Showing posts with label self image. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self image. Show all posts

Monday, April 1, 2013

Invisible by Ginny Yttrup



Four broken people come together and help each other find themselves and appreciate who God made them each to be. 

Ellyn loves the Lord but the voice of Earl constantly batters her heart and mind. Ellyn owns her own restaurant and uses food as a comfort to her soul. Consequently Ellyn is not in the best of health. When Miles shows an interest in her Ellyn once again hears Earl telling her that all men want is one thing, to use her. Ellyn doesn’t see what others including Miles sees in her, a beautiful woman created in the image of God. 

Twila works at the local health food store. Twila is just out of rehab for her eating disorder, she’s in recovery and healing. Twila captures Ellyn’s attention by the tattoo on her face, a tattoo that reminds Twila of the suffering of others. Twila also has a tattoo on her wrist to remind herself that she is created in the image of God. When Twila’s father comes for a visit, all of her hard work may be for nothing unless Twila can remember who she is in Christ.

Sabina has come to the small community to heal. She is suffering from extreme depression. There are days that go by that she cannot even get out of bed to eat. Sabina has lost her faith in God that she had when she was a child, now she denies His very existence. 

Miles’ wife Sarah passed away two years before. He has worked through the grief process and has found solace in his Savior. Miles is now ready to move on. He has taken on a partner in his doctor’s office and because of an interest in Ellyn, has moved her on to the new doctor in the hopes that Ellyn will be willing to explore a relationship with him. 

I love how in the story God uses each one of these broken people to help the other. Ellyn and Sabina form a true and honest friendship. Neither will let the other languish in their brokenness. Their banter and honesty with each other makes for some chuckles in the story. Ellyn and Twila form an unlikely friendship, with Twila helping Ellyn with her health issues and with wisdom dispensed beyond her years. Miles helps Twila by being a father figure to her. Helping her to work through her feelings with her own father and also helping her with her eating disorder. And of course there is Miles and Ellyn’s relationship, so complicated, yet so sweet. Miles is a patient man and Ellyn is definitely attracted to him but with Earl continually battering her self-confidence Ellyn may chase Miles away just like she has done every man in her life. 

Ginny Yttrup has a way of capturing real-life feelings and actions and getting them set into a heart-moving story. INVISIBLE had me wrapped up in each characters story and had me cheering for each victory and crying for each heartbreak. I’ve read one other book by Ginny entitled WORDS, it too is a provocative read. I guarantee that neither of these novels are a waste of time!

I received my review copy from B&H Publishing through NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion.