In her book, "Taking Off The Mask" Claire Musters has courageously chosen to make herself vulnerable by sharing openly and honestly about her own journey of how she came to the point of being able to remove her own mask and become more authentic. When someone is willing to do this, it encourages others of us to do the same.
She writes, "Within these pages I'll be encouraging you to dig deep and find out why you wear a mask, as well as suggesting steps you can take to help you remove it and reveal the real you - so the least I can do is share with you the journey that has led me to this point." (p5)
Within her book she shares not only examples from her own life but also examples from those she has spoken with and examples from the Bible too. Her book is divided into three parts: she tells her own journey in part one, reasons for mask wearing is explored in part two and part three focuses on removing the mask. Throughout the book Claire has included points for personal reflection which encourage the reader to think more about what they have read and how it might apply to their own life.
This is a book not just to be read, I believe it is also one to be engaged with. I believe God can use this book to bring us to a deeper relationship with him and to encourage us to be who he has made us to be, to be authentic Christians. However, this will only happen if we choose to read with open hearts and minds, to listen to what God wants to say to us through it and take the courageous step to remove our masks. It is challenging but, with God, it is possible.
I would highly recommend Claire's book to anyone, for we all wear masks at one time or another, for various reasons. The book is clearly written and easy to understand. You may decide that you want to work through this book with a close friend so that you can encourage and support one another on your journey. It could also be used within a book group setting, providing the members feel safe and comfortable sharing within the group. It could also be used as a resource for small groups at church.
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