I AM LOVED
By Claudette Schlitter
Authentic Media. 300 pages. £8.99
ISBN 978 1 860 248 603
The author writes: ‘This book is simply my story’, yet as I read it I found that it was anything but simple!
Claudette Schlitter’s life has been a complex tale of a search for love and identity amidst encounters of physical and sexual abuse, bullying, self harm, bulimia and serious illness. On one hand, she was surrounded by love, people and truth, yet at the same time she suffered fear, abandonment and painful secrets. The book describes her ‘journey of self discovery’.
The author hopes that her story will help others in similar situations learn to love themselves and others by understanding how God loves them. She writes an intensely introspective account with sensitivity, describing how she developed an eating disorder and self hate. She expresses the view that, sadly, in her experience, churches were often poorly equipped to deal with people suffering with such disorders. I found that quite a challenge.
However, my concern throughout was with the many references to dreams, direct words from God and other signs as being pivotal in all the major circumstances of the author’s life. Also I felt that the book was not strong on identifying the true source of our identity. The message, ‘Of course God loves you, you’re lovable’, seemed to whisper through the pages. Right at the end of the book, however, is a beautiful sentence: ‘[I am] dressed in the King’s garments of love and righteousness’. Spot on! Surely our identity and true beauty comes from all that Christ has done for us.
It was an interesting read, with helpful insights into the life of one who has suffered but found love in Christ. This book is accessible for the Christian and non-Christian.
Lena King,
married to Andrew, pastor of Highbury Baptist Church, London
