Life, In Spite of Me book review and giveaway

Life, In Spite of Me
Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice

Written by Kristen Jane Anderson
As told to Tricia Goyer
Release Date: May 4, 2010

About This Book

She wanted

to die. God had other plans.

Why does my life have to be so painful?
What’s wrong with me?
It’s not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won’t hurt anymore.

Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.

One January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.

But Kristen's story doesn’t end there.

In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living.

Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.

Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

About the authors:

Kristen Jane Anderson has been featured on Oprah and is a popular speaker at colleges, women’s and youth events, churches, and suicide prevention outreaches. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute and the founder of Reaching You Ministries, Kristen seeks to help those who are hurting, hopeless, lost, suicidal and depressed.

Tricia Goyer is the author of three hundred articles for national periodicals, as well as fourteen novels and six nonfiction books, including Blue Like Play Dough.

MY TAKE:

Wow....this book was an incredible book. It really hit close to home. No....I have never attempted suicide, nor have I ever thought of it...but the struggles that she went through before, during and after her attempt, can be relatable to just about anyone. Her struggles and how she conquered those struggles are all laid out in this book in a brilliant way. She reminds us how important our personal relationship with the Lord truly is. Last night I even discussed this book with my husband. At one point in the book she had decided to wean off of her anti depressants. My husband is currently doing that, therefore we could relate with the struggle of weanning off of meds like that. It is amazing to me when people go through personal struggles in life, it seems that God will always put others in your path that are also going through those same personal struggles letting you know that you are not alone in this. What a relief it is to know that we serve such a loving God.

This was a wonderful book and it was a quick read. Wonderfully told. I believe that this book would be great for anyone in any stage of life.