Twenty-five years ago, if you were to name the top five Christian music artists, Sandi Patty might have been included on your list. Sandi’s career peaked in the ’80s. She was touring with the Gaithers and winning multiple awards, including several Grammy and GMA Dove awards, and was belting out hit songs on nearly every Christian radio station in the country. Sandi was, in fact, the highest paid singer in the Christian music industry.

And then a bomb dropped: Not only did Sandi file for divorce from her husband, it was revealed that she had allegedly entered into an inappropriate relationship with another man while she was still married. This scandal rocked the Christian community. Almost overnight, the amazing success Sandi had achieved came crashing down around her. She was banned by Christian radio stations and music halls, and her fans were stunned.

Sandi never denied the accusations, and over the next several years suffered the fallout from her poor choices. She also worked hard to dig her way out of her mess. But, most importantly, she experienced the depth of God’s love and mercy. And that’s one of the main messages she shares within the pages of THE EDGE OF THE DIVINE.

Chapter one starts with Sandi describing her first visit to the bariatric surgeon about surgical weight loss, and at first, I thought that would be the entire focus of the book. As you probably know, Sandi has battled with her weight all her life. She’s been referred to as “the heavy singer,” and her stylist named her “The Plus-Sized Barbie.” A few years ago, on the recommendation of her family doctor, Sandi had the Lap Band surgical weight loss procedure and lost 80 pounds at the time she wrote the book.

Throughout THE EDGE OF THE DIVINE, Sandi talks a lot about her weight loss journey. Her struggle with food addiction has played a vital role in her life, but she says the problem has never been the food. Instead, it’s what was driving that desire to shove forkful after forkful into her mouth. Her addiction stemmed from a traumatic event that happened when she was six; it shattered her trust in authority and in the idea that she was lovable. Through years of extensive therapy and support from friends and family, Sandi has come to realize that nothing she has done can affect God’s love for her. She wants us to understand that as well.

At times this book seems to be relatively scattered, in that the stories jump from one to the other with no clear focus or transition. Sandi includes accounts from her childhood, her music career, and her marriage and family life. But I will say that each individual account is engaging, entertaining and often witty. Scripture is quoted regularly, and her thoughts are insightful and relevant.

Sandi has a heartwarming, personal style that makes it easy to relate to her. I truly enjoyed getting to know her as a woman, hearing her testimony, and learning about her life and the lessons she’s picked up along the way. Her story is interesting not only because she is an icon in the Christian music industry, but because she struggles with the same issues as every woman deals with --- weight, identity, self-worth, trust, and balancing relationships. She also has admitted to making poor choices that cost her more than she ever imagined. She’s been at the door of depression, bawled her eyes out in a church pew, and had to humble herself and repent before God, not to mention the Christian community. But more than that, Sandi has had to find the strength to make real changes in her life --- changes that were scary, difficult, unthinkable and impossible.

What it all adds up to is that Sandi is authentic. She is you, and she is me.

THE EDGE OF THE DIVINE contains several messages that Sandi Patty wants to relay. The one that stuck out to me the most is that it’s not enough to want to change. We have to be willing to do what it takes to make that change. In other words, we have to be willing to step off the edge and into the divine.