Marked for Life: Choosing Hope and Discovering Purpose After Earth-Shattering Tragedy

by Crystal Woodman Miller, Ashley Wiersma

Triumph over tragedy
What marks and defines you? Your social status? Your family relationships? Your career or ministry? Some circumstances and events can permanently brand our lives. They are moments that can deepen our character.

Crystal Woodman Miller is a young woman whose life was forever changed by the tragic events at Columbine High School in 1999―seven eternal minutes that served as the ultimate wake-up call. And in the aftermath of tragedy, Crystal found herself at a crossroad of fear and faith.

Marked for Life is the remarkable story of Crystal’s journey from suffering to healing―a journey that challenged her to choose hope and faith over bitterness and despair. She shares her extraordinary testimony worldwide to comfort and inspire thousands with a message of hope. Her desire is for us all to discover that we can be marked for life by a redeeming God who brings hope out of the rubble of earth-shattering loss.

Genres: Memoir, Biography

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2006

Reviews

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most enlightening books I have ever read. Crystal's brave account and reflection of Columbine gave me HOPE.

[Terri Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before deciding to read this book, I read many reviews on it. Other than those praising Crystal Woodman Miller for presenting God's love in such a good way, the most common review point I read was that people expected her to share more about what happened that day at Columbine High School. My initial response to these comments was to want to defend the author, not because she could not do so for herself but because the story is so deeply personal. Honestly, the reviews made me, at first, want to avoid reading the book. As a survivor of a mass shooting myself, I have been desperately searching for a way to reconnect to the hope, joy, and peace I had prior to the shooting. After meeting the author, and seeing the genuine joy with which she lives her life, I decided that reading the book might be worthwhile. And I do have to say that the story she shares about Columbine is amazingly detailed, and honestly more than I expected. And the journey she has been one since is one of courage, strength, and HOPE. Don't read this book if all you want is more detail of what happened at Columbine. But if what you want is to read truth, honesty and an amazing account of finding one's way back to a life of purpose after tragedy, then pick up this book! Definitely worth the read!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crystal Woodman Miller talks a little about the day of April 20, the aftermath and her PTSD as well as her charity work and her faith that allowed her to have hope. I really respect the way she took her trauma and used it to better her life and the lives of others.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to read because I found it slow after the initial telling of the shooting incident at Columbine...but great message.