Love Lives Here {Review}

If you walked down the aisles of a bookstore looking for Love Lives Here by Maria Goff, you'll walk past the marriage section and the parenting section, past the shelves with books about work and books about healing. You'll find Love Lives Here among the many books in the general Christian Living section. But after reading it cover to cover, I can safely say you'll be encouraged in so many areas of your life. Maria shares stories from throughout her life in order to inspire readers to live with intention and love well.

The 19 chapters are filled with honest words from Maria. I so appreciated her vulnerability and courage in inviting the reader into her heart and home through her words. There is a foreword written by her husband and author of Love Does, Bob Goff; and the epilogue is written by her children. Both of those delightfully add to the book's charm. Each chapter is marked by a specific story that impacted Maria and in turn her family.

Introduction 
Chapter 1:  The Lodge
Chapter 2:  Meeting Bob
Chapter 3:  Just Imagine
Chapter 4:  Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Paper
Chapter 5:  Reverse Economy
Chapter 6:  The Gold Mine
Chapter 7:  The Jeweler
Chapter 8:  Board of Directors
Chapter 9:  Running Away
Chapter 10:  A Neighbor's Love
Chapter 11:  Work It Out
Chapter 12:  I'll Be Back
Chapter 13:  Fear Not
Chapter 14:  Be Ready
Chapter 15:  Let Love Set the Table
Chapter 16:  Tossing Rocks
Chapter 17:  Finding Rest
Chapter 18:  The Fire
Chapter 19:  The Chalkboard
Epilogue:  In Their Own Words

These are the quotes that stood out the most to me from the book:

"I've been reminded that we are not the things we've done nor the things which have been done to us. We're not the successes we've had or the painful mistakes we've made. Instead, each of us is a reflection of Jesus amongst all of these things that have occurred in our lives." (page 2)

"I can't help but wonder if He thinks that the fires we've endured don't matter as much as the future He's promised us." (page 7)

"Jesus is more interested in who we're becoming than who we were. He doesn't want us to become like each other; He wants us to be like Him." (page 52)

"We all want to do things that last. Figure out what those things are and then do lots of that." (page 84)

"We've learned not to take the bait about what marriage is supposed to be and instead focus on who we are supposed to be." (page 87)

"Independence wasn't a thing we feared for our kids; it was something we cultivated." (page 104)

"If the most important thing to God is our faith expressed in love, caring for our neighbors is one of the easiest ways to do it." (page 122)

"Do things that will constantly remind the people you love about what they mean to you." (page 130)

"Start communicating your needs. It's only in vulnerability and with this kind of transparency that our deepest needs become visible to the ones God has given us to bear them with us." (page 132)

"Whether you're married or single, figure out what fuels your passions and what crushes your soul. Figure out what you're good at and what you're not so good at. Keep is simple. Do more of what you're good at and less of everything else." (page 134)

"If we look to the people around us to validate our values or feelings or faith, we're a soft target for fear. We all have questions and doubts. Don't ignore them; keep it real. Jesus never had a problem with the people who had a lot of questions. He was concerned with the ones who thought they had all the answers." (page 147)

"Don't settle for having an opinion when you can be an example." (page 161)

"If you want to love someone well, love their family in a time of uncertainty." (page 166)

"I believe we get two childhoods, the one we grow up with, and the one we give to our kids." (page 185)

"People who live with purpose, obedience, resolve, and meaning are constantly renewing themselves by leaving things behind." (page 191)

"We will never find our purpose in exhaustion." (page 195)

"There is a depth of knowledge and familiarity that comes from being in the trenches together. There is a richness that comes in knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses. There is a power in understanding one another's journey, soft spots, and buttons. It all comes out when we're home." (page 215-216)

Maria has a way of simplifying things we tend to make complicated; it's refreshing. She talks about things like loving our neighbors and showing hospitality, dealing with fear and learning to rest. She gently tackles hard topics like sexual abuse and cheerfully shares light hearted things like having In-N-Out burgers for Christmas Eve dinner. The stories Maria shares that are pain-filled remind us that the painful things we endure aren't necessarily to display God's power but to help us notice and delight in His sweet, constant presence. She offers challenging thoughts with grace and encouraging thoughts with whimsy; and it all inspires us to go back to the teachings and life of Jesus and become more like Him.  
    
Maria offers beautiful wisdom throughout the book. Although Love Lives Here isn't marketed as a marriage book or a parenting book, just like with her husband's book, Love Does, I walked away feeling incredibly encouraged and spurred on in both of those areas. Her words about hospitality are very needed in this perfect pinterest age. She gave wonderful reminders that being hospitable isn't fancy or expensive or flawless.  ​I have a tendency to overcomplicate the idea of calling and work and rest, so I found myself greatly encouraged in what I'm called to and how to live simply in that. I relate to Maria in many ways, and the things Maria said about the importance of the work of motherhood resonated deeply with me. Overall, I felt challenged to love well and given insight into how to better do that. It reminded me there is a ministry in simply saying yes.

I must say that if I hadn't have read Love Does previously or follow the Goffs on social media, I might have felt a bit confused in reading Love Lives Here. There seems to be an unspoken understanding that the reader is at least somewhat familiar with the Goffs, which isn't necessarily a criticism. It all adds a layer of depth to the whimsical adventures and joy-filled life so many of us know about Bob and Sweet Maria. The one critique I do have is just over the lack of transitions. There were quick jumps between stories and sentiments. I'm sure most people can read it and not think anything about it. But with the way my mind works, I felt just a bit scattered.

Nevertheless, Love Lives Here is a beautiful work that I am definitely thankful for and greatly appreciate. It is a lovely book filled with sweet, courageous, loving, profound insight from Maria. I am better for having read it; I know it will have an impact on my life. 

Follow Maria on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
To learn more about the book and to download a free chapter head here.

Click on this link to buy Love Lives Here.
(This is an affiliate link. Thanks in advance for your support!)

*I received a free copy of the book from the publisher as part of the launch team.

​