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A review by meganbhm
This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers by K.J. Ramsey
5.0
I stumbled across K.J.’s instagram at the very beginning of my state’s stay at home order and ordered the book since I figured I would have some extra time on my hands. Not only was the timing perfect, but the message of this book was exactly what my soul needed. I have already highlighted and annotated my copy profusely and ordered 4 others for friends who are also struggling with chronic illness. It may sound cheesy, but I really see God’s hand in bringing this book to my attention, and more broadly in the way that this book will support those experiencing pain and suffering.
Another beautiful aspect of this book is that although K.J. speaks on her personal experience with chronic illness and I am reading from a lens of one who suffers with illness, This Too Shall Last is applicable to many different types of suffering and a variety of experiences. I believe that those experiencing loss, depression, other mental health issues, fertility uncertainty, loneliness, and a host of other circumstances can find company with this book as well. As a therapist, I am keeping this book in mind to recommend to clients in the future.
I didn’t quite know what to expect from a book about suffering, but I definitely thought it would include copious statements about how I should be “grateful for my pain” and how it is a “blessing in disguise” or other churchy phrases that I have heard so much of lately. Somehow K.J. has managed to create a literary space where it is possible to acknowledge the sadness, grief, and tragedy of suffering and pain while simultaneously discussing Christ’s purpose for pain without cheapening, invalidating, or minimizing the reader’s experience. As a young person who was recently diagnosed with cancer (and who continuously feels the emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual effects it has on my life), this book was the companionship I longed for. I have been wrestling with grieving the losses of innocence, youth, and ability that illness has brought to my life and reading the words of someone who also lives that life has given me so much hope.
As a Christian therapist myself, I appreciate K.J.’s ability to incorporate neurobiology and other psychological insights into her words as well as personal anecdote and theological insights. She is brilliantly able to balance these approaches and highlight the way that science and faith work together and support one another. This book will be a wonderful addition to any library, but particularly those of believers who appreciate scientific and/or psychological topics.
Another beautiful aspect of this book is that although K.J. speaks on her personal experience with chronic illness and I am reading from a lens of one who suffers with illness, This Too Shall Last is applicable to many different types of suffering and a variety of experiences. I believe that those experiencing loss, depression, other mental health issues, fertility uncertainty, loneliness, and a host of other circumstances can find company with this book as well. As a therapist, I am keeping this book in mind to recommend to clients in the future.
I didn’t quite know what to expect from a book about suffering, but I definitely thought it would include copious statements about how I should be “grateful for my pain” and how it is a “blessing in disguise” or other churchy phrases that I have heard so much of lately. Somehow K.J. has managed to create a literary space where it is possible to acknowledge the sadness, grief, and tragedy of suffering and pain while simultaneously discussing Christ’s purpose for pain without cheapening, invalidating, or minimizing the reader’s experience. As a young person who was recently diagnosed with cancer (and who continuously feels the emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual effects it has on my life), this book was the companionship I longed for. I have been wrestling with grieving the losses of innocence, youth, and ability that illness has brought to my life and reading the words of someone who also lives that life has given me so much hope.
As a Christian therapist myself, I appreciate K.J.’s ability to incorporate neurobiology and other psychological insights into her words as well as personal anecdote and theological insights. She is brilliantly able to balance these approaches and highlight the way that science and faith work together and support one another. This book will be a wonderful addition to any library, but particularly those of believers who appreciate scientific and/or psychological topics.