My Heart is a House

Rating: 5 Stars

Before I start off, I must disclose the fact that I know Stacey and Monterio very well. Stacey started off as a co-worker and became a close friend and the godmother to my daughter. Eleanor and Monterio call each other brother and sister. That being said, this friendship has not impacted my review in any way, as Stacey and I have never been anything but 100% honest with each other.

So, now that's out of the way.

I love this book. Stacey is exactly the kind of faith-filled mother I want to be. The way she makes it all look so effortless in passing that faith on to Monterio is amazing and I am slowly but surely getting there. (That is also one of the reasons why she was the only real choice for godmother. Her faith is strong, and real, and always there.) That's why it does not surprise me one bit with how this book came about. It started as a conversation between Stacey and Monterio, with him asking Stacey one day what color her heart is, because his is blue - his favorite color. Stacey was curious, not sure where he was going with this, and Monterio replied that because Jesus lives in our hearts, our hearts are like houses for Him. And thus, this story as born. This concept stands out for me in a big way because I KNOW them. I know this is an authentic and genuine conversation they would have. I am quite sure that further books may very well follow, based on similar, Christ-centered conversations.

The story itself is simple: a little boy and his momma talking about how to prepare their hearts to be houses for Jesus. The momma helps her son prepare his heart by making room for Love and Truth, and keeping his heart clean by being mindful of the things he experiences through all five senses. She reminds him to be careful with those he invites into his heart besides Jesus, and to remember Virtue. Living water and fruits of the spirit are musts as well in preparing his (and all of ours) heart, as well as forgiveness and wisdom. There is ALWAYS room for more wisdom.

In addition to helping little ones understand what it means to ask Jesus into their hearts, and how they go about doing so, Stacey has included several scriptures that attach to a corresponding page. You will also find a few pictures of Stacey and Monterio, on their journey together to follow Jesus.

HERE you can find Stacey and Monterio's Facebook page for their book, and even watch a short video featuring Monterio showing off the book.

Happy Reading!

Sarah