Beth Moore's Autobiography
I’m delighted to provide a guest post from the other half of the Bird Family Mega-Mart Evangelical Influencer Industries Corporation, none other than Mrs. Naomi Bird, who provides a reflection on Beth Moore’s autobiography My Knotted Up Life.
It was almost 20 years ago when I first heard the name “Beth Moore.” New to Scotland, I was invited to join a Bible Study group where the group was going through one of Moore’s Bible studies. I found her Bible study refreshing in that it was biblical and applicable. The study still sits on my bookcase today. Since then I’ve read done other studies by Beth Moore and flicked through the odd book she has written. When I saw that she had her memoir coming out, I was excited to read her story, and it did not disappoint. I love engaging with people and hearing about their lives and how they got to where they are now. This one was a real eye-opener and shows you the woman behind the books, the ministry, and the controversy.
Beth Moore’s autobiography is honest and open, she leaves little out. Growing up in a small town in Arkansas as the fourth child of five children born to Albert and Aletha. Her dad had retired from the Army to manage the local cinema. She paints the picture of a normal childhood, fun with friends, moving house, sharing a room with her Nanny. Beth’s childhood did have challenges and difficulties. Beth really draws you in to her story, she shares the joy of life and the deeply moving grief, as you read the book it felt like she was sitting across the room sharing her life with me (as friends do). I was moved by the way that she shared about her grandmother and her mum, the depression, grief and challenges of being a wife. As you get further into the book, you learn more about her challenges, the abuse from her father, not understanding her mother’s depression.
The death of her Nanny hit the family hard. Beth reflects on how she wishes she had done more to support her mum and the impact Nanny had on the whole family. She writes:
“Words have a life of their own. When we no longer have the warm body of someone we loved … their words are right there, floating in the air, ready to wet the tongue as a moment … My siblings and I speak fluent Nanny-ese. We can go a whole conversation without speaking a single original word. This is the gift of having lived with in the same walls. She never had no comment.”
By the time I finished reading the book I was in tears, her story has not finished. She has had to leave her dearly loved SBC because she could no longer stand the bullies and the covering up of sexual abuse. The way that Christians and the church have treated her made me angry, but mostly sad. This should not be part of anyone’s story, but it is.
Beth’s journey, through life and ups and downs, really draws you in, I’m struck by Beth answering the call to ministry, even when she didn’t know what that looked like, and her faithfulness to the gospel and her faithfulness to God’s promises. This is an amazing read, if nothing to help us understand more that we all walk different paths and have different influences in our lives. Above all, God has called us to love one another. I see that in Beth’s story in how she loves those who did not treat her well just as God loves us too.
A great read, a moving story, a woman passionate for God and driven to encourage women in the faith!
Naomi Bird
One of the best memoirs I’ve read. She is an amazing lady.
This is definitely a must-read. Thank you Naomi for a great review. I had the same reaction to the book as you did---tears and great empathy for all that Beth has been through. She was severely mistreated by the SBC, and by many "Christians" thereafter. After reading the book, I shared it with my wife who had the same reaction and she then passed it on to a friend. It just makes you want to give Beth a big hug.