Amy Kvell

Amy Kvell is a natural at writing, teaching, and motivating! Her new book Small Hinges MoveBig Doors is both inspiring and practical as she calls the reader to an immediate hands-on personal application. Amy utilizes her own “hinge” experiences to challenge the reader to apply each one to an area where they want to make personal improvements in their own lives. By including activities such as journaling, drawing, and occasional self assessments, each chapter builds on the one before. Amy beautifully incorporates scripture as she shares practical advice from her own life experiences. She very candidly weaves together her personal trials, as well as successes, in balancing her busy life as a working mom, wife, speaker, life coach, author, and Bible teacher. She incorporates “hinge hacks“ to give the reader practical ideas that can be immediately applied in their own life situations. They are then challenged to journal their thoughts and ideas on how they can apply these while reflecting on their own past trials and successes.

Small Hinges MoveBig Doors allows the reader to pick and choose areas where they most need help. Each chapter has a topic that the reader is drawn to immediately. I could really relate to chapter 5 on dealing with temptations! Incorporating self-effacing humor, Amy paints the picture of her own personal vulnerability by sharing the time she gave in to an ice cream binge and tried to hide it from her husband, while they were meeting their new neighbors! Her openness and non-judgmental prodding, encourage us to reflect on a few of our own such past experiences with strategies and tools to face the next time we are tempted.

Amy has a wealth of practical insight and personal experience with teaching youth, as well as her own children. She shares openly about her own journey of purity, praying for the specifics of her future husband, and even reflections on their “love story.“  I was so amazed to learn she has 20 teen girls over for home-cooked meals every Sunday night while sharing scripture in a non-confrontational way. It is amazing how God has gifted Amy in applying this to family, children, teens, young moms, and even seasoned older women like myself.

Amy beautifully draws Small Hinges to an end with “awkward is awesome.“ She shares her own strategy of teaching others that it is OK to feel awkward about sharing our faith, but we are ultimately called to do so. Our personal testimony becomes a teaching tool to use with those around us, and even with strangers. Most young people never get to hear or especially to see this demonstrated so naturally. Amy poignantly shares how her friend Laura showed her Christ by living her Christian faith. Then Amy shows how to explain the plan of salvation in a very easy and practical manner that the reader can also use.

The final chapter of Small Hinges Move Big Doors leaves us with advice on how to lighten our load while finding more joy and fulfillment in our own walk and journey. Amy then equips us with tools and practical advice on how to do just that.

I highly recommend Small Hinges Move Big Doors for busy moms, teens, and all of us who just need that extra motivation and inspiration. This book can also be used for corporate Bible studies, personal instruction or simply as a tool when we need to go back and find one of those “small hinges.” It would be a wonderful gift to give for special occasions or women of all ages. In addition, Amy would be a great speaker to invite to your youth groups, schools, women’s groups or anywhere!”