Mary E. DeMuth - Thin Places: A Memoir

Brave, moving, and poignant. An important story, honestly and beautifully told, of pain transformed into hope. The world is in great need of courageous voices like DeMuths.

Tosca Lee, author of Christy-award finalist Demon:

A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve

This gifted memoirist writes like a woman at the well: Thin Places reads like rivers of living water. With her incantatory language, Mary DeMuth describes both the burden of suffering and the weightlessness of redemption. If youre carrying past wounds, read this book. It will change your life.

SIBELLA GIORELLO, Christy-award-winning novelist

Author Mary DeMuth has lived up to readers expectations of exquisite writing from an exceptional author. She has also opened herself and allowed readers to see insideall the hurts, disappointments, violationsin order to escort the readers on a painfully joyful journey to healing. A rare memoir from one of the best writers of our time!

KATHI MACIAS, author of more than thirty books, including

Beyond Me and Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today

Mary DeMuths latest work, Thin Places, is a true example of courage. Seemingly without holding back, Mary has exposed to herself and to those who read her work the thin places of her life where God showed up. In doing so, she helps others realize the thin places of their own lives and how God moves in and around them.Every word is beautifully penned and sincerely written.

EVA MARIE EVERSON, author of Things Left Unspoken

Thin Places is strong medicine for every reader who ever felt hopelessly damaged or desperately inadequate. Mary DeMuth shows the way back to innocence and wonder. There are too few books like this, too few authors so courageous.

KATHLEEN POPA, author of To Dance in the Deser

Women today are hungry for words that narrate life as it really is. Were dying to know were not alone. In Thin Places, Mary DeMuth tells the truth about loss, pain, sin, and redemption. Thin Places sets the table for readers to see, hear, and taste Gods unfailing nearness. Enjoy the feast.

MARGOT STARBUCK, author of The Girl in the Orange Dress:

Searching for a Father Who Does Not Fail

Marys memoir is real and raw and beautifully written. She shows the ugliness of humanity and the beauty of redemption. I laughed and I cried, and it made me want to be a better writer. Thin Places will be put in my waiting room to help others find hope and see that Jesus loves and God is present, even in the loneliest and most horrific circumstances.

LESLIE VERNICK, LCSW, licensed counselor and international

speaker, author of The Emotionally Destructive Relationship

Of the many gifts God has lavished on Mary DeMuth, one I admire most is her courage to go to the raw places and help us look for Gods presence there. In this unflinching look at her own story, DeMuth offers us vulnerability and hope that God is relentless in His love even when we doubt it the most.

CATHERINE CLAIRE LARSON, author of As We Forgive:

Stories of Reconciliation from Rwanda and senior writer
and editor for Break Point

With brutal honesty, Mary paints a vivid picture of the cruel blows life delivers to all of us. But her ability to shine light on what God does through pain and difficulty is a revelation of His infinite love and grace. Thin Places reminded me that beauty really does come from ashes. Im not the same after reading this book.

TOM DAVIS, CEO, Childrens HopeChest,

and author of Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds

In Thin Places, Mary DeMuth gently takes your fingers in her hand and guides them across the breathtaking mosaic that is her life. I felt every sharp edge, each rough and aching path, and marveled at the startling beauty of her brokenness. Savor this book.

CLAUDIA MAIR BURNEY, author of Zora and Nicky:

A Novel in Black and White

When I get my official copy of Thin Places, Im thinking of having it bound in a gold-embossed bonded-leather cover with gilded page edges. Yes, its that much of a treasure to be cherished for a lifetime of reading. Im tempted to request a zipper for its custom binding. That would symbolize DeMuths success at unlocking and interlacing her innermost story and soul with the Scriptures in a way that opens us all to the thickness of thin.

LEONARD SWEET, Drew University, George Fox Evangelical

Seminary, www.sermons.com

Ive never read a more authentic and real account of trials turned to hope. Thin Places will open your eyes to the beauty of seeing through those heart-wrenching times and grasping our Saviors hand. DeMuth reminds us that our great God sees us where we are, and He loves us unconditionally. Thank you, Mary, for sharing the depths of your heart with us. This book is a treasure.

KIMBERLEY WOODHOUSE, author of Welcome Home:

Our Familys Journey to Extreme Joy and seen on Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition

Thin Places, a memoir by Mary DeMuth, has captured my heart. Mary is a fun and happy person, so her vulnerability in telling this painful story of childhood abuse is deeply moving. Mary writes beautifully, even poetically, and leaves the reader with a sense of hope and courage.

HEATHER GEMMEN WILSON, bestselling author

and international speaker www.heathergemmen.com

ZONDERVAN

Thin Places

Copyright 2010 by Mary E. DeMuth

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition November 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-56474-4

This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook. Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.

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Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

DeMuth, Mary E., 1967

Thin places: a memoir / Mary DeMuth.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-310-28418-5 (softcover)

1. DeMuth, Mary E., 19672. Christian biographyUnited States. I. Title.

BR1725.D4A3 2009

277.3'082092dc22 2009020798

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Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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