Photo by Samad Ismayilov
Darkness before the light suffuses the many pages found in High Heels, Honey Lips and White Powder by Rose “Maria McCarthy” Anding about the temptations of the elite.
A vibrant account of one woman’s journey in overcoming temptation, High Heels, Honey Lips and White Powder by Rose “Maria McCarthy” Anding explores the enticing lure of being a part of the “in-crowd” and elaborates on the cutthroat and bleak pursuit by the tempted and the damned to live life in the fast lane. There are a few places in society for an unexpected addict to dwell in, and the confrontation with everything leads Anding to begin a long road to recovery.
This is her inspiring story for those who fell into the same path and for those who are reaching out to pull the trapped out of the dark depths.
A Story of Darkness Before the Light
High Heels, Honey Lips, and White Powder is equal parts a religious self-help book and equal parts a memoir about Rose Anding’s remarkable transformation from being a drug addict to someone changed, having fallen in love with the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
Her story is astoundingly wonderful, and even without the embellishments, it is something to aspire to and emulate. For those who feel trapped in a vicious cycle of abuse and addiction, this book will definitely help them become the person that God hopes they can be.
If you have always sought a way to establish a personal relationship with Christ, then the experiences laid out in the pages of this book might just have the motivation you need to start over again.
My Thoughts on High Heels, Honey Lips and White Powder
While the story of Rose Anding was harrowing and deeply inspirational, what interested me about the book was more the wonder and spiritual experiences the author had—especially those that touched upon the redemptive mercy of the Lord.
As a person who has struggled with negativity before, it was life-changing the first moment I began to accept and appreciate the redemptive glory of God. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I was dwelling in darkness before I embraced the light. For those who have yet to experience His divine mercy, I can only say that it is something to be felt—and my words today, as I try to explain them, will never truly give His grace justice.
Yet, let me try anyway. And let me start with this verse from Psalm 107:2:
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy…
Being a follower of Christ and a willing and grateful recipient of His love, I believe it is my duty to tell a bit about my thoughts and insights on the matter—I won’t be like Rose Anding baring her heart out in High Heels, Honey Lips and White Powder, but I would like to be just as honest as her.
The Power of Redemption through God
The compassionate mercy of God is something extraordinary. It is a wonderful idea and reality that no matter how far we stray from the light of God and the path toward heaven—however we may feel—that there is always a way back in, always a path to be redeemed and to be forgiven.
You may be aware of how this is such a profound and uplifting concept. Many of us, perhaps the majority, if not each and every one of us, have made mistakes. Some are more terrible and horrifying than others. I’ve hurt other people, and you’ve hurt others, too, whether it is through words or physical action. Every day we do things that are antithetical to goodness and the nature of God. For some, life simply seems like a sequence of one regret to another. With these heavy thoughts and the numbing weight of despair, it oftentimes feels like there is no way out.
Back when I was trapped in the spiral, it definitely felt like I was unworthy of anything good, whether it was love, forgiveness, or mercy—but that is not true. What negativity we find ourselves in is what we made for ourselves and are throwing at ourselves.
Redemption is there for everyone, and it is because we get caught up in it that we fail to see that fact—leading us into immense depression and even denying that an entity so merciful and loving could even exist.
But it is a willful action to do so. Aren’t there enough stories about His mercy that we should know about? How many people have you met who once were in darkness before the light found them and directed them in the proper way? God offers us hope. God is hope.
And the stories about His boundless love for His creations all remind us that no matter how bleak things may seem, there is always, always, a way to turn things around! No matter the cause, there is always a chance to make things right.
Reymond Reviews 