I picked this book for review based solely on its very
intriguing title. It sounded like the book would be a great
story and full of laughs -- and it was indeed. But I
discovered about halfway through that it is a work of
nonfiction; a true story in which the author finds herself
in a serious, life-threatening situation. From page one, I
was so engrossed in the story that it never occurred to me
that the main character and the author had the same name.
So what if the book was written in first person? I've read
works of fiction before that were.
Rhoda Janzen shares her experience with breast
cancer, falling in love with a real no-nonsense, down-to-
earth man and returning to organized religion. Her memoir,
New York Times bestseller MENNONITE IN A LITTLE
BLACK DRESS, told of her reconnection with her parents and
her Mennonite roots. But when she met Mitch, a Pentecostal
man full of faith and a love for God, and tried out his
Pentecostal church, Rhoda's life was truly transformed. She
experienced growth in her own faith and found a true peace
and joy. She was challenged to examine her own personal
private questions about life as she was diagnosed with
cancer and battled her way through that experience.
Rhoda takes a comical approach to many things in life and
her descriptions of mundane everyday objects and happenings
are quite amusing. The family she inherits when she marries
Mitch is somewhat quirky -- a teenage son and a blind, aging
father. Rhoda is challenged with winning over both of them,
but is up to the task.
DOES THIS CHURCH MAKE ME LOOK FAT? is a festive look at
learning God's principles for our lives and how to apply
them to everyday living. It's a story about accepting
change and growing in the process, about being quiet and
listening -- to God and to the wisdom of others. Although I
didn't get a work of fiction, I'm glad I chose this book.
My life has been enriched by it, and I'm sure yours will
too. You can't go wrong with this pick.
What does it mean to give church a try when you haven't
really tried since you were twelve? At the end of her
bestselling memoir, MENNONITE IN A LITTLE BLACK DRESS,
Rhoda Janzen had reconnected with her family and her roots,
though her future felt uncertain. But when she starts
dating a churchgoer, this skeptic begins a surprising
journey to faith and love.
Rhoda doesn't slide back into the dignified simplicity of
the Mennonite church. Instead she finds herself hanging
with the Pentecostals, who really know how to get down with
sparkler pom-poms. Amid the hand waving and hallelujahs
Rhoda finds a faith richly practical for life--just in time
for some impressive lady problems, an unexpected romance,
and a quirky new family.
DOES THIS CHURCH MAKE ME LOOK FAT? is for people who have a
problem with organized religion, but can't quite dismiss
the notion of God, and for those who secretly sing hymns in
their cars, but prefer a nice mimosa brunch to church. This
is the story of what it means to find joy in love, comfort
in prayer, and--incredibly, surprisingly--faith in a big-
hearted God.