Thoughts on Books: Born to Soar by Melissa Overmyer

Born To Soar: Unleashing God’s Word in Your Life
By Melissa Overmyer (Servant Books)

My book thoughts tend to be uber selfish in nature. Usually my plan is to tell you more about how the book inspired my (and in turn hopefully your) spiritual journey then what the book was about. While a synopsis of the book should be apparent through my experiences, click here for the well-composed summary if you would like more information. This type of review is done very purposefully as I believe the true test of spiritual reading is how deeply it effects your spirituality. If I can read a book and find myself underlining, highlighting and jotting notes all over the page then I know I have stumbled across a great work that warrants to be shared. This was even more important to measuring the value of Born to Soar: Unleashing God’s Word in Your Life as it is also a prayer journal. This is actually my favorite format of book and it did not disappoint!

Disclaimer: Received Free for Fair Review

WOW Moments

May was a difficult month as I awaited biopsy results, throughout all the anxiety and waiting the Spirit sent my beloved butterflies to ease my fears and instill peace. One of the butterfly signs came in being asked to review Born to Soar. Behind on many writing deadlines and still struggling through writing my own bible study book, my initial reaction to the request was a resounding, “No!” Wisely, the marketing agent sent me a link to the book insisting this was one I did not want to miss. The MINUTE the butterflied cover appeared on my screen, I knew this was no ordinary review assignment! Not only was God once again assuaging my fears with the reminder He is always with me, but also bringing me even closer to Him through this inspiring scripture and prayer journal!

Here are my “WOW” moments from Born to Soar: Unleashing God’s Word in Your Life:

In 2007, after being delayed again to travel to China to bring my daughter, Faith home, the Spirit blessed me with a very special gift. Outside Faith’s bedroom window as I prayed through tears for a sign that His promise to bring this little girl into our family would be fulfilled, a beautiful butterfly appeared. From that day until she was physically with us, I saw some form (word, picture, or actual) of a butterfly. I never thought of the butterflies as talisman but simply reminders God had (and would never) abandon me. As I read Melissa’s wonderful little butterfly tidbits as well as experiencing my own spiritual metamorphosis with Born to Soar, it made even more sense why the Spirit uses these beautiful creatures to speak to me.
“Reconciliation is a ‘spiritual spa treatment’ for Catholics. It exfoliates sin from the soul and slathers on grace.” It is one of the greatest opportunities for renewal God provides us. The caterpillar could never become the butterfly if she is unwilling to slough off the chrysalis. Jesus did not die for us to stay stuck in our sin, he came to give us life, and give it to us abundantly (John 10:10).
Though, as Melissa points out cocooning with God isn’t necessarily a bad thing! At the end of Born to Soar she lists 7 ways to keep what you have found in the 6 weeks with her book and more importantly God’s Word!. Simple suggestions that the reader is sure to find easy to follow through with after emerging from their ‘mini-retreat’ truly transformed by the power of the Spirit felt in meditating on God’s Word!

Little ‘godcidence’ moment

Melissa Overmyer shares so many uplifting and inspiring scripture verses in Born to Soar: Unleashing God’s Word in Your Life. You can not help but feel His presence grow with every days reading and reflection. It is the intimate connection that develops as we learn how much God loves us and the care He took in our creation. His Word, you will see if you spend even a small amount of time with it, begins to speak LOUDLY to you – even maybe when you are not even looking. During the trials of May, there came a day when too weary from my worry to work, I decided to spend my lunch hour distracted by God’s Word. I ‘randomly’ opened my bible – clearly it was NOT random as the blue butterfly long forgotten added to the page was highlighting this verse in Colossians. Melting away my fears, as it encouraged me to be strong and joyful in the FULLNESS of my life, which is rooted and built, on Christ!

Picture of page from book with butterfly

Godcidence Moment – Click Link to Hear the Whole Miraculous Story!

Melissa Overmyer (Something Greater Ministries)

Melissa Overmyer is the founder of Something Greater Ministries, which seeks to serve God by creating opportunities for people to encounter God through prayer, scripture study, community, and the teachings, traditions, and spirituality of the Catholic Church. She is the author of Metamorphosis of a Soul. Melissa has been a Scripture study teacher for more than thirty years and founded the Georgetown Women’s Bible Study, an interdenominational women’s Scripture study.

Learn more about the author by visiting her website MelissaOvermyer.com