A Review of Pastrix by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Okay, so first, I need to confess that this is not my review of Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint by Nadia Bolz-Weber.  My copy arrived in the mail last week, but due to an exceptionally full schedule I've not had the time to sit down and read the book just yet.  I will do so soon, and I expect to enjoy it immensely. 

I did, however, receive the following message today and wanted to share it with the interwebs, as it is pretty much exactly what I figure quite a lot of people will take away from Nadia's book.  So, intertubes, here you have an anonymous review of Pastrix:

I'm nearly finished reading "Pastrix", which, I will honestly confess is the first "religious" book I've ever read....except for the "required" Bible reading. 

It's good I bought it for my iPad. I'm not one to highlight books, but, my kindle copy is full of highlighted passages that truly spoke to me. It made me see that there is nothing WRONG with being different. That I'm NOT the only odd duck out there who doesn't always fit in with the expected. And that some of the things I believe about God, faith, and our place in the scheme of things AREN'T wrong or misguided or come from a place if ignorance, they just are.  

It probably won't solve my social anxiety issues, and probably won't keep me from having a mini panic attack every time I am faced with the possibility of having to express an opinion outside of my established "safe" circle, but, at least I know I'm not alone. And that, whether I like it or not, I do belong and God probably won't give up on trying to push and pull me, kicking and screaming, or, wide-eyed and mute, as is usually more the case, to take my place in His family, because every family needs those members who are just a little different, the ones you're pretty sure were left on the doorstep by gypsies because "they're just not like the rest of us". They're the ones who make the holiday dinners just a little more interesting and every family misses them when they're not there because it's just a little less colorful. The ones who you're never sure if you "like" or not, but you can't help but find some small things about them that make them loveable. Every family has them and every family needs them, even God's family.