All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir
Beth Moore
New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestseller. An incredibly thoughtful, disarmingly funny, and intensely vulnerable glimpse into the life and ministry of a woman familiar to many but known by few. “It’s a peculiar thing, this having lived long enough to take a good look back. more
293 pages, Hardcover
First published Tyndale House Publishers
4.49
Rating
32298
Ratings
4452
Reviews
Beth Moore
337 books 2404 followers
Beth Moore has written many best–selling books and is a dynamic teacher and a prolific Bible–study author whose public speaking engagements take her across the United States to challenge tens of thousands. Beth is focused on teaching women all over the world and is known and respected wherever she goes. She is a dedicated wife and mother of two adult daughters and lives in Houston, Texas, where she leads Living Proof Ministries and teaches an adult Sunday school class. Beth is one of the best known women in the evangelical Christian market.Community reviews
This book floored me. I don't know how else to say it. The audiobook was the way to go with this one, as the author's performance of the book just makes it. I'm not a Southern Baptist by any stretch, but I did her studies when I was younger. I've since grown deeper in Lutheran theology, but have followed her story, especially when people got so upset at her for speaking up against sexual abuse being swept under the rug. more
Summary: A touching, funny, and poignant memoir. Like many, I have known of Beth Moore for a long time. She was a women's bible teacher. She is about 15 years older than I am, so she started leading aerobics classes when I was a pre-teen and moved to be a Christian motivational speaker (her description) by the time I was a teen. Her first bible study was published in 1994 (when I was in college), and from the late 1990s until now, she has published a book roughly once a year. more
Goodness this was rough to read in some places (but I won’t go into specifics until after publication day per the publishers’ request, as Beth reveals some very personal things). But throughout the book her honesty, hilarity, and love for Jesus shine through. I love Beth on Twitter, and her down-home poetic style is even better in long form. more
This book is going to mean so much to a lot of people. Beth’s willingness to invite us all in to her life is what has charmed so many women for so many years, and with this memoir she has given just the precise amount of backstory we need to better understand both the toll of her ministry and the drive behind her ministry. Beth doesn’t expose anything just for the sake of shock value or clickbait, but (as is her characteristic style) offers an honest story with enough detail to be convincing but not so much as to be tawdry, leaving plenty of privacy for her family members who have already had to deal with the notoriety of their mom/wife/sister. I highly recommend letting Beth read the story to you in her drawl via the audiobook. Her voice sparkles with mischief and floods with sorrow as she recounts her life. more
I’ve never devoured a book quite like this one. When one of your heroes bares all, you show up for it. She’s been hated for her faith, bold stances, and perceived shortcomings but nobody can ever say she has not been sincere and sincerely in love with the Lord. I’ve had the privilege of meeting her and studying under her more than once and she is the real deal. I knew it before, but man. more
I hardly know what to say about the beautiful, heartbreaking, precious story of one of my all time favorite people and heroes in the faith. The main thing is that Beth’s story opened my heart to Jesus even more and filled me to the brim with gratitude for His faithfulness and nearness in her life and in my own. I laughed and cried through the whole thing. Her story isn’t easy but she tells it with such sincerity and humility, continually looking to God and desiring to walk with Him. I just felt so deeply encouraged and moved by her words. more
I’ve recognized, known, and respected Beth Moore’s voice for most all of my life. She was the spunky woman who taught my mom the Word of God and(. ) how to use a fork to tease your hair in case of emergency. She was the one who wrote Bible studies with those whose Bible studies heavily shaped my life. “My Beth” — as my mom has exclusively called her for as long as I can remember — was the authentic one, the one who wasn’t afraid to be honest and bold, even when it cost her. more
Edifying read from a gifted writer. The audiobook was the way to go; hearing her voice made it more moving. more
Happy release day. “…if we ever truly took the time to hear people’s full stories . . . we’d all walk around slack-jawed. more
Confession. I picked up this book thinking that I'd be rolling my eyes at the sweetness of it. My faith has shifted since I was in my early 20s and did a Beth Moore Bible study. so, I've kind of side-eyed her as I've gotten older. I did see that she left SBC and seemed to be undergoing some shifting in her own faith, but this book took me a bit by surprise. more
I don’t often cry in books but this one brought me to tears on multiple occasions. Raw, beautiful and deeply encouraging. Beth’s faithfulness has sowed seeds in my life for a love of God’s Word and knowing Him better for the past 14 years. Thankful beyond measure. . more
I read this book in one day because Beth is a gifted story teller, and I appreciate how she can weave a story together vividly in such a way that I could see what she was talking about. My low rating comes from the content of the last half of the book. I started this book as a critical read because as I have watched Beth drift from what I had once believed her to be, I have been careful in consuming teaching from her. There were many red flags for me- from her spiritual experience in a bathroom to being told at 18 by a woman at church that this experience was the Lord calling her into vocational ministry; the Lord not calling her to repentance but just sitting with her and enduring when she was railing against Him for not loving her husband; the concern that from what she records of Keith is that he never seemed to have placed his faith in Christ, continues to “cuss like a sailor”, wouldn’t attend church with her the majority of the time, but he would bless her and pray for her and send her on her way to fulfill her ministry- and that’s not even delving into the issues of how modern day feminism has skewered how she views Biblical, God-ordained patriarchy and Biblical roles for men and women. It appears that she took her anger and hurt over the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her family member and the other family members not helping her when she needed it out on Donald Trump and any evangelical who then voted for him. more
Recommend with reservation. It feels awkward for me to say I didn't unrestrainedly love this book when I feel a lot of compassion for Beth Moore after reading it and sorrow for the hardship and ridicule she has endured. But, this is my honest review: First, the pros: I think Beth brings up a lot of areas where Christians can examine their own lives. I think she rightly condemns idolization of political parties, racism, and cover-ups of abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention. I personally feel convicted about judging Beth unfairly in the past without knowing more of her story. more
I am in between 3 & 4 stars. To start, she’s hilarious and made me laugh many times. I think we’d be good friends. My fav quote is: “there is no scrutiny on earth like that which proceedeth from the mouth of a first-year seminary student. ” I laughed out loud in an airport at that one. more
I knew Beth Moore was kind and insightful and in love with Jesus and an enormous gift to the Church but I had no idea she could write like that. All My Knotted-Up Life is beautiful and moving and raw and painful and so full of grace. Thank you for writing it, Beth. more
I have never actually read or listened to anything by Beth Moore before, so I had zero expectations for what this book would be like. It took some perseverance to get through the first part that included an overwhelming amount of southern metaphors and accents, but I ended up being really moved by her story; mostly because it just seemed to be a humble and honest account of her life. It didn’t feel like she was trying to make a big point or compel readers to any side, but just shared her story in a real and basic way that acknowledged the pains and reality of life while also holding on to the good with gratitude. I teared up many times as she shared about the relatable realities of pain, brokenness, and impactful reminders of hope because it just felt so human. It wasn’t a call do be better or do better, but just a reflection on the Lord’s faithfulness as she’s experienced it. more
Raw and authentic but honoring to even those who hurt her, Mrs. Beth Moore’s memoir was more than touching. The delivery in her own vulnerable southern speech brought tears to my eyes at many turns. Her story made me stop and thank God for the impact her own life has had on mine. As a new Christian years ago I completed every single one of her studies and fell in love with the Word. more
I grew up doing Beth Moore Bible studies, and her passion for God and the Bible was contagious. I am so grateful for how the Lord used her to deepen my understanding of Him and His word. I love a good memoir, so when I found out that she had released one, I wanted to read it. As I finished it today, I was overwhelmed by the pain and hardship that characterized her whole life, but I was more overwhelmed by how her story shows God’s faithfulness, nearness, and presence in the midst of each hardship. Her love of God and continual desire to follow Him in the midst of each hardship was clear. more
Let me start with a few prefaces:A) I know nothing about Beth Moore other than I’ve heard she’s an evangelical lil missy B) I listened to this on audiobook so naturally I got distracted C) I think it’s extremely impossible to give stars to someone’s memoir bc it’s their life and it can’t be rated on a scale- so the stars are more so my attention span All in all- I learned about Moores life and what she survived and showed up to and had faith in and let’s just hear it for any woman who takes space in religious places and paths the way 🤝 . more
10 stars. I listened to this book in it’s entirety in just over 24 hours. Oh Jesus the tears, especially over chapter 15 and at the end. But really all of it. Touched me so tenderly and more than words can tell. more
Beth could have gone deeper. I feel like there was a lot of fluff mixed in with some personal details. Did it show her heart towards God. Yes. Did it show her passion for studying God’s word. more
Really moving, actually. When she relates the highs, Moore's prose sparkles. During the lows, I felt the weight. Through it all, is her own unique voice, which I love. Recommended. more
“Every inch of this harrowing journey… my hand has been tightly knitted, safe and warm, with the hand of Jesus…He has held me fast, He will hold me still, and He will lead me home. Bless be the tie that binds”Thank you, Elizabeth Moore, for jumping in to this sea of vulnerability, for going first, and letting your lived experience shine a light on Christ meeting us and holding us in our seasons of strength as well as in our seasons of weakness and desperation. The style with which she writes is as close to poetry as narrative can be. The imagery is breathtaking and brilliant. While this was her story, I found myself struck with “aha” moments within my own story because of what she shared. more
It’s easy to assume we know people who are famous in some sense. But reading this book I realized I didn’t know Beth Moore at all. Granted, I’ve never gone through one of her Bible studies or attended one of her conferences or read one of her books before now. But I could hardly put this one down. more
This is a gorgeous book. Not that it’s a perfect story, of course. But it is captivating and fascinating and I found myself laughing out loud and nodding my head up and down. I listened to the audio version, read by the author, and she is not shy with her native Southern accent— which makes it almost like a favorite movie. The description of their first time at an Anglican church nearly made ME cry, too (like they did). more
I know it took courage for Beth to write parts of her memoir. Candid, funny, and heartbreaking. There are no perfect families. I read the book, but I could plainly hear Beth’s southern drawl throughout. more
How do you review someone’s memoir. Their life story. All I can say is I am really glad she wrote this book. It was equal parts hilarious and tragic; beautiful and broken. And, to the extent you can find yourself in another’s life, I found some of myself within its pages. more
All My Knotted-Up Life traces the hand of God in Moore's life, from her childhood to the current day. I loved how this memoir felt completely honest without ever going into too much detail. I don't read tell-alls, but even in some memoirs I find people going just a bit too far. Moore's storytelling, guided by her editor as she relates in the acknowledgements, is wiser. She doesn't ask the reader to bear all her pain, but shares enough to give the picture before moving on. more
When I was a little baby Christian in college just figuring out my faith and who Jesus is, I joined a Bible study and my beloved leader Bonnie said we were going to do “A Heart Like His” which was a Bible study workbook by Beth Moore. It was amazing to read one of those boring Old Testament stories and see it come to life. To see how David was a person with thoughts and feelings and that God used little him in big ways. The Word of God came alive, and I thought “I think I could do this with other books of the Bible too—even without a workbook. ” My love for God’s Word and studying it and meeting Him in the pages of scripture began when I was 20 years old. more
Maybe it's because i just read Viola Davis's memoir but this just didn't do it for me. "Just think how embarrassing it would have been if this or that happened. " But it didn't and I want to hear about how you felt about what actually happened. It felt entirely like she took what happened and then turned it into a more cutesy tale. "I didn't understand who he was talking to when he called me sister during my baptism" She was very Baptist. more