Goodreads Review: ‘Perfectly Yourself’

I’m running an experiment here: I’m planning to be more consistent about reviewing books on Goodreads, which gives the option to duplicate reviews on a blog (such as this one). Since I do in fact read things other than magical girl manga, this will mean some expansion of the blog’s content, but I’ll try to keep this relatively painless.

Let’s see how it goes.

Perfectly Yourself: New and Revised EditionPerfectly Yourself: New and Revised Edition by Matthew Kelly

Matthew Kelly is gifted as a motivational writer and speaker. Whether he has great religious insights is more debatable.

If treated as a motivational work with a hint of Catholicism for flavor, this is a book with plenty of practical advice about getting off your duff, getting things done, forming good habits, and avoiding pitfalls and discouragement. For that reason, I would recommend it. It should not, however, be mistaken for a spiritual work.

If I were to offer a criticism, I would say there is a little too much of Kelly himself in it. He seems to enjoy tooting his own horn and talking about his fantastic life. I’m happy for him, but it’s a little much.

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Happy New Year from deus ex magical girl

Featured image: “new year magic” by mauroz.

I stand between the years. The Light of My Presence is flung across the year to come—the radiance of the Sun of Righteousness. Backward, over the past year, is My Shadow thrown, hiding trouble and sorrow and disappointment.

Dwell not on the past—only on the present. Only use the past as the trees use My Sunlight to absorb it, to make from it in after days the warming fire-rays. So store only the blessings from Me, the Light of the World. Encourage yourselves by the thought of these.

Bury every fear of the future, of poverty for those dear to you, of suffering, of loss. Bury all thought of unkindness and bitterness, all your dislikes, your resentments, your sense of failure, your disappointment in others and in yourselves, your gloom, your despondency, and let us leave them all, buried, and go forward to a new and risen life.

Remember that you must not see as the world sees. I hold the year in My Hands—in trust for you. But I shall guide you one day at a time.

Leave the rest with Me. You must not anticipate the gift by fears or thoughts of the days ahead.

And for each day I shall supply the wisdom and the strength.

—A. J. Russell, God Calling