As I began reading Darlene’s book, Messy Beautiful Love, I found myself crying in the very first chapter. I had barely cracked the pages and yet I knew why I loved her corner in the blog world, why I felt a connection to her through her writing. I have been in one place that she too has been. It is not a similarity you long to have with someone because it takes you back to one of the darkest times in your life, a time that you honestly wish you could forget, a road which you wished you had never walked down. Yet, this similarity made me want to read more, to see what God has done in and through her marriage to continue to create a messy beautiful love.

Throughout Darlene’s book, Messy Beautiful Love, you find authenticity. You’re not merely reading words on a page, you’re drawn into her life, it’s like sitting down and drinking a cup of coffee while chatting with a lifelong friend. You delve into topics that break your heart because of bad choices or wrong paths you’ve chosen along the way, you discover what an amazing gift marriage is and you learn how to be the woman and wife God created you to be.

One of my favorite parts of Darlene’s book is that the last chapter is about praying for your marriage. Honestly, this is one area of my Christian life that I am well aware that my focus is lacking. I need to pray more often, more earnestly and more specifically. While I strive daily to be the help meet that God created me to be, I struggle with praying for my husband and for our marriage. When I look at all that God has done in my marriage, I wonder where would it be if I were more diligent in praying for my marriage and my husband?

I love the fact that she is best friends with her husband, that is where I find myself in my marriage after many years of struggling and it truly reminds me of what a gift my messy beautiful love truly is. It isn’t perfect, but I wouldn’t want it to be. If my marriage was perfect then I wouldn’t understand the grace of God to the depth that I do. If my marriage was perfect then I wouldn’t be able to give God the glory for my marriage being saved. The fact is that I have a messy beautiful love and it is a gift.

If your marriage isn’t perfect, if it’s a bit messy (or even a lot messy like mine) then you need this book. Darlene’s authenticity, grace, encouragement and love is within each of these pages. This is a book that I know that I will read over and over again.

Be sure to get your copy of Messy Beautiful Love by Darlene Schacht here

Is your love messy beautiful? Look for the gifts within your messy beautiful love! I’d love to hear about them, meet me in the comments?