About the Book:
This book is the story of Kristen Jane Anderson as told to author Tricia Goyer.
After her fatal choice… extraordinary hope.
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 on life. Once a happy child, Kristen’s world darkened after 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 depression that didn’t seem to have a bottom.
One January night, the seventeen-year-old made a decision: 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.
Fear coursed through me. I squeezed my eyes tighter.
It’s going to be over now. The pain is going to end. I’ll be in heaven soon.
As the train whistle blew, the vibration of my body stilled.
The sound stopped. The wind stopped. The train stopped.
Am I dead yet?Amazingly, Kristen survived her suicide attempt… but the 33 freight cars that ran over her severed her legs. Now she not only had to deal with depression; she also had to face the physical pain and life without legs.
But Kristen’s story didn’t end there. After her darkest days Kristen discovered a real purpose for living. Now, in her compelling book Life, In Spite of Me, Kristen shares her journey from despair to hope.
Includes letters from Kristen that share messages she wishes someone would have told her-when she was depressed and struggling with loss, shame from sexual abuse, and suicidal thoughts.
About the Author:
Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-four books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more info, please visit www.triciagoyer.com.
My Thoughts:
When I picked up Life, In Spite of Me, I wasn’t sure what to think. I started reading the book and was immediately engrossed in the tragic story of Kristen Anderson. I was able to read this book in 3 sittings because it was such a well-written and thought-provoking story. Kristen talks openly about what her life was like prior to her suicide attempt and after. She talks about her love of her family, friends, but most importantly God. She describes her journey to finding God in her life.
My favorite chapter is called A Second Chance. Kristen realizes that God created her for a purpose and that she is alive for a greater good. She just needed to open her heart up to God and let him in. This was a turning point for me in this book. This was no longer a tragic story, but one that was beautiful and inspiring. No longer was Kristen a victim of herself. She was now a child of God who is filled with peace and love.
I also enjoyed the words from Kristen at the end of some chapters. She shares words of encouragement throughout the book… words she wishes she had received. I found it both frightening and inspiring that Kristen made decisions that could affect her entire life simply because of her faith. For instance, when dealing with her medications. I was concerned as a nurse but in awe of her belief and faith. The decisions she made in her life after she opened her heart to God were things that most people I think would struggle with. She is a strong woman on so many levels.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a good read, but most importantly to anyone struggling with their own depression. Whether or not you have tried to commit suicide, Kristen’s story will give you hope for the future… if only you can believe as she does.
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To check out more reviews of Life, In Spite of Me, click here.
You can purchase Life, In Spite of Me from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and CBD.
disclosure: The book was given to me by LitFuse Publicity for the purpose of review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and I have not be compensated in any way for this review. All quotes and images were provided by LitFuse Publicity.
Karen says
This books sounds interesting.
Petula says
I tweeted http://twitter.com/Petula1968/status/14261892077
.-= Petula´s last blog ..Yucky chore made easier – product review =-.
Debby Pucci says
That book sounds like a great read.
I did a tweet @ http://twitter.com/foryourtears
.-= Debby Pucci´s last blog ..THERE ARE SIGNS EVERYWHERE =-.