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I Can Do Hard Things with God: Essays of Strength from Mormon Women
We talk of emergency preparedness for the big earthquakes or world events. More often, it is the personal trials that hit close to home that are the most difficult. If we wait to prepare spiritually until the storm hits, we may find ourselves blown over . . . The question is not Will I face challenges? but rather, How will I deal with challenges when they come? I Can Do Hard Things with God is an inspiring collection of essays by a variety of LDS women who have confronted this very question. Replete with examples of sisters who have faced trials of death and disability, infertility and illness, and so much more, this poignant anthology brings to life the fact that these women are prevailing against all odds. They offer glimpses into lives that have been uplifted and enriched through stalwart preparation and unwavering faith, and readers will come to understand that they too can rely on God's grace to strengthen them in their adversity.
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 13, 2015
This is one of those books that I felt I needed to read. You see Ganel-Lyn is married to my cousin. Despite the fact that in life our paths have crossed less than a dozen times I've always been drawn to her. She is genuine, kind and easy to talk to. So this book was added to my infinite to-read list and I obtained a copy of the book but never found the time to actually read it. I then found out that my neighbor wrote one of the essays in this book which was further motivation to read it but time was still lacking.
A few weeks back on a Sunday afternoon I finally picked up this book and began to read. I made it through the first four stories and set the book down in awe of the trials others go through and their strength to overcome and deal with their challenges. Of those first four stories one was about Ganel's struggle after her sister committed suicide and a second was about the financial difficulties my neighbor had gone through. Both these women are amazing and honestly most of the world (myself included) would have no clue the depths of the trials and struggles they have had. They truly have been able to do hard things in their lives by relying on their God.
For the next several weeks as time allowed I picked up and read another story or two until I made it through all 17 chapters. From health issues to financial trouble, to living with mental illness and loneliness to death, infertility and wayward children the women in this book show us how they turned to God, remained faithful and came out triumphant.
If you ever wonder if God is really there in the details of your life or if He really knows what you are going through or if you have ever felt the burden you are carrying is just too heavy to bear I suggest you read this book. It filled me up and brought me peace, comfort and hope that I too can do hard things with God.
A few weeks back on a Sunday afternoon I finally picked up this book and began to read. I made it through the first four stories and set the book down in awe of the trials others go through and their strength to overcome and deal with their challenges. Of those first four stories one was about Ganel's struggle after her sister committed suicide and a second was about the financial difficulties my neighbor had gone through. Both these women are amazing and honestly most of the world (myself included) would have no clue the depths of the trials and struggles they have had. They truly have been able to do hard things in their lives by relying on their God.
For the next several weeks as time allowed I picked up and read another story or two until I made it through all 17 chapters. From health issues to financial trouble, to living with mental illness and loneliness to death, infertility and wayward children the women in this book show us how they turned to God, remained faithful and came out triumphant.
If you ever wonder if God is really there in the details of your life or if He really knows what you are going through or if you have ever felt the burden you are carrying is just too heavy to bear I suggest you read this book. It filled me up and brought me peace, comfort and hope that I too can do hard things with God.
March 18, 2015
This book was compiled by Ganel-Lyn Condie with a chapter about her own adversities, but included many different authors experiences facing various adversities while trusting Heavenly Father to help them navigate their challenges. The experiences were all very poignant and I was amazed by the strength of these women. Very inspirational!
3/18/2015 I've been thinking about this book more and more since I finished reading it and wanted to add one additional thought. I think Ganel-Lyn compiled a great collection of experiences including just about every trial a woman might face (death of a child or spouse, financial troubles, debilitating illnesses, infertility.... and many more) but I thought of one more that might have been very applicable to our times. I would love to read the experiences of a mother who has made peace with and managed to build a positive relationship with a child who is gay. I know there are many mothers out there who have had to face this challenge and my heart aches just thinking about what they go through. I think that it would be an eye-opening experience for others to read about and would help us all to be more accepting and kind to others. Just a thought! Next edition? :)
3/18/2015 I've been thinking about this book more and more since I finished reading it and wanted to add one additional thought. I think Ganel-Lyn compiled a great collection of experiences including just about every trial a woman might face (death of a child or spouse, financial troubles, debilitating illnesses, infertility.... and many more) but I thought of one more that might have been very applicable to our times. I would love to read the experiences of a mother who has made peace with and managed to build a positive relationship with a child who is gay. I know there are many mothers out there who have had to face this challenge and my heart aches just thinking about what they go through. I think that it would be an eye-opening experience for others to read about and would help us all to be more accepting and kind to others. Just a thought! Next edition? :)
February 9, 2015
I loved so much of this book. I would probably give it 4 1/2 stars if that were an option. The amount of time I spend thinking about a book, after I have finished it, is often an indicator of how much I liked it. And I have thought about it A LOT since I finished the last page. If you can overlook chapter 15, you are good to go. Oh I kid. Mostly.
February 16, 2015
This collection of essays from Mormon Women is about how they were able to do and live through very hard things and still maintain their faith and belief in God. Each essay is unique as the women share their stories of suicide, chronic illness, mental illness, financial loss, divorce, death of a child, infertility, children with special needs and loneliness. I particularly love the last two chapters and the summary of women in history who have fought great battles with God. We all have our stories that are hard, some of our hard stories are on-going. But the hope and light that comes as we turn to God, we will live! Healing and peace come, we find strength we didn't know that we had. We link arms with all the past and present, marching to the future with faith and courage!
A companion website was created so that we can continue to share each others stories in the hopes that we can find the strength in each other.
One quote from a reader that I loved was: "it's amazing! It makes me feel like I could walk on water." Janet, UK.
www.icanwithgod.com
http://www.amazon.com/Can-Do-Hard-Thi...
A companion website was created so that we can continue to share each others stories in the hopes that we can find the strength in each other.
One quote from a reader that I loved was: "it's amazing! It makes me feel like I could walk on water." Janet, UK.
www.icanwithgod.com
http://www.amazon.com/Can-Do-Hard-Thi...
February 7, 2017
This is a fantastic collection of essays written by ordinary women who have suffered and survived major life struggles with faith and sheer determination. The longer I live, the more I've come to understand that no one escapes this life without major trials. Chronic illness, financial trouble, death of loved ones, wayward children, infertility, autism, depression, divorce... on and on. How will we choose to react when (not if) they come? How will we cope? I loved this quote:
"We read these remarkable stories and ask how they did it and how they survived. The answer is that they did it with the help of the Lord... They prayed in faith and acted on that direction. They recognized God's hand in their lives and thanked Him for the privilege. God required the best of them... even all they had... and they gave it, and He made up the difference."
I agree with this completely. I highly recommend this book. If anyone would like to borrow my copy, I'd be happy to share!
"We read these remarkable stories and ask how they did it and how they survived. The answer is that they did it with the help of the Lord... They prayed in faith and acted on that direction. They recognized God's hand in their lives and thanked Him for the privilege. God required the best of them... even all they had... and they gave it, and He made up the difference."
I agree with this completely. I highly recommend this book. If anyone would like to borrow my copy, I'd be happy to share!
October 11, 2021
4.5. I loved and needed this book. It helped me to realize how blessed I am and to be grateful for what I have. It helped me to think more carefully about how I am praying and what I am praying for. It helped me to realize that I need to change my attitude about a lot of things in the gospel and in my life. I’m so grateful for amazing women and their stories.
April 16, 2015
I knew this book would be good just by the title. However, I was not prepared for HOW AMAZING this book is! I went to bed early one night not feeling well and I took this book with me. As I started reading, MY burdens were lightened. Reading these heartbreaking stories of problems with health, finances, family, mental illness, and loneliness I found that with my tears for them I was healing. I am SO GRATEFUL these women felt brave enough to share their stories. For if they can do what they are doing...well, then, I can do what I am being asked to do. I couldn't put the book down and stayed up very late reading about these women whom I wanted so badly to hug. They ARE doing hard things! But as they testify--they are able to do those hard things--with God. May we each turn to the Father who holds out His arms waiting for us to run to Him...for it is from Him that we gain our strength.
March 29, 2016
I liked it except that it made me cry. And it's hard to do when you're reading aloud to a blind person. There's lots of phlegm.
July 7, 2025
This was a helpful book, real stories of women who have turned to God and found strength and blessings even in the middle of difficult trials. I appreciate that many of these stories don't have a perfect and happy resolution yet. These women are still trusting in the Lord in the middle of chronic pain, loneliness, disappointment and challenges with family members, and other hard things. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"My Heavenly Father is near" (p. xiii)."
"Life is difficult. Sometimes members of the Church are hesitant to accept this simple truth, as if worthy discipleship should make us immune to life's struggles (p. xiii)."
"Sometimes in the throes of our suffering, it is easy to forget that pain isn't always a divergent path but rather the very road we must tread to salvation. Sometimes we want to give up. Sometimes we lose hope. But we cannot... God loves each one of us and is mindful of all we do and endure (p. xiv)."
"'Good timer does not grow with ease.
The stronger the wind, the stronger trees...
The more the storm, the more the strength' (Douglas Malloch, p. xvi)."
"The Master Gardner knows the strength of my roots, even when my life appears diseased and broken (p. xvii)."
"Grief is hard no matter the loss, and I do not minimize anyone's pain, but suicide is a grief all its own (p. 2)."
"I was given three cherished gifts from the grief... in the Lord's due time... I couldn't hide from God... My daily spiritual practices literally kept me alive... I knew God's love was with us (p. 4)."
"I could not afford to hide from others... I needed others to survive (p. 5)."
"I felt ministered to when my longtime friend... asked how I was doing and really wanted to know... We think we are alone, but we never are (p. 6)."
"I had broken parts but... I was not broken and worthless (p. 6)."
"God would remain God. He would take my lowly burdens and carry them easily forever (p. 7)."
"'If all opposition were curtailed, if all maladies were removed, then the primary purposes of the Father's plan would be frustrated' (David A. Bednar, p. 7)."
"'When heaven's promises sometimes seem afar off, I pray that each of us will embrace these exceeding great and precious promises and never let go... God will remember you' (Spencer J. Condie, p. 8)."
"Life poses plenty of opportunities to hide, but if we... use our agency to come out in the open to face God... our fellow man... our inadequacies, we can be intensely strengthened (p. 8)."
"How can I be sick? I am not a sick person. I don't even have a doctor... 'God does not give us trials we are not capable of handling. I cannot handle having rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, God will take it away' (p. 14)."
"Despite all of the talking I do with God, I really do not understand Him or the plan He has going for me (p. 17)."
"Hopeful, happy people probably have no idea how their ability to handle problems today comes from their belief that tomorrow will be better... Chronic illness robs the present of ease and vibrancy, it makes a hopeful future nearly impossible to imagine (p. 18)."
"Spiritual things would be less confusing if I didn't believe in a God of miracles (p. 20)."
"Sometimes it seems as if my life is like a moonless night, dark and dim, obscure and shadowy; I am easily overwhelmed by the gloom (p. 21)."
"When my life of necessity moves slowly, there is ample opportunity to live deeply in small moments. For that, I am grateful (p. 22)."
"Perhaps suffering is my greatest gift to my children, the greatest lesson I will ever teach (p. 22)."
"Healing my troubled body will take a miracle; anyone can see that. But enduring the next forty or so years is impossible. Utterly impossible (p. 24)."
"On good days and Sundays, I am hopeful. But Monday and another week of life with chronic illness comes too soon (p. 24)."
"People can be ruder than I ever imagined and more kind than I ever dreamed, sometimes at the same time (p. 24)."
"Help me care enough to get up and do this. Again (p. 24)."
"How wonderful it would have been to have been led to Jesus and to have felt His gentle kindness and power as He healed my sightless eyes (p. 25)."
"It took a long time to work through my feelings of loss, anger, sadness, and despair (p. 27)."
"My body might not be whole, but I no longer feel incomplete (p. 28)."
"Because I can now laugh about my situation, I am able to see that life is worth the struggle, and the struggle can turn me to Christ (p. 29)."
"It's difficult not to be able to read body language visually (p. 29)."
"During my trial with cancer, I did not receive a miraculous cure that would allow me to maintain my eyesight. Similarly, I was not spared pain or deep sorrow, and because of this, I know I am being polished and refined (p. 30)."
"I know that because of Christ's Atonement, all that is now unfair and imperfect will be made right (p. 31)."
"You know my energy. You understand that when I say something like, 'I am doing fine,' it's a lie (p. 35)."
"There was no way we could lose everything. But we did (p. 36)."
"He looked for jobs. I looked for jobs, but there were no jobs to be had. We were unemployed, penniless renters with no direction (p. 37)."
"'We can only gain exaltation because of coming closer to Christ. Feeling Him. Loving Him. Begging Him for forgiveness and healing. Truly knowing Christ and allowing Him to save you.... Has this experience taught you how to do all these things?... Then I see no failure here' (p. 39)."
"We had to start looking for abundance instead of scarcity (p. 39)."
"'Andrea, would you be poor for me? Are you willing to be where you are for me right now and stay here for the rest of your life if this is what I want for you?' (p. 40)"
"I did not give Him an immediate yes. I had to pray for it. The willingness to do anything for the Lord... to accept it as His will for me with joy, knowing it might not ever change... that kind of willingness came after days and days of prayer and asking for forgiveness because I wasn't humble enough to say yes immediately (p. 40)."
"Every penny was the Lord's and had to be accounted for (p. 40)."
"I could choose constant despair, or I could choose faith (p. 41)."
"The Lord came to help, and help abundantly (p. 41)."
"I understand now why so many marriages fail because of financial stress. Inside of financial struggles, it is easy to blame the other person for the failure (p. 42)."
"I was able to see him how God saw him... Nothing was worth losing our eternal family... Instead of going to the temple once a month, we went once a week... Marriages don't fail because of finances. Marriages fail because people give in to the number-one attack from Satan--the attack on their spouse (p. 43)."
"It is easy to say that everything is the Lord's with our mouths. It is much harder to actively live as if everything is the Lord's... including our debts and failures (p. 44)."
"I finally learned to look at my debt and bills and say, 'This is thine, Lord. What would you have me do?'... I have ownership over nothing. Everything I have is the Lord's... When we are willing to let go of our pride and give everything to Him, including the things we are ashamed of, He can take it and make it into something spectacular (p. 44)."
"How do I stay steady, praising my God, while not knowing how long this trial will last?... find a way to do it (p. 44)."
"I can see immediately how much the Lord kept blessing us... for the first few months... i never saw any of it as a miracle... I was searching again. I was pondering spiritula things all the time again (p. 45)."
"My value and worth are not defined by money (p. 46)."
"Love your adversities. Love them. Because there is no failure if it brings you closer to Christ (p. 47)."
"When I was about twenty-one, I experienced for the frist time that raging, fear-induced anxiety that accompanies the sudden awareness that no matter how much I prayed or how hard I worked, I couldn't force the outcome I desired (p. 49)."
"I felt such a completeness of love and protection and peace (p. 50)."
"Loss comes into every life (p. 50)."
"I wanted to get back to that place where I was praying at all times and in all things (p. 51)."
"I know now that God cleared my schedule, that the expanding power of the Atonement increased my desire for spiritual things, that I was being prepared for the deep pruning that would take place (p. 51)."
"I knew that with God's help and with hard work, we could put back together the marriage I thought we already had (p. 51)."
"I prayed and fasted and went to the temple. I placed all my hope in miracles (p. 52)."
"The years after were a time of healing and growth (p. 52)."
"Days turned into months, and I eventually fell in love again... The truth is that at times I mourn the lost innocence, the fearless way I used to attack life (p. 53)."
"My story now mingles with those of my ancestors. It tells of some loss and some sin, but it also tells of the enabling and healing power of the Atonement, of the beauty of mortal life, and of the love of a Father in Heaven who blesses His children (p. 54)."
"I had always wanted and planned for a big family... We seldom missed sending our children off with a prayer in the morning, and we seldom missed a united family prayer before bed (p. 57)."
"Family was fallling apart. I had a throbbing pain inside. How could I survive?... It would be difficult to have one child go astray, but to have several of my children making decisions that led them in pathways outside of Church activity was devastating (p. 59)."
"I learned... to be tolerant and respectful, forcing myself to bit my tongue when I wanted to say something that wouldn't foster good feelings... I realized I could disagree with their actions while maintaining my love for them (p. 59)."
"I learned to appreciate what I did have and build on that. It was so important to focus on the positive!... I cherish every minute I can be with my precious family. Charity is the pure love of Christ. Focus on that love! (p. 60)"
"WEBER FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT
We are compassionate and kind
A motivated family
Showing respect and commitment
We are forever friends (p. 61)"
"I had a sweet experience that has helped me trust GOd and know that perhaps all situations in my life have some kind of purpose I can't comprehend right now with my limited understanding... To know God is mindful of my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren with as much and more love than I have is such a blessing, such a comfort. After all, they are all His children, too (p. 62)."
"I know Heavenly Father loves my children--even more than I do. He will never forsake me. He will never forsake them (p. 65)."
"We knew we had truly been given heavenly direction (p. 67)."
"I could never handle this kind of situation. How are they doing this? (p. 70)"
"I was being stretched emotionally, physically, and spiritually all at the same time. But even with all that, I tried my best to remain positive and faithful (p. 72)."
"Hard things happen to all of us. The families caught in this catastrophe captured my heart and took my focus away from my own obstacles (p. 73)>"
"I knew I needed heavenly help to heal the hurt and fleeting faith I felt (p. 73)."
"I felt so strongly that I needed to verbally let God know I believed in Him and it was okay if my little girl needed to pass on to her heavenly home (p. 73)."
"God had given me a preview just over a month earlier of this special and sacred place and sustained these precious souls (p. 74)."
"Time is a great healer, and it did get easier as the days and months passed (p. 76)."
"God is in control. He is compassionate and cares about our concerns (p. 78)."
"He is a tender teacher and we are to trust in His timing and His ways, even if we don't understand all the answers... We need to prepare and nourish our roots of faith and testimony now... If we allow God to guide us and if we trust in Him, we will get through the toughest trials (p. 78)."
"We are commanded to love and serve each other and to love and serve God (p. 85)."
"I savored the moments Evie was curled in my arms. I used to whisper and sing to her in her ears over and over, confident that what the audiologists had said was true: if I was close to Evie, she could hear my voice (p. 92)."
"My daugther is a beautiful listener (p. 96)."
"I choose the Lord each day (p. 97)."
"I knew our desire to have a family was righteous, but it seemed that no matter what we tried, the answer was no (p. 99)."
"I loved this little boy with all my heart and needed Heavenly Father's help to know what to do (p. 101)."
"Heather started feeling the difference of having a sibling with special needs (p. 103)."
"I told Heavenly Father I was willing to do what was best for Todd, even if it meant he would not be with me (p. 105)."
"Many of our neighbors were incredibly supportive during this time (p. 106)."
"Tuesdays would be easier. I realized it was because the temples where our names were on the rolls were closed on Mondays (p. 108)."
"We had to have faith that Heavenly Father would help everything be okay (p. 112)."
"This life and Heavenly Father's plan are really pretty simple (p. 115)."
"I am grateful for the support I receive constantly from Heavenly Father (p. 116)."
"I don't think anything can ever fully prepare a person for the sting that hits when their spouse dies (p. 119)."
"I felt angry and bitter when I heard other women compaoin about their husbands leaving their dirty clothes on the bedroom fllor or not helping enough with the children or the housework (p. 120)."
"Heavenly Father was blessing me in my afflictions (p. 122)."
"I felt the strength I needed every day as a single mother (p. 123)."
"We didn't have to be out of love or forget about a former spouse or parent to have room in our hearts for another (p. 126)."
"I am fifty and bipolar II, which is sometimes diagnosed as an anxiety disorder, and sometimes called manic depression (p. 131)."
"When we change our perception of a situation, our emotions change as well (p. 133)."
"I knew the communication was from Father in Heaven because I knew His voice (p. 146)."
"We were living from paycheck to paycheck, wondering whether or not we'd have the money to pay rent, put food on the table, or pay the power bill, and the creditors from Bryan's manic days were still calling (p. 149)."
"Remember the Atonement and allow it to be part of the relationship (p. 151)."
"I have done some fun and amazing things (p. 153)."
"Through the Savior's miraculous gifts, I will clearly see who I am married to (p. 155)."
"It was a great plan. It was even a plan with righteous desires. But it was my plan, not the Lord's plan for me (p. 159)."
"I had a bishop who noted that it is often the sisters who do the waiting--for a missionary... proposal... to be pregnant... pregnancy to end. It is even our right and privilege to wait upon the Lord... Waiting on the Lord certainly demands that I develop patience and faith (p. 159)."
"I see myself as a servant of the Lord, waiting upon Him and doing His will (p. 160)."
"How could I possibly make a thirty-year financial commitment to a property when I couldn't see what my future might hold only six months from now (p. 160)."
"I surrendered my plan... the control... my will (p. 161)."
"My plan is now simple--I try to do what the Lord would have me do (p. 162)."
"If I'm going to spend time on my knees asking the Lord for the opportunity to be married, how can I turn away dating opportunities? (p. 164)"
"I am grateful for the opportunities I have been afforded (p. 165)."
"Without a spouse to share the responsibilities, my 'free time' is spent working a full-time job, teaching night classes, running a small buisness, landlording two properties, working on my doctorate, shopping for groceries, cleaning the house, cooking the meals, reparing the car, filing the taxes, doing the laundry, calling the plumber, mowing the lawn... paying the bills, attending my caucus meeings, serving in Young Women... I do feel I have a certain flexibility not afforded to those who are married and/or have children (p. 167)."
"I have been fortunate to travel the world... The Lord expects me to utilize my time well and be engaged in many good causes. I try to consistently challenge myself to learn, to grow, and to become what the Lord would have me be (p. 168)."
"I have felt the sustaining hand of the Lord guiding me to do my part in building His kingdom. Many of my most treasured friendships began as I served with fellow ward members (p. 170)."
"New England is wonderful. New England is different. The people are private... Life was lonely in Boston (p. 174)."
"At times, there is an almost unbearable loneliness to leadership (p. 176)."
"A member of the First Presidency had called my parents in and had asked if they would accept a calling as the presdient and matron of a temple six thousand miles away (p. 177)."
"My Savior is always there. There is no loneliness so dark, deep, and heavey that it could ever keep Him away (p. 178)."
"The Lord comforts us more often than we realize (p. 179)."
"It is our privilege to wait upon the Lord (p. 180)."
"Jesus Christ had felt every feeling of discouragement, suffocation, and sadness exactly as I had felt (p. 181)."
"'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me' (p. 185)."
"In spite of my own weaknesses... sins... failure, I too had survived some great trials because I had prayed and turned to the Lord--and the Lord had carried me through them... He knew me, and He helped me--even when I didn't recognize it (p. 185)."
"'Faith means trust--trust in God's will... His way of doing things... His timetable... Faith and trust in the Lord give us the strength to accept and persist, whatever happens in our lives' (Dallin H. Oaks, p. 187)."
"Our faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to go in peace and be made whole (p. 189)."
"If we feel distant from God, it could be that we are hurt, angry, too busy, or even too lazy. Maybe we are going through the motions. Maybe we are trying and not seeing or feeling a difference. It could be that we don't feel worthy or that we need to forgive... If we don't see God in our lives, perhaps it is because we are distracted by the things of the world. We look at others and see what we lack instead of being thankful to God for our current situation (p. 191)."
"God can be there with us, for us, and even in us to enable us with strength and the power to do His will (p. 195)."
"With the help of the Lord, I can do hard things too (p. 196)."
"My Heavenly Father is near" (p. xiii)."
"Life is difficult. Sometimes members of the Church are hesitant to accept this simple truth, as if worthy discipleship should make us immune to life's struggles (p. xiii)."
"Sometimes in the throes of our suffering, it is easy to forget that pain isn't always a divergent path but rather the very road we must tread to salvation. Sometimes we want to give up. Sometimes we lose hope. But we cannot... God loves each one of us and is mindful of all we do and endure (p. xiv)."
"'Good timer does not grow with ease.
The stronger the wind, the stronger trees...
The more the storm, the more the strength' (Douglas Malloch, p. xvi)."
"The Master Gardner knows the strength of my roots, even when my life appears diseased and broken (p. xvii)."
"Grief is hard no matter the loss, and I do not minimize anyone's pain, but suicide is a grief all its own (p. 2)."
"I was given three cherished gifts from the grief... in the Lord's due time... I couldn't hide from God... My daily spiritual practices literally kept me alive... I knew God's love was with us (p. 4)."
"I could not afford to hide from others... I needed others to survive (p. 5)."
"I felt ministered to when my longtime friend... asked how I was doing and really wanted to know... We think we are alone, but we never are (p. 6)."
"I had broken parts but... I was not broken and worthless (p. 6)."
"God would remain God. He would take my lowly burdens and carry them easily forever (p. 7)."
"'If all opposition were curtailed, if all maladies were removed, then the primary purposes of the Father's plan would be frustrated' (David A. Bednar, p. 7)."
"'When heaven's promises sometimes seem afar off, I pray that each of us will embrace these exceeding great and precious promises and never let go... God will remember you' (Spencer J. Condie, p. 8)."
"Life poses plenty of opportunities to hide, but if we... use our agency to come out in the open to face God... our fellow man... our inadequacies, we can be intensely strengthened (p. 8)."
"How can I be sick? I am not a sick person. I don't even have a doctor... 'God does not give us trials we are not capable of handling. I cannot handle having rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, God will take it away' (p. 14)."
"Despite all of the talking I do with God, I really do not understand Him or the plan He has going for me (p. 17)."
"Hopeful, happy people probably have no idea how their ability to handle problems today comes from their belief that tomorrow will be better... Chronic illness robs the present of ease and vibrancy, it makes a hopeful future nearly impossible to imagine (p. 18)."
"Spiritual things would be less confusing if I didn't believe in a God of miracles (p. 20)."
"Sometimes it seems as if my life is like a moonless night, dark and dim, obscure and shadowy; I am easily overwhelmed by the gloom (p. 21)."
"When my life of necessity moves slowly, there is ample opportunity to live deeply in small moments. For that, I am grateful (p. 22)."
"Perhaps suffering is my greatest gift to my children, the greatest lesson I will ever teach (p. 22)."
"Healing my troubled body will take a miracle; anyone can see that. But enduring the next forty or so years is impossible. Utterly impossible (p. 24)."
"On good days and Sundays, I am hopeful. But Monday and another week of life with chronic illness comes too soon (p. 24)."
"People can be ruder than I ever imagined and more kind than I ever dreamed, sometimes at the same time (p. 24)."
"Help me care enough to get up and do this. Again (p. 24)."
"How wonderful it would have been to have been led to Jesus and to have felt His gentle kindness and power as He healed my sightless eyes (p. 25)."
"It took a long time to work through my feelings of loss, anger, sadness, and despair (p. 27)."
"My body might not be whole, but I no longer feel incomplete (p. 28)."
"Because I can now laugh about my situation, I am able to see that life is worth the struggle, and the struggle can turn me to Christ (p. 29)."
"It's difficult not to be able to read body language visually (p. 29)."
"During my trial with cancer, I did not receive a miraculous cure that would allow me to maintain my eyesight. Similarly, I was not spared pain or deep sorrow, and because of this, I know I am being polished and refined (p. 30)."
"I know that because of Christ's Atonement, all that is now unfair and imperfect will be made right (p. 31)."
"You know my energy. You understand that when I say something like, 'I am doing fine,' it's a lie (p. 35)."
"There was no way we could lose everything. But we did (p. 36)."
"He looked for jobs. I looked for jobs, but there were no jobs to be had. We were unemployed, penniless renters with no direction (p. 37)."
"'We can only gain exaltation because of coming closer to Christ. Feeling Him. Loving Him. Begging Him for forgiveness and healing. Truly knowing Christ and allowing Him to save you.... Has this experience taught you how to do all these things?... Then I see no failure here' (p. 39)."
"We had to start looking for abundance instead of scarcity (p. 39)."
"'Andrea, would you be poor for me? Are you willing to be where you are for me right now and stay here for the rest of your life if this is what I want for you?' (p. 40)"
"I did not give Him an immediate yes. I had to pray for it. The willingness to do anything for the Lord... to accept it as His will for me with joy, knowing it might not ever change... that kind of willingness came after days and days of prayer and asking for forgiveness because I wasn't humble enough to say yes immediately (p. 40)."
"Every penny was the Lord's and had to be accounted for (p. 40)."
"I could choose constant despair, or I could choose faith (p. 41)."
"The Lord came to help, and help abundantly (p. 41)."
"I understand now why so many marriages fail because of financial stress. Inside of financial struggles, it is easy to blame the other person for the failure (p. 42)."
"I was able to see him how God saw him... Nothing was worth losing our eternal family... Instead of going to the temple once a month, we went once a week... Marriages don't fail because of finances. Marriages fail because people give in to the number-one attack from Satan--the attack on their spouse (p. 43)."
"It is easy to say that everything is the Lord's with our mouths. It is much harder to actively live as if everything is the Lord's... including our debts and failures (p. 44)."
"I finally learned to look at my debt and bills and say, 'This is thine, Lord. What would you have me do?'... I have ownership over nothing. Everything I have is the Lord's... When we are willing to let go of our pride and give everything to Him, including the things we are ashamed of, He can take it and make it into something spectacular (p. 44)."
"How do I stay steady, praising my God, while not knowing how long this trial will last?... find a way to do it (p. 44)."
"I can see immediately how much the Lord kept blessing us... for the first few months... i never saw any of it as a miracle... I was searching again. I was pondering spiritula things all the time again (p. 45)."
"My value and worth are not defined by money (p. 46)."
"Love your adversities. Love them. Because there is no failure if it brings you closer to Christ (p. 47)."
"When I was about twenty-one, I experienced for the frist time that raging, fear-induced anxiety that accompanies the sudden awareness that no matter how much I prayed or how hard I worked, I couldn't force the outcome I desired (p. 49)."
"I felt such a completeness of love and protection and peace (p. 50)."
"Loss comes into every life (p. 50)."
"I wanted to get back to that place where I was praying at all times and in all things (p. 51)."
"I know now that God cleared my schedule, that the expanding power of the Atonement increased my desire for spiritual things, that I was being prepared for the deep pruning that would take place (p. 51)."
"I knew that with God's help and with hard work, we could put back together the marriage I thought we already had (p. 51)."
"I prayed and fasted and went to the temple. I placed all my hope in miracles (p. 52)."
"The years after were a time of healing and growth (p. 52)."
"Days turned into months, and I eventually fell in love again... The truth is that at times I mourn the lost innocence, the fearless way I used to attack life (p. 53)."
"My story now mingles with those of my ancestors. It tells of some loss and some sin, but it also tells of the enabling and healing power of the Atonement, of the beauty of mortal life, and of the love of a Father in Heaven who blesses His children (p. 54)."
"I had always wanted and planned for a big family... We seldom missed sending our children off with a prayer in the morning, and we seldom missed a united family prayer before bed (p. 57)."
"Family was fallling apart. I had a throbbing pain inside. How could I survive?... It would be difficult to have one child go astray, but to have several of my children making decisions that led them in pathways outside of Church activity was devastating (p. 59)."
"I learned... to be tolerant and respectful, forcing myself to bit my tongue when I wanted to say something that wouldn't foster good feelings... I realized I could disagree with their actions while maintaining my love for them (p. 59)."
"I learned to appreciate what I did have and build on that. It was so important to focus on the positive!... I cherish every minute I can be with my precious family. Charity is the pure love of Christ. Focus on that love! (p. 60)"
"WEBER FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT
We are compassionate and kind
A motivated family
Showing respect and commitment
We are forever friends (p. 61)"
"I had a sweet experience that has helped me trust GOd and know that perhaps all situations in my life have some kind of purpose I can't comprehend right now with my limited understanding... To know God is mindful of my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren with as much and more love than I have is such a blessing, such a comfort. After all, they are all His children, too (p. 62)."
"I know Heavenly Father loves my children--even more than I do. He will never forsake me. He will never forsake them (p. 65)."
"We knew we had truly been given heavenly direction (p. 67)."
"I could never handle this kind of situation. How are they doing this? (p. 70)"
"I was being stretched emotionally, physically, and spiritually all at the same time. But even with all that, I tried my best to remain positive and faithful (p. 72)."
"Hard things happen to all of us. The families caught in this catastrophe captured my heart and took my focus away from my own obstacles (p. 73)>"
"I knew I needed heavenly help to heal the hurt and fleeting faith I felt (p. 73)."
"I felt so strongly that I needed to verbally let God know I believed in Him and it was okay if my little girl needed to pass on to her heavenly home (p. 73)."
"God had given me a preview just over a month earlier of this special and sacred place and sustained these precious souls (p. 74)."
"Time is a great healer, and it did get easier as the days and months passed (p. 76)."
"God is in control. He is compassionate and cares about our concerns (p. 78)."
"He is a tender teacher and we are to trust in His timing and His ways, even if we don't understand all the answers... We need to prepare and nourish our roots of faith and testimony now... If we allow God to guide us and if we trust in Him, we will get through the toughest trials (p. 78)."
"We are commanded to love and serve each other and to love and serve God (p. 85)."
"I savored the moments Evie was curled in my arms. I used to whisper and sing to her in her ears over and over, confident that what the audiologists had said was true: if I was close to Evie, she could hear my voice (p. 92)."
"My daugther is a beautiful listener (p. 96)."
"I choose the Lord each day (p. 97)."
"I knew our desire to have a family was righteous, but it seemed that no matter what we tried, the answer was no (p. 99)."
"I loved this little boy with all my heart and needed Heavenly Father's help to know what to do (p. 101)."
"Heather started feeling the difference of having a sibling with special needs (p. 103)."
"I told Heavenly Father I was willing to do what was best for Todd, even if it meant he would not be with me (p. 105)."
"Many of our neighbors were incredibly supportive during this time (p. 106)."
"Tuesdays would be easier. I realized it was because the temples where our names were on the rolls were closed on Mondays (p. 108)."
"We had to have faith that Heavenly Father would help everything be okay (p. 112)."
"This life and Heavenly Father's plan are really pretty simple (p. 115)."
"I am grateful for the support I receive constantly from Heavenly Father (p. 116)."
"I don't think anything can ever fully prepare a person for the sting that hits when their spouse dies (p. 119)."
"I felt angry and bitter when I heard other women compaoin about their husbands leaving their dirty clothes on the bedroom fllor or not helping enough with the children or the housework (p. 120)."
"Heavenly Father was blessing me in my afflictions (p. 122)."
"I felt the strength I needed every day as a single mother (p. 123)."
"We didn't have to be out of love or forget about a former spouse or parent to have room in our hearts for another (p. 126)."
"I am fifty and bipolar II, which is sometimes diagnosed as an anxiety disorder, and sometimes called manic depression (p. 131)."
"When we change our perception of a situation, our emotions change as well (p. 133)."
"I knew the communication was from Father in Heaven because I knew His voice (p. 146)."
"We were living from paycheck to paycheck, wondering whether or not we'd have the money to pay rent, put food on the table, or pay the power bill, and the creditors from Bryan's manic days were still calling (p. 149)."
"Remember the Atonement and allow it to be part of the relationship (p. 151)."
"I have done some fun and amazing things (p. 153)."
"Through the Savior's miraculous gifts, I will clearly see who I am married to (p. 155)."
"It was a great plan. It was even a plan with righteous desires. But it was my plan, not the Lord's plan for me (p. 159)."
"I had a bishop who noted that it is often the sisters who do the waiting--for a missionary... proposal... to be pregnant... pregnancy to end. It is even our right and privilege to wait upon the Lord... Waiting on the Lord certainly demands that I develop patience and faith (p. 159)."
"I see myself as a servant of the Lord, waiting upon Him and doing His will (p. 160)."
"How could I possibly make a thirty-year financial commitment to a property when I couldn't see what my future might hold only six months from now (p. 160)."
"I surrendered my plan... the control... my will (p. 161)."
"My plan is now simple--I try to do what the Lord would have me do (p. 162)."
"If I'm going to spend time on my knees asking the Lord for the opportunity to be married, how can I turn away dating opportunities? (p. 164)"
"I am grateful for the opportunities I have been afforded (p. 165)."
"Without a spouse to share the responsibilities, my 'free time' is spent working a full-time job, teaching night classes, running a small buisness, landlording two properties, working on my doctorate, shopping for groceries, cleaning the house, cooking the meals, reparing the car, filing the taxes, doing the laundry, calling the plumber, mowing the lawn... paying the bills, attending my caucus meeings, serving in Young Women... I do feel I have a certain flexibility not afforded to those who are married and/or have children (p. 167)."
"I have been fortunate to travel the world... The Lord expects me to utilize my time well and be engaged in many good causes. I try to consistently challenge myself to learn, to grow, and to become what the Lord would have me be (p. 168)."
"I have felt the sustaining hand of the Lord guiding me to do my part in building His kingdom. Many of my most treasured friendships began as I served with fellow ward members (p. 170)."
"New England is wonderful. New England is different. The people are private... Life was lonely in Boston (p. 174)."
"At times, there is an almost unbearable loneliness to leadership (p. 176)."
"A member of the First Presidency had called my parents in and had asked if they would accept a calling as the presdient and matron of a temple six thousand miles away (p. 177)."
"My Savior is always there. There is no loneliness so dark, deep, and heavey that it could ever keep Him away (p. 178)."
"The Lord comforts us more often than we realize (p. 179)."
"It is our privilege to wait upon the Lord (p. 180)."
"Jesus Christ had felt every feeling of discouragement, suffocation, and sadness exactly as I had felt (p. 181)."
"'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me' (p. 185)."
"In spite of my own weaknesses... sins... failure, I too had survived some great trials because I had prayed and turned to the Lord--and the Lord had carried me through them... He knew me, and He helped me--even when I didn't recognize it (p. 185)."
"'Faith means trust--trust in God's will... His way of doing things... His timetable... Faith and trust in the Lord give us the strength to accept and persist, whatever happens in our lives' (Dallin H. Oaks, p. 187)."
"Our faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to go in peace and be made whole (p. 189)."
"If we feel distant from God, it could be that we are hurt, angry, too busy, or even too lazy. Maybe we are going through the motions. Maybe we are trying and not seeing or feeling a difference. It could be that we don't feel worthy or that we need to forgive... If we don't see God in our lives, perhaps it is because we are distracted by the things of the world. We look at others and see what we lack instead of being thankful to God for our current situation (p. 191)."
"God can be there with us, for us, and even in us to enable us with strength and the power to do His will (p. 195)."
"With the help of the Lord, I can do hard things too (p. 196)."
March 1, 2015
Many of the stories in this book are heart-wrenching, yet end positively because these women don't give up. These are examples we need to see more and more in our day as we all are living with "something," but sometimes we struggle enduring it in the best possible way.
I was very touched to see what these women have endured and it makes me see everyone at church in a different light. We can be too hard on one another as we all struggle with hard things. But God can help us in our own struggles as well as help us be non-judgmental and more open and loving toward one another.
Highly recommended!
I was very touched to see what these women have endured and it makes me see everyone at church in a different light. We can be too hard on one another as we all struggle with hard things. But God can help us in our own struggles as well as help us be non-judgmental and more open and loving toward one another.
Highly recommended!
February 27, 2015
I really appreciated this collection of essays written by women who have faced severe trials in their lives. I appreciated their honesty in sharing their feelings of despair, doubt, and pure heartbreak. I learned from them as they shared the wisdom they have gained from their unique difficulties. My favorite quote from the book reads, "Previous periods of pain and adversity had taught me there was always a gift involved. Faith in Christ had always led me to the treasures hidden within every personal trial".
April 1, 2016
Check out chapter 10. I wrote that chapter to talk about a hard thing that we did with God.
March 15, 2015
This book was depressing to me. The hard experiences these women went through weighed more heavily on my mind than the strength I found in their testimonies.
May 5, 2019
This book is made up of 17 essays, written by women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on "I can do hard things." It's split into sections--hard things, health, financial, family, mental illness, alone but not lonely, and doing more.
There were very powerful lessons that I learned on the power of Jesus Christ's atonement in overcoming all things. One of my favorite essays was under the financial section called, " Financial stressors, will you be poor for me?" This particular sister experienced some severe financial struggles during the recession and her husband had his business fail. She shared this story about a brother sharing his testimony in her ward. He had also lost his business and questioned why they were having such a hard time when they were being obedient and doing good. He went to talk to his stake president. He asked the stake president "Was this all worth it? Why would I get so many answers to continue this business if we're just going to fail? I have failed. Why was this all just a big failure?" Then the stake president asked him the purpose of life and he replied to gain eternal exaltation and live with God. He asked him how you do that. The brother answered with all the Primary answers and the stake president said, "Yes, but you are missing one element. We can only gain exaltation because of coming closer to Jesus Christ. Feeling Him. Loving Him. Begging Him for forgiveness and healing. Truly knowing Christ and allowing Him to save you. Now...has this experience taught you how to do all these things?" The brother replied yes and the stake president said, "Then I see no failure here."
I am not experiencing financial trials right now, but I am having other trials that have caused me to beg and plead with my Father in Heaven for answers and for relief. I have questioned their purpose, and I have seen that even when my efforts don't change the situation, I have changed and I have been brought closer to Christ and that is the purpose of the trial. "There is no failure."
Anyway, I loved the book.
There were very powerful lessons that I learned on the power of Jesus Christ's atonement in overcoming all things. One of my favorite essays was under the financial section called, " Financial stressors, will you be poor for me?" This particular sister experienced some severe financial struggles during the recession and her husband had his business fail. She shared this story about a brother sharing his testimony in her ward. He had also lost his business and questioned why they were having such a hard time when they were being obedient and doing good. He went to talk to his stake president. He asked the stake president "Was this all worth it? Why would I get so many answers to continue this business if we're just going to fail? I have failed. Why was this all just a big failure?" Then the stake president asked him the purpose of life and he replied to gain eternal exaltation and live with God. He asked him how you do that. The brother answered with all the Primary answers and the stake president said, "Yes, but you are missing one element. We can only gain exaltation because of coming closer to Jesus Christ. Feeling Him. Loving Him. Begging Him for forgiveness and healing. Truly knowing Christ and allowing Him to save you. Now...has this experience taught you how to do all these things?" The brother replied yes and the stake president said, "Then I see no failure here."
I am not experiencing financial trials right now, but I am having other trials that have caused me to beg and plead with my Father in Heaven for answers and for relief. I have questioned their purpose, and I have seen that even when my efforts don't change the situation, I have changed and I have been brought closer to Christ and that is the purpose of the trial. "There is no failure."
Anyway, I loved the book.
July 7, 2020
I was shopping at Seagul Book when author Ganel-Lyn was doing a book signing. She looked sweet and had a testimony of the stories in the book. I bought her book and she signed it! The book set on my dresser for four months I wasn’t ready to read about hardships and trials in other women’s life, I have been having a hard go up things in my own life. But just the other day I picked it up and couldn’t put it down!
The book was great - it helped me to remember that we are all going through many different trials in our lives and that trials truly can bring us closer to God and our Savior. God does have his own timing in answering our prayers!
The book was great - it helped me to remember that we are all going through many different trials in our lives and that trials truly can bring us closer to God and our Savior. God does have his own timing in answering our prayers!
May 16, 2022
Such a wonderful book about the strength and resilience of women and relying on Jesus Christ through our difficult times. An anthology worth rereading and learning about others who have gone before us and ways they drew strength from the Lord. Great, great book! Highly recommend.
Trigger warning: people share their true stories and some center around suicide, lost loved ones, divorce, and other hard ships.
Trigger warning: people share their true stories and some center around suicide, lost loved ones, divorce, and other hard ships.
February 28, 2020
The author/compiler did a great job with her story and combining all the essays of learning from and getting through adversity. Some of the stories were just too difficult for me to read personally and some were not as well written. The essays at the beginning and end were my favorites and were beautiful testimonies of having the Lord's help through trials.
July 20, 2018
The stories are wonderful. I got lost on the last 2 chapters. Not sure why they are there, they are not stories. Couldn't wait some days to read the story I was reading. Hard to put down in certain stories.
December 29, 2022
This is a wonderful book, full of uplifting and moving stories of strong women. I loved the stories and never read some multiple times to uplift me and give me strength. I strongly recommend this book and this author who I follow on social media.
July 3, 2017
I'm so glad I read this book. I've been strengthened, uplifted, and fortified. Thank you, Ganel-Lyn Condie!
August 5, 2019
good book. It was inspiring.
June 12, 2020
This book came at the perfect time in my life. Thank you Ganel-Lyn!
March 26, 2023
Loved reading these stories. Even though I can’t relate to most of the trials, I felt I could learn something from all of them.
July 21, 2015
This book is a collection of different stories by different women. Each chapter is authored by a new author who tells her story of her trials and how God has helped her. Although some of the trials were far removed from anything I have ever experienced, I still found I could take strength and lessons away from their stories to use in my own struggles.
I felt that Ganel-Lyn Condie found a great variety of stories as she included sections on physical health, mental health, loneliness, etc. (Sorry I no longer have the book to give the complete list of sections.) I felt like she tried to include something for everyone to relate to.
The difficulty with the book is that not all writers are created equal. Some of them I felt focused too much on the details of their struggle and not enough was spoken of how God's hand had been in their lives. I finished those chapters feeling uncomfortable and down instead of uplifted and motivated to tackle my own issues with the help of my Heavenly Father.
The other issue I had was that every story seemed to be an extreme case. I felt like my own trials were nothing in comparison with those presented and I kept wishing for a case that wasn't so totally extreme. Where was the chapter about everyday struggles that are difficult for us all? I am amazed by these women who go through so much and keep up the fight, but I almost feel guilty for struggling on my smaller scale.
I felt that Ganel-Lyn Condie found a great variety of stories as she included sections on physical health, mental health, loneliness, etc. (Sorry I no longer have the book to give the complete list of sections.) I felt like she tried to include something for everyone to relate to.
The difficulty with the book is that not all writers are created equal. Some of them I felt focused too much on the details of their struggle and not enough was spoken of how God's hand had been in their lives. I finished those chapters feeling uncomfortable and down instead of uplifted and motivated to tackle my own issues with the help of my Heavenly Father.
The other issue I had was that every story seemed to be an extreme case. I felt like my own trials were nothing in comparison with those presented and I kept wishing for a case that wasn't so totally extreme. Where was the chapter about everyday struggles that are difficult for us all? I am amazed by these women who go through so much and keep up the fight, but I almost feel guilty for struggling on my smaller scale.
January 6, 2016
Doing hard things has been on my mind. Not necessarily because I am doing hard things, but several people close to me are. So I wanted to think about it in the quiet of the night a little bit. I wanted to see how people do hard things. I wanted to read about God “so I can be better in tune with the Infinite,” as Professor Marvel intones. Paradoxically, the book was both depressing and uplifting. Depressing because you read in detail about the difficult things people are required to do in this life, from losing a child to going blind (my old bugaboo, again). You read sad stories. But uplifting because these people all struggle back to a sort of equilibrium, part bargaining and part acceptance, with God. One woman writes, “The truth is that at times I mourn the lost innocence, the fearless way I used to attack life, yet I can’t begrudge my God. He has given me faith in the place of innocence. When I look around at the life I have now…I can see God’s plan unfolding.” I would like to be better at that. I would like to move past that place of abject fear, praying merely to keep everyone safe and healthy, and move into that place of faith, where I’m praying for strength to live the life I’m given.
May 11, 2015
I was really touched by the essays in this book. I'm glad I bought my own copy to mark and reread because I will definitely be doing both. Such remarkable stories of strength and faith...I was inspired by the way these women faced their challenges and turned to God to help them endure and overcome. Much as we don't enjoy hardships and difficulties, they are an important part of our mortal experience, and often they help us learn things we couldn't learn any other way. In Richard Paul Evans' foreword to the book, he says, "Sometimes, in the throes of our suffering, it is easy to forget that pain isn't always a divergent path but rather the very road we must tread to salvation...it is my hope that this book will increase your faith that God loves each one of us and is mindful of all we can do and endure. And in spite of our weakness, with our Heavenly Father's infinite wisdom and power, we can do ALL hard things." For me, the book did exactly that--I highly recommend it.
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August 19, 2015Ganel-Lyn is my next door neighbor's daughter in law. (---well, used to be next door neighbor. She recently relocated to a different State a couple of years ago.) I think the world of Ganel and so I was interested in reading this compilation of essays. First having had infertility problems, and now an adopted child with autism and another adopted child with anxiety disorder has provided rich learning experiences for me and my husband as we continue to journey through our own "hard things" in mortality. I add my own expression of gratitude to the Lord, Jesus Christ for His power in my life to bear up and to become through these personal life challenges.
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June 5, 2015I'm sure this is a fantastic book, but to be told to read it when you've just had a personal tragedy ... it was much too depressing for me. Especially when I feel like my "that doesn't happen to me" shield has been torn away, and now I'm convinced I'm going to come down with ten different terminal illnesses, while my husband dies and my children make bad choices. Truly depressing.
September 26, 2015
I have mixed feelings about this book. While it was amazing to hear all the terrible things these ladies overcame with their faith, it was also very depressing to read one sad story after another. But I know the message they want you to walk away with is that with and through God, all things are possible.
April 30, 2024
This book, which is the first in Ganel-Lyn Condie's "With God" series, is a wonderful collection of essays by LDS women who have gone through hard things.
Ganel-lyn's own story of her sister's suicide and how it impacted those who remained is what causes me to purchase this book over and over and share it with people who are themselves surviving loved ones of suicide situations.
Ganel-lyn's own story of her sister's suicide and how it impacted those who remained is what causes me to purchase this book over and over and share it with people who are themselves surviving loved ones of suicide situations.
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