If you’ve ever doubted that holiness is possible in the here and now, if you imagine that holiness is something that went out of style with white gloves and pillbox hats, it may be because you’ve given up on seeing God in your ordinary life. Holiness Here by Karen Stiller invites readers into a conversation about holiness that takes into account the annoying behaviors of our fellow humans and the perversity of inanimate objects.

Maybe you would even be surprised to hear that God calls you “a royal priest, a holy nation.” New Testament writers refer to believers as saints, and on that basis, Stiller encourages us to live our way into that incredible reality. And she does it with beautiful writing that kept sending me back to reread sentences and highlight her unique way of turning a phrase.

I appreciated the reminder that the believer’s holiness happens in the context of the church, that obedience is not a uniquely Christian discipline, and that “hospitality is holiness lived out in practicality.” It’s reassuring for regular people to read that holiness is work in the form of opening doors we’d rather keep closed and making the lasagna whether we feel like it or not.

Stiller demystifies the Christian life in all its repenting and starting over again, with all its miserable losses that we must not waste. When she writes about loss, she speaks with authority born of experience, and she reassures us that God’s warm welcome is not contingent upon our deserving it.

Many thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

This is a soft, yet earnest search into the Christian's life of holiness in the day to day. She covers the everyday facets of life, such as beauty, money, humility, and sorrow. I enjoyed the author's tone and descriptive writing, which prodded me to a quiet place of reflection. I think you'll appreciate this.

I will try to be gentle here but this book felt more like stories from the authors life of all the ways holiness has been taught and what it means to her. While I did get some nuggets; the book just felt all over the place for me. And maybe that was the authors intent, but I just didn't get it! And honestly didn't learn a whole lot from it.

Solid 2.5 stars!

I was glad for the privilege to read this book and the author's message. She shares a message that will resonate with many people. I believe this book will encourage many.