Summary

On those days when French fries litter the floor of your minivan, when you think bad words about other drivers, when your smile hides an anxious heartin those moments when you fall short of all you'd hoped to bewhat does God see when He looks at you? In your less-than-lovely moments, God sees a precious daughter in need of His perfect love. In this liberating look at how God adores and transforms imperfect people, Bible teacher Lisa Harper weaves poignant stories of her own personal foibles with a fresh take on selected Psalms to reveal a loving Father who remains your greatest champion even when you don't feel anywhere close to holy. Join Lisa in discovering what happens when we stop trying to hide our inadequacies and doubts and instead trust God with our anger, frustrations, flaws, and regrets. As you accept God's loving invitation to exchange your junk for His joy, you'll find the imperfect pieces of your life shaped into a glorious pattern of divine grace. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Author Biography

Lisa Harper is a master storyteller whose lively approach highlights the relevance of the Bible to modern life. A popular Bible teacher and speaker, she is the author of several books as well as a columnist for Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Lisa earned her master’s of theological studies from Covenant Theological Seminary and makes her home outside Nashville.

Introduction: Our Biggest and Best Invisible Friend	p. 1
Walk This Way What Psalm 1 reveals about avoiding potholes in the path of life	p. 5
Leaping over Legalism What Psalm 62 says about wriggling out of the trap of wrong expectations	p. 23
Tumbling Toward Approval How Psalm 139 describes the way God sees the beauty behind our blemishes	p. 39
This Love Story Means Having to Say "I'm Sorry" What Psalm 51 reveals about deep cleaning our dirty hearts	p. 55
When God's People Lose Their Groove What Psalm 42 teaches us about dealing with our less-than-lovely emotions	p. 73
Faithful Fury How Psalm 83 shows what God can do with a little well-placed anger	p. 89
We're in Great Hands How Psalm 110 points to a future free of fear	p. 105
Project of a Lifetime What Psalm 8 says about God's partnering with imperfect people like us	p. 121
The Art of Appreciation What Psalm 34 reveals about being grateful for God's ability to unsnarl the tangles in our lives	p. 135
Frantic Isn't a Spiritual Fruit What Psalm 23 illustrates about how our Shepherd compels stubborn sheep to rest	p. 153
God Doesn't Stutter How Psalm 119 sheds light on this supernatural love letter called the Bible	p. 169
Stop Watching Your Feet; Just Dance What Psalms 149 and 150 suggest about how rhythm-challenged people like us can master the smooth moves of praise	p. 185
Conclusion: One Final Thought	p. 201
Notes	p. 205
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Excerpts

I'm a sucker for fashionable shoes. Unfortunately, cool “kicks” are often synonymous with wincing in agony. Which was the case a few months ago when I became madly infatuated with a pair of black,knee-high, leather boots while shopping in Chicago.When I tried them on and pranced around in a circle to impress my friends Kim and Sharon, they both looked dubious. Kim even asked, “Are you sure they’re comfortable? Because you look like you’re walking funny.”

I replied flippantly, “Yeah, they’re comfortable. And aren’t they the most gorgeous boots you’ve ever seen?” while intentionally taking slower steps so as not to teeter in front of them anymore.

Of course, they weren’t comfortable at all. I should’ve done the smart thing and put those boots back into the box they came from. I should’ve told the solicitous Nordstrom clerk, “No thank you,” and walked out of the store empty-handed. But I’m more of an impulse shopper than an intelligent consumer, especially when it comes to shoes. So I surrendered the Visa and assured myself,They’re just a little stiff because they’re made of such high-quality Italian leather. It won’t take long for them to get broken in, and then they’ll be as comfortable as a pair of slippers.

I foolishly decided to break them in that very night at a business event because they complemented the outfit I was wearing. I was convinced the cuteness factor far outweighed the possibility of discomfort.
Besides,I reasoned,a little pinch is nothing compared to how hip these boots will make me look.

Less than an hour later I was hobbling around like a geisha. And by the time the emcee introduced me, I no longer had any sensation in my toes. I limped mincingly to the podium and tried to focus on speaking while fearing my feet were in the initial stages of gangrene. All the while, my friends sat on the front row wearing “I told you so” expressions. Afterward they teased that I should’ve explained the new-shoe shuffle to the audience. They mused that some people might have wondered if I’d been boozing it up beforehand since I couldn’t walk right all night!

Walking right is the theme of Psalm 1. This first song in the Psalter emphasizes how we must follow our heavenly Father’s path instead of being lured off course by what ungodly people proclaim to be fashionable. And this ode to obedience includes a warning as well: attempting to be hip in ways that aren’t cool with God will ultimately lead to hobbling around in pain, separated from the only One who loves you unconditionally.

“JOY” THIEVES

I can’t help but grin over the fact that the book of Psalms begins with the wordhappy.And I find it especially intriguing that the happiness in Psalm 1 isn’t associated with eating dark chocolate or finding a pair of designer shoes on the clearance rack.

Instead this literary smiley face refers to the profound joy and satisfaction that accompany walking closely with God:1

Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked,
who don’t go where sinners go,
who don’t do what evil people do.Psalm 1:1, NCV

One Sunday when I was in junior high school, I was sitting in church beside a cute lothario named Gary. You can imagine how I felt when this suave young man, who was five years older than I and the object of a huge crush on my part, put his arm around my shoulders. We were sitting a few pews in front of Dad, and although Gary’s attention was so titillating I couldn’t pay attention to the sermon, I could sense Dad’s disapproval wafting through the sanctuary. When the service was over, my normally softspoken father pulled me aside and declared, “I’d better never

Excerpted from A Perfect Mess: Why You Don't Have to Worry about Being Good Enough for God by Lisa Harper
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.