52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables

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There are some books that have the power to change us. Les Miserables has become that book for me. The plot line is far-reaching...the span of a life. The people are unforgettable. Valjean- A convict turned into a hero. Javert- A legalist without the understanding of grace. Fantine- A desperate one turned divine. Cosette- a small child that motivates a man to sacrifice. The poetry of Hugo's words: A mixture of letters that sear the soul.

Soon after reading the novel, my husband gave me 52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables. What I loved about this book is that as I read I was able to review the high points of the story and think more deeply of the life lessons embedded in the plot line. Bob Welch extracts concepts from the novel that if followed can deeply change a life. Here are a few:

Even the coldest heart can thaw

We need to see people as God sees people

Crisis reveals character

Children need childhoods

A contented life is a thankful life

Wisdom can come from weird places

Love has a gritty side to it

Welch uses God's Word, personal stories, and various quotes from the book and other writers to drive home his point. While each lesson is only a couple of pages the ideas are deep and really got me to think. He helped me make connections about the story I hadn't thought of before. He also uses ideas from the musical to drive home some of his points. Throughout the lessons you see a theme...grace can change a life. Healing our souls comes from leveraging our advantages to help others. 

If you are looking to delve deeper into Hugo's story or wanting to ponder the novel after reading it Welch's book delivers.