Defined by Christ by Toni Sorenson

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Aug 192012
 

Defined by Christ: Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of the Savior

Author: Toni Sorenson

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: August 2010

Hardcover; 147 pages

Genre: Religious Nonfiction

ISBN# 978-1-59811-969-5

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: borrowed from the library

Summary

So many of us stretch our faces with smiles wide enough to mask the pain we hide. So many of us go through the motions, attending church, giving service, nurturing our families, learning and doing, while inside we feel empty, broken, doubtful, and even guilty for the way we feel. We tell ourselves that if we’d only work harder, we would somehow earn the blessings of peace, security, and unconditional love that we hunger for. But are we ever wrong! Simply by the virtue of being a child of God, each of us is already loved beyond comprehension, without boundaries or conditions. Yet sadly, many of us leave this heavenly gift unopened. Using the scriptures, words of prophets, insightful analogies, and stories drawn from poignant personal experiences, author Toni Sorenson illuminates the pathway toward opening this gift of divine love and finding lasting peace even amidst the shadows and storms of life. As we come to focus on God’s goodness rather than our own weakness, we will recognize our own infinite worth, develop confidence in the plan of happiness, strengthen our ability to identify and overcome the lies of Satan, discover the power within us to find wholeness and help others heal, and experience for ourselves how good trumps evil. No matter what our disappointment of failure or loss may be, allowing ourselves to be defined by Christ will lift us out of the darkness and into His light.

Review

Shortly after I started working with my trainer last year, she recommended that I read Defined by Christ. It had changed her life during an incredibly stressful and discouraging time. With all of the books on my to-read list, I never got around to reading it. However, since I was lucky enough to interview Toni Sorenson for Utah Book Month, I moved it to the top of the list.

Too often we place the value of ourselves on things or situations we can’t control and people whose opinions don’t really matter. It’s easy to lose confidence when we allow ourselves to be defined by these things that are changing, unpredictable and flawed. When I was younger I tried so hard to be what I thought everyone else wanted me to be while struggling to remain true to myself. It was an impossible goal and I failed all around. As I grew older and closer to my Savior, I realized many of the truths that Toni shares in Defined by Christ.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

In the Doctrine and Covenants we are told, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10). We are not told to learn that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. We are not told to understand. We are told to remember. That can mean only one thing: at some point we knew our worth in the sight of God. (page 19)

I never thought of that scripture in that way until now.

God would not have sacrificed His Son to save us if these two principles wer not true: (1) We need saving; and (2) We are worth saving. (page 68)

I love this truth!

We cannot trust others to determine our worth. We can’t even trust ourselves to determine our worth. We have to train ourselves to listen, believe, and act on the only voice that matters–Christ’s voice. (page 72)

At 147 pages, Defined by Christ is a fairly quick read, but you’ll want your own copy to highlight and refer back to when you are feeling doubtful or discouraged. When I told my trainer about my interview with Toni Sorenson, she shared with me that she had just dropped off a copy to a friend who needed it.

As a woman, I know that we can be way too hard and critical of ourselves, often doubting our abilities and our worth. While I highly recommend Defined by Christ to all women, anyone would benefit from reading it. I am going to purchase my own copy and let my daughter read it. As a young woman, she is still trying to discover who she is. I want her to never doubt who she is–a precious daughter of our Heavenly Father who loves her and values her more than she can possibly comprehend.

Find Defined by Christ: GOODREADS | AMAZON | KINDLE | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

 

 

Interview with author Toni Sorenson for Utah Book Month

 Posted by  Special Features, Utah Book Month
Aug 162012
 

Visit the Utah Books blog for details on Utah Book Month, book blogger interviews, author interviews, mini-challenges and a GRAND GIVEAWAY with some great prizes!

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SHANDA: How long have you been writing?

TONI: I started writing when I was very young, maybe third grade. In fourth grade I kind of high-jacked this play called Shoemaker and the Elves and turned it into a play that our whole school put on. We got out early that day and I was the hero for about half an hour. It made me realize the power of writing…you can make people think and do things you want them to. That’s a real and sacred power of the pen.

I really can’t recall a time when I wasn’t writing or making up stories or telling tales. My children call it creative lying.

SHANDA: Is there a book or book-related event that changed your life?

TONI: I was never read to as a child. Never. So I guess I did it on my own, but the first book I remember reading was Gone With the Wind. No lie. I was in fifth grade and I fell in love with the whole epic saga. I read it and re-read it and lived at Tara in my imagination. It was obsessive. I think I watched the movie 11 times in a row. Then I replaced that with Jeremiah Johnson, a book Robert Redford made into a movie. Then it was Jaws. Jaws was written so vividly that I actually threw up at the description of the first shark attack. Again, words have power to make people feel and they made me feel like puking!

SHANDA: Do you have a personal or family motto or a favorite quote?

TONI: I adore quotes. All kinds. I love to know what other people think and feel and experience. At the moment the quote that’s on my mirror came from me. I hope that it doesn’t seem too egotistical, but it’s a personal quote that I’d like to share with you all because it’s something I believe wholeheartedly. Lately, I’ve put it to the test and found it to be true. “Strength comes from struggle. When you learn to see your struggles as opportunities to become stronger, better, wiser, then your thinking shifts from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘I must do this.'”

SHANDA: What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?

TONI: I love, love, love to travel so I’ve eaten all sorts of things. In Asia there was this fruit that was white and slimy and I swear to it, alive. I don’t remember the name, but it was like putting a bite of pear in your mouth that wiggled around while you chewed it. It was creepy and awesome at the same time. I sort of felt like Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” remember when she ate the little living creatures?

SHANDA: Do you have a favorite day of the week? (Or, Is there a TV show you cannot miss?)

TONI: I’m not a tv addict, but I do get into entire series and watch from one end to the other. “Downton Abby” is the latest conquest. I adored it.

Favorite day of the week? Any day that allows me time to pray in nature, creativity to flow in my writing, and being able to spend time with the people I love. My best days are honestly the days when, as they say, I do something for the first time. Anything. Eat at a new cafe. Make a new recipe. Hike a new trail. Meet a new friend. Add to my limited vocabulary of foreign words. I’m trying to master French right now and it’s going to take me a long, long time.

SHANDA: What books are at the top of your to-read list?

TONI: I just re-read Catcher in the Rye. This summer I went through a bunch of top 100 books to read and made a list of the ones I haven’t read and I was surprised at how many books I have not read. Michael Cunningham is one of the great writers of our era, but he’s a little harsh for a lot of people. He wrote The Hours. I love his writing. I love to read so put any book in front of me and I’m a gonner. Right now I’m reading Crucial Conversations so I can better communicate verbally. It’s something I need to learn, trust me.

I am so grateful for the chance to share my works with you all. I’m so excited because I have a new book coming out titled Taking Back What’s Yours. It’s a self-help, motivational type book that empowers people who have suffered to regain whatever they’ve lost. It has changed my life just writing it. I am also heart-deep into a YA fantasy series that’s different than anything I ever imagined writing, but I’m enjoying it more than anything. I can’t wait to share it with you all. Thanks again and blessings to you all!

SHANDA: Thank you so much, Toni!

Do YOU have a personal or family motto or favorite quote?

The Shaken Earth by Toni Sorenson

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Apr 092012
 

The Shaken Earth

Author: Toni Sorenson

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: October 2011

Softcover; 349 pages

Genre: General Fiction

ISBN# 978-1-60861-279-6

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Fragile, twelve-year-old Yolisha is afraid thinking about her first ride on a brightly painted tap-tap. The city is much farther than she has ever been from her small village of Makak, but Yolisha must go. Tomorrow she has an appointment in Port-au-Prince with the doctor who understands her special illness. But she is terrified that she might lose the grasp of her mother’s hand on the clattering, noisy bus crowded with people and livestock. In truth, Yolisha is frightened of anything, or anyone, that might separate her from the only anchor in her life: her mother.

The next day, Yolisha is slammed with the realization that her greatest danger was not in the bus ride at all. When the earth begins violently shaking, the walls of the clinic crumble, and her mother is torn from her, she fears that her innocent wishing game might have caused the devastating earthquake that has just thrown her into a terrifying world of survival. But what if the same game can uncover hidden strength in Yolisha as she searches for her missing mother? Might the elderly man who plucks her from the rubble save her life . . . while the man’s colorful and determined friend saves her soul by introducing her to the gospel?

Review

What drew me in to The Shaken Earth at first was the glimpse into daily life of the Haitian people. That interest carried me through the entire book. I was curious about what was making Yolisha sick, but that question never really gets answered. While Yolisha is a young, naive girl who initially is demanding, lacks patience and whines a lot, she settles as reality sets in and she accepts what her life will be, at least temporarily, in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The people who truly make The Shaken Earth memorable are the side characters. Though we see everything through Yolisha’s point-of-view, it is Webster, Mona, and even Gessy, that make the story. I knew very little about Haiti or it’s history, but I learned along with Yolisha during Webster’s lessons as he cooked. I witnessed the struggles of the people even before the earthquake, and how much worse it became afterward. There was depravity and crime, but there was also strength and resilience. I can honestly say this is a book I won’t soon forget.

The Shaken Earth is well-written, memorable, and eye-opening. While not horribly graphic, there are a number of disturbing details included. If you are one that likes to snack while you read, you may want to reconsider eating while reading this book if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. While there are LDS missionaries and some talk of the gospel, it is not the main theme of the book. If you enjoy reading books about other countries as well as life-changing experiences, then I would recommend The Shaken Earth.