Book Description: In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides readers in discovering evidence in their own lives of his attentive love. “The idea for the book came from a cigar box filled with odds and ends of my grandfather’s life that arrived a few months after his death. Sifting through the objects in the box, I experienced him in a fresh new way. This made me wonder what treasures might be tucked away in Scripture that could frame God for me in an equally intimate, tangible way. This process also helped me uncover my own “treasures” of my walk with the Lord: objects that remind me of my history with him and his faithfulness to me,” says McLeroy.
Drawn from the pages of Scripture, the author considers twelve such treasures and personalizes their meaning for readers, such as a green olive branch that offers proof of God’s “new every morning” mercy and a scarlet cord that demonstrates his willingness to adopt “strays” of every sort. Weaving these treasures together with scenes from her personal history, Leigh McLeroy invites readers to discover God’s heart for them and embrace their unique role in his redemptive story. Treasured offers readers a guided experience of God’s love and character and invites them to consider their own treasures that point to their part in God’s ongoing story.
My Review:
In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy begins this devotional style book with a story of receiving a box of keepsakes that belonged to her grandfather. As she looked at the Bible, she began to see a spiritual aspect and considered the small things, or God’s keepsakes, that would demonstrate His heart and love for us. The author has a unique insight as she compares her life and circumstances with those individuals whose stories are told in the Bible. How often do we read the Word of God without seeing the small hints of wisdom placed there just for us? The story that the author tells is deeply personal look at God’s provisions for her needs and desires. She also tells of those deep and sometimes painful desires that have not yet been fulfilled. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse and an explanation or application.
Just an example of the chapters:
A Fig Leaf: The God Who Covers Me
Abraham’s Knife: The God Who Provides
A bloodstained Piece of Wood: The God Who Defeats Death
I especially enjoyed her account of a gathering she attended. It was a meeting of Christian Retailers with publishers, writers, agents, etc. in attendance. The author gave some interesting contrasts between individuals while watching authors interact with the public at a book signing and another incident in the lobby of the hotel.
Treasured can be read in one sitting, or as a devotional style book. There is also a “Personal Reflection and Group Discussion Guide” at the end of the book, which is an important self-examination of our own hearts and desires. What do you collect and why?
About the Author:
Leigh McLeroy is the author of The Beautiful Ache and The Sacred Ordinary. An avid collector and recorder of everyday moments, words, and wonders, Leigh’s keen eye for God’s presence in ordinary life infuses her writing and living with a deep, insistent joy. A frequent conference and event speaker, the author makes her home in Houston, Texas, and posts often on http://www.leighmcleroy.com/
and http://www.wednesdaywords.com/.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
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