Review: Breathing Statues

Breathing Statues book cover on blue background

Growing up, some of my favourite poets were Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and John Donne. Though it's been years since I've revisited their words, I am most appreciative of the opportunity to be able to immerse myself in poetry once more through both words and artwork in Breathing Statues by Lyndi Brey.

Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Book Synopsis

In her book Breathing Statues, Lyndi Brey extrapolates the relationship between mental illness and faith. The collection of poems exhibited in Breathing Statues captures a unique and creative representation of mental health and faith- gathered from firsthand experience. Her poems- which speak of (dis)order and chaos- are skillfully actualized in illustrations and color. By the end of her book, you will understand not just what it looks like, but what it feels like to have an anxiety disorder.

Lyndi says, "The title Breathing Statues originated from the idea that we are all masterpieces: statues shaped by the hand of God, given the breath of life." While also familiar with breathing exercises taught in therapy, Lyndi Brey believes breathing is a simple yet sacred practice often ignored altogether by mental illnesses. Her prayer is to show the delicacy of humanity, the divinity of God, and the struggle of disorder.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

If you're looking for an experience where poetry can visually take you away to the story of the Gospel while in the midst of darkness, this volume will transport your mind and heart into an imaginative space where words and pictures tell a compelling story. The power of poetry is embodied in this beautiful offering by poet and artist Lyndi Brey, connecting faith to mental health and exploring how God enters into our struggles. Everything is constructed with intentionality and meaning, providing uplifting sensations without glossing over deep realities.

This is a book that is worth revisiting, simply for the sheer simplicity of its message, which leaves a profound impression. Included with the stunning poetry are practical resources, making this poetry a wonderful gift to pass along. Not only does entering the footsteps of the storyteller invoke empathy, but it also tangibly connects to our own emotional state before God. If you want to see how God cares for us in our trials, Breathing Statues is a breath of fresh air for those of us yearning for His presence, majesty, and strength.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📱
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Life Up North

I'm going to go against my previous posts about keeping my opinions to myself on things outside of faith and reading by sharing some of my recent experiences instead. I figure that if we read fiction to broaden our understanding of other perspectives that it might be worthwhile for me to share how things have been for me as a non-representative Canadian (I'm not speaking for anyone else here!) 😄 I'll be honest in that it's been tough in the last few weeks and months. I've done my best to keep up my optimism and more importantly, my hope in Christ, Who is unchanging and steadfast. Rulers come and go, nations evolve and change, and politics can swing back and forth, but God is immutable and sovereign over all things. That being said, recent geopolitical factors have resulted in an emotional toll on me and a lot of the people I interact with in my life. While I am grateful that I can place my burdens at the foot of the cross, I recognize that others in my life have va...

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 List last updated: June 4, 2026 Christian Publishers 10ofThose Availability: US, Canada, and UK residents Format: Only books published by 10ofThose qualify for review requests so as to avoid impeding with other Christian book review programs Genre: Christian non-fiction, children's books Email for availability and eligibilit...

More Than Books

I have to give credit to Joomi Kim, a secular BookTuber, for first alerting me to one of her challenges with contemporary novels (see timestamp starting at 22:25 ) where she notes that many of the books she has read are about authors or those in academia. While I found her entire video to be thought-provoking regarding contemporary literature, I seldom read enough secular books to be able to comment on them as a whole, so this isn't a commentary on what she has presented. The secular books I read are ones that usually serve a cultural purpose or are interesting enough for me to pick up, which is more rare when my TBR of Christian books keeps expanding. I've also chosen not to focus on those books on my blog or social media; although I try to keep up-to-date with broad trends on my own time, I'm not well-versed enough to add my perspective to that discussion on here. Rather, this is a springboard into the one point that she raised about authors writing what they know. It see...