Customer Reviews

Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps

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How many books have we read to better understand God? Who is God? What is he like? Leigh McLeroy probes into these questions from a different perspective than most. A valid and (after-the-fact) obvious way. After all, the Scriptures say that you can tell what kind of tree something is by its fruit; how it behaves, acts. Isn't the same true of God?

In Treasured, McLeroy seeks to know God by the things he keeps. This is a bit of a misnomer as God doesn't actually keep the things that McLeroy talks about but rather interacts with them. Chapters like 1 A Fig Leaf talk about God keeping us after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and were covered by God. In 12 One Smooth Stone, McLeroy describes God's intentions and interactions with us and how he turns our stone-cold hearts to living ones.

Each chapter is bite sized and easy to read, starting with an anecdotal story from the authors life in most cases then moving on to a time in the Bible where God interacted with our ancestors making the connection that He still interacts with us the same way today. While the book doesn't actually talk about the things God keeps as in items that God actually has, like the author's cigar box. Rather the book is about what God, invisible and non-physical, holds tight to; what He treasures. This is a book about us, of course. Reading this book reminded me that we are His treasure and He is our portion. Highly recommended.

This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review. Visit the publisher for more information on this book.

Treasured by Leigh McLeroy is an amazing book that poses the question: what would God keep in a treasure box as mementos of His love story with humanity? By focusing in on pivotal moments in the Bible, like the fig leaf, Abraham's knife, and Balaam's riding crop, she creates new understanding about who God is and just how much He loves us. It also adds subtext to each story making them richer and meaningful for today's readers. She takes everyday items and made them seem almost sacred because of their context. Each chapter is easily read in a few minutes daily making it a terrific addition to readers' time with God. She ends the book discussing the items that would be in her own treasure box of faith and encourages readers to consider the contents of theirs as well.

I'm not big on devotional books, but I really enjoyed Treasured.

Treasured is a book about getting to know God through the details of bible events. You'll be introduced to the fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover themselves; the knife that Abraham planned to use to sacrifice his son; and the riding crop that Balaam used to beat his donkey among many others. Each of these details are just a part of a bigger story that shows God's personality.

If you like the Women of Faith, I think you will really like Leigh McLeroy. Unlike the WOF, she is rather serious, but she has a passion for introducing people to God, and she does it with ease. This book is a quick and easy read - I think it would make a good commuter book or gift book.

"Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps" weaves personal anecdotes together with Biblical stories to illustrate that God is a very real presence in our lives, and if we really look, we will find the tangible evidence of his presence.

I enjoyed Leigh McLeroy's writing style- I felt like I was visiting an old friend from the very beginning. She has a way of telling personal stories and linking them with Bible stories that doesn't feel forced or fake... just very warm and real. I'd recommend this book to anyone who longs to be more aware of God's presence in their everyday life.

(I was provided a copy of this book by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review on my blog.)

Treasured is perfectly subtitled with "Knowing God by the Things He Keeps." In this hard cover inspirational book, McLeroy shared how God is a collector of treasures. She shares how each treasure tells a story about God's heart. For me, this book was my kind of book because she used symbolism and imagery. I love visuals. Objects like a scarlet thread, an olive leaf, and a golden bell represent something to us still today. They provide us with hope and a picture to remember God's heart as we live our ordinary lives. Leigh shares her heart beautifully throughout each chapter. The way she writes feels soothing to the soul. She is honest and encouraging and vulnerable. All characteristics I look for in authors I enjoy. I loved this book. I would read it again. Especially certain chapters.

Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps is a beautiful collection of memories, stories and artifacts by Leigh McLeroy. First off, Leigh is a very talented writer. I'm personally thankful that she passed through the Purgatory of ghost writing for others and is writing from her own heart.

The inklings for the premise of Treasured happened when Leigh received a cigar box full of personal artifacts that had belonged to her recently deceased grandfather. She imagined the stories behind each of the items and why they were important for him to stash away and keep through the years. In the same way she began to wonder what God's treasure box would be filled with.

Each chapter takes one item that Leigh has identified from Old Testament stories including, Noah's olive sprig, Abraham's knife, Balam's riding crop, and a shepherd's harp string. Beautifully intertwined in these stories are Leigh's own. She writes with longing and hope. I easily found myself mirrored in these pages, being both encouraged and challenged.

Leigh also includes a chapter about what she has currently stashed away in her own memory box and the reasons behind each one. The book ends with a section for personal reflection and group discussion questions.

This is the first of Leigh's books that I've read, but it certainly won't be the last.

Reading one of Leigh McLeroy's books is like having a conversation with a well-spoken, truth-telling, empathy-giving friend. Leigh's voice of honesty, comfort, and hope keeps readers of this generation afloat in the deep waters of real life and real suffering, while navigating us through the deep truths of theology from ages past. In many ways, Treasured seems to be a counterpart to Eugene Peterson's Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, as she takes the small occurrences of everyday life, its hopes and dreams and triumphs and losses and breathes God's miracles and mysteries into each one of them. At the end of the "conversation," the last page will have been turned, but your cup will not be empty. Like Peterson, Leigh's is a voice that bears repeating over and over again.

There is so much I want to say about this book- much I need to say about this book. It started out with an interesting vignette about receiving a box of her grandfather's things after he passed away. Nothing very exciting in the box, but precious because they belonged to him. I expected heartwarming little stories that would fit perfectly in Guideposts and similar things, sprinkled with coordinating homilies.

Was I in for a surprise. I usually read these books, review them, and then give them away. My theory is, if I want to read them again, I'll buy them. It helps the author and I know that I want it because I've already read it. I'm not giving this book up. I'm going to need to read and reread it several times to get out of it what it has for me to learn and experience.

The author, Leigh McLeroy, has the amazing ability to reach through the pages, brush the hair out of your pain-riddled eyes, and brush your heartstrings with the Word in ways you've never experienced. I want to sit and talk with her. I want to take her out somewhere semi-private (so I dont' creep her out!) and just talk. I want to pour my heart out to her and see what she thinks of what I have to say. Why?

This woman touched a part of my soul that I didn't know exists. Through her experiences, her mastery with words, and her use of the Word, she opened a whole new part of me that I don't quite know what to do with yet. I keep wanting to ask her questions. Did she know this would happen? Did she know that her book had the ability to make such a huge impact on lives? Did she know that she'd leave women open, raw, and yet alive in whole new ways?

I can't tell you what is in the book. I can say I didn't notice theology problems, undertones of feminism, or political issues that shook me and said "WHAT". Nothing. I know there are probably things in this book that I don't agree with, but I don't know them. My world has been rocked too deeply to see anything else. I keep finding myself praying, thinking, feeling- yes me, I've been feeling- and experincing life in a way I never have before.

Buy the book. Read it. Then come back and tell me if it just happened to be the right words on the right day by the right person, or if this book is really as wonderful and special to anyone else as it is to me. To the author Leigh McLeroy, thank you for writing this book. I am so grateful, I can't put it into words.

Treasured by Leigh McLeroy is a book of devotional insights that follows the author through some of the major stories and events of the Bible, picking out a key object from each story (a fig leaf, Abraham's knife, a smooth stone etc.) and uses those objects to illustrate God's love and care for us. McLeroy also brings her own life's experiences alongside each of her reflections on the objects she has chosen from each story.

There are thirteen short chapters that make for brisk devotional reading. A discussion guide is also included which would lend itself well to use in a small group setting. This is a book that is best for newer believers - within their first year or two of birth into God's family. Many of the stories and insights are fairy simple, and most Christians who have been in the faith for more than a couple of years will be familiar with the major points that McLeroy is making.

In all honesty, this isn't a title that I can picture myself buying for our own collection (it was sent along with another book that I agreed to review), but it might make a good gift for a new believer who is just starting to learn about God, his history, and how Christians relate to Him in their daily lives.

"Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps", by Leigh McLeroy, is one of those books you will want to read over again and again. Keepsakes do tell our story, so God must have them too. Each chapter goes over a keepsake of God's you can find in the Bible that tells not only His story but some of yours. This book gave me Biblical insight that I may not have has with out it. McLeroy tells of each keepsake in not only a Biblical sense, but in such a wonderfully modern voice that you will not set down this book wishing that she had delved deeper. At the end of the book there is a little bonus, if you had not already related to each of God's treasures, here's a chance for you to grow a little more. See there is a theme to each keepsake, and McLeroy asks questions that will help you explore each of those pieces of your life story and create your own little treasure chest of your walk with God. She lives by example, telling you of her own treasures. The next time you tell someone about your relationship with God, you will find yourself thinking in terms of those moments you treasure.