Book Review: Church of the Small Things

Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle

I have read every book Melanie Shankle has written, so I was thrilled beyond thrilled to be chosen to be on the Church of the Small Things launch team. Melanie came to fame as a blogger. Her first book, Sparkly Green Earrings, is about motherhood. It knocked me off my feet. Then, she wrote a book on marriage (Antelope in the Living Room). Next, she wrote a book on friendship (Nobody's Cuter Than You).

Now, she has a written a book (Church of the Small Things) that contains aspects of each of these themes. The book is just as great as her previous books, and you are going to wait to add it to your bookshelf. Let me tell you why.

Or let me allow Melanie to tell you why this book matters: “We are a generation of women who have never worked harder to have it all, yet go to bed most nights worrying we aren’t enough.”

In Church of the Small Things, Melanie tells story after story where she recognizes that the everyday, small, often unrecognized things are actually the things that make a life. It is easy to wonder if what you are doing really matters. Melanie assures us, yes, it matters. The small things build a life.

The book is a joy to read because Melanie is so relatable. She made me laugh out loud several times, and she made me cry. She made me think about the meaning of things and delve deeper into my faith. Just last night, I was discussing fear and faith with my girlfriends – and especially how easy it is for me to not trust God with the small stuff. But, this book reminds me that God is even in the midst of those small things and He is using them in ways I fail to see.

She believes that God continuously uses the small things to shape us and prepare us for the big things. It is all those daily mundane things that make us who we are. It is the small things that shape our children (changing diapers, making meals, giving kisses). It is the small things that shape a marriage (holding hands, forgiving stupidity, sharing a dessert). According to Melanie, “The church of the small things is where the majority of us live every single day.”

Thank you so much to the Melanie Shankle and Zondervan for providing me with a copy of Church of the Small Things to review! For more information about the book and the forthcoming Bible Study, visit the website.

*You can purchase the book from Amazon here (or by clicking the image of the book cover). These are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog.