River of Grace

Susan Bailey shares about the trials and triumphs in her life in her new book River of Grace. She tells how God's mercy has shown her a greater kind of essence, once she let herself glide along with His unending grace.

A running theme that you learn all throughout this book is how creativity and spirituality go together, hand in hand. Susan illustrates this time and again. Susan pauses to personalize the reading and ask you how you can create new life in your surroundings as you allow the river of grace to run through you. In each chapter, she takes time (and allows you to take time) to reflect and focus on your emotions, thoughts, and defining events in your own life. If you take a few moments to perform the suggested activities, and allow creativity to lead the way, you will be blessed with fresh insight and positivity.

For people struggling with grief, this book shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Freely, the author doles out the pain she encountered on the deaths of her parents, and how greatly her life changed under those circumstances. She then dispenses the successful tools and mental thought process behind obtaining victory over death. Triumph is available to anyone! This is not a story of how to get over grief fast -- but how to deal with it and give your afflictions to the Almighty. You will get through your time of sorrow, and when the grief cycle has ran its course, you will become a more complete person.

Susan Bailey is an accomplished researcher of all things pertaining to American author Louisa May Alcott (Little Women). Myself, also being a reader of Miss Alcott's books, found joy in the way that Susan Bailey shares about her favorite authoress. Miss Alcott's books, which all exude child-like happiness, wedged themselves into Susan's soul and allowed her to identify parallels and discover herself again. It's funny how words that were penned over 100 years ago still create fresh currents in our minds and hearts; it can happen to any of us.

And here's something else I gleaned: Susan and I are both Christians; Susan is a Catholic and I am not. Our religions may differ in actuality, but the similarities are so close. We both believe in God, and that's what counts. In fact, I never realized how closely that Protestant and Catholic Christians are... (You may wonder how I didn't realize this fact growing up -- as I do myself!). My point here is that Susan's writings will touch the reader, whether you believe the same way or not. I know she greatly affected me.

"The river of grace is in constant motion and only when I submit to that motion will I discover the many blessings that lie in the present moment. The longer I am in the river, the richer my life becomes..." (Susan Bailey, River of Grace)

Lovely book. Many a person could benefit from reading it. It can guide you to a discovery of healing and of breaking free from darkness.

Find the flood of God's mercy that flows within, by reading River of Grace by Susan Bailey.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the free review copy.

I really enjoyed this short and very readable book and immediately purchased a copy of it for a friend who had recently had a loss in her life. The image of a river, along with Susan’s inspirational writings about faith and dealing with loss, make this book a unique and meaningful read. I like how she has included short, optional activities at the end of each chapter. Being Catholic, I can identify and relate to Susan’s devotion to the Eucharist and the healing power that God’s grace can bring to us through it in our time of need.

Thank you for my review copy!

This book is not just for Catholics. I found it helpful in the loss of my father but also have reread parts just to help me move forward in a positive light in all parts of my life. I have ordered a hard copy to keep on hand

So deep. So relatable!

Ms Bailey is both a truly gifted author and, I believe, the instrument and collaborator of God in creating this richly insightful and warm book. My spiritual journey has been different (I has not been touched by the loss of a dear person - yet!), but there sure have been big and sharp stones on my path, whose had cutted me deeply. I have gained a lot of wisdom and warm "touches", even some healing when reading this book.

I needed to read very slowly, though, and ponder a lot, because practically every word here is so impactful! And I am thankful for that. Not often one encounters such both deep and genuinely human understanding about the hard yet enriching way "through", the way of embracing the flow of their life in the fullest.

Ms Bailey had used her journey through her losses and issues well (I am not saying that it was easy!), and she is a very gentle, even tender companion on the hard way towards the healing, the knowing yourself better, towards the "new person" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Recommended read, even for those who are not touched by some deep loss right now. The wisdom here will serve you well, I am sure of that.