Title: Wood You Believe: The Unfolding Self Healing & Self-Awareness Exploring Spirituality and Psychology Through Handcrafted Wood Symbols
Author: Fr. Jim Cogley
Publisher: Matchstick Literary
ISBN: 978-1642542684
Pages: 204
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

Read Book Review

The author begins by writing a little about his childhood. Growing up in the farms meant that he had spent plenty of time on tree branches. It is lovely how the author feels connected to nature and the vegetation around him. Fr. Jim Cogley’s journey with wood is a personal one. In this book, he shares his love for trees and wooden artwork, and how wood and trees speak to us in a way that facilitates the unfolding of our real self. We may not realize it, but trees make us become more human and fully alive. This book helps us understand how important trees are in our existence.

When talking about self-acceptance and self-esteem, the author made me ponder about myself. How often do we say we have an excellent relationship with ourselves? When asked about the most important relationship we’ve had, we often talk about the relationships with our parents, partners, children, and friends. We do forget that as much as we relate well with others, we need to have a great relationship with self and be at peace before relating with others. Our relationship with God is also important, as he is our creator and guides us in our daily living. I found this discussion to be valuable to me.

On loving self, the author had a word for the reader. He used a metaphor in his explanation so as to make the reader comprehend better what he was writing about. The diamond coated in mud metaphor made me understand how unconditional God loves us. Unlike humans who would concentrate on the coat of mud instead of the diamond, God does not look at the ugly side of us. He sees us as the diamond and not the dirt. He also loves us the way we are and does not pay attention to what we think as faults. Humans sometimes focus on physical appearances, financial status, and background so as to determine how much they can love. God discourages this. Self-love and self-worth are important. We should learn to appreciate ourselves the way we are.

To say that this book is informative would be an understatement. Fr. Jim Cogley knows how to fuse in real life stories which are connected to the topics being discussed. I enjoyed reading about Catherine’s pregnancy story and the recovery story despite the negative medical expectations.

Reading Volume 1 of “Wood You Believe” is a great experience. The author’s view of life, the love God has for us, our relationship with trees and the beautiful pieces of woodwork made the book worth reading. The author’s faith in God and way of life is admirable. I learned a lot of lessons just by reading about some of his stories growing up. This volume is an easy read with simple sentences and dozens of handy quotes. You will not be the same once you complete reading this enlightening book.