Just As I Am (Just As I Am Series #1) [Paperback]

Virginia Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2006

When purple-haired Mayla Strong struts down the center aisle of Salliesburg Independent Christian Church, the bug-eyed congregation strains to get a peek at her pierced nose and lip. But Pastor Paul welcomes her with a huge, infectious grin and baptizes her on the spot. Determined to make her Heavenly Father proud, Mayla's sincere and often hilarious attempts to let Him change her from the inside out take her into some difficult places. Through it all she grows in faith and wisdom--sometimes through pain, sometimes through humor, but always in a way that is uniquely Mayla.

Editorial Reviews

Review

When 22 year-old Mayla Strongowith her purple hair and assorted facial piercings makes the walk down the aisle to publicly commit her life to Christ, the congregation gapes. But Mayla doesn't care. She's used to stares, rude comments and the like. Somehow, Mayla's choice of hair color, clothing and jewelry make her distinctive and noticeable, and that's the intent. So the long walk to the front of Salliesburg Independent Christian Church is a piece of cake for this independent, strong-minded young woman. . . .Throughout this lively and often comedic text, author Virginia Smith successfully bridges the gap between Christians and their failures in reaching a hurting world with a message of hope through kindness, love and transparent humility. Excellent reading! --teenreads.com

What I love most about Just As I Am is, it shows just how much God accepts people just the way they are, and how He doesn't change people to conform to the church's standard of how a Christian should dress or act. Instead, this delightful story shows us how God takes each one of us and uses us just the way we are. It also reveals the difference between humans and God. People sometimes judge a person by their outward appearance and their lifestyle, while God looks at the heart and sees each individual's potential. So the next time 'I' am tempted to judge someone by their outward appearance or by what they do, I'll remember that no one else's sin is greater than my own, and that God loves them too. Thanks for reminding me, Virginia. You did it with such grace and tactfulness. And fun! --Debra Ullrick

Just As I Am is lighthearted, contemporary fiction. I cried sometimes and laughed a lot. It is entertaining, easy reading with a bonus! I got a surprising reminder and deeper understanding of the truth that God loves each of us just as we are and meets us just where we are. I recommend this book. I left me inspired and encouraged, thanking God and Mrs. Smith for the lesson in Christian living. --Bella Online

From the Back Cover

“I’ve always said the Lord had to drag me kicking and screaming to His altar, but once I got there I pitched a tent, unrolled my sleeping bag, and made myself at home. Anyone less patient than the Almighty Himself would have zipped up that sleeping bag, sewn the top shut, and tossed me into the dumpster in the back parking lot.”

—From Chapter 1

When purple-haired Mayla Strong struts down the center aisle of Salliesburg Independent Christian Church, the bug-eyed congregation strains to get a peek at her pierced nose and lip. But Pastor Paul welcomes her with a huge, infectious grin and baptizes her on the spot.

Determined to make her heavenly Father proud, Mayla’s sincere, and often hilarious, attempts to let Him change her from the inside out take her into some difficult places—like the hospital room of a man dying of AIDS.

Through it all she grows in faith and wisdom—sometimes through pain, sometimes through humor, but always in a way that is distinctively Mayla.

“Purple-haired, nose-ring wearing Mayla Strong is a character I will never forget, and Virginia Smith’s Just As I Am is a keeper of a novel! Though by turns hilarious, heart-tugging, and convicting, Mayla and her friends illustrate the important spiritual truth we often forget—that God loves each of us just as we are . . . I highly recommend it!”

—Colleen Coble
Best-selling author of Alaska Twilight, the Aloha Reef series, and the Rock Harbor series

Virginia Smith is a freelance writer, a Christian speaker, and the contemporary worship leader for Voice Of Joy Ministries, based in central Kentucky. She has published articles and short stories in a variety of Christian magazines. When she isn’t writing, speaking, or singing, she and her husband, Ted, enjoy exploring the extremes of nature—snow skiing in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, motorcycle riding on the curvy roads in central Kentucky, and Scuba diving in the warm waters of the Caribbean. (20060701)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (February 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825436931
• ISBN-13: 978-0825436932
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,237,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Virginia Smith is a writer of humorous novels, a speaker, and an avid scuba diver. She launched her career as a novelist with the release Just As I Am in 2006, and has been cranking out God-honoring fiction ever since. She and her husband, Ted, divide their time between Kentucky and Utah, and escape as often as they can for diving trips to the Caribbean. www.VirginiaSmith.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic debut novel. I loved it!!!, February 25, 2006

By 

Michelle Sutton (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Just As I Am (Just As I Am Series #1) (Paperback)

Virginia Smith's debut novel is beyond cool. I got it in the mail last night and read it from start to finish. That rarely happens with me. Usually it takes at least a few days for me to plow through a really great book. The author portrayed the conversion and confusion of a brand new believer with perfection. The voice of the character was so down-to-earth and believable. Issues came up that Mayla handled in a Christ-like manner. She did the right thing, like Jesus would do. I loved the storyline, the reality, the humor, the honesty, and lack of sarcasm. Mayla really did want to do right by God and her fellow man. She was the perfect example of how to be a true witness for Christ by being real and not changing herself to "conform" to the culture around her. I loved how she resisted, but then gave in. She saw the reward in loving others and being the hands and feet of Jesus. She didn't know she was doing it, but she was loving Alex in a way that touched many around her, including people at work and where she lived. She demonstrated to her friends and roommate, "They will know you are Christians by your love." This overflowed into the lives of others in the church as well, even an old grouchy man. When the timing was right, she did alter her radical appearance, but not because of external pressure, but a desire to please God, which is always the right motivation to have. I would love to see Mayla a few years from now dating her pastor. I hope there is a sequel in the works. That would be awesome. I want to see more books by this author.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Read!, March 9, 2007

By 

Mary Byers (Chatham, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Just As I Am (Just As I Am Series #1) (Paperback)

The question was compelling. Author Virginia Smith asked, "Can He (God) really use a purple-haired young woman with a pierced lip?" The question spoke to my own prejudices so I picked up Ginny's debut novel, and began to read. What I read changed me. It reminded me that no matter where we are in our own personal walk with the Lord, we can be reenergized in our faith. And it also reminded me how dangerous it is to judge someone's heart based on their outward appearance.

Ginny's story presents a solid example of the life-changing work of Jesus Christ. But it's also fun read with unexpected twists and turns. I highly recommend it!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique page-turner, March 20, 2006

By 

J. Graham "jgraham" (Pittsfield, IL. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Just As I Am (Just As I Am Series #1) (Paperback)

Rarely does a novel impact me in the way this one has. Virginia Smith's "Just As I Am" is one of those treasured finds that surpasses the expected in Christian fiction and makes its way to the instant classics list. With a heroine that challenges us to see the inside and not the outer trappings, Mayla's story had me hooked from page one--from the laugh-out-loud moments to the passages of tearful poignancy. As a twenty-something with Lagoon Blue hair, I related to Mayla on so many levels. And as an author, I marveled at the masterful way Smith crafted this tale of a young woman who learns to live a new--and unique--life in Christ.