My review of “Beautiful Scars,” by Patti Chiappa

For some having a perfectly edited book, like living a perfectly edited life is a must! FOR ME A LIFE WELL LIVED and reading a BOOK THAT MATTERS IS MORE VALUABLE THEN RUBIES. IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT THEN THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR YOU!

Have you ever been told things that keep you trapped? THEN THIS BOOK is FOR YOU!

Felt less than? THEN THIS BOOK is FOR YOU!

Feared you'd never overcome? THEN THIS BOOK is FOR YOU!

Been depressed? THEN THIS BOOK is FOR YOU! 

Want to see how faith and God can turn things around? THEN THIS BOOK is FOR YOU!

Want to move out of pain? THIS BOOK is FOR YOU!

Want to see how Jesus uses what we give him for others gain? THEN THIS BOOK is FOR YOU!

IN OTHER WORDS THIS BOOK IS FOR EVERYONE! 

If anyone's life ever prepared them for God's work it was Patti Chiappa's! As a girl she was given so many negative labels and lived in a place where those labels meant a life of degradation, poverty, drugs: the list goes on and on. Yet Patti did none of those things! Though she battled terrible obstacles and even doubted her faith, Patti rose above her situation! I know how hard it is to overcome for being a Christian lay councilor who was clinically trained, interned in a dually diagnosed psychiatric unit, and having mentored women through recover by using Scripture and prayer, I know the blessing that Patti Chiappa and her book "Beautiful Scars" are because she pulls no punches! Within the pages one not only experiences her life but realizes that real recovery cannot occur until we surrender all and ask Jesus into our lives! When I began reading this gripping story, I wanted to write a review, yet having heard Patti's heart, I know the only words that can truly covey her story's message are found at the end of her books, which says,

"I am finishing this book just a few days before my 40th birthday. I look forward to my 15 year anniversary celebration in New Orleans in 2013. I look forward to getting my degree in teaching. I look forward to seeing my nieces grow up and someday returning to Florida to retire. I look forward to my best friend D moving in with our family this year. There is still war and ugliness' in the world. I am still a mother without a child. I still hold D.B., J.S. and D and the guys of Stryper close to my heart. I have accepted my relationship with my brother and sister in law as it is with its bumps and smiles, tears and joy. I still cherish my family. I have learned that anywhere your loved ones are is home. I have three homes in my heart New York, Georgia, and Florida.

I have lived and loved, laughed and cried. I look forward to the next 40 years. I have learned that every scar that I have suffered has been made beautiful by God's grace, love and mercy. I may not be rich or the most gifted or the most beautiful but I am who I am because God made me this way. I have learned that and that will always be good enough for me. For years I played it`safe' in the world. I was always quiet and respectful, never speaking the thoughts in my mind or expressing the feelings of my heart.

I stifled my soul's music over the noise and unharmonious sounds of hatred, bullying. And even hiding parts of myself from my own family fearing what they would think of me. I blew out the candle of my own beauty to let others outshine me.

I allowed my heart to be used as a door mat while it was looking for a permanent home. For years playing it `safe' became dangerous to my spirit and a hazard to my soul. Even when you feel alone, know that you are surrounded by divine love. Like God, love is not visible, but that does not mean it is not there. You are loved.

I existed only in shadows and colorless, lifeless shades of grey.

Then I took a chance, I reached out to love. Love reached back. I believed in love. And love believed in me.

Love gave me a divine, beautiful guarantee that my heart would always be welcomed warmly by God. `You are accepted, Powerfully adored, Endlessly cherished and surround by angels "love whispered. It doesn't matter how hard and in perfect my past was, I was never regret it. I am who I am, I believe what I believe, I give what I give and I love who I love. I will never apologize for that. For God so loved me He made me fearfully and wonderfully made, He made me beautiful, He made me! He created me to love, laugh, dream and give joy. I am his , and that will always be good enough for me! The most important thing I learned is as much as we thirst for approval we dread Condemnation. Any fool can criticize, condemn and bully, and must fools do, But it takes character, grace, class and a beautiful human soul to forgive! So let me end this book by saying ' I forgive! I forgive, I forgive!" Some people will always be unhappy and burn with jealousy. I know when this book is released some people will try to sabotage my happiness , I say to them God has got my back. Do not let your soul burn with jealousy or hate, learn to love as God loves you, learn to forgive as God has forgiven you, learn to trust as God trusts you with free will. For I am clothed in the beauty of angels and I let God's light shine from my soul. Learn to fly as I have! love will prevail. It is easy to love when loved, and hurt those who hurt. But if you can love the ones who hurt you, you will overcome all obstacles. Love is the greatest power you can possess. My tears in my hard days taught me how to appreciate all, accept the differences, and be more understandable to all odds. My heart became more tender, sympathetic, and wiser. My soul expanded until it carried my body. I am very thankful to my hardships for they always help me to evolve into the heart I always dream to be. A heart that is in love for eternity. I can't close this book without adding one of my Grandma's favorite recipes, she called it " Recipe for happiness" Here are the ingredients for you to share with others .Live with enthusiasm, smile for no reason, love without conditions, act with purpose, listen with your heart, and laugh often.

In life sometimes we must find the strength to solely rely on hope. We have to give situations our all and then be able to put the rest in fate and in God's hands. Sometimes no matter what we do, circumstances might not always work out in our favor or exactly how we may have wanted them to. The things that motivate us, as our dreams and goals we have or are aiming for may seem out out of reach no ...matter how hard we seem to try.

Have faith in the testament that all that is meant to be will come to past. Things may not transpire the exact way that you believed that they would or should, but never let this deter you from going after what is in your heart. Stay strong, and keep a positive set of thoughts, and act upon the positive, not the negative. Hold close to you the fact that what is truly meant to be will always find a way.

Stats about bullying everyone should know.

160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of being physically assaulted by a bully. One in seven students are bullied throughout grade school. 282,000 students are physically attacked each month by a bully older than them. Since 2002 at least 15 children in the state of Massachusetts have killed themselves due to cruelty from a bully. In 2005 270 children a crossed our nation killed themselves after reporting to an adult that they were being bullied! Of children who report bullying to an adult nearly one third said the adult did nothing in response. In 2009 three cases were reported that an adult participated in a form of bullying of a child themselves during school hours. In 2010 more than half of the children In our nation's public schools said they were afraid to go to school due to being bullied by either a classmate, parent or teacher. In 2011 it was reported that 75% of all school shootings involved the gunman being bullied as a child. In 2011 750,000 children reported they were bullied by classmates via social media including Facebook and My Space. In 2010 it was also reported that bullying involving a handicapped adult at the workplace was more than 43%. Words hurt. But silence hurts more! We can all do something to end bullying forever."

If anyone understand the meaning of Isaiah 53: 5, "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Patti does for it is because of her pain that Jesus can use her for his glory!http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Scars-ebook/dp/B00BC3W5KW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374960159&sr=8-2&keywords=beautiful+scars