Showing posts with label autobiography. Show all posts

I'm No Angel: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

I'm No Angel: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role ModelI'm No Angel: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model by Kylie Bisutti

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I usually can’t stand true stories/autobiographies but this one pleasantly surprised me! WOW! What an inspiration and a reminder that we are all precious in God’s eyes. I think this book would be perfect for a young girl or even an older girl who is struggling with her body image.

There is a lesson we can learn about beauty in the modern world and how what we see is not really a reality and how our perception is skewed based by media and modern photoshop tools. Most importantly we are reminded that beauty comes from within because God looks upon our heart and not upon our physical appearance.

"God sees everyone one of us as beautiful. We are, after all, made in His image. We make ourselves ugly by turning away from Him and getting entangled in things He despises, like pride, greed and lust. But the more we cling to virtues like humility, selflessness, modesty, and purity, the more beautiful we become--not only in His eyes, but also in the eyes of others. You can't airbrush that."

Definitely 5 stars! I loved the honesty and the Godly principles. I will be keeping this book for future discussions about body image and modesty with my children.

In December 2011, 21-year-old Victoria's Secret Runway Angel Kylie Bisutti stunned the fashion industry when she chose faith over fame and fortune and made the switch from supermodel to role model. In "I'm No Angel," Kylie shares her story--from her early years struggling to make it big in the cut-throat world of modeling, her "big break" winning the Victoria's Secret Runway Angel competition, and the disillusionment and spiritual warfare that followed, to the moment she realized that she could no longer reconcile her career with her Christian beliefs, surrendered her life to God, and dedicated her life to preaching a message of modesty and inner beauty. Along the way, Kylie talks about her personal struggles with inadequacy, low self-esteem, and her near-constant quest for approval in a world where you can never be thin enough, pretty enough, or sexy enough. She helps readers understand that true beauty lies within and that real fulfillment comes from knowing, loving, and serving Christ
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Kylie Bisutti is an American model who won the 2009 Victoria's Secret Angel. At 19, she beat out 10,000 other girls to win a modeling contract with Victoria's Secret,,"Victoria's Secret Model Search" competition,broadcast online through CBS and concluded during the December 1st airing of that year's Fashion Show. Placing first through fan voting over fellow contestant Jamie Lee Darley in the final round earned Bisutti, nineteen years old and a newlywed at the time of filming, the prize of walking in the annual show alongside Victoria's Secret Angels like Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr and Doutzen Kroes.

Although Bisutti continues her career in the entertainment business,she did not work with Victoria's Secret after the show. She later said lingerie modeling conflicted with her Christian values: "My body should only be for my husband and it's just a sacred thing." Bisutti states that she will only choose wholesome jobs that will honor her Christian beliefs.
I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Amish Childhood: A True Story of Faith, Family, and the Simple Life

Friday, February 22, 2013

My Amish Childhood: A True Story of Faith, Family, and the Simple LifeMy Amish Childhood: A True Story of Faith, Family, and the Simple Life by Jerry S. Eicher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was so pleasantly surprising for me…WOW! I’m honestly shocked because this is the first time I have ever made it through an autobiography! Not only did I make it through but I enjoyed it! This was also the first book that I have read by the author.

My mother has been bugging me for quite some time to pick up his books and I had been meaning to but I will admit that I was scared. It seems that male authors sometimes leave me feeling as if something is missing that connects with me as a woman. Not all male authors mind you—but it was still enough to scare me for a short time.

I should have put away my fears because I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was humorous at times, brutally honest and also touching. I’m giving 5 stars to this book and wish I could give an additional star for being the first autobiography that was written in a way that appealed to me.

This book is an autobiography of Amish writer, Jerry Eicher whom, as we find out in the book—grew up Amish! He was honest about his awkwardness and even about his mischievousness as a child which I found to be refreshing as I often think of Amish children having the idyllic life we read about in Amish fiction. In the grand scheme of things—Jerry had quite a bit of issues to overcome; an issue with stuttering and bouts of depression.

We also got an inside view of a new Amish community in a third world country and the struggles that they faced. I was really rooting for the community to succeed and was a little disappointed to find out that it had failed. It was on that note that the autobiography was wrapped up. I would really like to see how things unfold in the later years. I am assuming that he eventually left the Amish faith—I want to know these things! I guess I’m greedy and want more information as I really found the author’s life to be very intriguing. This book definitely gets two thumbs up for me for both wit and for the insightful spirituality. I have to say that Eicher’s account of his salvation is possibly one of the sweetest, honest and simplistic explanations that I have ever heard—and it was touching. I will definitely be reading more from this author!
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Jerry Eicher’s bestselling Amish fiction (more than 210,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina Eicher, and their four children in Virginia.
I received this book free from the Author and Harvest House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own