabass for Readers' Favorite
The Family Tree: Finding Beauty in the Mess is a collection of very short stories by author Susie Stephens, captured from reminiscences and observations in her life experiences. Each of these stories is unique, some are very funny while others will make you cry, and all are very well written. Each of the 52 stories starts with a scripture verse and then ends with a short devotion that goes along with the story. At the end of each devotion, you will find a few pages with questions and plenty of space for you to answer the questions and take notes.
From the Betsy Wetsy Doll that Throws Up to Old People Suppose to have Wrinkles to the sweet story of Lily Grace, you will love, you will cry, and you will laugh out loud as you read these stories. My favorite is the second story, A Repurposed Bike. It is about a father purchasing a used rusty bicycle and fixing it up to be like new because his daughter wanted this special kind of bike so much, and he couldn't afford a new one. This touched my heart so much because my dad was always doing things like this for us. With 52 stories in this book, there's certainly one that will touch your heart in some way. I think Susie Stephens did an excellent job of writing this book. Her enthusiasm is enough for you to want to keep reading. The Family Tree: Finding Beauty in the Mess has something for everyone in these stories, and I highly recommend it. And it would make a great Christmas gift.
