Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking to bring more joy into your life. Margaret is genuine and shares inspiration from her life joining it with the Wonder of God's Word. I have been Wonderstruck by God, through this book. I am excited to begin the Bible Study that goes along with this book.

This is an inspiring read. The personal stories of the author are great examples and applications of the spiritual connections we can make with our Mighty God. She makes you feel like a friend she is sharing her life with in a cozy living room while still teaching great truths.

I so wanted to finish reading this. But, I couldn't. And, overall there were a lot of good things in it. But, I just felt the author was on some kind of spiritual high that I couldn't relate to. I am glad the author has had a new epiphany in life of sorts. And, her joy and wonder is indeed contagious. But, it was just a bit too sappy (and American) for my liking.

Reading the synopsis was different from what I read. This was just a disappointing read only because it wasn't what I expected. This doesn't put me off from reading Margaret Feinberg's other books. Everyone has their hits and misses

Once again, Margaret Feinberg has written a book that reaches beyond the eyes and mind and touches the heart. Her stories are so real and such treasures! Who would tell about laying down in the grass while on a hike to take a look at the heavens? (Sounds a little goofy, you know!)

Once again, I feel challenged to look beyond the commonplace, to look past my usual and actually SEE the wonder of God. He is, after all, Emmanuel, God With Us. He is the Creator. Looking at the oceans, the stars, the mountains, the valleys, the flowers, the trees, one can't help but realize that the One who thought up all this is pretty wonderful.

Having read the words of Wonderstruck, I am doing a little more looking past the usual and seeing the Wonder of God. That, for me, makes a book an excellent read. It has moved me from where I was when I started it closer to where I want to be.

Many books that feature a narrative voice start with some longing or hunger of the heart that the author will eventually resolve. You might imagine that Margaret Feinberg sets the stage by describing a period of spiritual slumber when she feels disconnected from God. She realizes her lack, prays "for wonder," and then writes topical vignettes of God coming through for her. By the end of 10 chapters, she has discovered the wonder of...divine expectation, God's presence, creation, rest, prayer, restoration, friendship, forgiveness, gratitude, and abundant life. The chapters generally stand alone, somewhat like blog entries, building on one another only tangentially.

Many chapters combine anecdote with scriptural teaching, often reflection on a biblical story or character. The discoveries of God close at hand --- awakening to the nearness of God, as the subtitle suggests --- are written winsomely, rightly suggesting that God's touch of wonder is as close as a fingertip. And yet, curiously, several of the chapters are set in far-off lands, Europe or Africa, and tell stories of people she has met in world travels.

A particularly interesting chapter, on prayer, walks us through Feinberg's discovery of Lent. For a season, she felt God challenge her to change her pattern of prayer and pray only three-word phrases or sentences. At the end of her discussion of the Lenten experiment, she explores the format of the Lord's Prayer, comparing benefits of the short and longer modes. The chapter on friendship ultimately focuses on a piece of furniture --- an unusual, rustic door-turned-table --- that she senses draws out conversation and allows her and her dinner guests to relax and show their true colors. The forgiveness chapter gets very personal, showing her efforts to forgive someone whose embezzlement had cost her financial hardship.

Margaret Feinberg is a good, solid writer, and people who look for her will likely resonate with her journey. WONDERSTRUCK is a comfortable read, with low-key challenges --- principally that readers go online at the beginning of any upcoming month and join others in a 30-day "challenge to experience God more." This is a worthy endeavor, whether one joins an online community or not.

Reviewed by Evelyn Bence

Margaret is wonderstruck by her Creator. As she searched the night sky for the Northern Lights, it came to her that this was the posture we were to take in our spiritual journey. We are to live in holy expectation that God will meet us in beautiful, mysterious ways. We are to stay awake with eyes wide open.
Yet we slumber. Instead of holy awe we have unholy indifference. "What are the wonders in your own life that you fail to marvel or even sleep straight through?" Margaret asks. "How often do you pass by God's presence and handiwork unaware?"
She shares stories to show how you can join God in his miraculous work in others, making dry bones come alive, breathing restoration.
Margaret hopes that by reading this book, "you will rediscover, or possibly discover for the first time, the wonders of God stirring in your own heart."
She suggests a companion Bible study, partnering with another, to begin sensing God's presence in places and experiences you never expected.
Margaret ends her book with suggested activities for thirty days of discovering wonder.

I think those last thirty suggestions are the strength of this book. I was not very impressed with Feinberg's story telling. I found no exceptionally well crafted sentences that captured my attention. However, the concept, being awake to the wonders of God, is compelling. The last section, with the thirty exercises to be awake to wonder of God is what makes this book worthwhile.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Have you forgotten how marvelous the Lord is? Do you need a reminder of all the Lord has done? This book will be a great reminder as the author does an excellent job of showing just how wonderful the Lord is. Wonderstruck is exactly how you will feel after really reading and studying this book!

I gave this book 5/5 stars! I found the book to be encouraging and very well written. The language used was easy to understand and the information flowed from one nugget to the next with no interruption. I would recommend this book for anyone who needs a lift in their day or in their life! Read and be wonderstruck!

I would like to thank the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

I love a good Margaret Feinberg book. She urges us to climb out of our pit of despair. We need to open our eyes to the wonder all around us, and seize every opportunity to encounter him. God is within our grasp all along. Don't be preoccupied with the why. You then miss out on the who. In suffering, God's presence remains. We need to be intentional about the way we live and pray. Pause and rest are good for us.

If you're anything like me, you were interested in this book because you thought Wonderstruck might be about being captivated by the beauty in God's creation, but I can tell you now, it goes so much further than that! Margaret encourages the reader to look for God in the ordinary and be touched by his presence, so that when it happens, it will leave you wonderstruck. This book is written like you're having coffee with the author and doing Bible study at the same time--a great talent. And lastly, a part of this book unlike any other I've ever read before is that Margaret has a "soundtrack" and lists songs for each chapter of the book to connect with the reader! I would recommend this book to anyone, any day.

I recently came across this book in a Barnes & Noble bookstore in my hometown and was intrigued by the title. Upon picking up and perusing the book, I decided this might be something I might be interested in reading. At my church, I have been teaching a series of studies over the last two semesters on drawing closer to God. So far the book has much to commend it as beneficial for furthering the seminal ideas on Christian formation for my class. One small detail that she and many other pop culture Christians fall prey to is the purported view that the Aramaic word for "Father" (Abba) means something syrupy like "Dad" or "Papa"! (p.86) This is not the meaning of the word Abba!!!!! Abba is simply the Aramaic form of Ab or Av which mean nothing more than "Father" in Hebrew! And Abba means nothing more or nothing less! Although the idea she and others advocate sounds nice and intimate, it is simply has no solid biblical basis linquistically or theologically! Moreover, her assertion that "unlike other rabbis of his time....," I too, question how she substantiates the claim that "no rabbi of his time" referred to God using the term Father. Where is the documentation to support this claim? From silence?

My critique above is not to bash her otherwise engaging writing style and solid material, but to point out at least one place where the book could be improved. I will still likely use the book for an upcoming class in the Spring semester but will qualify this interpretive idea as unsubstantiated pop theology in class discussion.

I was introduced to the writings of Margaret Feinberg through her book "Scouting the Divine" and have been encouraged and challenged every since. In her newest offering, "Wonder Struck," I've been reminded of the one thing most of us miss as we go through life each day - the wonder of what we often take for granted. The things we experience each day are often overlooked as we push to get through another day and Margaret points these things out to us in such a way that we don't want to miss these blessings any more. Her presentation of the stories she shares are real and heartfelt; her style makes you want to read more; then as she makes her case you know she's given you exactly what you needed.

Just finished Wonderstruck by Margaret Feinberg. It took me a while. Not because the book moves slowly. More so because the book beckons the reader to slow down. To capture a greater awareness and wonder for how God moves all around us. Knitted into the fabric of our daily lives are opportunities to view and experience the wonder that comes in seeing God work. With brilliance exhibited through her evident study of the topics and the skilled pen of a writer, Margaret helps each reader examine life more closely.

This book caused me to identify even more areas in my life that God is moving and encouraged me to celebrate each and every one of them.

Everyone should read this book! I couldn't wait to download it as I had the privilege of previewing a portion before the release. Wonderstruck helps you open up the curtains and let The Lord in! Just like a home that needs to have the windows washed or needs to be aired out.

Margaret Feinberg takes us to exotic places but places that are so familiar because its where we meet The Lord. She shows us how to once again appreciate this special relationship we are granted when we call him Father.

I can't wait to read it again and to start the 30 day study with a friend.

Having heard Margaret Feinberg speak at Capital Church in Salt Lake City, I knew I had to read Wonderstruck. I was NOT disapponted! Margaret did not write a theological text, but a beautiful descriptive journey designed to reawaken our senses to the wonders of God that are present around us but have been upstaged by our worldly busyness. A verbal artist, Margaret paints beautiful pictures in your mind of places and events that reopened her own eyes. As I settled into this book, I realized that it is not to be read as a text, but is an experience that you need to drink in like fine wine. The descriptive language is delicious. ("Like the first drops of blue ink spilled into a carafe of water, the beauty infused my mind and heart." Wow!) Slowly savoring her mental pictures, I feel that this is a woman with whom one would love to spend time. Each chapter of this inspiring book ends with several reflective questions. Margaret also includes a 30 day challenge to help you reconnect with God. This book is a treasure.

As Margaret puts it, "I pray for pixie dust." The idea that many of our Christian lives are spent in a comfortable groove tells us that we are missing out on God's best. Margaret points us to the wonder of God, creation, and even us. She details the revolutionary thought that God is yelling to us that all that we see is about Him and for us. Margaret calls us to be worshippers of a great, big God and not settle for the mundane. She is my favorite author and an amazing speaker. This book is a must-have for 2013 and beyond.

What a fantastic book!! I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take their relationship with God out of the doldrums and do a quantum leap to something new and exciting. I can't tell you how often I have said to God, "Breakthrough, not breakdown" when in the middle of a storm in my life. Well, He sent it in the form of this book. Breakthrough? It blows the doors off the hinges! Buy it and you will not be disappointed. In fact, God will surprise you in amazing ways if you take up His invitation to be Wonderstruck!

In this book, Margaret shares stories of when she was wonderstruck by God in ordinary places through ordinary happenings. She helps you, as the reader, to realize that the people and things around you in everyday life are full of wonder, if only we take time to see it. This book challenged me to live wonderstruck every day, and I am ready to accept this challenge! I believe this book is full of impact, and I can't wait to give several copies away for Christmas.

Margaret's writing awakened me afresh to the wonder of God. I will admit that I often spend a lot of time studying about and serving God, all the while missing the wonder of God. Margaret reawakened that wonder inside of me. I'm amazed a book could do that. Her writing style is whimsical and tangible. She is transparent and yet well researched. In short, she is perfectly equipped to help you encounter the one, true God, for the first time or the first time in a long time. Don't pass up this book, especially at the amazing price.

Wonderstruck is a book that changed the way I see the world and the God who created it. The paradigm shift was inviting and refreshing, like a cool breeze on a hot day. God used Margaret’s book to give me unparalleled awareness of how present God is in my life.

Margaret Feinberg is a wonderful story teller. She pulls you into the story she is sharing and before you know it you are struck by something profound. Small bits of truth bringing wonder. After reading the first chapter I wanted to become BFFs with her, after reading the book, I wanted to order everything else she has written. Her writing is clear and easy to read and the lessons she shares of her being wonderstruck made me want to take the 30 Day challenge at the end of the book. Highly recommend and am buying a copy for many of my friends.

I was very moved by Wonderstruck. Margaret Feinberg challenges readers to open their eyes and their heart to the wonder of God through nature and to pay attention moment by moment, even in the seemingly mundane, to God's workings. In the last chapter, she recounts a time in her life when she was mourning the loss of her beloved grandfather. Her story was a timely reminder that there is a time for sadness and mourning and there is a time for celebrating life. Definitely a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

I found Wonderstruck to be a great reminder to look for the hand of God in all things. The author uses practical examples and easy to relate to stories to help the reader awaken to the wonder of God in your own life. This book challenged me in several ways, each of which will ultimately help strengthen my Christian walk. I found it to be simple, practical and wonderful.

Wonderstruck is a great reminder of the Glory of God that surrounds us each day. He is present in the everyday and seemingly ordinary things in life--in pain and celebration, success and failure. Wonderstruck will help you tune in to the right frequency with Him.

You will LOVE this book!!Margaret Feinberg has a way of writing
that makes you feel like you have spent time with an old friend.
Her words rise off the page and envelop you like the smell of
freshly baked bread. Share a slice with a friend!

Wonderstruck is a book that changed the way I see the world and the God who created it. The paradigm shift was inviting and refreshing, like a cool breeze on a hot day. God used Margaret’s book to give me unparalleled awareness of how present God is in my life.