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Made Well: Finding Wholeness in the Everyday Sacred Moments
Finding Wholeness through Tears, Joys, and the Everyday
From the woman fighting cancer to the man who has lost his child to the girl sinking into depression, so many of us are engaged in daily battles as we long for healing. When he walked the earth, Jesus said to an unwell man, "Do you want to be made well?" His invitation stretched beyond physical healing--he sought to restore the soul. The same invitation stands for us today.
For anyone struggling on the journey toward wholeness, singer/songwriter Jenny Simmons offers a resting place and a friend along the way. With personal insight into emotional pain, she invites readers to encounter a God who is working out their restoration--often in surprising "half-baked" ways. Her humorous and inspirational prose lights a path toward wholeness. Anyone trying to find their way to spiritual, mental, and emotional healing will benefit from Jenny's vulnerable and compassionate stories of being made well in the midst of a messy life.
From the woman fighting cancer to the man who has lost his child to the girl sinking into depression, so many of us are engaged in daily battles as we long for healing. When he walked the earth, Jesus said to an unwell man, "Do you want to be made well?" His invitation stretched beyond physical healing--he sought to restore the soul. The same invitation stands for us today.
For anyone struggling on the journey toward wholeness, singer/songwriter Jenny Simmons offers a resting place and a friend along the way. With personal insight into emotional pain, she invites readers to encounter a God who is working out their restoration--often in surprising "half-baked" ways. Her humorous and inspirational prose lights a path toward wholeness. Anyone trying to find their way to spiritual, mental, and emotional healing will benefit from Jenny's vulnerable and compassionate stories of being made well in the midst of a messy life.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2016
12 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Simmons
4 books26 followersJenny Simmons is a dynamic storyteller who champions self-transformation in students and adults. She is an accomplished singer/songwriter, the author of two books on personal growth and grief, and serves as a Chaplain working alongside students every day. Jenny has been traveling the country for two decades performing and teaching students and adults how to cultivate a life of hope, resiliency and creativity. A former people-pleaser and mom of two daughters, Jenny is passionate about equipping and empowering children to use their voices in ways that establish honest, compassionate boundaries. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 19, 2016
Raw. Honest. Funny. Insightful. A message I believe the whole world needs to hear. For anyone (and let's face it, this is everyone) who has ever experienced a loss of any sort that has forced them to come face to face with heartache and grief this message is such good medicine for the soul. Jenny is an amazing storyteller who doesn't shy from discussing the real, important, and hard things of life. She doesn't sugar coat the healing process acknowledging it is "a hard and holy excursion, not a fairy tale." Each story--each "half-baked miracle" she shares, provides hope and continually points the reader to the one true Healer. I laughed. I cried. I couldn't put it down. I made a list of all the people I could share it with. This beautiful book is a must read. I highly recommend EVERYONE read Made Well. You won't regret it.
November 25, 2016
A hope-filled book that encourages readers to find wholeness in the midst of their brokenness whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual. Simmons' writing style is warm, inviting and often humourous as she shares her heart through moving personal experiences. She asks the questions we all ask when we are faced with the impossible. Loved 'hearing' my own doubts and frustrations addressed within the pages of this book. Simmons understands and I felt heard even though I hadn't uttered a word.
Made Well is all about looking for God’s healing beyond the big and bold miracle moments we all hope for. It’s about the quiet, unobtrusive things that gently carry us through the pain, supporting us in the midst of darkness. As Jenny Simmons says: “…God is often quietly at work behind the scenes answering in ways we would never expect or pray for.” (p 32)
An encouraging and compelling read that offers solace and hope to any and all who are hurting.
Made Well is all about looking for God’s healing beyond the big and bold miracle moments we all hope for. It’s about the quiet, unobtrusive things that gently carry us through the pain, supporting us in the midst of darkness. As Jenny Simmons says: “…God is often quietly at work behind the scenes answering in ways we would never expect or pray for.” (p 32)
An encouraging and compelling read that offers solace and hope to any and all who are hurting.
October 2, 2016
Simmons' view of God, life, and how they should intermingle is amazing. She makes you want to stop what you're doing and cry aloud to God and say, "Use me!" This book speaks to readers on a very personal level about the evils in this world and how being healed from them might look different than you think they should.
June 1, 2017
I'll admit, I was a little bit dubious about this book. So many Christian non-fiction books are watered down and filled with platitudes these days, but to my grateful surprise, this book isn't one of them. Jenny managed to make me laugh and cry in every chapter. She asks real, heartfelt questions -- the same questions I think every one of us asks at some point. I'm so thankful that she was willing to be vulnerable in sharing her real, messy, made well life in these pages. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
October 2, 2016
I discovered Jenny Simmons the author last year, when I read her first book, The Road to Becoming, because a friend asked me to. She was my favorite author discovery of the year. When I was given the chance to be on the launch team for this, her second book, I couldn't get in line fast enough.
Simmons is a beautiful writer - her words have a way of weaving themselves into my heart, tugging out emotions I didn't expect in places I wouldn't have predicted. She is honest and raw, and doesn't hesitate to share the broken places in her own life, which allows her reader to feel the truth of her words. She is tender with pain - she doesn't discount it, but she doesn't wallow either. She holds pain in sacred hands, allowing her reader to experience it, while inviting them to move forward into the healing that awaits.
Probably my favorite nonfiction of the year - highest of recommendations!
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion - but it was so good I purchased my own!)
Simmons is a beautiful writer - her words have a way of weaving themselves into my heart, tugging out emotions I didn't expect in places I wouldn't have predicted. She is honest and raw, and doesn't hesitate to share the broken places in her own life, which allows her reader to feel the truth of her words. She is tender with pain - she doesn't discount it, but she doesn't wallow either. She holds pain in sacred hands, allowing her reader to experience it, while inviting them to move forward into the healing that awaits.
Probably my favorite nonfiction of the year - highest of recommendations!
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion - but it was so good I purchased my own!)
October 4, 2016
I absolutely love Jenny's heart for helping people find wholeness and healing. This book is personal, sharing the highlights and the low moments of grief and pain and loss. She acknowledges the hurt and reminds you gently that you must move through. That you must look for the miracles in everyday moments where you least expect them. It was most helpful for me to have the reminder that God still gives miracles and hears your heart even when he doesn't answer your prayers exactly in the way you want.
To see more of my review, visit: http://betheproof.org/legacyliving/ma...
To see more of my review, visit: http://betheproof.org/legacyliving/ma...
October 5, 2016
Made Well speaks to the heart of anyone who has ever struggled in any way. Healing is never easy. Pain comes in waves, and is different every time. Jenny Simmons manages to be real and vulnerable about the reality of the darkness, and yet hopeful about the possibility of healing. I will recommend this book to every single person who is enduring grief, struggling to understand what is happening in their lives, or wants to embrace the healing Christ offers. Basically, I will recommend and or buy this for everyone. Basically, I will recommend or buy this book for everyone.
November 11, 2016
I loved Jenny Simmon's first book, The Road To Becoming, and was eagerly anticipating her latest release. I was not disappointed. Ms. Simmons writes with an authenticity, vulnerability yet sense of humour that isn't quite like any other writer I've read. This memoir challenges what it means for u to be "Made Well" especially outside of the miracles and dramatic divine interventions that many of us think of when it comes to healing. I couldn't recommend this book more and have already recommended it to many friends and bought extra copies for women in my life.
October 3, 2016
A raw and honest page-turner. Jenny offers real truths that point her readers to the path of healing. There are many laugh out loud moments, words that induce a full on ugly cry, and many lines worthy of highlighting. This one will make great gifts for friends and loved ones.
September 18, 2016
Eugene Cho called this book "a balm for the weary" and I can't put it any better than that. I just finished reading an advance copy of Made Well by Jenny Simmons- so good! Loved the heartfelt, personal stories and sense of peace they give.
September 30, 2020
Made Well is Jenny Simmons second book. I read The Road To Becoming and haven’t stopped handing it out to people since, so when the launch team invite came out I leaped at the chance to help promote Jenny!.
“Healing doesn’t always happen in the way we think it will.” This is the theme of Made Well, and it is presented in multiple layers and Jenny shares more of her personal journey with God. If you read The Road to Becoming, you may remember the story of how Addison Road came to disband. Made Well picks up in the life that is being lived after Addison Road.
“Made Well is my story but I wrote it for every person who needs to be reminded that healing happens all the time, even if a cure doesn’t. I passionately believe in the message of this book. I pray it is a small reminder of your journey that we are loved by a God who longs to see us made well. We were created for wholeness. “
I personally find encouragement in people’s life stories. When I hear how God moved in someone’s life, it helps me to identify ways he is moving on my own. If you are like me, then you will find this book to be encouraging and possibly challenging. For example, Jenny tells one story of explaining how she strives to live her life with very little stress. This process of surrender is one I’m still working on. 🙂
Throughout the book aspects of what living Made Well with God can look like are presented in life examples but also with stories in scripture. Here are a few of my favorite quotes. If you feel your heart beat a little faster because of any of these, grab a copy and carve out some time to read STAT!
“Sometimes getting well looks like doing the thing we never thought we’d do and going places we never thought we’d go.”
“Over time unhealed places can turn us into the worst possible versions of ourselves.”
“Healing happens when we entrust ourselves to God’s care and become aware of the miraculous ways He is at work in our midst, binding the wounds.”
“There is wholeness to be found on the roads we never prayed for.”
“Healing doesn’t always happen in the way we think it will.” This is the theme of Made Well, and it is presented in multiple layers and Jenny shares more of her personal journey with God. If you read The Road to Becoming, you may remember the story of how Addison Road came to disband. Made Well picks up in the life that is being lived after Addison Road.
“Made Well is my story but I wrote it for every person who needs to be reminded that healing happens all the time, even if a cure doesn’t. I passionately believe in the message of this book. I pray it is a small reminder of your journey that we are loved by a God who longs to see us made well. We were created for wholeness. “
I personally find encouragement in people’s life stories. When I hear how God moved in someone’s life, it helps me to identify ways he is moving on my own. If you are like me, then you will find this book to be encouraging and possibly challenging. For example, Jenny tells one story of explaining how she strives to live her life with very little stress. This process of surrender is one I’m still working on. 🙂
Throughout the book aspects of what living Made Well with God can look like are presented in life examples but also with stories in scripture. Here are a few of my favorite quotes. If you feel your heart beat a little faster because of any of these, grab a copy and carve out some time to read STAT!
“Sometimes getting well looks like doing the thing we never thought we’d do and going places we never thought we’d go.”
“Over time unhealed places can turn us into the worst possible versions of ourselves.”
“Healing happens when we entrust ourselves to God’s care and become aware of the miraculous ways He is at work in our midst, binding the wounds.”
“There is wholeness to be found on the roads we never prayed for.”
October 22, 2016
Perhaps you've prayed for healing. Maybe you have waited for God to do something flashy, something unusual. God is quietly at work behind the scenes, Simmons says. “Healing happens when we entrust ourselves to God's care and become aware of the miraculous ways He is at work in our midst, binding the wounds.” (32)
Simmons shares her own experiences of how God has healed her in a variety of ways. She is very honest in her need for healing, such as the anxiety she experienced for years. She tells stories of God healing others, too.
We can receive several lessons from Simmons' book. First, “Write the memories down.” (150) These stories form the history of your healing process. They can be shared with others time and time again. Second, healing might very well come in unexpected ways. Therefore, “...we have to be willing to hold on to our plans loosely and follow unexpected paths.” (151) And that leads to another lesson: healing takes time and effort. “If it is your intention to be made well, you must put in the hard work of healing...” (161)
Reading this book will give you a very good sense of all that your healing might entail. Simmons has included stories that range from serendipitous events to the experience of intense counseling and therapy. I came away knowing how important it is that I pay attention to all of daily life, seeing how God is working every day. That includes paying attention to painful moments and even those moments when I really don't understand what is going on.
I recommend this book to career age or younger who want to be able to see how God might be working in their own lives and the lives of others.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Simmons shares her own experiences of how God has healed her in a variety of ways. She is very honest in her need for healing, such as the anxiety she experienced for years. She tells stories of God healing others, too.
We can receive several lessons from Simmons' book. First, “Write the memories down.” (150) These stories form the history of your healing process. They can be shared with others time and time again. Second, healing might very well come in unexpected ways. Therefore, “...we have to be willing to hold on to our plans loosely and follow unexpected paths.” (151) And that leads to another lesson: healing takes time and effort. “If it is your intention to be made well, you must put in the hard work of healing...” (161)
Reading this book will give you a very good sense of all that your healing might entail. Simmons has included stories that range from serendipitous events to the experience of intense counseling and therapy. I came away knowing how important it is that I pay attention to all of daily life, seeing how God is working every day. That includes paying attention to painful moments and even those moments when I really don't understand what is going on.
I recommend this book to career age or younger who want to be able to see how God might be working in their own lives and the lives of others.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
January 30, 2018
I bought this book on sale at Chapters. I'd only gone in because I wanted to buy my own copy of a different book that I'd kept too long from the library. Made Well was sitting on one of those post-holiday sale shelves. The cover was pretty, so I picked it up, skimmed the back, and began reading a bit. That turned into reading the entire first chapter standing in the middle of a bookstore aisle, tears streaming down my face. I bought the only three copies the store had left and gave them to my mum and sister.
I was raised in a devout Christian home and have wavered in my own faith. In Made Well, Jenny Simmons talks about all of the reasons, every single gut wrenching one, why she could have easily turned her back on her own faith, thrown it away, and called God a big fat liar. Simmons writes about the growth that comes from bravely stepping into the parts of life that are dark, scary, uncomfortable, and terrifying. What does life mean after horrific unexplainable loss? How can we move through days without feeling overwhelmed?
If you're the type to be moved to tears, this will move you. I cried my way through the entire book (my morning commute will never be the same).
Jenny writes in a few pieces about the divine grace of God standing beside us through the challenges, of making connections that we didn't know we needed. I truly think that God was pushing me in that bookstore to get this book into my hands because WOW. I feel renewed after reading Made Well, and I know God gave Jenny the words that so many people needed to read to feel less alone, to feel comforted and acknowledged and valued, to know that God and others haven't forgotten about them.
I was raised in a devout Christian home and have wavered in my own faith. In Made Well, Jenny Simmons talks about all of the reasons, every single gut wrenching one, why she could have easily turned her back on her own faith, thrown it away, and called God a big fat liar. Simmons writes about the growth that comes from bravely stepping into the parts of life that are dark, scary, uncomfortable, and terrifying. What does life mean after horrific unexplainable loss? How can we move through days without feeling overwhelmed?
If you're the type to be moved to tears, this will move you. I cried my way through the entire book (my morning commute will never be the same).
Jenny writes in a few pieces about the divine grace of God standing beside us through the challenges, of making connections that we didn't know we needed. I truly think that God was pushing me in that bookstore to get this book into my hands because WOW. I feel renewed after reading Made Well, and I know God gave Jenny the words that so many people needed to read to feel less alone, to feel comforted and acknowledged and valued, to know that God and others haven't forgotten about them.
March 1, 2024
Jenny Simmons is a storyteller, through and through. Whether by lyrics or by prose, she is skilled in captivating imaginations through her stories and tugging at emotions when she shares. This collection of stories all point toward the theme of wholeness by way of one piece at a time. Tying these memories together, these moments point toward God bringing about healing in His own divine and unique manner. Made Well is an invitation to look beyond our circumstances to our Creator and calls readers to remember that when humanity was first created, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). Though we are fallen and marked by sin, we are still image-bearers of God. To be honest, I usually focus so much on our depravity before God that I can neglect this teaching. This book was a good reminder that redemption can bring about restoration in our lives, even if it looks different than expected.
What I appreciate most about this book is the author's vulnerability in sharing stories that might not paint her in the best light, which makes it more relatable to readers. Those are some of the stories that still stick out in my mind because I know that she has lived to tell about it. The struggles are real, as are the answers to prayer. This book is not prescriptive, and as such, it's more of a witness-bearing book than a book that teaches you how to live your Christian life. If you approach it in that manner, there is much to learn from a fellow believer's experiences. Though I wouldn't necessarily seek out the other authors she has quoted as I have a differing stance on their theological positions, I am glad that the author has been ministered to in a variety of ways.
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
What I appreciate most about this book is the author's vulnerability in sharing stories that might not paint her in the best light, which makes it more relatable to readers. Those are some of the stories that still stick out in my mind because I know that she has lived to tell about it. The struggles are real, as are the answers to prayer. This book is not prescriptive, and as such, it's more of a witness-bearing book than a book that teaches you how to live your Christian life. If you approach it in that manner, there is much to learn from a fellow believer's experiences. Though I wouldn't necessarily seek out the other authors she has quoted as I have a differing stance on their theological positions, I am glad that the author has been ministered to in a variety of ways.
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
November 18, 2017
Made Well is another really good book from former Addison Road leader singer, Jenny Simmons. At times, it could feel quite heavy and even depressing, but truly, the rawness and realness of it was beautiful. Sometimes all we can do is let Jesus hold us and bring unexpected miracles that we didn't ask for - didn't even want, maybe. But bring us healing, nonetheless.
Quotes
If I want to heal, grow, wait, pause, listen, linger, and learn, it might well take a concerted effort on my part to slow down and say no. A holy separation from my schedule, responsibilities, even family. A sacred time-out. We must learn to incorporate holy pauses into our day if we are ever to glimpse the healing that hides right beneath our noses.
The miracle of wholeness is still on its way. When the divine intersects with us on the other side of earth living, we will finally be made well.
Until then we are invited to be made well around dinner tables, in doctors' offices, and at the dog park. Healed through restored relationships and rest. Wooed into a journey that leads to wholeness whether our physical bodies are cured or not. Beckoned to meet Jesus in the ebb and flow of real life and be healed through His incarnational presence at the crossroads.
Quotes
If I want to heal, grow, wait, pause, listen, linger, and learn, it might well take a concerted effort on my part to slow down and say no. A holy separation from my schedule, responsibilities, even family. A sacred time-out. We must learn to incorporate holy pauses into our day if we are ever to glimpse the healing that hides right beneath our noses.
The miracle of wholeness is still on its way. When the divine intersects with us on the other side of earth living, we will finally be made well.
Until then we are invited to be made well around dinner tables, in doctors' offices, and at the dog park. Healed through restored relationships and rest. Wooed into a journey that leads to wholeness whether our physical bodies are cured or not. Beckoned to meet Jesus in the ebb and flow of real life and be healed through His incarnational presence at the crossroads.
October 21, 2016
I lost my Father a couple of years ago - we were very close, in fact I moved here to be close to him. When I had a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion I jumped on it. I thought oh sure this is really going to be good, grief is going to be helped in a book, or grief is going to be funny but let me tell you folks.....it is in this book. Jenny Simmons was able to make such a serious and heart wrenching topic funny at times but healing throughout. How often have you gotten a Non-fiction book and found yourself laughing? Yet they also make it a very serious subject - it isn't just a total joke fest.
December 24, 2019
I started reading this book years ago, but finally purchased on Audible, restarted and finished in 3 days.
It took 3 days just because I didn’t want this book to end, otherwise it’d have been less. I laughed, cried, and was stirred spiritually in ways I have not been in years. I’ll be reading the audiobook again, and probably soon. I trust it took me so long to start reading it again because the timing was now right.
Another beautiful masterpiece from Jenny Simmons. Dive in.
It took 3 days just because I didn’t want this book to end, otherwise it’d have been less. I laughed, cried, and was stirred spiritually in ways I have not been in years. I’ll be reading the audiobook again, and probably soon. I trust it took me so long to start reading it again because the timing was now right.
Another beautiful masterpiece from Jenny Simmons. Dive in.
September 6, 2019
So honest and heart felt!
I stumbled on Jenny's books during a very hard time emotionally and physically, and the way she speaks so openly and honestly with Biblical perspective has been so helpful. I read her first book twice, and only had to take this long got finish her second book due to a neck injury. I highly recommend both of her books.
I stumbled on Jenny's books during a very hard time emotionally and physically, and the way she speaks so openly and honestly with Biblical perspective has been so helpful. I read her first book twice, and only had to take this long got finish her second book due to a neck injury. I highly recommend both of her books.
November 10, 2018
This was good. I didn't think about it being a book about pain and hurt before I started reading it though. So, I was surprised at first to read so many sad, painful stories. However, there were good things to be learned and adsorbed from it.
November 30, 2019
Some insightful stories. Some strange stories. Just OK for me.
April 12, 2020
Enjoyed these stories of finding healing and wholeness. Embracing miracles that don't always come in the ways we expect, the hard work of healing, and a wholeness that is still on its way.
May 17, 2021
This book wasn’t what I expected, and I am so glad!
January 4, 2023
Loved this on many levels. Jenny is a good storyteller and weaves real life stories throughout the book which I loved. She's also not afraid to handle hard topics with both humor and great grace.
October 1, 2016
I read a lot of books. Some of them I like, some I love and a precious few of them I NEED. This is one of those books that I needed. I didn’t even know I needed it until I started reading it. Made Well, by Jenny Simmons, is like a soothing balm for hurting hearts. It’s a healing book. Jenny Simmons is a phenomenal writer whose words are filled with kindness and authenticity in such a beautiful way so that when you read them you feel like you’re already good friends.
About this time last year I read Jenny’s first book, The Road to Becoming, and it was one of my favorite books of the year. I have been recommending it ever since! Her latest book, Made Well, is equally meaningful. In it, she shared personal stories of loss, grief and healing that touched my heart and made me cry. In her stories, I hear my own stories of loss and grief – things I thought I’d moved past only to realize that moving past something and healing from it are two very different things.
There are so many layers to this book. Being Made Well is not just about how we were created in the beginning, although that’s part of it. This book is also about being re-created – about becoming well again after a period of hurt, pain, sickness, grief or shame. Jesus asks us, “Do you want to be made well?” Jenny points out that we have a choice. We can choose to stay unwell or we can take the hand of the Great Healer and walk with Him into wholeness. And there are so many ways to be healed. Not just the mountain top moments that restore our souls, but the daily little things that can bring healing to our hearts if we’ll purposefully seek out and soak up those moments.
She talks about how to show up for others in their grief and how they will lead us in the best ways to love and serve them. She talks about how healing takes time and there are no short cuts or roundabouts even though we all desperately wish that there were. Jenny also talks about how we need to make peace with our “broken bits” and how that looks different for each of us, just like grieving and healing look different for each of us.
As someone who has attended more funerals than the number of years I’ve been alive, I have more experience with loss and grief than I’d like to have. And it always seems like it comes in waves, doesn’t it? I suppose that’s grace too, though. The crest of the wave is always followed by the trough. There’s an up and down to it and the down is where the peace and healing come. After the wave, after the thing that threatens to wipe you out, comes the calm waters of healing. All of us need healing. From past hurts, from loss, from the ache of a soul that has forgotten how beautiful and worthy it is – healing is for everyone. If you want to find healing or wholeness, if you want to become well again or maybe even for the first time, I urge you to read Made Well, by Jenny Simmons. While Jenny is A healer, she is not THE Healer. But her words beautifully point towards the One who is. You won’t regret a single page.
There are SO many “Quotables” in Made Well by Jenny Simmons, here are some of my very favorite ones:
“Healing happens all the time, even if a cure doesn’t.” (p24)
“Healing happens when we entrust ourselves to God’s care and become aware of the miraculous ways He is at work in our midst, binding the wounds.” (p32)
“What is most true about me is the image of God inside of me. Imago Dei is my starting point and my finish line. My birthmark, my DNA.” (p35)
“You were not created broken before you ever had a chance to become beautiful.” (p39)
“He bypasses my desire for cheap grace and quick fixes and does what He does best – He invites. Jesus doesn’t assume the man wants to be made well – He knows some people prefer to stay sick.” (p57)
“Long before we are invited to be healed by God, we are invited to be loved by God. The healing journey begins after we surrender to God’s love. When we finally come to accept the fact that we are madly, deeply, fully known and enjoyed by our Creator God, we are set free to begin our journey toward wholeness.” (p59)
“Healing is not as complicated as we like to make it. The steadfastness of our own hearts is enough to give us pause and mend us in tiny ways if we allow it to.” (p95)
“Good healers know that words aren’t always necessary and tears are okay.” (p104)
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Made Well from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About this time last year I read Jenny’s first book, The Road to Becoming, and it was one of my favorite books of the year. I have been recommending it ever since! Her latest book, Made Well, is equally meaningful. In it, she shared personal stories of loss, grief and healing that touched my heart and made me cry. In her stories, I hear my own stories of loss and grief – things I thought I’d moved past only to realize that moving past something and healing from it are two very different things.
There are so many layers to this book. Being Made Well is not just about how we were created in the beginning, although that’s part of it. This book is also about being re-created – about becoming well again after a period of hurt, pain, sickness, grief or shame. Jesus asks us, “Do you want to be made well?” Jenny points out that we have a choice. We can choose to stay unwell or we can take the hand of the Great Healer and walk with Him into wholeness. And there are so many ways to be healed. Not just the mountain top moments that restore our souls, but the daily little things that can bring healing to our hearts if we’ll purposefully seek out and soak up those moments.
She talks about how to show up for others in their grief and how they will lead us in the best ways to love and serve them. She talks about how healing takes time and there are no short cuts or roundabouts even though we all desperately wish that there were. Jenny also talks about how we need to make peace with our “broken bits” and how that looks different for each of us, just like grieving and healing look different for each of us.
As someone who has attended more funerals than the number of years I’ve been alive, I have more experience with loss and grief than I’d like to have. And it always seems like it comes in waves, doesn’t it? I suppose that’s grace too, though. The crest of the wave is always followed by the trough. There’s an up and down to it and the down is where the peace and healing come. After the wave, after the thing that threatens to wipe you out, comes the calm waters of healing. All of us need healing. From past hurts, from loss, from the ache of a soul that has forgotten how beautiful and worthy it is – healing is for everyone. If you want to find healing or wholeness, if you want to become well again or maybe even for the first time, I urge you to read Made Well, by Jenny Simmons. While Jenny is A healer, she is not THE Healer. But her words beautifully point towards the One who is. You won’t regret a single page.
There are SO many “Quotables” in Made Well by Jenny Simmons, here are some of my very favorite ones:
“Healing happens all the time, even if a cure doesn’t.” (p24)
“Healing happens when we entrust ourselves to God’s care and become aware of the miraculous ways He is at work in our midst, binding the wounds.” (p32)
“What is most true about me is the image of God inside of me. Imago Dei is my starting point and my finish line. My birthmark, my DNA.” (p35)
“You were not created broken before you ever had a chance to become beautiful.” (p39)
“He bypasses my desire for cheap grace and quick fixes and does what He does best – He invites. Jesus doesn’t assume the man wants to be made well – He knows some people prefer to stay sick.” (p57)
“Long before we are invited to be healed by God, we are invited to be loved by God. The healing journey begins after we surrender to God’s love. When we finally come to accept the fact that we are madly, deeply, fully known and enjoyed by our Creator God, we are set free to begin our journey toward wholeness.” (p59)
“Healing is not as complicated as we like to make it. The steadfastness of our own hearts is enough to give us pause and mend us in tiny ways if we allow it to.” (p95)
“Good healers know that words aren’t always necessary and tears are okay.” (p104)
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Made Well from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 2, 2017
I really enjoyed this one -- it wasn't the cliche, platitude-laden kind of Christian novel that's so prevalent for women right now, at all. It was really beautifully written, heartfelt, moving, and exactly what I needed to read in this harder season of life. I highly recommend this one if you feel broken or like you're wrestling through a hard or dark season -- it feels like a breath of fresh air and a warm hug from a friend.
November 4, 2016
Jenny Simmons, in her new book Made Well: Finding Wholeness in the Everyday Sacred Moments, reminds us that it’s not always the physical healing of being made well that Jesus is asking this man about, that we need. That sometimes the “broken things aren’t fixed here and now.” And that on occasion, “Miracles happen, cures are discovered, and seemingly impossible situations and relationships are redeemed and restored here and now. But even if they are not, my ability for wholeness is not diminished or stolen. Far beyond the curing of our bodies or the fixing of our temporal situations, God is in the business of making us well in completely other ways.” I constantly need this reminder- that even IF NOT, He is still good. He is still God and can make us well in ways we could never imagine.
She shares her life’s journeys and the hardships she’s endured, and uses her story and the stories of so many others that she has met, to show us the divine intervention in everyday moments. How God has used an insignificant event, a song, a note, to show Himself in the midst of dire situations.
As a mom, her words are balm to my weary, over-scheduled soul. She encourages us to not stretch ourselves thin- that, “we must learn to incorporate holy pauses in our day if we are ever to glimpse the healing that hides right beneath our noses. We don’t need a lavish vacation or trip around the world to seek healing, it can happen, “between breakfast and babies, lunch breaks and long lines, between raising children and rising careers, between momentous occasions and mundane living…”
Words I need to tattoo on my person.
When we seek healing in our instant gratification society, forgetting that sometimes, “healing looks like a slow dance, not an epic trip around the globe,” we are shortchanging our God and what wondrous things he can do across our lifetimes.
I often look back at the struggles I’ve gone through. The moments when I thought I could not possibly go on. When I couldn’t feel him there beside me- like the old poem says, I can look back now and see that He was carrying me. And that He has set up divine appointments in my life again and again.
Made Well is like an old friend. One you can laugh and cry with. Encouragement in the dark moments. A reminder that God uses so many people and situations in our lives, ultimately for good.
If you’re struggling now- endure. “The truth us, we can go to the ends of the earth to seek healing, but some healing can’t be found through a hospital, medicine, a support group, or a therapist.So much of our healing happens when we come face-to-face with a God who shows up in closets, on long runs after the worst news of our lives, and in sanctuaries on our hardest days.” But, I also love that she includes that sometimes, on the flip-side, God DOES use therapists or medication to make us well. That there’s no shame in seeking help.
This book is another on my must-read list. Truly helping us to find wholeness in the every day. Add it to your reading list- and go ahead and grab a copy for a friend who might need encouragement in her journey to be made well.
*I received this book from Bakers Books in exchange for an honest review- all opinions are my own*
She shares her life’s journeys and the hardships she’s endured, and uses her story and the stories of so many others that she has met, to show us the divine intervention in everyday moments. How God has used an insignificant event, a song, a note, to show Himself in the midst of dire situations.
As a mom, her words are balm to my weary, over-scheduled soul. She encourages us to not stretch ourselves thin- that, “we must learn to incorporate holy pauses in our day if we are ever to glimpse the healing that hides right beneath our noses. We don’t need a lavish vacation or trip around the world to seek healing, it can happen, “between breakfast and babies, lunch breaks and long lines, between raising children and rising careers, between momentous occasions and mundane living…”
Words I need to tattoo on my person.
When we seek healing in our instant gratification society, forgetting that sometimes, “healing looks like a slow dance, not an epic trip around the globe,” we are shortchanging our God and what wondrous things he can do across our lifetimes.
I often look back at the struggles I’ve gone through. The moments when I thought I could not possibly go on. When I couldn’t feel him there beside me- like the old poem says, I can look back now and see that He was carrying me. And that He has set up divine appointments in my life again and again.
Made Well is like an old friend. One you can laugh and cry with. Encouragement in the dark moments. A reminder that God uses so many people and situations in our lives, ultimately for good.
If you’re struggling now- endure. “The truth us, we can go to the ends of the earth to seek healing, but some healing can’t be found through a hospital, medicine, a support group, or a therapist.So much of our healing happens when we come face-to-face with a God who shows up in closets, on long runs after the worst news of our lives, and in sanctuaries on our hardest days.” But, I also love that she includes that sometimes, on the flip-side, God DOES use therapists or medication to make us well. That there’s no shame in seeking help.
This book is another on my must-read list. Truly helping us to find wholeness in the every day. Add it to your reading list- and go ahead and grab a copy for a friend who might need encouragement in her journey to be made well.
*I received this book from Bakers Books in exchange for an honest review- all opinions are my own*
October 4, 2016
When life seems too much, we need to stop and remember that God is ready to Make us Well if we are willing to ask and receive.
We all go through struggles in life, from fighting cancer to losing a loved one and even battling depression. Life is hard and we long for healing. When Jesus walked the earth he asked, “Do you want to be made well?” This was an invitation from him beyond just physical healing, it went deep down to the soul of man. It is hard to wrap our minds around the fact that this invitation is still valid today. Jenny Simmons is a singer/songwriter who offers help to those of us struggling on the journey toward wholeness. With personal insight into emotional pain, she invites readers to encounter a God who is working to bring healing. Made Well is a tale of inspiration with humor mixed in for good measure that shows compassion in the midst of a messy life.
One of the benefits of Jenny Simmons being a songwriter is she has a way with words. She puts that to good use in her latest book, Made Well. Life really is hard sometimes. It can push even the strongest to their breaking point and it can be easy to forget that Jesus is there for us even when we don’t realize it. He has the invitation open for us to be Made Well, we just have to be willing to ask and accept. A few sections really stood out to me and resonated as what I needed to hear. Living with Limps was a chapter that I think everyone needs to read, even if they don’t read the whole book, this one chapter needs to be read. There are stories shared throughout, some deep down personal from Jenny herself and some from others she has encountered along the way that will make the reading resonate with readers.
I sometimes have a hard time reading non-fiction. For the most part it bores me. I haven’t been able to say that about either of the books Jenny Simmons has written. She writes with such raw honesty that you feel more as if you are sitting and chatting with a friend. It is a breath of fresh air to read about someone having gone through such hardships and struggles and find a way to come out the other side. Her faith played a large part in being able to overcome these hardships, and tacos. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a troubling time, or having had experienced the toughness that is life. And let’s be honest, that is all of us.
We all go through struggles in life, from fighting cancer to losing a loved one and even battling depression. Life is hard and we long for healing. When Jesus walked the earth he asked, “Do you want to be made well?” This was an invitation from him beyond just physical healing, it went deep down to the soul of man. It is hard to wrap our minds around the fact that this invitation is still valid today. Jenny Simmons is a singer/songwriter who offers help to those of us struggling on the journey toward wholeness. With personal insight into emotional pain, she invites readers to encounter a God who is working to bring healing. Made Well is a tale of inspiration with humor mixed in for good measure that shows compassion in the midst of a messy life.
One of the benefits of Jenny Simmons being a songwriter is she has a way with words. She puts that to good use in her latest book, Made Well. Life really is hard sometimes. It can push even the strongest to their breaking point and it can be easy to forget that Jesus is there for us even when we don’t realize it. He has the invitation open for us to be Made Well, we just have to be willing to ask and accept. A few sections really stood out to me and resonated as what I needed to hear. Living with Limps was a chapter that I think everyone needs to read, even if they don’t read the whole book, this one chapter needs to be read. There are stories shared throughout, some deep down personal from Jenny herself and some from others she has encountered along the way that will make the reading resonate with readers.
I sometimes have a hard time reading non-fiction. For the most part it bores me. I haven’t been able to say that about either of the books Jenny Simmons has written. She writes with such raw honesty that you feel more as if you are sitting and chatting with a friend. It is a breath of fresh air to read about someone having gone through such hardships and struggles and find a way to come out the other side. Her faith played a large part in being able to overcome these hardships, and tacos. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a troubling time, or having had experienced the toughness that is life. And let’s be honest, that is all of us.
October 25, 2016
Jenny can write about loss, heartache and disappointment because her life has been filled with such. As you read her words, you relate to those times in life when your heart was broken because we have all experienced it. Some more than others, but we all have had disappointment and heartache. But what you walk away with when you read Made Well is the overwhelming and abundant message of hope. Beautiful soft, sweet hope!
Jenny shares with the reader about family tragedy and loss. You will cry when you read it. And you will cry when Jenny speaks of Paul McCartney and the healing that came from a concert filled with his music. You will laugh out loud when “worm poop” is mentioned and you will cringe and make an “ewwww” face when scabs are brought up. (I’m “ewwing” as I type this!!).
Jenny is one of the most real, vulnerable and honest authors I have ever read. There are no pretenses and you see that in every word written.
Being made well isn’t easy. We all have burdens, heartache, loss, frustrations and more than we have to process through. Because of Jenny’s book, I feel as though some loss that my family and I personally experienced earlier this year is beginning to seep out. I feel as though I am on the road to being made well. I’m trying to look for those little glimmers of hope and happiness that are sometimes not as obvious as other times. As Jenny says in her book, “ If my eyes are open and I am looking, I will see that the whole world is full of tiny particles of healing pointing me back to the Healer.”
The God inside of us, coming to surface even when a cure doesn’t happen as we’d like, the end result brings sadness or life comes unraveled…..He is true and His imagine is deep inside of us all. He is there “bypassing my desire for cheap grace and quick fixes. He invites!”
Thankful to Jenny for writing this book. For sharing her heart yet again (The Road to Becoming is her first book) and for helping us realize that being made well happens in the every day little things and the big things, the tiny glimpses and the fireworks overhead. May the healing begin!
(I was fortunate to receive an early copy of the book to read for my review.)
Jenny shares with the reader about family tragedy and loss. You will cry when you read it. And you will cry when Jenny speaks of Paul McCartney and the healing that came from a concert filled with his music. You will laugh out loud when “worm poop” is mentioned and you will cringe and make an “ewwww” face when scabs are brought up. (I’m “ewwing” as I type this!!).
Jenny is one of the most real, vulnerable and honest authors I have ever read. There are no pretenses and you see that in every word written.
Being made well isn’t easy. We all have burdens, heartache, loss, frustrations and more than we have to process through. Because of Jenny’s book, I feel as though some loss that my family and I personally experienced earlier this year is beginning to seep out. I feel as though I am on the road to being made well. I’m trying to look for those little glimmers of hope and happiness that are sometimes not as obvious as other times. As Jenny says in her book, “ If my eyes are open and I am looking, I will see that the whole world is full of tiny particles of healing pointing me back to the Healer.”
The God inside of us, coming to surface even when a cure doesn’t happen as we’d like, the end result brings sadness or life comes unraveled…..He is true and His imagine is deep inside of us all. He is there “bypassing my desire for cheap grace and quick fixes. He invites!”
Thankful to Jenny for writing this book. For sharing her heart yet again (The Road to Becoming is her first book) and for helping us realize that being made well happens in the every day little things and the big things, the tiny glimpses and the fireworks overhead. May the healing begin!
(I was fortunate to receive an early copy of the book to read for my review.)
October 4, 2016
As I was reading this book, I just kept thinking of names of people I knew that needed to read it as well. Everyone needs healing in some way, and this book describes that path so well.
Jenny tells the hard truth of the pain and the beauty of being "made well." I recommend mend this book for everyone!
*I received a complimentary copy of the book for an honest review.*
Jenny tells the hard truth of the pain and the beauty of being "made well." I recommend mend this book for everyone!
*I received a complimentary copy of the book for an honest review.*
December 1, 2016
“In the beginning, you were made well. Designed with divine imagination, shaped by sacred hands, and crafted by the Curator of creation. You and I were called good. We were already enough.” Such is the opening line of Jenny Simmons’ new release from Baker Books, “Made Well”. The subtitle describes it best: “Finding Wholeness in the Everyday Sacred Moments”. What if we really could find wholeness, and truly be “enough”... right here and now? Is it even possible? Jenny Simmons is here to say - yes, it is possible, and she will be with you, holding your hand like a trusted friend, every step of the way.
“Made Well” is difficult to describe. It is sweet and gentle, while still being strong and very honest. It is humorous to the point of laughing out loud, and heartbreaking to the point of wiping tears away. Yet, by being the emotional roller-coaster that it is, it clearly demonstrates that Jesus is willing to heal us, to truly make us well, at any time of our lives. Being made well is an open invitation, one that we must consciously accept if we are to truly be healed.
I really cannot urge you enough to read a copy of “Made Well”. No matter what your journey has been or will be, Jenny will have a story to share, and a word of encouragement to lift you up along the way. She is a gifted writer with a remarkable ability to touch people’s hearts in a deep way, and love them in a way that truly makes them feel a little bit closer to wellness and wholeness than they were before.
I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Baker Books Bloggers, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
“Made Well” is difficult to describe. It is sweet and gentle, while still being strong and very honest. It is humorous to the point of laughing out loud, and heartbreaking to the point of wiping tears away. Yet, by being the emotional roller-coaster that it is, it clearly demonstrates that Jesus is willing to heal us, to truly make us well, at any time of our lives. Being made well is an open invitation, one that we must consciously accept if we are to truly be healed.
I really cannot urge you enough to read a copy of “Made Well”. No matter what your journey has been or will be, Jenny will have a story to share, and a word of encouragement to lift you up along the way. She is a gifted writer with a remarkable ability to touch people’s hearts in a deep way, and love them in a way that truly makes them feel a little bit closer to wellness and wholeness than they were before.
I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Baker Books Bloggers, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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