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How to Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself
Allow God to heal the broken record of your soul, so you can step into your calling, speak up for what's right, and dance your own story of God's grace. What does the soundtrack in your head sound like? The hurtful words of others and the failures of your past often determine what record you play the most in your mind. Those painful repetitions often keep us from speaking up, standing up for what's right, being loved, pursuing our dreams, and growing closer to God. Spoken word poet Amena Brown's broken records played messages about how she wasn't worthy to be loved. But after years of playing those destructive rhythms over and over, How to Fix a Broken Record chronicles her journey of healing as she's allowed the music of God's love to play on repeat instead. From bad dates to marriage lessons at Waffle House, from learning to love her hair to learning to love an unexpected season of life, from discovering the power of saying no and the freedom to say yes, Amena offers keep-it-real stories your soul can relate to. Along the way, you'll discover how to . . .
224 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2017
About the author
Amena Brown
5 books42 followersAmena Brown is a spoken word poet, performing artist, and event host whose work interweaves keep-it-real storytelling, rhyme, and humor. The author of five spoken word albums and two non-fiction books, Amena has garnered national attention in media outlets such as Ebony Magazine, Huffington Post, and Belong Magazine. Amena recently wrote and collaborated with award-winning actress, producer, and activist Tracee Ellis Ross on the Manifesta for Ross’ natural hair product line, PATTERN.
A proud graduate of Spelman College, some of Amena’s most popular spoken word videos are “Letter to My Hair,” where she writes about her natural hair journey, “Dear TV Sitcoms,” a nostalgic piece about the lessons we can learn from sitcoms, “Girlfriends Poem,” where she writes about the importance of friendship among women, and “For the Women” a poem she wrote to honor women of color for International Women’s Day. Collectively these poems have reached over 200,000 views on Facebook Video.
A proud graduate of Spelman College, some of Amena’s most popular spoken word videos are “Letter to My Hair,” where she writes about her natural hair journey, “Dear TV Sitcoms,” a nostalgic piece about the lessons we can learn from sitcoms, “Girlfriends Poem,” where she writes about the importance of friendship among women, and “For the Women” a poem she wrote to honor women of color for International Women’s Day. Collectively these poems have reached over 200,000 views on Facebook Video.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
February 24, 2018
The audiobook is the way to go with this one. I could listen to Amena’s voice all day long.
March 28, 2020
Amena Brown is a spoken word poet and even though this volume is more "prose" than poetry, you can feel the rhythm in each chapter. The audio version must be fabulous.
It is a delightful volume: funny, honest, vulnerable, and encouraging. Amena feels like a big sister and I related to many of her experiences. And those experiences I couldn't relate to were told with such vulnerability that I found myself pausing to think about what in my own life needed similar vulnerability. It is a book that leads to growth.
Amena writes a little bit about everything: middle school, career, family, singleness, miscarriages, church, and music. Lots and lots about music.
It reminds me of Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be. But from a different cultural perspective.
Definitely recommend.
It is a delightful volume: funny, honest, vulnerable, and encouraging. Amena feels like a big sister and I related to many of her experiences. And those experiences I couldn't relate to were told with such vulnerability that I found myself pausing to think about what in my own life needed similar vulnerability. It is a book that leads to growth.
Amena writes a little bit about everything: middle school, career, family, singleness, miscarriages, church, and music. Lots and lots about music.
It reminds me of Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be. But from a different cultural perspective.
Definitely recommend.
December 11, 2017
It was through IF:gathering (i think) that i came to hear about Amena, and when i heard such good things about this book, i knew i had to grab it. It’s fun, real, laced with music references and killer recommendations, and honest. It feels like hanging out with a good girlfriend, and i loved the way the essays flowed together grouped into their themes. And even though I’m not married nor close to it, i loved her thoughts on marriage!
August 20, 2018
There is a lack of specificity, like those vague social media posts from friends that say, "Such a horrible day" and no other information, that makes reading this book frustrating at times.
November 7, 2017
How to Fix a Broken Record teleported me back to the 80's and 90's. I suddenly missed my L.A. Gears and moonwalking on my grandma's living room floor. When Amena took us into her story of finding a hair stylist and not using chemicals at home, it reminded me of how my grandmother longed for me to have a perm. Perms in Latina culture are not straighteners. On the contrary, when we get a perm, it makes our hair curly. The more powerful the solution, the more curly our hair becomes.
I remember my grandma once tried to give me a perm at home and it ended up burning my scalp and the nape of my neck. I looked like a brown poodle who had just got into a street fight. She was so proud but I knew she was scared to hurt me again. We visited Rosita's Salon every other time after that for the next three years. Then, I graciously grew out of it (and so did grandma).
Amena touches on growing up with strong female role models, saving herself for marriage, dismantling the lies of "not good enough," and choosing a great hair stylist amidst it all.
There is no rock bottom, no personal disaster, no amount of utter failure where Jesus doesn't walk with us (Brown).
Amena interweaves the theme of hip hop songs and broken records throughout her book. As often as we fixate on what is wrong in our lives, it begins to sound much like a broken record. Amena's attention to this universal idea of broken records leads us to find hope within these pages.
Sometimes God wants us to sit in relationship with Him more than he wants us to try to figure Him out. How to Fix a Broken Record takes us on a journey through Amena's past to show us how those experiences helped shape who she is through the love of Jesus Christ.
God doesn't write fairy tales, but he is always writing a good story (Brown).
You'll want to pick up this book. It's a perfect gift for friends and loved ones as they navigate their faith journey. I'm so glad I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. It's also been a real privilege to listen to her podcast and hearing the how these stories manifested. The podcasts episodes also continue the conversation from the book. It's a real treasure. Check it out.
I remember my grandma once tried to give me a perm at home and it ended up burning my scalp and the nape of my neck. I looked like a brown poodle who had just got into a street fight. She was so proud but I knew she was scared to hurt me again. We visited Rosita's Salon every other time after that for the next three years. Then, I graciously grew out of it (and so did grandma).
Amena touches on growing up with strong female role models, saving herself for marriage, dismantling the lies of "not good enough," and choosing a great hair stylist amidst it all.
There is no rock bottom, no personal disaster, no amount of utter failure where Jesus doesn't walk with us (Brown).
Amena interweaves the theme of hip hop songs and broken records throughout her book. As often as we fixate on what is wrong in our lives, it begins to sound much like a broken record. Amena's attention to this universal idea of broken records leads us to find hope within these pages.
Sometimes God wants us to sit in relationship with Him more than he wants us to try to figure Him out. How to Fix a Broken Record takes us on a journey through Amena's past to show us how those experiences helped shape who she is through the love of Jesus Christ.
God doesn't write fairy tales, but he is always writing a good story (Brown).
You'll want to pick up this book. It's a perfect gift for friends and loved ones as they navigate their faith journey. I'm so glad I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. It's also been a real privilege to listen to her podcast and hearing the how these stories manifested. The podcasts episodes also continue the conversation from the book. It's a real treasure. Check it out.
March 2, 2018
Correcting the Soundtrack in Your Head
After graduating from college, I moved to the biggest city in Maine for my first “real job,” bringing with me a wardrobe fashioned around college life south of the Mason-Dixon. Clearly, my flimsy sandals would not fit my new life as a ministry professional. However, it soon became apparent that my feet were not going to fit into any of the smooth and snappy dress shoes I admired at the Maine Mall. Navigating life with big feet has been part of my journey of self-acceptance, and a huge aspect of my mental soundtrack that I’m still rewriting.
In How to Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself, Amena Brown shares her own trail of super-sized footsteps from sneakers and flats to styling elegance in her Beyoncé stilettos. With footwear as a metaphor for self-acceptance, the spoken-word poet and inspirational author also remembers the freedom of learning to love her own natural hair after years of fighting it. Looking back over her shoulder with humility and gratitude, Amena honors the resiliency and courage of the women who have contributed to her story’s formation:
“My great-grandmother picked cotton
and worked in a tobacco factory
so my grandmother could work at a hospitalCorrecting the Soundtrack in Your Head
so my mom could become a nurse
so I could become a poet.”
A product of the I Kissed Dating Goodbye generation, Amena was astonished to find herself still single at age 30. Now, happily married, she writes with transparency about the disappointment of infertility and her puzzlement with the ways of God, who moves slowly and in ways that are, at times, inscrutable. Her collection of stories documents her progress in working on the broken messages that have colored her thinking (and which are prevalent in Christian circles):
“I am learning the painful truth that even when you pray and ask God, even when you quote back to God the applicable Scriptures, even when you walk around the object you are praying for six times and play your trumpet on the seventh, God doesn’t always answer the way you want him to.” (158)
Remind Your Soul that God is Bigger than You
Solid roots in the Body of Christ and in one’s identity as a daughter of God are indispensable in embracing the hard realities that come with a complicated family tree. Amena began laying down healthy grooves in her record by honoring her roots following a DNA test, some hard disclosures, and a commitment to the challenge of painful wondering.
Like a vinyl record, the grooves in the human heart catch and preserve all manner of voices. We spend our lives layering message upon message, and in the process we come to define ourselves by what’s been caught in the grooves. It is startling, then, when words and feelings long forgotten (we thought) rise to the surface as a reminder that the healing process must continue. The God who makes all things new can also make broken things whole.
Be Humble and Kind and Say “No”
As an artist and an entrepreneur, Amena Brown lives in the tension between staying true to her calling and building a business. Taking responsibility for her own choices, she has learned to say “no, even if it means less money, less popularity, fewer likes.” She has concluded that there is much wisdom in realizing she “must constantly lay down the weight of opinion, the chokehold of pride, the race of comparison. It is saying no to my own selfishness, no to trying my best to be god instead of walking with and learning from God how to be who he created me to be.” (119)
Brown urges women to surround themselves with a squad of warriors who will lament, pray, rejoice, and speak truth into our lives. Book-mentors and on line friends lend us courage if we read well and choose our influencers carefully.
There’s Healing in the Stillness
It takes discipline to pull away from the continual pressure to “do” when your soul requires time simply to “be.” The healing power of sleep, the perspective that comes from pulling away, the peace of a slow listen to the voice of God: this is a humble stance and a product of wisdom.
Amena Brown invites her readers into a thoughtful parsing of our motives behind our lists and all the busy-ness that keeps us spinning. Intent on “making something of ourselves,” we forget that God is the primary Maker, and it is only He who can fix our broken records. We are made for the music of truth and hope. Healing and a healthy future are found in the groove of grace that God longs to write into your story.
This book was provided by Zondervan through the BookLook Bloggers Program in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
After graduating from college, I moved to the biggest city in Maine for my first “real job,” bringing with me a wardrobe fashioned around college life south of the Mason-Dixon. Clearly, my flimsy sandals would not fit my new life as a ministry professional. However, it soon became apparent that my feet were not going to fit into any of the smooth and snappy dress shoes I admired at the Maine Mall. Navigating life with big feet has been part of my journey of self-acceptance, and a huge aspect of my mental soundtrack that I’m still rewriting.
In How to Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself, Amena Brown shares her own trail of super-sized footsteps from sneakers and flats to styling elegance in her Beyoncé stilettos. With footwear as a metaphor for self-acceptance, the spoken-word poet and inspirational author also remembers the freedom of learning to love her own natural hair after years of fighting it. Looking back over her shoulder with humility and gratitude, Amena honors the resiliency and courage of the women who have contributed to her story’s formation:
“My great-grandmother picked cotton
and worked in a tobacco factory
so my grandmother could work at a hospitalCorrecting the Soundtrack in Your Head
so my mom could become a nurse
so I could become a poet.”
A product of the I Kissed Dating Goodbye generation, Amena was astonished to find herself still single at age 30. Now, happily married, she writes with transparency about the disappointment of infertility and her puzzlement with the ways of God, who moves slowly and in ways that are, at times, inscrutable. Her collection of stories documents her progress in working on the broken messages that have colored her thinking (and which are prevalent in Christian circles):
“I am learning the painful truth that even when you pray and ask God, even when you quote back to God the applicable Scriptures, even when you walk around the object you are praying for six times and play your trumpet on the seventh, God doesn’t always answer the way you want him to.” (158)
Remind Your Soul that God is Bigger than You
Solid roots in the Body of Christ and in one’s identity as a daughter of God are indispensable in embracing the hard realities that come with a complicated family tree. Amena began laying down healthy grooves in her record by honoring her roots following a DNA test, some hard disclosures, and a commitment to the challenge of painful wondering.
Like a vinyl record, the grooves in the human heart catch and preserve all manner of voices. We spend our lives layering message upon message, and in the process we come to define ourselves by what’s been caught in the grooves. It is startling, then, when words and feelings long forgotten (we thought) rise to the surface as a reminder that the healing process must continue. The God who makes all things new can also make broken things whole.
Be Humble and Kind and Say “No”
As an artist and an entrepreneur, Amena Brown lives in the tension between staying true to her calling and building a business. Taking responsibility for her own choices, she has learned to say “no, even if it means less money, less popularity, fewer likes.” She has concluded that there is much wisdom in realizing she “must constantly lay down the weight of opinion, the chokehold of pride, the race of comparison. It is saying no to my own selfishness, no to trying my best to be god instead of walking with and learning from God how to be who he created me to be.” (119)
Brown urges women to surround themselves with a squad of warriors who will lament, pray, rejoice, and speak truth into our lives. Book-mentors and on line friends lend us courage if we read well and choose our influencers carefully.
There’s Healing in the Stillness
It takes discipline to pull away from the continual pressure to “do” when your soul requires time simply to “be.” The healing power of sleep, the perspective that comes from pulling away, the peace of a slow listen to the voice of God: this is a humble stance and a product of wisdom.
Amena Brown invites her readers into a thoughtful parsing of our motives behind our lists and all the busy-ness that keeps us spinning. Intent on “making something of ourselves,” we forget that God is the primary Maker, and it is only He who can fix our broken records. We are made for the music of truth and hope. Healing and a healthy future are found in the groove of grace that God longs to write into your story.
This book was provided by Zondervan through the BookLook Bloggers Program in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
January 10, 2019
Love listening to her and reading her book was amazing. So many emotions felt and a new beautiful insight into who she is.
March 22, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. Music is like air to me so the idea of aurhor Amena Brown coining periods of life with song titles and sometimes whole albums immediately gained a huge fan. This story was really well written and brought in humor very naturally. This book made me laugh, cry, mmhhmmmm, etc. I appreciated the vulnerability of Amena sharing her story as well as the humor used to always see the light. I highly recommend.
November 16, 2017
I love Amena Brown - love her creativity and how different she is than everyone else. I love that this book has short chapters that are their own essays. The section on singleness and dating is gold and I've already made a few of my college students read it (they loved it too). Her voice is gracious and caring and challenging and strong without berating or condemning. Truth couched in grace. I wish she could visit me so she could play records for me and we could chat over coffee. I feel encouraged and hipper for having read this book :)
April 18, 2018
pg. 18 "Sometimes the things in your past are not kind, and sometimes the way you view yourself or your actions isn't kind either. You and I will both bring our broken records here, the lies and sentence fragments that shatter growth, progress, loving and being loved. You and I will discover that we never had the power to fix our broken records in the first place, but there is someone who doesn't just fix them, but heals."
pg. 29 "Hurtful words have a weeds-like way of tangling themselves around your image of yourself until the truth of who you are gets choked out by a joke someone told at your expense, by critical words someone said to cover their own insecurity, by mean lies you learn to live with as truth."
pg. 35 "The God who created the universe, made the leaves and fashioned the trees also uniquely designed my hair. And if I was going to love others well, I better also learn to love myself and how God made me. As we learn to love ourselves and how God uniquely made us, we can better love other people and see in them reflections of the amazing image of God."
pg. 118 "Doing good things isn't always best, especially if doing "good" things means you can't take proper care of yourself, care for your family, and grow closer to God."
pg. 143 "Your body is trying to tell you something. Sometimes when you have pent-up fears and stress, your body has a way of letting you know you need to slow down and take better care of yourself. You may have watched your mom struggle, but you are not your mom and your husband is not your dad. You have to let go of that fear now. You are safe."
pg. 144 "My body didn't need a quick fix. My body needed patience, care, love, and attentiveness. God doesn't just want to heal my body or take away my physical sickness. God cares about the sickness of my soul too. Sometimes it takes weeks, months, years, and sometimes we spend the rest of our lives healing. Sometimes it takes surgery, chemo, an herbal regimen, and dietary changes. It takes time to untangle how the wounds from our soul affect the disease in our bodies. It takes time to wade through how our disease hands us wounds we carry deep in our souls. It takes time to learn how to take care of ourselves, how to slow down and rest. Healing is hard, and sometimes it hurts, but in time, we walk better. We learn how to lean on God. We learn we're not strong enough. We learn we need help. We learn we can't control life as much as we'd like to. I am constantly reminding myself I am safe with God. God is my healer. I matter to him - spirit, soul, and body."
pg. 146 "I can hear my soul more clearly when acupuncture puts those needles to my broken records. I hear that I am afraid, that healing never goes as quickly as I wish it would. That physical healing never happens without emotional and spiritual healing too. That I want to believe in the healer but sometimes he doesn't move fast enough for me. That sometimes the most productive thing I can do as I heal is rest. This seems so counterproductive for a doer and achiever like me. Our bodies do their best healing when we are asleep. Our souls do their best healing when we are resting in what God can do, not putting our confidence and trust in what our humanity and finite reach can do."
pg. 154 "I live my life like I'm holding my breath sometimes, like if I hold myself in a small enough ball, I will survive whatever hard times come my way. I'm still learning that letting go is the way to freedom. Letting go means admitting I can't control it, fix it, achieve it. Surrendering means admitting to myself and to God that I need help.
Surrendering means I really do trust God to know and do what's best for me, more than I trust what I think I know or understand. As much as I want to hold on to things or people or ideas or plans, I have to make sure I put my trust in the One who made the people, who gives the ideas, who conceives all the plans.
Surrendering is not a one-time experience. It is something I must do every day, moment by moment. It is where I must learn how to rest. Not just the kind of rest we get when we sleep, but a rest we need in our souls, especially when we take all of the problems of life and carry them on our shoulders as if we have the strength to carry it all. There is only One who carried it all, whose shoulders are strong enough for any problem, disease, concern, worry, wound, or frustration. His shoulds are big enough to carry today and eternity. God is the one who truly is in control."
pg. 157 "How do I keep going to God and asking when it seems like his consistent answer is no or wait? How do I keep believing the God who says no or wait when he knows how much that no or wait hurts me? How do I believe that God actually has my best interests at heart?....I've learned that there is no such thing as 'these people'. We don't get to choose. Everyone carries a load; we don't get to say what load, how we'll carry it, when we'll get it, or how long it will last."
pg. 158 "Some people said this would be a season, and maybe it is, but it hasn't ended yet. It's gone on longer than I thought I had the strength to walk. Sometimes I get so weary all I can muster in prayers is "God, help me." and sometimes no words come, and I trust he hears the things my soul wants to say when it hurts too much to gather the words to express."
pg. 168 "No easy answers here. Not a happy ending. But the more i live, the less I expect one. Happy endings are too conventient. They only belong in film or fictional stories. Real life is too adventurous and hard and beautiful to be reduced to neatly tied-up plotlines. In real life, woundedness and healing, grief and joy, doubt and gratitude sit closer than we think. I'm learning to sit in that tension, to find God waiting for me in the joy, in the tears, in the doubts, in the faith, in the questions."
pg. 173 Warrior Women "So find someone who can walk with you, cry and snot with you, pray with you, laugh with you, sit in silence with you, grieve with you, cuss with you, grab your shoulders and speak the truth to you until it hits you right where you need it. When discouragement and pity creep in, lean on your person, and let them help you be brave, in hopes that when they need it, you can help them be brave too."
pg. 186 "I wept at how God can take a wounded place and begin to heal there, even when that process is not quick and is not without its flaws and imperfections."
pg. 190 "My roots are full of hard things, sadness, loss, trauma, grief. The roots of nations and of families are not that different. They are both difficult to wade through, and it can be so challenging to see the strength as well as the weaknesses, the brave choices as well as the cowardly ones. But all those roots make me who I am, and I want to honor that with who I grow to be."
pg. 205 "Everyone has messages like these that rattle around in our minds and rise to the surface of our feelings at the most inopportune times. These repeating words keep us from speaking up, from standing up for what's right, from loving and being loved, from pursuing our dreams, and from growing in our relationship with God. No matter where you're from, how much money you make, how old you are, your social or relationship status, everyone has his or her own stack of broken records. It's hard to fix a broken record. We can try to use our will, our good deeds; we can try to keep up appearances in hopes that they will be the glue that holds us together. But the only way to fix our broken records is to examine what we have recorded there and trust the God who makes broken things whole to heal our faulty recordings and replace them with true and hopeful ones."
pg. 211 "I want to feel no need to apologize for who I am, what my story is, or where I come from, because all those things have created the loved, imperfect woman I am today."
pg. 29 "Hurtful words have a weeds-like way of tangling themselves around your image of yourself until the truth of who you are gets choked out by a joke someone told at your expense, by critical words someone said to cover their own insecurity, by mean lies you learn to live with as truth."
pg. 35 "The God who created the universe, made the leaves and fashioned the trees also uniquely designed my hair. And if I was going to love others well, I better also learn to love myself and how God made me. As we learn to love ourselves and how God uniquely made us, we can better love other people and see in them reflections of the amazing image of God."
pg. 118 "Doing good things isn't always best, especially if doing "good" things means you can't take proper care of yourself, care for your family, and grow closer to God."
pg. 143 "Your body is trying to tell you something. Sometimes when you have pent-up fears and stress, your body has a way of letting you know you need to slow down and take better care of yourself. You may have watched your mom struggle, but you are not your mom and your husband is not your dad. You have to let go of that fear now. You are safe."
pg. 144 "My body didn't need a quick fix. My body needed patience, care, love, and attentiveness. God doesn't just want to heal my body or take away my physical sickness. God cares about the sickness of my soul too. Sometimes it takes weeks, months, years, and sometimes we spend the rest of our lives healing. Sometimes it takes surgery, chemo, an herbal regimen, and dietary changes. It takes time to untangle how the wounds from our soul affect the disease in our bodies. It takes time to wade through how our disease hands us wounds we carry deep in our souls. It takes time to learn how to take care of ourselves, how to slow down and rest. Healing is hard, and sometimes it hurts, but in time, we walk better. We learn how to lean on God. We learn we're not strong enough. We learn we need help. We learn we can't control life as much as we'd like to. I am constantly reminding myself I am safe with God. God is my healer. I matter to him - spirit, soul, and body."
pg. 146 "I can hear my soul more clearly when acupuncture puts those needles to my broken records. I hear that I am afraid, that healing never goes as quickly as I wish it would. That physical healing never happens without emotional and spiritual healing too. That I want to believe in the healer but sometimes he doesn't move fast enough for me. That sometimes the most productive thing I can do as I heal is rest. This seems so counterproductive for a doer and achiever like me. Our bodies do their best healing when we are asleep. Our souls do their best healing when we are resting in what God can do, not putting our confidence and trust in what our humanity and finite reach can do."
pg. 154 "I live my life like I'm holding my breath sometimes, like if I hold myself in a small enough ball, I will survive whatever hard times come my way. I'm still learning that letting go is the way to freedom. Letting go means admitting I can't control it, fix it, achieve it. Surrendering means admitting to myself and to God that I need help.
Surrendering means I really do trust God to know and do what's best for me, more than I trust what I think I know or understand. As much as I want to hold on to things or people or ideas or plans, I have to make sure I put my trust in the One who made the people, who gives the ideas, who conceives all the plans.
Surrendering is not a one-time experience. It is something I must do every day, moment by moment. It is where I must learn how to rest. Not just the kind of rest we get when we sleep, but a rest we need in our souls, especially when we take all of the problems of life and carry them on our shoulders as if we have the strength to carry it all. There is only One who carried it all, whose shoulders are strong enough for any problem, disease, concern, worry, wound, or frustration. His shoulds are big enough to carry today and eternity. God is the one who truly is in control."
pg. 157 "How do I keep going to God and asking when it seems like his consistent answer is no or wait? How do I keep believing the God who says no or wait when he knows how much that no or wait hurts me? How do I believe that God actually has my best interests at heart?....I've learned that there is no such thing as 'these people'. We don't get to choose. Everyone carries a load; we don't get to say what load, how we'll carry it, when we'll get it, or how long it will last."
pg. 158 "Some people said this would be a season, and maybe it is, but it hasn't ended yet. It's gone on longer than I thought I had the strength to walk. Sometimes I get so weary all I can muster in prayers is "God, help me." and sometimes no words come, and I trust he hears the things my soul wants to say when it hurts too much to gather the words to express."
pg. 168 "No easy answers here. Not a happy ending. But the more i live, the less I expect one. Happy endings are too conventient. They only belong in film or fictional stories. Real life is too adventurous and hard and beautiful to be reduced to neatly tied-up plotlines. In real life, woundedness and healing, grief and joy, doubt and gratitude sit closer than we think. I'm learning to sit in that tension, to find God waiting for me in the joy, in the tears, in the doubts, in the faith, in the questions."
pg. 173 Warrior Women "So find someone who can walk with you, cry and snot with you, pray with you, laugh with you, sit in silence with you, grieve with you, cuss with you, grab your shoulders and speak the truth to you until it hits you right where you need it. When discouragement and pity creep in, lean on your person, and let them help you be brave, in hopes that when they need it, you can help them be brave too."
pg. 186 "I wept at how God can take a wounded place and begin to heal there, even when that process is not quick and is not without its flaws and imperfections."
pg. 190 "My roots are full of hard things, sadness, loss, trauma, grief. The roots of nations and of families are not that different. They are both difficult to wade through, and it can be so challenging to see the strength as well as the weaknesses, the brave choices as well as the cowardly ones. But all those roots make me who I am, and I want to honor that with who I grow to be."
pg. 205 "Everyone has messages like these that rattle around in our minds and rise to the surface of our feelings at the most inopportune times. These repeating words keep us from speaking up, from standing up for what's right, from loving and being loved, from pursuing our dreams, and from growing in our relationship with God. No matter where you're from, how much money you make, how old you are, your social or relationship status, everyone has his or her own stack of broken records. It's hard to fix a broken record. We can try to use our will, our good deeds; we can try to keep up appearances in hopes that they will be the glue that holds us together. But the only way to fix our broken records is to examine what we have recorded there and trust the God who makes broken things whole to heal our faulty recordings and replace them with true and hopeful ones."
pg. 211 "I want to feel no need to apologize for who I am, what my story is, or where I come from, because all those things have created the loved, imperfect woman I am today."
October 7, 2017
I will hereby admit that I had heard Amena speak before, but not perform, and hadn't read any previous books. So, I was a fan, but not a lunatic obsessive. In this book, though, she reveals herself and her journey in such vulnerable and beautiful ways, it's going to be hard to maintain that status. Amena's writing (about everything from songs that changed her life to the broken records we all play in our heads to the chance to discover her ancestry to the churches she attended and what they meant throughout her life to the loss of a baby and the desire to get pregnant) is poignant and reflective and beautiful without feeling *poignant* and *reflective* and *beautiful*. Instead, it feels more like a dear friend talking to you you over coffee, but with a great turn of phrase and depth of feeling.
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.
*I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.
October 8, 2017
A couple of disclosures: 1) I know Amena from working at Wellspring Living, being a part of a racial reconciliation group called "Be The Bridge", and several open mic nights at coffee shops in the ATL. 2) I received a free copy of this book as part of her launch team.
I expected to read this book slowly...kind of savoring the truths in it.
I devoured it like a piece of chocolate cake after election day. (Stress eaters unite!) I finished it off in two days and alternately laughed, cried, and shouted "Hallelujah" in the living room (to the consternation of my dogs). It's funny, it's transparent, it's tender, it's true. It felt like we were sitting around a dining room table having a conversation. It left me feeling hopeful. And I really, really needed that.
I expected to read this book slowly...kind of savoring the truths in it.
I devoured it like a piece of chocolate cake after election day. (Stress eaters unite!) I finished it off in two days and alternately laughed, cried, and shouted "Hallelujah" in the living room (to the consternation of my dogs). It's funny, it's transparent, it's tender, it's true. It felt like we were sitting around a dining room table having a conversation. It left me feeling hopeful. And I really, really needed that.
Read
December 29, 2022Amena truly captured her authentic voice in her latest book How to Fix a Broken Record. Through much of this book I literally felt like I was sitting across the table from her while sipping a latte. The stories she shares about insecurity, disappointment, dating, and God are honest and relate-able to many. While reading this book there were times when I laughed out loud, silently said "Me too" or simply thought deeply as her words resonated with my my unspoken sentiments. Amena's candid stories and poetic words drew me in and painted a beautiful picture of a woman who learning to embrace her journey. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever found themselves with a broken record or two of their own.
July 23, 2020
I was introduced to the stylings of Amena Brown Owen via If:Gathering 2014, in a spoken word performance she did with Ann Voskamp, Esther Generation. Oh how that label has followed me. Maybe you were born for such a time as this. It was electrifying. An erstwhile poet myself, I had always known that the spoken word poets could be powerful, but really, I. Had. No. Idea.
When I found out that her new book was called How to Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself, as a lifelong lover of all things Vinyl, I knew this was going to be something that resonated with me. “Your soul holds a massive record collection: melodies, rhythms, and bass lines. Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key. Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard.”
In this book Amena tells us her story. Her God story. Her self love story. Her marriage story. Her family story. Her finding herself story. And through these stories she weaves the imagery of a God in pursuit of her, the whole her, not just the pieces. A God whose words can eradicate the lies we tell ourselves. A God whose love transcends the love that we think we need, that we think is all we get. Amena affirms the truth of our age, that the lies we tell ourselves everyday, on repeat, like a record skipping, are just that, they are lies. And this God that pursued her, has so much more melody to offer than we can begin to orchestrate for ourselves.
In so many ways Amena and I have lived and live in two very different worlds, two very different stories. But her narrative is so engaging, her truths so universal, that her story beats in time with mine, and the truths that leap off her pages also leap off mine. The God she and I both love so deeply is beyond borders.
I need all my friends to read this book. For those suffering with depression, there are words of hope. For those suffering from infertility, there is soothing balm. For my pastor friends suffering Kingdom loss there is truth and holiness in Amena’s story of finding a home church. Each chapter brought something new to the fore, that I could recognize from my own day to day experiences. And every story screamed out, ME TOO, you are not alone.
23270225_1598992500161649_8325867393102079571_oNow days after finishing this, the imagery I cannot get out of my head is that of broken records. Negative messages, painful repetitions that play over and over in your mind. This imagery works on my heart in a powerful way. For me records are a love passed down from my father, that I am slowly passing down to my children. From my father I learned who the Beatles were, the best of Cat Stevens, and never to close doors with music, listen to everything, take in everything. I also learned how to love and be loved. My dad is not your church-going Christian, but from him I learned what a good father is, and my relationship with God is the deeper for it. I learned kindness, and generosity, I learned patience and tolerance. So the broken records have that b side, of a record well played, of grooves worn into my soul from constant repetitions of joy and love. What then am I passing on to my own children? What grooves am I wearing into their little selves? A love of the Beatles again, a love of well written words, kindness. And perhaps a little something of that holy beat that dwells in all of us.
Amena put words to the longest refrain of my soul, trying to understand this holy, miraculous God in this cubicle dwelling, black and white seeking world:
“I’m living every day trying to hold the tension of fully trusting in a God my humanity will never completely understand."
Ours is a God who defies boxes, who breaks out of definitions, and brings walls crashing down. All we can do, as Amena does here so eloquently, is continue spinning those records, telling each other our stories, and piece by piece we get a fuller picture of who this God is. As our small narratives weave together, we can see his face more clearly.
Pick up this book, you will not regret it.
When I found out that her new book was called How to Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself, as a lifelong lover of all things Vinyl, I knew this was going to be something that resonated with me. “Your soul holds a massive record collection: melodies, rhythms, and bass lines. Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key. Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard.”
In this book Amena tells us her story. Her God story. Her self love story. Her marriage story. Her family story. Her finding herself story. And through these stories she weaves the imagery of a God in pursuit of her, the whole her, not just the pieces. A God whose words can eradicate the lies we tell ourselves. A God whose love transcends the love that we think we need, that we think is all we get. Amena affirms the truth of our age, that the lies we tell ourselves everyday, on repeat, like a record skipping, are just that, they are lies. And this God that pursued her, has so much more melody to offer than we can begin to orchestrate for ourselves.
In so many ways Amena and I have lived and live in two very different worlds, two very different stories. But her narrative is so engaging, her truths so universal, that her story beats in time with mine, and the truths that leap off her pages also leap off mine. The God she and I both love so deeply is beyond borders.
I need all my friends to read this book. For those suffering with depression, there are words of hope. For those suffering from infertility, there is soothing balm. For my pastor friends suffering Kingdom loss there is truth and holiness in Amena’s story of finding a home church. Each chapter brought something new to the fore, that I could recognize from my own day to day experiences. And every story screamed out, ME TOO, you are not alone.
23270225_1598992500161649_8325867393102079571_oNow days after finishing this, the imagery I cannot get out of my head is that of broken records. Negative messages, painful repetitions that play over and over in your mind. This imagery works on my heart in a powerful way. For me records are a love passed down from my father, that I am slowly passing down to my children. From my father I learned who the Beatles were, the best of Cat Stevens, and never to close doors with music, listen to everything, take in everything. I also learned how to love and be loved. My dad is not your church-going Christian, but from him I learned what a good father is, and my relationship with God is the deeper for it. I learned kindness, and generosity, I learned patience and tolerance. So the broken records have that b side, of a record well played, of grooves worn into my soul from constant repetitions of joy and love. What then am I passing on to my own children? What grooves am I wearing into their little selves? A love of the Beatles again, a love of well written words, kindness. And perhaps a little something of that holy beat that dwells in all of us.
Amena put words to the longest refrain of my soul, trying to understand this holy, miraculous God in this cubicle dwelling, black and white seeking world:
“I’m living every day trying to hold the tension of fully trusting in a God my humanity will never completely understand."
Ours is a God who defies boxes, who breaks out of definitions, and brings walls crashing down. All we can do, as Amena does here so eloquently, is continue spinning those records, telling each other our stories, and piece by piece we get a fuller picture of who this God is. As our small narratives weave together, we can see his face more clearly.
Pick up this book, you will not regret it.
November 9, 2017
Your soul holds a massive record collection: melodies, rhythms, and bass lines. Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key. Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard. Spoken word poet Amena Brown’s broken records played messages about how she wasn’t worthy to be loved. How to Fix a Broken Record chronicles her journey of healing as she’s allowed the music of God’s love to replace the scratchy taunts of her past. From bad dates to marriage lessons at Waffle House, from learning to love her hair to learning to love an unexpected season of life, from discovering the power of saying no and the freedom to say yes, Amena offers keep-it-real stories your soul can relate to. The hurtful words of others and the failures of your past often determine what record you play the most in your mind. Those painful repetitions can become loud at the most inopportune time, keeping you from speaking up, pursuing your dreams, and growing closer to God. Recognize the negative messages that play on repeat every day in your mind. Learn how to replace them with the truth that you are a beloved child of God. And discover how to laugh along the way as you find new joy in the beautiful music of your life.
So, I've never heard this author speak, though it would seem she has quite a following...in fact, I'd never even heard OF her until reading this book. That said, I'll be looking into her other stuff now, just out of curiosity, since I liked the book. Being a 'music person,' (you either are or you aren't...if you are, then you know what I mean), I cannot imagine a single moment of my life without some song or melody attached to it. This is wonderful many times, because every melody brings up a memory that might otherwise be forgotten. It can also be a curse...see the above reasoning. 😐 The author talks about how to 'hear' those memories without letting them completely wash over you...letting go and moving forward from the bad memories. The book is written in a conversational tone, and would be a great read for anyone influenced by music.
So, I've never heard this author speak, though it would seem she has quite a following...in fact, I'd never even heard OF her until reading this book. That said, I'll be looking into her other stuff now, just out of curiosity, since I liked the book. Being a 'music person,' (you either are or you aren't...if you are, then you know what I mean), I cannot imagine a single moment of my life without some song or melody attached to it. This is wonderful many times, because every melody brings up a memory that might otherwise be forgotten. It can also be a curse...see the above reasoning. 😐 The author talks about how to 'hear' those memories without letting them completely wash over you...letting go and moving forward from the bad memories. The book is written in a conversational tone, and would be a great read for anyone influenced by music.
April 11, 2019
I have seen Amena Brown perform her spoken word poetry live twice I think. She mixes deep thoughts with humor and great writing. I picked up How to Fix a Broken Record on audiobook when it was on sale a few weeks ago. I moved it to the top of my list after listening to Amena Brown interview Hillary Yancey about Yancey’s book Forgiving God.
How to Fix a Broken Record is the type of young-ish Christian memoir that I really like to read every once in a while. The 30-something’s thoughts on life and love and what is really important. I get down on Christian Publishing at times, but Christian Publishing does print a number of books that are really good but do not get wide readership.
How to Fix a Broken Record is a roughly chronological spiritual memoir, early life, dating, church thoughts, career, eventual marriage, more thoughts on art and calling, miscarriage, the learning to be an adult, health issues, maturing. I am guessing, but I think I am probably about 7 to 10 years older. Some of her experiences are ones that I have lived through myself, many others are not. But they are still identifiable as common to the human condition. But like many other memoirs it is the telling and thoughts on them that matters, not the uniqueness of the experiences.
What continues to be important in my quest this year to keep 2/3 of my reading by Black or other authors of Color is that I see that experience does matter. It matters that when Brown goes on a mission trip to Africa, that she has to think about slavery and what it means to be descended from slaves. It matters that she has to think about hair differently than I do. It matters that as a woman, she experiences thoughts about pregnancy and miscarriage differently than I would.
How to Fix a Broken Record was well written. The mix of deep spiritual thoughts and life advice with lots of humor makes the whole book a pleasure. Her narration of the audiobook is excellent, but equally good in print. She has five spoken word albums and I need to check those out as well.
This is cross posted at my blog at http://bookwi.se/how-to-fix-a-broken-...
How to Fix a Broken Record is the type of young-ish Christian memoir that I really like to read every once in a while. The 30-something’s thoughts on life and love and what is really important. I get down on Christian Publishing at times, but Christian Publishing does print a number of books that are really good but do not get wide readership.
How to Fix a Broken Record is a roughly chronological spiritual memoir, early life, dating, church thoughts, career, eventual marriage, more thoughts on art and calling, miscarriage, the learning to be an adult, health issues, maturing. I am guessing, but I think I am probably about 7 to 10 years older. Some of her experiences are ones that I have lived through myself, many others are not. But they are still identifiable as common to the human condition. But like many other memoirs it is the telling and thoughts on them that matters, not the uniqueness of the experiences.
What continues to be important in my quest this year to keep 2/3 of my reading by Black or other authors of Color is that I see that experience does matter. It matters that when Brown goes on a mission trip to Africa, that she has to think about slavery and what it means to be descended from slaves. It matters that she has to think about hair differently than I do. It matters that as a woman, she experiences thoughts about pregnancy and miscarriage differently than I would.
How to Fix a Broken Record was well written. The mix of deep spiritual thoughts and life advice with lots of humor makes the whole book a pleasure. Her narration of the audiobook is excellent, but equally good in print. She has five spoken word albums and I need to check those out as well.
This is cross posted at my blog at http://bookwi.se/how-to-fix-a-broken-...
January 23, 2018
How to Fix a Broken Record has the unique feeling of being both familiar and brand new at the same time.
Amena comes along side her readers much like a big sister or an older best friend, walking her readers through the lessons she's learned as she reflects back on the lessons life and music have brought her way.
To be fair, there are a lot of life lesson/reflections based books on the market these days and Amena's book hits on many of the same topics that have already been discussed. However, there were a few areas that helped How to Fix a Broken Record stand out from the crowd.
First, Amena brings balance into her discussion looking at lesson from throughout the different stages of her life. While others do this to different degrees the honesty with which Amena looks at singleness, dating, marriage, and infertility is a scope and breadth not often seen in this type of book. I love how she allows readers to see the beauty and pain of each stage rather than chasing after a single chapter. I appreciated the honesty with which these struggles were presented.
I also appreciated the fact that Amena brings her whole self forward into her lessons: her life, her experiences, and her culture. I confess, in many ways I am very naive about American culture in general living north of the border and to see Amena paint her life as a minority within the United States was helpful.
Overall, this was a solid book and a great option for readers looking for a read focusing on life experiences. Those who read extensively within the genre may find their attention wavering at times as the uniqueness is centered mainly upon the fact that it is Amena's story rather than broader concepts or aproaches.
4 out of 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Amena comes along side her readers much like a big sister or an older best friend, walking her readers through the lessons she's learned as she reflects back on the lessons life and music have brought her way.
To be fair, there are a lot of life lesson/reflections based books on the market these days and Amena's book hits on many of the same topics that have already been discussed. However, there were a few areas that helped How to Fix a Broken Record stand out from the crowd.
First, Amena brings balance into her discussion looking at lesson from throughout the different stages of her life. While others do this to different degrees the honesty with which Amena looks at singleness, dating, marriage, and infertility is a scope and breadth not often seen in this type of book. I love how she allows readers to see the beauty and pain of each stage rather than chasing after a single chapter. I appreciated the honesty with which these struggles were presented.
I also appreciated the fact that Amena brings her whole self forward into her lessons: her life, her experiences, and her culture. I confess, in many ways I am very naive about American culture in general living north of the border and to see Amena paint her life as a minority within the United States was helpful.
Overall, this was a solid book and a great option for readers looking for a read focusing on life experiences. Those who read extensively within the genre may find their attention wavering at times as the uniqueness is centered mainly upon the fact that it is Amena's story rather than broader concepts or aproaches.
4 out of 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
November 20, 2017
No, Amena Brown’s How to Fix a Broken Record isn’t a title that’s meant to be taken literally. So for you vinyl enthusiasts who have come to this page looking for advice on how to cure your record after it has been warped by direct sunlight or shattered into pieces … sorry. What this book is, instead, is a kind of spiritual memoir divided into themes such as home, being single, growing up and more, that revolve around how the author managed to get through challenges in her own life. Brown, it turns out, is a spoken word poet, and so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that How to Fix a Broken Record has oodles of fire and passion, sass and wit.
Brown, in fact, at times reminds me of an African American version of Rachel Held Evans, not in terms of spiritual backgrounds or beliefs, say, but more that they both possess a chatty, friendly writing style. Brown speaks in the latter pages of having to make herself more invisible (which I can only imagine as being problematic for a black woman) and let more of what she was writing about seep through by letting herself step back. I’m glad to say that, in this book, Brown doesn’t become so invisible that her writing takes on a detached quality. You still see her personality, and the stories are about her, but, in some ways, they also feel universal.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
Brown, in fact, at times reminds me of an African American version of Rachel Held Evans, not in terms of spiritual backgrounds or beliefs, say, but more that they both possess a chatty, friendly writing style. Brown speaks in the latter pages of having to make herself more invisible (which I can only imagine as being problematic for a black woman) and let more of what she was writing about seep through by letting herself step back. I’m glad to say that, in this book, Brown doesn’t become so invisible that her writing takes on a detached quality. You still see her personality, and the stories are about her, but, in some ways, they also feel universal.
Read the rest here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...
June 14, 2018
I first heard of Amena on the Topology Podcast, and felt a connection. This connection was understood when she described herself as “recovering perfectionist “ who does not take failure well. Like her, I am a “classic oldest kid, trained to take care of everything and every one.” We are both church kids, “raised to say and accept the good, convenient, Sunday school answers. Southern born and bred, trained to smile and be polite, even in the face of foolishness.” The combination of these things make us prime candidates “for holding our breath and holding it all together.”
“How to Fix a Broken Record” is a book that pulls you into Amena’s life and struggles of a young woman who does not view herself as beautiful, with physical flaws, and being rejected by the “cool kids.” Cruel and painful voices echo through her thoughts. She relates these times of her life to songs and albums that were a part of her life at the time.
Even though, I am of a different generation and my taste in music may be different, I resonate with the author in the telling of her life story. Her message at the end of the book now plays loud and clear through my thought waves, “Hear the truth. Hear the hope. Hear the peace Jesus brings with him into every record you’ve got playing in your life. Lies don’t get to play on repeat here There’s healing in the melody. You can find a new song here. Put your ear to the groove and listen.”
“How to Fix a Broken Record” is a book that pulls you into Amena’s life and struggles of a young woman who does not view herself as beautiful, with physical flaws, and being rejected by the “cool kids.” Cruel and painful voices echo through her thoughts. She relates these times of her life to songs and albums that were a part of her life at the time.
Even though, I am of a different generation and my taste in music may be different, I resonate with the author in the telling of her life story. Her message at the end of the book now plays loud and clear through my thought waves, “Hear the truth. Hear the hope. Hear the peace Jesus brings with him into every record you’ve got playing in your life. Lies don’t get to play on repeat here There’s healing in the melody. You can find a new song here. Put your ear to the groove and listen.”
April 13, 2018
Reading How to Fix a Broken Record is a great deal like sitting down with one of your most treasured friends; the friend who speaks plain truths into your life and shares vulnerably from her own. Amena Brown does exactly that in her fabulous new book. So many books I've read regarding Christian faith are too often simplistic. While they impart encouraging words or uplifting scriptures, they often do so in the absence of real life stories. Heartache and difficulties are glazed over so that only hope and joy remain. The beauty of this book is that Amena shares her struggles in authentic and meaningful ways. She refuses to sugar coat disappointment, and her book is honest and refreshing because of it. For those experiencing struggles, she drops bread crumbs of faith and wisdom that lead you back to a God who loves you immensely even when your heart is broken and the story you are living is not the one you wanted. Further, she reminds you that your broken records do not have to remain as repeating refrains that drag you down. God's grace and truth can rewrite those refrains into ones that inspire and sustain you. Throughout the book I laughed, I cried, and I nodded my head in solidarity. It will be one that I reread and recommend without hesitation.
*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
November 2, 2017
How to Fix a Broken Record
Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself
by Amena Brown
Zondervan Non-Fiction
Zondervan
Christian
Pub Date 07 Nov 2017
I am reviewing a copy of How to Fix A Broken Record through Zondervan and Netgalley:
In this book Amena Brown opens up about heartbreak and healing, and healing. She reminds us that our soul has a huge collection of melodies, rhythms and bass lines. There are memories that make you want to dance, and some that haunt you in a minor key.
In this book we are reminded that God loves us unconditionally. That whether or not we feel worthy to be loved we are loved by Jesus. She opens up about not feeling worthy about the mistakes she made a long the way but despite that all Jesus was there.
Amena Brown often reminds us that failures of our past, the words we hear have a effect on us. The painful repletion’s can become loud at the most inoppurtune times, causing us not to speak up or reach for our dreams.
I give How to Fix A Broken Record five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
December 17, 2017
Maybe you've heard the words that you never succeed in life by a loved one, a former boss or even an ex. Maybe the enemy has lied to you and told you that you weren't good enough and you actually believed it. Did you believe him when he told you that you weren't a child of the King? Or maybe, you did something and feel that God could never forgive someone like you. Well, truth is that Amena knows first hand the struggles and seasons of what it's life to experience broken pieces. She offers her story on the loss of a baby and her desire to get pregnant. This completely spoke to my heart and she offers the reader what it means to stick it on through the thick and thin of the journey when life isn't easy. I have heard Amena brown speak through IF gathering, so I was excited to read her book, but this is my first read by her. This book is fantastic! It feels like I am sitting down over a cup of coffee talking about real life. This book was very easy to read and I read it fast. I give this book 5/5 stars.
October 11, 2019
This had been on my to-read list for a while, and I'll say that I was first interested in it because I thought it was going to be about vinyl records and the memories around them, but instead it was just a small portion of the book in which that stuff what mentioned (like a few paragraphs).
Regardless of what I thought this book was about, when I actually learned the story, I was even more crazy about it. The author is a spoken word poet performer who tells of her struggles as a kid who was obsessed with books and mocked for how she dressed as a kid. She was teased pretty poorly. Then, she tells her struggles as a single black woman trying to find a man who was committed to marry her and willing to accept that she was waiting for marriage to have sex, even as she was 30.
Beyond that, she tells about Jesus throughout her story and how He was who helped her along the way and was showing Himself to her daily, even when things were not easy and when things were great. She wrote really beautifully and I enjoyed her story so much that I ate it up! She's so cool.
Regardless of what I thought this book was about, when I actually learned the story, I was even more crazy about it. The author is a spoken word poet performer who tells of her struggles as a kid who was obsessed with books and mocked for how she dressed as a kid. She was teased pretty poorly. Then, she tells her struggles as a single black woman trying to find a man who was committed to marry her and willing to accept that she was waiting for marriage to have sex, even as she was 30.
Beyond that, she tells about Jesus throughout her story and how He was who helped her along the way and was showing Himself to her daily, even when things were not easy and when things were great. She wrote really beautifully and I enjoyed her story so much that I ate it up! She's so cool.
March 4, 2018
AMAZING!! What a powerful voice for women, no matter their color. I listened to this book in a mere 3 days because I wanted to soak in everything Amena had to say. I believe I would like my children to listen to this book when they are young adults, dating and living and coming into themselves. I identified with her as a people-pleaser who doesn't naturally know how to say no, as a military child who cried every time she had to move and make knew friends, and as a wife who is sensitive, says the wrong things and then has to choose to do the hard work of talking it through. As a black woman, she shed light into her life and history for her readers/listeners that allows us, who do not share that experience, to understand a little more fully what it means to be a black American. And throughout it all she describes her relationship with God, the way it has been hurt and healed and blossomed. Beautiful book. Also, DEFINITELY worth listening to on Audible.
August 16, 2018
4.5!!!
I bought this at a conference where I heard the author speak. (And she was AMAZING.) I loved her performance and decided to pick up her book. So glad I did because I LOVED IT! She is a christian author and goes through things she's learned in her life from being a kid to a married adult. She has amazing wisdom for a 30 something and definitely keeps it real and witty and FUNNY! It's like sitting down and hanging out with Amena for lunch and wanting to stay for dinner and then late into the night.
I actually started this book, put it down on chapter 3 because I got sidetracked, then read the entire rest of the book in a day/ night. She talks on everything from hair, to mr. right/not right, being an unmarried adult, getting married, learning to be and love yourself. There were a lot of chapters I intend to share with friends. I loved her honesty, her openness and sharing not only the highs of life, but the struggles as well (and what she learned through them).
I bought this at a conference where I heard the author speak. (And she was AMAZING.) I loved her performance and decided to pick up her book. So glad I did because I LOVED IT! She is a christian author and goes through things she's learned in her life from being a kid to a married adult. She has amazing wisdom for a 30 something and definitely keeps it real and witty and FUNNY! It's like sitting down and hanging out with Amena for lunch and wanting to stay for dinner and then late into the night.
I actually started this book, put it down on chapter 3 because I got sidetracked, then read the entire rest of the book in a day/ night. She talks on everything from hair, to mr. right/not right, being an unmarried adult, getting married, learning to be and love yourself. There were a lot of chapters I intend to share with friends. I loved her honesty, her openness and sharing not only the highs of life, but the struggles as well (and what she learned through them).
November 7, 2017
I sat down to read How to Fix A Broken Record on a flight from Denver to Nashville. I didn't know what to expect. I love Amena's work, but in a season where I'm weary of hearing so many directive voices, books haven't really been my jam. I read the first 2/3 of the book on that flight. It felt as if the dearest of friends was sitting next to me and for a few moments, life had no filters, tensions were held with care, and hope continue to call me to forward without offering any neat and tidy solutions. What a gift! As I finished the rest of the book on my return flight, and read the closing words, there was a sense of "We're going to be okay" resounding in my heart. Amena extends the invitation of a hope that is not blind. It is a risky invitation to say yes to, but one of the most precious.
December 30, 2017
Amena Brown is the voice I've longed to hear in the faith community for so long. With grace and humor, her artful words rhythmically float across the page in this spiritual memoir. She never claims to have all the answers, but instead guides readers on a journey of wisdom thorugh her personal experience.
By the time I finished this book, I felt like I'd sat across the table from Amena and we shared a long, meaningful conversation about the best things and the really difficult things of life (and laughed until we peed a little). How to Fix a Broken Record resounds with depth but doesn't get lost in the weeds of over-spiritualization. It's the perfect refresh read for your soul.
By the time I finished this book, I felt like I'd sat across the table from Amena and we shared a long, meaningful conversation about the best things and the really difficult things of life (and laughed until we peed a little). How to Fix a Broken Record resounds with depth but doesn't get lost in the weeds of over-spiritualization. It's the perfect refresh read for your soul.
November 20, 2017
As a LP record-loving lady, this book was speaking my heart language. I found such deep observations that spoke to the deep hurts that God is currently healing in my life. Amena invited me to pull up a chair to her table, with no shame of my nerdiness, and allowed me to listen to the music of her life. She shared various subjects as God was mixing new tracks in her life from teen to adult, some of which I couldn’t relate to and felt very honored to be let in on. I can’t recommend this book enough, even if you’re not a music nerd like me. Any reader would be happy to peek into Amena’s fantastic thoughts on life, faith, love, and figuring out who exactly God created us to be.
May 30, 2018
Amena shares experiences from her life, dividing the sections of her book into different seasons: childhood, dating, marriage, adulthood, surrendering to God, finding home, and finding your groove.
I appreciated her honesty and vulnerability as well as the universal truths she shared. I was encouraged as a person, woman, and Christian. I was expecting a book of poetry rather than a memoir but really enjoyed her stories and was pleasantly surprised by the understanding and relatability found in her words. I would recommend this book to women. I especially appreciated her words for married people.
I appreciated her honesty and vulnerability as well as the universal truths she shared. I was encouraged as a person, woman, and Christian. I was expecting a book of poetry rather than a memoir but really enjoyed her stories and was pleasantly surprised by the understanding and relatability found in her words. I would recommend this book to women. I especially appreciated her words for married people.
October 14, 2019
This book was not quite what I thought it would be. Here’s a hint for you: the subtitle says “Thoughts on ...” and that’s what this book is. Every chapter is a short essay involving memories of the author’s past, and every couple of chapters are a section, such as her growing up, dating, marriage, adulting, etc. Really it’s just her stories from her life and some things she has learned along the way, with some occasional, briefly discussed, faith-based truth.
I honestly don’t know what I would say if you asked me what I was expecting, but it just felt lacking. So, how to fix a broken record? For this one I’m not going to bother because it’s just not my taste in music.
I honestly don’t know what I would say if you asked me what I was expecting, but it just felt lacking. So, how to fix a broken record? For this one I’m not going to bother because it’s just not my taste in music.
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