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ehunt's review
5.0
I was literally weeping 1o pages into this book. It felt like finally someone understood the feelings of shame, isolation, and anger that can accompany suffering.
This book did not provide any quick fixes, but it did give me a greater understanding of the gospel - which is better than any tip or trick - and hope for the future of the church as we seek to care and love people who are suffering in a myriad of ways.
If you are suffering or know someone who is (so basically everybody), this book is a must read.
This book did not provide any quick fixes, but it did give me a greater understanding of the gospel - which is better than any tip or trick - and hope for the future of the church as we seek to care and love people who are suffering in a myriad of ways.
If you are suffering or know someone who is (so basically everybody), this book is a must read.
nicoletallywhite's review
2.0
Probably not the book that’s 2 stars but my timing in reading it. Just not what I was looking for at this time.
kecb12's review
4.0
This is an incredible book—well-written, thoroughly researched, and challenging. I will read it again for sure since there are so many good encouragements and messages to be found. There were parts of it that felt a little slow, maybe because of some clunky wording and big concepts, but getting through those parts was worth it. I certainly feel like I have a better understanding of how the every day suffering that we all bear can be a way to connect with Jesus, and, in fact, is one of the best ways.
reagansoper's review
4.0
I’m in class about suffering and this came in handy with how you actually deal with suffering
abidoodle's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This book is beautiful. If you have ever experienced any kind of suffering or deep pain, “lasting” or not, there is much to learn from K.J’s story. She encourages us to face and embrace our pain and not isolate ourselves. She reminds us we are entire, whole beings which consist of spirit, mind, and body, and she reminds us to pay attention to all of them in our pain. It so happens that I chose to read it at a timely time, as my family is dealing with a lot of suffering and pain right now, and this book has really helped in me in a difficult time in my life. I highly highly recommend this book! Thank you K.J. for vulnerably sharing your story with us and for allowing it to impact and teach and encourage!
lingfish7's review
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up. I wish I could give this 5 stars for how many times it made me tear up, touched that special place in my soul, or softened my heart towards God and the church, but I have to knock off a star due to the long & windy road of prose a very long middle of the book. The first four chapters were good and meaningful; slow but good. I got lost and bored somewhere in chapters 5-8 and I can tell you I still think that section could have been condensed to just one chapter.
I'm a poet who loves me some prose, but I think the organization was off-key in chapters 5-8. I didn't really know where Ramsey was taking me or for what purpose? It kind of felt like each paragraph was it's own thesis so I didn't know where I was in the journey. It was painful to read each page of the middle of the book. Not because it wasn't good, but that there was no clear unity to the chapters so it felt like I had to process a separate thing each paragraph. Honestly if chapters 5-8 were written in poetry form I think I would have followed better (and I think they could have been modified slightly and reduced to be converted from the prosy paragraphs to stanzas in poems).
The book really picked back up in chapter 9 and had a solid conclusion on chapter 10. In fact, chapter 9 impacted me most because it's about communion within the body of believers. I actually think this chapter was the most essayistic in the book, making clear arguments (my favorite part of non-fiction) for the need to create space for suffering and lament in the church. I really liked her thought provoking questions like this one in that section: "Are we moving one another toward a kingdom of consumeristic self-sufficiency or the kingdom of communion?" (pg. 192)
Overall, I had to round up to 4 stars because of the emotional and mental impact this book had on me. It forced me to wrestle with my doubts of God when I'm in suffering or my distrust of the church lately. It helped me to see that in suffering there is hope and the need for repentance of our idol of self-sufficiency or our tendency to pray away the pain instead of just meeting Christ within it. This book really touched a nerve in my heart whenever she talked about relationships and being hurt by others. It was a good follow-up to some of the counseling sessions I've had (and she is a trained counselor so that makes sense). I really appreciate KJ for taking the time out of her lifelong suffering to write such a meaningful and profound book (it just might have taken a little bit of perseverance for me to get through the middle chapters!).
Just one more good quote to close out this review!
"I wonder what our lives would look like if the church intentionally made room for suffering. I'm curious about how much more hope we could hold if worship services included half as much time for lament as they do for praise. I wonder how much encouragement we might all be missing by treating each other's ongoing suffering like an awkward subject to avoid rather than a normal experience to share. I wonder how much less anguish we would experience in suffering if the church treated suffering like a story to tell rather than a secret to keep until it passes." (pg. 189)
I'm a poet who loves me some prose, but I think the organization was off-key in chapters 5-8. I didn't really know where Ramsey was taking me or for what purpose? It kind of felt like each paragraph was it's own thesis so I didn't know where I was in the journey. It was painful to read each page of the middle of the book. Not because it wasn't good, but that there was no clear unity to the chapters so it felt like I had to process a separate thing each paragraph. Honestly if chapters 5-8 were written in poetry form I think I would have followed better (and I think they could have been modified slightly and reduced to be converted from the prosy paragraphs to stanzas in poems).
The book really picked back up in chapter 9 and had a solid conclusion on chapter 10. In fact, chapter 9 impacted me most because it's about communion within the body of believers. I actually think this chapter was the most essayistic in the book, making clear arguments (my favorite part of non-fiction) for the need to create space for suffering and lament in the church. I really liked her thought provoking questions like this one in that section: "Are we moving one another toward a kingdom of consumeristic self-sufficiency or the kingdom of communion?" (pg. 192)
Overall, I had to round up to 4 stars because of the emotional and mental impact this book had on me. It forced me to wrestle with my doubts of God when I'm in suffering or my distrust of the church lately. It helped me to see that in suffering there is hope and the need for repentance of our idol of self-sufficiency or our tendency to pray away the pain instead of just meeting Christ within it. This book really touched a nerve in my heart whenever she talked about relationships and being hurt by others. It was a good follow-up to some of the counseling sessions I've had (and she is a trained counselor so that makes sense). I really appreciate KJ for taking the time out of her lifelong suffering to write such a meaningful and profound book (it just might have taken a little bit of perseverance for me to get through the middle chapters!).
Just one more good quote to close out this review!
"I wonder what our lives would look like if the church intentionally made room for suffering. I'm curious about how much more hope we could hold if worship services included half as much time for lament as they do for praise. I wonder how much encouragement we might all be missing by treating each other's ongoing suffering like an awkward subject to avoid rather than a normal experience to share. I wonder how much less anguish we would experience in suffering if the church treated suffering like a story to tell rather than a secret to keep until it passes." (pg. 189)
baileycowen's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
5.0
I honestly don’t have enough words for how beautiful this book is. KJ’s authenticity, vulnerability, and bravery are genuinely life changing. Her passion for not only her Jesus but to speak His truth and life into dark seasons of the soul gives me hope for my own story. And her commitment to faith as mingled with science and psychology reminded me why I chose the career path I’m on.