Loved as I Am

“Authentic love gently but directly intervened in my life, in the form of a very holy and brave Catholic priest named Fr. Santan Pinto. Father knew that my life was sinful and broken, but he did not shame me. He saw beauty in me where I saw only ugliness, and he continually encouraged me to seek and authentic life with God, rather than waste my life in sin. The friendship and fatherhood Fr. Pinto shared with me over the course of many years changed my destiny. He taught me that the ideologies the world imposes upon us are entirely false. The reality is that we are made for goodness, truth, and beauty. We long for more because we are made for more.” – Miriam James Heidland, S.O.L.T.

In today’s world, we often feel pressure. Pressure to conform. Pressure to succeed. Pressure to be excellent in every aspect of our lives. Rarely are these pressures centered around faith or our relationship with God, though. Often, the pressures we feel come from society and those around us. While it is all-too-common to assume that we are not good enough as we are, Sister Miriam emphasizes that God loves us just as we are, so we should love ourselves as God created us.

Recognizing that we are created in God’s image, loved unconditionally by God, we need not worry about what to buy, how to fit in, or what might impress others. Instead, Sister Miriam breaks down the message of God’s love into small chapters, with personal stories, scriptural passages, and reflection questions. The consistent message that God loves us as we are, and we must try to see God in ourselves every day. This beautiful book is a compelling reminder of God’s love for us, and reinforces that we are truly loved just as we are.

I really, really, really loved this book. Each chapter has a different theme as well as ending with a short prayer and some questions for deeper thinking. I used some of these questions as journal prompts.

I have had some problems with self-esteem, with seeing myself as unable to be loved by God. At times it is really hard to believe that God loves me even though I am completely unworthy of that love.

This book was the book I needed to read. Parts of it felt as though it were written just for me. It was wonderful.

I totally, wholeheartedly and unreservedly, recommend this book to everyone.

This beautiful spiritual memoir is the perfect short book for anyone dealing with feelings of worthlessness in a society where the definition of worth is so tragically skewed.

It may seem to be a worn cliche, but it is a statement we all need to hear anew: Jesus loves you. He loves you. His love isn’t dependent on your paycheck, your fame, your sins. He loves you unconditionally. Heck, he is unconditional love itself.

This book is yet another retelling of that cliche written from the heart of a sister who has searched for fulfillment in all the wrong places. Sometimes lay people have trouble relating to the stories of people in religious orders, this is definitely not one of those books. Each chapter concludes with a prayer and some deep questions to help the reader to contemplate the text. Read with an open heart and mind, she can help the reader to enrich their relationship with God and with others.

I highly recommend this book for spiritual reading. It can be used for group study, although the questions are definitely too personal for me in that kind of setting. Many of us have heard this message so many times that we have become deaf to it. I hope that this book helps people to open themselves to this truth once again.

The Grace of Yes by Sr. Miriam James Heidland is at once a wondrous story about how an attractive, talented young woman is drawn to consecrated life and also a tragic tale of abuse and the road to healing. As a consecrated religious, I was intrigued by Sr. Miriam James' story and then I began to follow her on Youtube and other outlets. She is a voice for our times. I enjoyed our interview on Pathways of Learning, The Catholic Channel, Sirius Xm 129.