Left at the Altar by Kimberly Kennedy

Left at the Altar by Kimberley Kennedy was not at all the book that I expected it to be.  I honestly expected it to be a book about women who had been left at the altar and their journey to move past that horrific experience.  Instead I found it to be a book that every female who has been through a rough breakup should read.  Kimberley uses her own heartbreaking story to share how it is possible to get over a past love, even if that love has left you at the altar.  Towards the end of the book, Kimberley gives the reader a list of tools for healing, followed by a list of tools for moving on.  These lists really put into perspective and summarized what Kimberley had been telling the reader throughout the entire book.

Tools for Healing

1. Know that God cares.

2. Realize it is ok to mourn.

3. Allow family and friends to comfort you.

4. Don't mourn too long.

5. Focus on the truth.

6. Don't waste valuable time plotting ways to get him back.

7. Get back into your routine quickly.

8. Find a godly counselor.

9. Stay in constant contact with God.

10. Turn off the deceiver's voice.

Tools for Moving On

1. Get into a good women's Bible study or small group.

2. Lose the fear.

3. Don't talk about your rejection when you do start dating.

4. Realize that you will inevitable compare every man who comes along to the who who rejected you.

5. Don't make it a priority or become obsessed with replacing that person who rejected you.

6. Develop patience.

7. Beware of loneliness.

8. Continue to reject the deceiver's lies.

9. Realize that you may very well be rejected again.

10. Allow God to reveal to you the exciting plan that he has in store for you.

All italicized lists from Left at the Altar by Kimberley Kennedy pages 138-149 

I found these two lists to be the most important things that I took from the book because although I am currently in a stable relationship with a very loving guy, I wish I had known some of these things when I did go through some very rough breakups.  Like Kimberley there were times when I thought that God was playing games with me and that he never wanted me to be happy because well if he wanted me to be happy then there is no way he would let me feel the pain that I felt throughout some of my breakups, especially one in particular.  

I would definitely recommend this book to all of my female friends and would also recommend it to anyone who is currently going through a break up because it reminds us that it is important to not lose faith and to trust that God did not want your relationship to work out for a reason even if you don't quite understand it at the time.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”