On a cold Friday evening, after a difficult day of health issues, my doorbell rang and a package arrived. I tore open the envelope and time stopped. It was the book that I had been waiting for and in other ways the book that I had been dreading. Holding Kara's final book, made it feel that there was an ending to a precious chapter once again happening. Did I ever meet Kara personally? Sadly no. I can't wait to meet her in Heaven and give her the biggest hug and sit and chat with her for hours. I will thank her for the impact that she has had on so many lives, including mine and thank her for taking her precious energy and time and writing this book, "and it was beautiful".
I curled up on the couch with the rain and snow lightly falling down and started to read. I laughed at some moments that caught me off guard and wept at the moments that I knew were coming. I rejoiced in her victories and cried for her family at the sorrow and pain that she faced. I couldn't put the book down and a couple of hours later I reluctantly turned the last page. There was so much wisdom in this little book that I turned back to the front cover and started reading it again.
In the last week since I have received this book I have re-read parts of it dozens of times. The title is aptly named- for the book and for Kara's life was beautiful, but beyond that there is a broader message of finding the joy and grace in the hard, celebrating the everyday moments with those that you love, joyfully accepting the way that God writes our stores, and tenderly realizing that our hope is found not in this temporary earth but in a God who lives forever.
This book has been life changing to me and I have returned to it many times - making notes and highlighting sections that have continued to resonate with me. If you are looking for a book that is meant to inspire you will find that but you also will find much more. You will find the extraordinary way that God was not only working in Kara's life but in your own.
I hate ending this post the same way that I hated ending the book- I feel like so much more could be said and so much more should be written. But I will leave simply to say- Go and pick up the book, you will not regret it- your life will be changed forever.
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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.
1 comment
Oh I'll have to pick this up. I read Just Show Up and LOVED it!
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