Lean On Me by Anne Marie Miller

This book is a personal experience book about the pursuit of finding what is called community. This author describes her personal experiences in her successful pursuit of what she calls committed, vulnerable community. She uses these words frequently throughout this book. She opens up about her past, her emotions about it, and how her committed, vulnerable community (her circle of friends), have facilitated her healing process. This is not another "how to build community" book. The author occasionally presents advice and principles throughout this book, all based on her own experiences with both. The end of this book presents a short chapter on advice concerning how to experience this community for oneself, a chapter of resources where this author got researched information, and a reader's guide to facilitate personal reflections and applying the principles of this book to one's own situation.

This book was not quite what I expected. I was anticipating more of a "how to" guide on how to build community in the context of the local church environment, directed to the church leadership who have decision-making power on making that happen. While this is a Christian book and the author writes about her own faith journey in the context of seeking and finding community, she clearly does not address her book to local churches about how to "do community" but to individuals. As her life situation was much unlike mine with much more personal freedom to pursue a broad circle of friends, I did not feel that I could relate to her. I was glad for her that she found a circle of friends so like-minded and caring, that she "submitted" to them and answered to them on her life. As she gave many examples of how she "let her hair down" and bared her soul to them about her needs, I wondered to myself, "How can you find anyone, in this super-busy, fast-paced age, to give you the time of day? How blessed you are!" For, during the time I was reading this book, I was trying to get a hold of a person in my own local congregation about an important matter. I did not get any response. So I was thinking, "Committed, vulnerable community, a lovely but unrealistic idea in our hyper-busy, fast-paced age!" as I read. This book, though it is easy to read, provides no easy answers but I did not expect them. I was a bit put off by the author's belief that that selfishness is why we do not pursue committed, vulnerable community, while I know it is true. We make time for what matter to us.

I recommend this book, but not for all people. Married people may or may not find it interesting and helpful. I think that this book would bore teens and they are not its target readership, anyway. I highly recommend this book for single people, never-married, divorced, or widowed, as much of this book is written about this writer's years after her divorce. I even recommend it for non-Christians, for there is much here that addresses the felt emotional needs of people and how God can satisfy them through a community of His people. I do not think this book will add much to a busy Pastor's library as it is not directed specifically to Pastors.

I received this book free of charge by Booklook Bloggers. in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.