It has been a joy to read more (thank you Jessica Turner for the example of reading in your Fringe Hours). I have a basket of books that I am working my way through. As I mentioned before I have set a goal with Goodreads to read 25 books this year and I am well on my way. Head on over to the Writing Tab of this site to read more book reviews.

Today I am reviewing two books about grief. Dance with Jesus by Susan B. Mead and The Hardest Peace by Kara Tippetts. If you know anything about these two lovely ladies, then you know they have painful stories but they also have great hope in the midst of their grief. I am learning from them.

I first heard about Dance with Jesus: From Grief to Grace when I met Susan B. Mead at the She Speaks Conference. We only had a few minutes to connect before the session started but I could tell that she was passionate about the message of her book. I offered to review it for her and I’m so glad I did. What an honor to hear how God has sustained Susan through tragic loss.

As you turn the pages of this short book Susan’s story of grief unfolds layer by layer. She has experienced tragic loss again and again. As deep as Susan’s grief has been it is evident that Jesus’ joy and grace have covered her like a swelling wave. Her enthusiasm to point others to Christ amidst the overwhelming moments of life is contagious. This is a short, yet powerful, resource to help give hope to the hurting.

It is evident that God has done a supernatural work in Susan’s life and she is compelled to help you experience the tenderness of Christ as you find His grace in unexpected places.

This book makes a great gift for those who have lost loved ones and need an emphatic and loving guide.

I have faced some loss in my life but nothing like what Susan has. It was comforting to read about someone who has walked a difficult road and come through it more in love with Jesus than before.

Head on over to dancewithjesus.com and watch the book trailer.

I first heard of Kara Tippetts when Ann Voskamp hosted her words, Dear Brittany: Why We Don’t Have To Be So Afraid of Dying And Suffering that We Choose Suicide. I also heard both Kara and her husband Jason share their hard story on Focus on the Family.

I have to be honest, at first, I was scared of Kara’s story, You see, she is a thirty-something mama with a loving husband and four great kids, in ministry, and she’s dying young (unless a supernatural miracle happens).

I don’t want that story. In fact, I went and got some lumps and bumps checked after I finished this book. Thankfully, I am just fine, but with that relief came guilt that Kara is not getting the same kind of report from her doctors.

But, here’s the thing, as I held The Hardest Peace in my hands, savoring the words and encountering true hope amidst the horrific, I felt like an honored student, listening well and learning deep that God can sustain and provide grace for those moments we never saw coming.

This book is much more than the Tippetts cancer journey, it is a guide to living kind, living real, and trusting God even when you don’t understand the “why”. It is a book about the beauty and the hard and being faithful to what He has set before you as circumstances threaten to undo you.

Currently, Kara is home, in a hospital bed. She is fading. Would you take a moment and pray for this sweet family? What strikes me the most through their story is that they tell it but then they focus on you, continually drawing you closer to Christ and asking questions that cause you to grow. What a costly gift.

Thank you Tippetts family for living your story loud, yet humble, enough for us to hear it and learn from it. You have given us a valuable gift in letting us in so that we can live better.

It is a joy to offer you an opportunity to win one of these books. The contest starts today and goes through Saturday. Two winners will be selected and announced this coming Monday here on the blog (each will receive one of these books). Dance with Jesus is signed by the author. Enter below!

You may have pages, or chapters, or whole sections, of your life story that you don’t like or didn’t see coming. Can I encourage you today friend that God is writing your story in a redemptive and beautiful way. He holds the book of your life like a treasured masterpiece, because it is one and you are too.

Be encouraged today that the Author of your story values your life more than you can imagine and He will see it to completion. Why not pick up His Story and read it through, the ending is the best part, He’s coming for you (see Revelation 19:11-16)!

Your story and His Story are interwoven and the end will actually be a beautiful beginning. To borrow from a favorite songwriter of mine, each day is a “Glorious Unfolding” of His grace, His power and His deep love.P.S. I am linking up with Kelly for the #RaRaLinkup today. Come and join the community as we point others to the One who ordains each day and formed us to display His glory.

*I received Dance With Jesus for free in exchange for an honest review.