After going through four thick fictional novels straight, I decided that I needed to shift to reading inspirational Christian non-fiction. I started with The Other Cheek What It Takes to Forgive written by Ms. Grace D. Chong which is what this book review is all about. Let me tell you, after four novels (three of them were from Stieg Larsson’s Millenium series) that grip you with suspense and mystery, reading this book was a respite.
Ms. Chong takes you from one form of forgiveness issue to the next.
Let me be straight. The Other Cheek is sooooo heartwarming. I planned on reading one chapter at a time when I started and even announced it on my Facebook. Alas, I couldn’t stop reading. So the next day, I almost finished it (I left one chapter because I needed to get off the van for work).
Yes, you can finish reading Ms. Chong’s latest work, The Other Cheek, in one day, probably in one sitting. The stories that Ms. Grace told really touched my heart. As someone who also has some forgiveness issues, the stories hit home…some too close for comfort. You can easily relate and empathize with the stories that Ms. Grace wrote.
The book will also surely leave you teary-eyed as I was. So have some tissue ready. As I mentioned above, I was commuting to work when I read the book and I had to hide my face a few times to hide my tears. Sometimes we really need this kind of emotion. We need our hearts to get touched; we need to cry from time-to-time. Someone on Facebook said that crying is a way to cleanse our soul. Reading The Other Cheek will give you a thorough wash from head to foot. The layout artist of the book, Nikka Gonzaga (one of the contributors of CSM Publishing’s other new title, Take Heart) told me that she was crying every time she was working on it. I can’t blame her.
You will learn a lot from The Other Cheek. The topic of forgiveness is a central theme of the Bible and is integral to God’s plan of salvation for sinful man. Ms. Chong takes you from one form of forgiveness issue to the next. One may even discover that they may be harboring unforgiveness in their heart after reading the book.
I also appreciate that the epilogue contained a summary of the stories in each chapter. I even enjoyed how Ms. Chong wrote the acknowledgment section at the end of the book. She really is a gifted storyteller.
The Other Cheek How It Takes to Forgive, a small 5″ x 7″ paperback composed of 136 pages produced by CSM Publishing should be available in National Bookstore, Philippine Christian Bookstores, and other Christian bookstores by the time that you read this at a suggested retail price (SRP) of P175.00.
For more details, contact CSM Publishing at 852-7301 to 04 local 205 or visit them at CSM Building, Pascor Drive, Sto. Niño, Parañaque City from 8am to 6pm. You can also send an email at [email protected].
Grace D. Chong has authored over 50 books to date. She has won six Palanca Awards; was finalist in the National Book Awards. Her book, Grace Found Me, won in the inspirational category of the 2012 Gintong Aklat Awards.