Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Book Review: Does This Insecurity Make Me Look Fat? by Michelle Wilson


Does This Insecurity Make Me Look Fat? by Michelle Wilson
2013, 176p, LDS Non-Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review

• Why do clothing stores hang fun-house mirrors in their dressing rooms?

• The laundry doesn’t cry when it’s not folded, so why should I?

• Can I be confident even if an elevator calls me fat?

Michelle Wilson’s humorous yet poignant insights help women examine the limitations we place on ourselves out of insecurity and self-doubt. We have faith in God, but do we know that He has faith in us?

When we see ourselves with God’s eternal perspective, we can feel confident and whole—even in our imperfection. Just think what we might accomplish if we truly believe that we are more important than we know, stronger than we realize, and extraordinary in every way.

When I first read this title, I laughed and knew this was a book I wanted to read. I enjoyed Ms. Wilson's writing style and found myself laughing a lot throughout her book. She shares her experiences that have taught her different principles. One of the largest points she makes in her book is perspective and the importance of seeing ourselves with God's perspective, which will then help each of us see our true worth.

She shares some great personal stories. One that made me laugh hard was when she went to a Mother's Day Tea with her daughter in elementary school. All the girls read poems they had written to their mothers and she beamed with pride as her daughter read hers. When she was done, her daughter came and sat on her lap and shared some of her other less flattering poems with her (believe me, when you read them, you will laugh hard). She was horrified and talked to the teacher to assure her that the things her daughter said weren't true. The teacher assured her that she knew they weren't true. Her daughter told her she wrote them because she just wanted to be funny, like her mom. The compliment worked and she couldn't stay angry with her daughter. She said that she was grateful that the teacher was able to look past her daughter's slanderous statements and knew the poems didn't define her because the teacher knew the kind of person she was. She compares that to God knowing that our mistakes don't define us but rather give us opportunities to change and our shortcomings aren't permanent but opportunities to grow.

I also really laughed at her camping experience, choir story, her basketball experience and so many more. There are also stories that are more serious. She shares what she has learned through each experience. I enjoyed that because it's helped me to look at some of my own experiences with a different perspective and see that I'm learning more than I thought I was!

I also enjoyed her chapter on understanding our relationship with God. She discusses how God sees us and what he expects from us. There are Nine Expectations and she first lists them and then goes through each one in a little more detail. Her book ends with an old-fashioned pep talk, which is something we all need to hear. This is a book I will read again and recommend it to any woman that needs a new perspective in life!

      

About the Author


Michelle Wilson is a native of California. Through serving a full-time mission, teaching seminary, Sunday School classes, and speaking at various firesides and conferences, Michelle has developed a love of the power and simplicity of the gospel.

She believes in the healing power of laughter and chocolate. She and her husband, Jerey, are the parents of three children and live in Washington State.

3 comments:

Michelle Wilson said...

Thanks for the sweet review! I'm so glad you appreciate humor. The story with my daughter is definitely not something I was laughing at at the time, but it turned out ok. Lol!

Melanie said...

I think it's great that you found the humor in it. Kids say (and write) the darnedst things!

Unknown said...

I'm gonna have to read that choir story. And those nine expectations sound intriguing. Thanks for the book review.

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