Date Archives June 2020

BOOK REVIEW || The Masterpiece

Book Reviews 9 Comments

Heyyo!! I’m quite convinced that with changing my hosting service provider last year, I lost most of my book review readers. Most.

Notwithstanding, I’m still reviewing books if you like it or not. ?

Title: The Masterpiece
Author: Francine Rivers
Number of Pages: 496
Publisher: Tyndale House
Publication Date: 2018

I’ll have you know I only support the first paragraph of the blurb (and I debated uploading it or not). Its continuing paragraphs causes the book to lose its fancy to me; it creates some cliche and exhausting summary whereas I like the book for it’s Biblical message. Don’t be discouraged by the blurb, it’s a good read. And my review is right beyond it.

Book blurb

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece.

A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want―money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist―an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship―and both their lives―forever.

Review

I love the plot employed in Masterpiece. It begins on a high pace street chase but goes deeper to unravel the lives of two adults.
These are far reaching walls built with each betrayal experience.

Roman Velasco and Grace Moore are off to a rocky but civil start as they nurse old wounds and protect themselves from new ones in the course of working together.

Grace finds support system in her friends to keep her accountable. Roman cuts off everyone and maintains an identity crisis till he comes to the borders of death.

Will their shortcomings be the passageway for being redefined as masterpieces?

I like the writing techniques. I suggest the romantically tense scenes were well written, as Francine is wont to doing. When the (symbolic) bird’s wings are cut off, I felt it personally. I liked how the writing danced around Roman’s art.

I’m not certain I have a favourite character, but perhaps Roman cuts it for me.

Likes
I’m made to appreciate the ordering of steps of the believer with Grace’s housing provision.

Disslikes
I slightly disliked the hurried yet dragged hospital experience. Seemed deficient.

In this book, the themes of toxic relationships and healthy relationships stand out to me.

I think the overarching message is well phrased by this (totally unrelated to the book,) quote I found from Sarah Jake Roberts:

The bridge from who you once were to who God has ordained you to be is created from bricks of vulnerability, humility as strong as a mortar, and master plan so perfect even the things that once hurt you would serve you in making you better”.

Overall, the story telling is gripping. I rate it 3.5 out of five stars. It would’ve been four stars but I really have no quotes to take away.

Oh wait, there’s a quote:

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago

Ephesians 2:10

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts on it? Or are you up for reading it?

Love and Light,

Debby

Celebrations; Guitar, Cakes and some love

Life Diary 17 Comments

This is one of those posts where I just let you catch up while I catch fun. I simply want to celebrate myself because celebrations are an amazing landmark of God’s faithfulness.

My thoughts Yesterday: I just want to fling off my wig but I do not have decent plaits under. Ugh. I’ve been out since 12:40pm. The time is 5pm. I’ve got something to show for my outing but I am tired. I dislike stress, anyone that knows me intimately should know that.

Let’s do the things we need to do with less stress yet achieving the same efficiency. No sufferhead mentality is needed. My back up for this logic is a scriptural passage – “This is all that I have learnt: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated“. Ecclesiastes 7:29.

Quote this to stress anytime, anyday, anywhere. No need to thank me, what are friends for?

Due to my simplicity mindset, I would’ve ordered for the goods I stressed myself over online but I didn’t get the specifications I wanted online + shipping time was longer than I cared for.

For the stress I went through, drum roll please. Tadaaaa…

Her name is Ayuda. We’re both hoping her name sticks.
Baby Ayuda and I
Ayuda and I enjoying our photoshoot session

P.S: remember I told you guys I’m in love. In the midst of all my purchase stress, I was busy thinking about mister Lover. Thinking about how two of us would’ve been the ones buying Ayuda together if we lived in the same city. Everything you do with your loved ones is just more lovely. ‘In-love’ people in the house, attest to this, will you?

Other than baby Ayuda that got me stressed out, I’ve had another baby stressing me recently and that baby is as seen below. Drum roll again:

My delicious and moist marble cakes! Beep beep (baker alert).
My red velvet. Bold-faced plug: Hit me up to order for cakes of integrity. Holy Spirit cakes?
Chocolate lovers, I got you.
Vanilla la la
And in closing the cakes, Baby Ayuda makes another appearance, although I’m getting tired.

Today was meant to be for Carrot cakes but a lady is tired. I’ll show you pictures of my cakes after I get them iced. Somebody is proud.

Are you guys aware of this gratitude journal post I wrote some time last year? I got many positive feedbacks from people who started gratitude journalling. I’m however not certain they have sustained it. It’s a good culture to keep up. Read it if you haven’t.

My gratitude entry today is in appreciation of my friend, Gbems, who composed this spontaneous song that I do love and I wish to use as a crown to my celebration post:

Debby with the smile. Debby dance for Jesus

I’m grateful for my selfless friend who I get to twin with at this period. Did you spot her own guitar too?

Guys, celebrate. Have some gratitude entries. Share them!

Love and light,

Debby.

Dear Mentee || The Iceberg Principle

Dear Mentee Educative 13 Comments

I have this segment where I write what’s desperately on my heart. Obviously, that’s what the entire blog is for, but this is different. On the blog, I’m addressing myself, addressing my future children and grandchildren, addressing you and your uncles and neighbours. This segment though is addressing my mentees or proteges, if you’ll like. The things that I desperately want to pass on to the younger ones (not only age wise) that’s what I’ll write here. They are some of the life tips I’ll tell my younger ones who come to sit beside me at night and say “advise me. Tutor me”. Its a broad range of advice.

Never let a person come to your tree seeking shade but get scorched.

Never let a hungry person come for fruits and return hungry.

You should have more stuff within than it appears without. You shouldn’t appear to have more quality on the outside than you really have within.

But this, is the bloated mentality of the world today – particularly with the reign of social media e.g Instagram. Appearance. Appearance has won over reality.

By all means let people see the light within you, the beauty and glory. But do not be all for show. Why appear inviting but when people come close, they return hungry or scorched?

What’s the iceberg principle? An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water. Usually of an height greater than 16 feet above sea level and the thickness must be 98-164 feet and the ice must cover an area of at least 5,382 square feet.

With an iceberg, what’s going on outside (above water surface) is such a small percentage of what’s going on underneath. You have to dive down.

In your life, let there be depth.

This is not a call to dim your light or shrink. Rather, it is one to tell you to that the light that shines farthest, is the light that shines brightest at home – C. T Studd.

Don’t just lead amazing prayer meetings when you gather round at church or campus fellowship. Lead a personal life of prayer. Don’t just have smooth Bible study language when you’re called upon to teach. Have a bible-directed life.

Don’t just wear makeup and glam up when you’re outside, keep your bed and belongings made-up. Don’t be more intellectually vibrant to the public eye than you really are. Strive for depth.

Let people come in and see the beauty of simplicity. See the brilliance of Jesus Christ who though he was King of all, came in an animal stable. And on the flip side, who though was birthed in an animal stable had enough stuff to keep the doctors and doctoral candidates in awe of his wisdom, and enough authority and truth to bring rulers to their knees.

They say the greatest investment you could ever have is personal investment in yourself.
“Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above” 2 King’s 19:30. Roots make the fruits.

That’s the secret today. Be more inside than you are outside. Be authentic. Be solid within. Internalize first before you express.

There’s a Yoruba adage that teaches you to keep good principles in your left hand so you don’t drop it when you use your right hand to eat. Hold the Iceberg principle on your left hand!

And with that, it’s a wrap for today. I hope you’re well. Feel free to check in through the comments section. And don’t forget to share this with your friends.

With plenty of love,

Debby.