What do you think?
Rate this book
Little Black Sheep: A Memoir
“This is the story of the groundwork that paved the way to my faith. It is not an easy story to tell….” This powerful memoir from Grammy Award winner Ashley Cleveland reminds us that even in the lowest times of our lives, beauty can shine through. As a young woman from a deeply flawed family, Ashley had little hope she would amount to anything. If there was trouble, near or far, she found it. Yet, in her destructive days of drugs, alcohol, and sex, she encountered a forgiving God who was relentlessly faithful. Change did not come quickly. The brokenness did not disappear. But little by little, Ashley allowed God to heal her, to transform her desires, to bring courage to others through her journey. Little by little, she saw that it was her brokenness itself that God wanted to use. This beautifully told story will take you from the back rooms of Nashville to the churches of the San Francisco Bay area to a tender new life where one woman discovers that God can work in broken places.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
37 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 14, 2014
I love this book. Ashley is a gifted song writer and Little Black Sheep is proof that she can write, period. She deals with the pain and the impact of addiction with humility and a sense of humor. Instead of patting herself on the back for being an overcomer, she shines light on the truth that there is great hope for the least of us. I highly recommend.
September 9, 2013
*I was given an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.*
I listened to Ashley Cleveland's music growing up, but had no knowledge of her background or personal story. Reading Little Black Sheep: A Memoir made me appreciate her music that much more. It is now apparent to me that Cleveland believes the grace and love about which she sings, because she has experienced it.
Cleveland's writing is honest and easy to read but is still beautiful. For this being her first book, I was pleasantly surprised to see that she has a consistent voice throughout. I have no doubt that this is a result of her writing so many songs over the years. Ashley Cleveland is an artist through and through, and I was glad to learn how she ended up where she has.
Highly recommended.
I listened to Ashley Cleveland's music growing up, but had no knowledge of her background or personal story. Reading Little Black Sheep: A Memoir made me appreciate her music that much more. It is now apparent to me that Cleveland believes the grace and love about which she sings, because she has experienced it.
Cleveland's writing is honest and easy to read but is still beautiful. For this being her first book, I was pleasantly surprised to see that she has a consistent voice throughout. I have no doubt that this is a result of her writing so many songs over the years. Ashley Cleveland is an artist through and through, and I was glad to learn how she ended up where she has.
Highly recommended.
November 4, 2018
Wow, what a life. Thank you so much Ashley for this look into the grace of God.
October 27, 2017
I’ve been a fan of Ashley Cleveland’s music since 1991. I was immediately drawn to her honest, soulful voice and her depth as a songwriter. The good ones are always deep thinkers and feelers, often have some degree of angst and are willing to be vulnerable. Ashley displays these traits on the pages of Little Black Sheep.
Even though I grew up in a much different environment than she did, I could relate to some of her experiences and struggles. She’s a scraper…tenacious…and the one constant in her life has been God, who is always by her side. She paints a vivid and candid picture of her life’s journey thus far.
I think this book has wide appeal, and those that read it will find something to relate to, and will also be gifted with a heartfelt sense of hope. I found myself stopping and re-reading passages that were so moving or just beautifully written.
The end of the book seemed rushed to me. I would have enjoyed reading more about her experiences in the music business after she won her first Grammy.
4.5 stars
Even though I grew up in a much different environment than she did, I could relate to some of her experiences and struggles. She’s a scraper…tenacious…and the one constant in her life has been God, who is always by her side. She paints a vivid and candid picture of her life’s journey thus far.
I think this book has wide appeal, and those that read it will find something to relate to, and will also be gifted with a heartfelt sense of hope. I found myself stopping and re-reading passages that were so moving or just beautifully written.
The end of the book seemed rushed to me. I would have enjoyed reading more about her experiences in the music business after she won her first Grammy.
4.5 stars
March 19, 2014
I've interviewed Ashley, reviewed her albums and seen her in concert, but I had a lot to learn about her life and career. This is a warts-and-all, journey-so-far story about a woman whom God spared from the worst track her life of excess could have taken her.
I would have liked a little more about her post "Lesson of Love" recording career -- the book rushes past that portion of her career, which constitutes several CDs -- but does so presumably because her life became more settled, even happy. For that, we can all be grateful -- and hope that she has many more recordings still to make.
I would have liked a little more about her post "Lesson of Love" recording career -- the book rushes past that portion of her career, which constitutes several CDs -- but does so presumably because her life became more settled, even happy. For that, we can all be grateful -- and hope that she has many more recordings still to make.
August 18, 2013
Original review posted here: http://jesusfreakhideout.com/books/LittleBlackSheep.asp
From the moment I could sound out words, I've been reading most anything I could get my hands on. Memoirs are something, though, that I've tried my hardest to avoid because, more often than not, the author takes too much time getting to the point or begins to sound very egotistical about their life story. Little Black Sheep by Ashley Cleveland was offered to me as an Advanced Reader Copy for review, and despite it being the genre I've been wary of, I decided to give it a try. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly didn't expect what happened.
Ashley Cleveland broke my heart, then helped me put it back together again. The book begins with Cleveland telling a little history of her parents and grandparents on each side, then slides into the story of how she blames herself for her parents' divorce. From that moment of trauma on, Cleveland weaves a poignant story of the rejection she felt everywhere she went, the calamitous results of one-too-many drinks, and the downward spiral into addiction that she took. Her story reaches its climax in the most heart-rending display of resignation one could ever experience. After many years addicted to drugs and alcohol, Cleveland becomes pregnant and decides that the terror she feels is not because she doesn't know what to do; it's because she knows that she will undoubtedly fail in the most horrendous, unforgivable way possible and birth a deformed, diseased baby. The darkest hour of her life, however, turns out to be the brightest moment she could ever find, and the desire to live for her daughter, however long it may have taken, pushes Cleveland to overcome her addiction and ultimately help others beat it as well.
Artists in any medium have a tendency to be narcissistic and dole out only the good that's happened to them and leave us in awe that the bad was only a scrape on their skin, when really the trauma reaches further than their heart. Cleveland skips all the niceties and gets straight to each point as her story brings it along. Instead of skipping around a hard topic, she comes out and says it like the fact that it is, sans the woe-is-me gauzy curtain draped about most memoirs--no frills, no dramatics, no airs of pretentious art. Ashley Cleveland doesn't play around; she tells you what's what, and that's that.
Everyone Cleveland talked about took on a realness that I could believe. I can't critique them as characters in a novel, because they're not. They were and are real people from her life that she managed to put down in such a way that my heart was breaking, and cracking, and falling apart every time something happened to them or to her. Cleveland made me understand from a new set of eyes that despite who we have in our life--and how they're living--they're worthy of love. They're worthy because I am, and none of us are worthy of it to begin with. And if I profess to be a lover and follower of Christ, how dare I sit in judgment of the person He's drawing to Himself. What Ashley Cleveland affirmed to me was that people vex one another, but that doesn't make them unlovable. Her realness and authenticity about who she is, and who Christ is, are an unclouded pool in the muddy marshes of the forced "theological" statements prominent in most Christian memoirs out there today.
Theology, also, was absent altogether in Little Black Sheep. Each chapter was more and more compelling as examples of Christ's unbridled and wild love for each of us, and the Doctrine Himself served as the center point for this story that continues as Cleveland walks her journey as a musician, mother, wife, and human being. Little Black Sheep holds the most honest examples of how Christ will pursue the little black sheep of the world until they come home, despite who they are, what they've done, where they've been, and who they say they are. They may reap their bitter rewards, but Christ will pursue them until all is said and done. Ashley Cleveland gladly neglected to smash me in the face with a two-by-four of theology and instead offered me nothing but Christ and Him crucified. I swallowed no candyfloss message; I wept with her presentation of life as it truly is: heartbreaking, desperate, hopeful.
I could find few things wrong with Little Black Sheep. The only issue I saw was a slight bumpiness of the first chapter and a half. From the middle of the second, though, the transitions became very smooth and led us to the next crack in my heart until the very end where Cleveland picked me up, dusted me off, and handed me a tissue.
Cleveland presented her brokenness alongside everyone else's, and the reader's soul will ache with camaraderie as her heart and soul reach out through the words, takes his or her hand, and says, "Whatever you're going through, let's go through it together." She illustrates with grace, dignity, poise, and no-nonsense narration the up-and-down life so many people live. Her voice is engaging and immersive, a cloud-pillow catching us after being dragged up the mountain of despair and dropped in a terrible crash of sorrow. Cleveland asks us to give our attention instead of our judgment; grabs us with a caress that beats our hearts soundly with sadness; then tends the bruises of our brokenness with the Balm of Gilead and a hand to hold. Little Black Sheep is the most enjoyable memoir I have ever read, and I will remember to wear a Band-Aid over my heart forevermore to remind myself how broken we truly are, and that God wouldn't have us any other way.
From the moment I could sound out words, I've been reading most anything I could get my hands on. Memoirs are something, though, that I've tried my hardest to avoid because, more often than not, the author takes too much time getting to the point or begins to sound very egotistical about their life story. Little Black Sheep by Ashley Cleveland was offered to me as an Advanced Reader Copy for review, and despite it being the genre I've been wary of, I decided to give it a try. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly didn't expect what happened.
Ashley Cleveland broke my heart, then helped me put it back together again. The book begins with Cleveland telling a little history of her parents and grandparents on each side, then slides into the story of how she blames herself for her parents' divorce. From that moment of trauma on, Cleveland weaves a poignant story of the rejection she felt everywhere she went, the calamitous results of one-too-many drinks, and the downward spiral into addiction that she took. Her story reaches its climax in the most heart-rending display of resignation one could ever experience. After many years addicted to drugs and alcohol, Cleveland becomes pregnant and decides that the terror she feels is not because she doesn't know what to do; it's because she knows that she will undoubtedly fail in the most horrendous, unforgivable way possible and birth a deformed, diseased baby. The darkest hour of her life, however, turns out to be the brightest moment she could ever find, and the desire to live for her daughter, however long it may have taken, pushes Cleveland to overcome her addiction and ultimately help others beat it as well.
Artists in any medium have a tendency to be narcissistic and dole out only the good that's happened to them and leave us in awe that the bad was only a scrape on their skin, when really the trauma reaches further than their heart. Cleveland skips all the niceties and gets straight to each point as her story brings it along. Instead of skipping around a hard topic, she comes out and says it like the fact that it is, sans the woe-is-me gauzy curtain draped about most memoirs--no frills, no dramatics, no airs of pretentious art. Ashley Cleveland doesn't play around; she tells you what's what, and that's that.
Everyone Cleveland talked about took on a realness that I could believe. I can't critique them as characters in a novel, because they're not. They were and are real people from her life that she managed to put down in such a way that my heart was breaking, and cracking, and falling apart every time something happened to them or to her. Cleveland made me understand from a new set of eyes that despite who we have in our life--and how they're living--they're worthy of love. They're worthy because I am, and none of us are worthy of it to begin with. And if I profess to be a lover and follower of Christ, how dare I sit in judgment of the person He's drawing to Himself. What Ashley Cleveland affirmed to me was that people vex one another, but that doesn't make them unlovable. Her realness and authenticity about who she is, and who Christ is, are an unclouded pool in the muddy marshes of the forced "theological" statements prominent in most Christian memoirs out there today.
Theology, also, was absent altogether in Little Black Sheep. Each chapter was more and more compelling as examples of Christ's unbridled and wild love for each of us, and the Doctrine Himself served as the center point for this story that continues as Cleveland walks her journey as a musician, mother, wife, and human being. Little Black Sheep holds the most honest examples of how Christ will pursue the little black sheep of the world until they come home, despite who they are, what they've done, where they've been, and who they say they are. They may reap their bitter rewards, but Christ will pursue them until all is said and done. Ashley Cleveland gladly neglected to smash me in the face with a two-by-four of theology and instead offered me nothing but Christ and Him crucified. I swallowed no candyfloss message; I wept with her presentation of life as it truly is: heartbreaking, desperate, hopeful.
I could find few things wrong with Little Black Sheep. The only issue I saw was a slight bumpiness of the first chapter and a half. From the middle of the second, though, the transitions became very smooth and led us to the next crack in my heart until the very end where Cleveland picked me up, dusted me off, and handed me a tissue.
Cleveland presented her brokenness alongside everyone else's, and the reader's soul will ache with camaraderie as her heart and soul reach out through the words, takes his or her hand, and says, "Whatever you're going through, let's go through it together." She illustrates with grace, dignity, poise, and no-nonsense narration the up-and-down life so many people live. Her voice is engaging and immersive, a cloud-pillow catching us after being dragged up the mountain of despair and dropped in a terrible crash of sorrow. Cleveland asks us to give our attention instead of our judgment; grabs us with a caress that beats our hearts soundly with sadness; then tends the bruises of our brokenness with the Balm of Gilead and a hand to hold. Little Black Sheep is the most enjoyable memoir I have ever read, and I will remember to wear a Band-Aid over my heart forevermore to remind myself how broken we truly are, and that God wouldn't have us any other way.
June 16, 2024
Other than great writing and an engaging story, this memoir is further evidence that God is faithful and His plan is perfect, even if we don’t think so.
November 15, 2013
Little Black Sheep is one of the few non-fiction books I've read this year, and perhaps only the second memoir I've read in 2013. My reason for reading very little non-fiction is simply personal preference--I prefer my books to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. My reason for reading even fewer memoirs is a bit more controversial....
I believe we all have stories to tell, but that our lives (and therefore, our life stories, our memoirs) need to be mile-marker signs that point to Jesus, that give Him glory. Otherwise, my story, your story, his or her story often becomes a self-indulgent act of vainglory, of airing dirty laundry, of unforgiveness. This is especially true now that self-publishing is fingertip-available to anyone who believes the have something to say. I've read far too many memoirs in my lifetime to be convinced otherwise, and although I'm sure there are vast quantities of exceptions to my blanket statement, I've yet to see evidence for myself.
But every once in a while, I'll stumble upon one written by a person I highly respect, not because of their accomplishments or because of their notoriety, but because of the way they present Jesus to the world. Usually these people are fighters, scrappers, brawlers, down-and-outers, who have experienced the healing that can only come by turning and facing the ONE who pursues, the ONE who isn't afraid of dark alleys and dirty ditches, Jesus.
Ashley Cleveland is one such woman. She periodically shares her music and her heart at our church, and every time she stands on stage, I know she's not up there alone. And so, when I learned that she was putting out her memoir, I signed up to be on the list to help spread the word.
Ashley's story is raw, painful, wretched; the pages filled with the straight-forward talk of a woman who's walked too long down a dead-end road. But between the lines, between the falls, between the blisters and tears, Ashley keeps breathing in that "little bit of hope" she mentions in the above trailer, and that little bit of hope is the story of her redemption.
"I don't understand why He cares, why He wouldn't spend His time on a more worthy individual; I don't understand it at all. And yet He relentlessly pursues me with such tenderness and love, that ultimately, I can't say 'no.'"
I read Little Black Sheep in one sitting, then I couldn't stop thinking about it - and talking about it! Ashley's story is the kind of story we NEED to hear, we NEED to share. It's the kind of story that can bring that little bit of hope to a world of people who believe there is NO hope.
Ashley's book is truly "Hope Through Storytelling" and I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you, to be able to help her promote this book.
Thank you, Ashley, for entrusting me with this beautiful picture of you.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
I believe we all have stories to tell, but that our lives (and therefore, our life stories, our memoirs) need to be mile-marker signs that point to Jesus, that give Him glory. Otherwise, my story, your story, his or her story often becomes a self-indulgent act of vainglory, of airing dirty laundry, of unforgiveness. This is especially true now that self-publishing is fingertip-available to anyone who believes the have something to say. I've read far too many memoirs in my lifetime to be convinced otherwise, and although I'm sure there are vast quantities of exceptions to my blanket statement, I've yet to see evidence for myself.
But every once in a while, I'll stumble upon one written by a person I highly respect, not because of their accomplishments or because of their notoriety, but because of the way they present Jesus to the world. Usually these people are fighters, scrappers, brawlers, down-and-outers, who have experienced the healing that can only come by turning and facing the ONE who pursues, the ONE who isn't afraid of dark alleys and dirty ditches, Jesus.
Ashley Cleveland is one such woman. She periodically shares her music and her heart at our church, and every time she stands on stage, I know she's not up there alone. And so, when I learned that she was putting out her memoir, I signed up to be on the list to help spread the word.
Ashley's story is raw, painful, wretched; the pages filled with the straight-forward talk of a woman who's walked too long down a dead-end road. But between the lines, between the falls, between the blisters and tears, Ashley keeps breathing in that "little bit of hope" she mentions in the above trailer, and that little bit of hope is the story of her redemption.
"I don't understand why He cares, why He wouldn't spend His time on a more worthy individual; I don't understand it at all. And yet He relentlessly pursues me with such tenderness and love, that ultimately, I can't say 'no.'"
I read Little Black Sheep in one sitting, then I couldn't stop thinking about it - and talking about it! Ashley's story is the kind of story we NEED to hear, we NEED to share. It's the kind of story that can bring that little bit of hope to a world of people who believe there is NO hope.
Ashley's book is truly "Hope Through Storytelling" and I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you, to be able to help her promote this book.
Thank you, Ashley, for entrusting me with this beautiful picture of you.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
June 25, 2018
Nobody has the same story as you. God is too infinitely creative to repeat Himself, and He is too infinitely glorious to run out of facets of His character to reveal in the lives of men. But I went hunting for a story, a biography or memoir, that would resonate with my story and hit the I-need-a-dose-of-gospel spot in a way the Spurgeon book I'd just listened to didn't.
The details of Ashley's story bear little resemblance to mine, but there was a common thread -- the hunger to be known, loved, and wanted. The causes weren't quite the same, but the trouble was more that the solutions weren't quite the same. God draws straight with crooked lines, to be sure, but that doesn't sanctify the crookedness. Ashley's faith seems genuine, but there are worrisome things about how she got where she is. She married an unbeliever, for instance, and no one seems to have counseled her against it. Thanks be to God, he was later converted, but that doesn't justify going against the plain teaching of Scripture. And a story near the end about a woman pastor and a transvestite that was particularly troubling as it attempted to put an emotional feel-good buzz in place of real grace. To rework a line from Lizzie Bennet, "I thank you for my share of the favour, but I don't particularly like your way of getting to heaven." Sanctification cannot be achieved by replacing one disobedience with another, and there was too much let's-not-worry-about-what-the-Bible-says-about-this throughout the story. There's stuff in my life I need fixed, and half-truths about the gospel aren't going to fix it.
Read by the author, which I always think is best.
The details of Ashley's story bear little resemblance to mine, but there was a common thread -- the hunger to be known, loved, and wanted. The causes weren't quite the same, but the trouble was more that the solutions weren't quite the same. God draws straight with crooked lines, to be sure, but that doesn't sanctify the crookedness. Ashley's faith seems genuine, but there are worrisome things about how she got where she is. She married an unbeliever, for instance, and no one seems to have counseled her against it. Thanks be to God, he was later converted, but that doesn't justify going against the plain teaching of Scripture. And a story near the end about a woman pastor and a transvestite that was particularly troubling as it attempted to put an emotional feel-good buzz in place of real grace. To rework a line from Lizzie Bennet, "I thank you for my share of the favour, but I don't particularly like your way of getting to heaven." Sanctification cannot be achieved by replacing one disobedience with another, and there was too much let's-not-worry-about-what-the-Bible-says-about-this throughout the story. There's stuff in my life I need fixed, and half-truths about the gospel aren't going to fix it.
Read by the author, which I always think is best.
September 1, 2013
I knew with a title like Little Black Sheep that this was a memoir I would be able to relate to. How many of us at one time or another in our lives felt like the black sheep?
While I never struggled with addiction like Ashley Cleveland, I could relate to wonderfully expressed feelings of loneliness and feeling like an outcast.
Moving and changing schools is hard and she did it several times throughout her adolescence creating a feeling of listlessness and un-belonging.
It was no surprise when I read that she turned to addictions of alcohol, food and drugs to numb the pain and help her cope. Her journey has been a rocky one and it was a sad story to read but not one without great merit. Without all the heartache in her life she would not have been able to feel and accept true love and grace when she found it, nor appreciate it the way she does.
This memoir was an inspiration to read. While Cleveland’s struggles haunted her most of her life, she found forgiveness and acceptance in her heavenly father after trying to fill her empty ness with all things fleeting.
Little Black Sheep is open and raw and a testament to the character of Ashley Cleveland who is not ashamed to say who she was at is has helped her become who she is today.
While I never struggled with addiction like Ashley Cleveland, I could relate to wonderfully expressed feelings of loneliness and feeling like an outcast.
Moving and changing schools is hard and she did it several times throughout her adolescence creating a feeling of listlessness and un-belonging.
It was no surprise when I read that she turned to addictions of alcohol, food and drugs to numb the pain and help her cope. Her journey has been a rocky one and it was a sad story to read but not one without great merit. Without all the heartache in her life she would not have been able to feel and accept true love and grace when she found it, nor appreciate it the way she does.
This memoir was an inspiration to read. While Cleveland’s struggles haunted her most of her life, she found forgiveness and acceptance in her heavenly father after trying to fill her empty ness with all things fleeting.
Little Black Sheep is open and raw and a testament to the character of Ashley Cleveland who is not ashamed to say who she was at is has helped her become who she is today.
August 14, 2016
I really liked this book. Here's why:
1) The writing is fresh.
2) She gets straight to the story. Her tale is not adorned with a lot of writerly phrases, meant to impress, that you must wade through to get to her meaning. Her writing is straightforward and easy to follow, peppered with just enough internal monologue to keep you feeling what she's feeling as she goes through her many ups and downs.
3) The book has a well-defined beginning, middle, and end--basic elements of story.
4) She is likable.
5) She provides a happy ending, which leads to a satisfying read.
6) Editing is strong--not perfect, mind you--but very good.
Ashley Cleveland lays out for the reader her strange and sorry upbringing and makes a convincing case of how the lack of strong emotional ties between her parents and between herself and her father left her adrift and filled with longing. A life of dissipation, a conversion, the importance of music, a newfound love, a happy ending. Her story will give you hope.
1) The writing is fresh.
2) She gets straight to the story. Her tale is not adorned with a lot of writerly phrases, meant to impress, that you must wade through to get to her meaning. Her writing is straightforward and easy to follow, peppered with just enough internal monologue to keep you feeling what she's feeling as she goes through her many ups and downs.
3) The book has a well-defined beginning, middle, and end--basic elements of story.
4) She is likable.
5) She provides a happy ending, which leads to a satisfying read.
6) Editing is strong--not perfect, mind you--but very good.
Ashley Cleveland lays out for the reader her strange and sorry upbringing and makes a convincing case of how the lack of strong emotional ties between her parents and between herself and her father left her adrift and filled with longing. A life of dissipation, a conversion, the importance of music, a newfound love, a happy ending. Her story will give you hope.
October 23, 2013
Ashley Cleveland has won multiple awards for her work in the entertainment business as a singer, song-writer and recording artist.
At the beginning of Little Black Sheep, Ashley mentions that writing this book about her life so far was not easy. And no wonder. Who likes to tell the whole world that at one time, you were so addicted to drugs and alcohol that you didn’t even stop when you were heavy with your first child. Also, that you may even have crashed into a car at the traffic lights because you were driving under the influence and to this day, don’t even know the extent of the damage you caused.
In the midst of all these and more, the Shepherd was calling to his little black sheep. Ashley recounts how, stage by stage, she began from emerge from the heavy fog of addiction.
Verdict: Ashley Cleveland can write as well as she can sing.
Highly recommended.
At the beginning of Little Black Sheep, Ashley mentions that writing this book about her life so far was not easy. And no wonder. Who likes to tell the whole world that at one time, you were so addicted to drugs and alcohol that you didn’t even stop when you were heavy with your first child. Also, that you may even have crashed into a car at the traffic lights because you were driving under the influence and to this day, don’t even know the extent of the damage you caused.
In the midst of all these and more, the Shepherd was calling to his little black sheep. Ashley recounts how, stage by stage, she began from emerge from the heavy fog of addiction.
Verdict: Ashley Cleveland can write as well as she can sing.
Highly recommended.
February 5, 2017
There is something about the way Ashley Cleveland writes...obviously, as a songwriter, she's got the gift. And I felt in her writing, a deep honesty and vulnerability, and I treasured reading her beautiful, challenging, troubled and yet marvelously redeeming story. Thank you Ashley Cleveland for sharing yourself with up.
August 22, 2013
In a word, superb! It has raw honesty and passion mixed in with bits of humor. Such a struggle this woman has had to overcome, but her faith in the Lord got her through. It's no wonder her music is so good. This lady is one talented writer!!!
September 2, 2013
I met Ashley in a parent support group years ago and started following her music. What a talented lady! I really enjoyed her book and her journey into an amazing person. I will recommend this book to many of my friends..
September 16, 2013
Couldn't put it down! Beautiful writing, inspiring story.
October 31, 2013
Beautifully written, moving…couldn't put it down.
January 4, 2020
I first heard and heard of, Ashley Cleveland when she toured with Rich Mullins in 1995. I went to see Rich and the Ragamuffins but was absolutely blessed by her at the show as well. She was magnificent and rough around the edges and bluesy and beautiful.
Her memoir is indicative of all of these qualities but I had no idea then about her inner turmoil.
I had some of the same issues other reviews had which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.
However, with all of her spiritual missteps I am also reminded of all of the people Jesus encountered in His earthly ministry. He healed and loved with no prior "cleaning-up" necessary. Yes, in John 8 He told the woman caught in adultery to leave her life of sin but not before telling her He did not condemn her. We are, ALL of us, sinners. Some of us choose to come before God's throne of grace for forgiveness but a lot of us do so in the middle of our muck and mire. And we are forgiven.
So, I am not an addict and I would get initially frustrated with many parts of her story. Though not being an addict but wanting to understand it causes me to look through a different lens. It is a road that can only be glimpsed by those who don't walk it but in gratefulness of not having that particular stronghold I want to at least extend grace. I believe we are all often wading through something just hoping to grab ahold of His hand. When we finally surrender we see that He's been waiting with His hands outstretched toward us in His matchless, scandalous mercy all along.
Her memoir is indicative of all of these qualities but I had no idea then about her inner turmoil.
I had some of the same issues other reviews had which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.
However, with all of her spiritual missteps I am also reminded of all of the people Jesus encountered in His earthly ministry. He healed and loved with no prior "cleaning-up" necessary. Yes, in John 8 He told the woman caught in adultery to leave her life of sin but not before telling her He did not condemn her. We are, ALL of us, sinners. Some of us choose to come before God's throne of grace for forgiveness but a lot of us do so in the middle of our muck and mire. And we are forgiven.
So, I am not an addict and I would get initially frustrated with many parts of her story. Though not being an addict but wanting to understand it causes me to look through a different lens. It is a road that can only be glimpsed by those who don't walk it but in gratefulness of not having that particular stronghold I want to at least extend grace. I believe we are all often wading through something just hoping to grab ahold of His hand. When we finally surrender we see that He's been waiting with His hands outstretched toward us in His matchless, scandalous mercy all along.
August 7, 2017
I've been a fan of Ashley Cleveland's music for 20+ years. I saw her perform on the Rich Mullins tour she mentions in chapter 10. I remember being mesmerized with her voice, talent, and genuine vulnerability. I knew she drew from a deep well as a songwriter and now I feel like she has shown me just how deep it is. In "Little Black Sheep" she invites the reader into her story without pretense or gloss. Just her life - no more no less - and I am better for it. Her journey reflects real struggle and how God is truly a Redeemer. She shows the divine in the daily, the gold in the grind. In the midst of all she endured the message I will carry from this memoir can be summed up in one word. Hope.
March 5, 2018
Great book, good read, hard to put down.
Ashley in this book presents her autobiography telling of all of her struggles, that we can all in parts relate to. She writes the story at times with humor, much honesty, telling all of the various dysfunctions, and how it lead her to knowing the ultimate love of the Savior. This book I believe will bring you closer to Christ, as we relate with her how God is always there for us. It's a matter of are we ready to give our life to Him.
Ashley in this book presents her autobiography telling of all of her struggles, that we can all in parts relate to. She writes the story at times with humor, much honesty, telling all of the various dysfunctions, and how it lead her to knowing the ultimate love of the Savior. This book I believe will bring you closer to Christ, as we relate with her how God is always there for us. It's a matter of are we ready to give our life to Him.
January 11, 2018
Yes!!
I could hardly put this book down. I, honestly, could relate to her story in so many ways and I’m so thankful for her transparency and honesty. In addition to being relatable, Ashley Cleveland also tells her story in an entertaining and captivating way. I laughed, I cried and was excited for her victories. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.
I could hardly put this book down. I, honestly, could relate to her story in so many ways and I’m so thankful for her transparency and honesty. In addition to being relatable, Ashley Cleveland also tells her story in an entertaining and captivating way. I laughed, I cried and was excited for her victories. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.
May 14, 2018
Transparent
Baring open our souls is not usual, specially in Christian circles where a reputation is a most beloved goal. That’s why you will enjoy reading this story of redemption, because it’s honest and real.
Baring open our souls is not usual, specially in Christian circles where a reputation is a most beloved goal. That’s why you will enjoy reading this story of redemption, because it’s honest and real.
January 30, 2019
I have loved Ashley Cleveland's music for many, many years and was delighted when I found this book in the Laity Lodge Library. Although not alcoholic, I identified with her story and appreciated her candor. Very good read!
November 19, 2019
Some great content but not a fan of the writing style
A wonderful story about the saving grace of God. That said it is written in what felt kind of like a stream of conscious without a lot of depth and detail.
A wonderful story about the saving grace of God. That said it is written in what felt kind of like a stream of conscious without a lot of depth and detail.
March 3, 2024
I’ve liked Ashley Cleveland’s music for a long time (listen to her version of “Gimme Shelter “ as a kind of hymn) and her life story is fascinating, if a little light in some areas. Would have liked more about her music.
April 24, 2018
Honest and beautifully written memoir by Ashley Cleveland about her journey of addiction and faith. Highly recommend the audiobook, read by the author.
November 28, 2018
A real story. No sugarcoating the mess of life. God is great! This was a terrific life, so far.
March 20, 2019
Interesting read but seemed to be missing something. maybe i was looking for more of God story in it all.
May 10, 2019
I wanted to like it, but the first 90% of the book was a train wreck followed by a fast hard to follow turn to Jesus. There was a need for more time spent on describing the transition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2024
Eine außergewöhnliche ehrliche Lebenserzählung. Mutig und Mutmachend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews