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And It Was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-bye
In her vulnerable and inspiring voice, Kara Tippetts calls us to cultivate soft hearts and embrace beauty even when living lives we didn't expect to be living.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2016
33 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
Kara Tippetts
4 books36 followersThe late Kara Tippetts was the author of The Hardest Peace and blogged faithfully at mundanefaithfulness.com. Cancer was only a part of Kara’s story. Her real fight was to truly live while facing a crushing reality. Since her death in March 2015, her husband, Jason, is parenting their four children and leading the church they founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
March 11, 2016
And It Was Beautiful is a quick read but wow – there’s a lot packed in that small space! Her voice, her writing style, make you feel as though you’ve been friends for years. Her love for her family, for her friends, for her Jesus is so evident in each poignant vignette, and her journey with cancer – and the gift of grace through it all – will engage all of your emotions. While at first you may think that a book like this would be depressing, it is anything but a downer. Yes, you will ugly-cry. But you will also smile and laugh and be overwhelmingly reminded of the goodness of God and His faithfulness. Kara’s testimony is raw at times, witty at others, but always always beautiful.
Read more at Reading Is My SuperPower
Read more at Reading Is My SuperPower
January 16, 2018
I read Kara's other two books about 1 1/2 years ago. Finally got my hands on this book. It is again filled with Kara's beautiful thoughts as she faced breast cancer. I was hoping for a letter from Jason to finish her story on Earth and update us on her family. If you want inspiration when going through hard, this is a good book for that.
December 14, 2015
Jesus help me see you. That has been Kara Tippets only hope in her fight and loss to cancer. It should be ours as well. It is in this fight that Christianity is more about life lived instead of Christianity as an event.
These short words of Kara’s during her battle with cancer many times left me in tears, admiring her heroism and her weakness. She does bare the “I don’t have it all together”. I think that is why so many can relate to her story. She does not make her story the story but she makes I want Jesus real because ultimately that is all she has and ultimately that is all we have. She is reminding us to pursue life, love and Jesus. We forget. We get distracted. We get busy. We get discouraged. But it is in those times, we strive to know Jesus. To rest in him.
My favorite and the times that broke my heart is her cry for her children. She loved being a mamma. She saw each of her children and knew them. What encouraged them and what discouraged them and she took that job in and saw joy in it. She saw joy in her community of people that we can miss because we think we have all the time in the world. In her life that is broken because of cancer, she is reminding others what really matters. So if you are tired of the events of Christianity and want life, I would encourage you to encounter the life that Kara fought for.
Some of the quotes that encouraged and inspired me are as follows….
Every moment seems so special. The truth is, it is. That is the gift of cancer. The struggle is the fear. The fear of this amazing world of people I love more than anything marching forward without me in it. There is a lot of pride and arrogance in that thinking. A friend and I were talking about the control that comes with thinking life is as it should be with us in it. But the truth is, life is exactly planned. Exactly numbered. My job in this day is live near to Jesus. To seek faithfulness in this day. I want to have a peaceful heart that embraces each gift of joy as it comes.
Someone surrendered to God; not resigned by surrendered. And there is a difference. And that difference was persuasive in the most naturally wooing of ways.
I have lived in the reflection of the Gospel as my husband has loved me in my sin, ugly and unlovely. Acceptance with Jason has nothing to do with performance but everything to do with his understanding of how loved he is by God in his own weakness and sin.
We are all desperately afraid of what’s hard, but once we face it, it’s possible we find a new joy we hadn’t known before.
Each breath is an Amen.
Getting honest with ourselves does not make us unacceptable to God. It does not distance us from God, but draws us to him as nothing else can and opens us anew to the flow of grace. While Jesus calls each of us to a more perfect life, we cannot achieve it on our own. To be alive is to be broken; to be broken is to stand in need of grace. It is only through grace that any of us could dare to hope that we could become more like Christ. Brennan Manning I am needy and that drives me to grace.
Her words communicate a the great love and grace of God thru suffering.
A Special Thank You to David C Cook and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
These short words of Kara’s during her battle with cancer many times left me in tears, admiring her heroism and her weakness. She does bare the “I don’t have it all together”. I think that is why so many can relate to her story. She does not make her story the story but she makes I want Jesus real because ultimately that is all she has and ultimately that is all we have. She is reminding us to pursue life, love and Jesus. We forget. We get distracted. We get busy. We get discouraged. But it is in those times, we strive to know Jesus. To rest in him.
My favorite and the times that broke my heart is her cry for her children. She loved being a mamma. She saw each of her children and knew them. What encouraged them and what discouraged them and she took that job in and saw joy in it. She saw joy in her community of people that we can miss because we think we have all the time in the world. In her life that is broken because of cancer, she is reminding others what really matters. So if you are tired of the events of Christianity and want life, I would encourage you to encounter the life that Kara fought for.
Some of the quotes that encouraged and inspired me are as follows….
Every moment seems so special. The truth is, it is. That is the gift of cancer. The struggle is the fear. The fear of this amazing world of people I love more than anything marching forward without me in it. There is a lot of pride and arrogance in that thinking. A friend and I were talking about the control that comes with thinking life is as it should be with us in it. But the truth is, life is exactly planned. Exactly numbered. My job in this day is live near to Jesus. To seek faithfulness in this day. I want to have a peaceful heart that embraces each gift of joy as it comes.
Someone surrendered to God; not resigned by surrendered. And there is a difference. And that difference was persuasive in the most naturally wooing of ways.
I have lived in the reflection of the Gospel as my husband has loved me in my sin, ugly and unlovely. Acceptance with Jason has nothing to do with performance but everything to do with his understanding of how loved he is by God in his own weakness and sin.
We are all desperately afraid of what’s hard, but once we face it, it’s possible we find a new joy we hadn’t known before.
Each breath is an Amen.
Getting honest with ourselves does not make us unacceptable to God. It does not distance us from God, but draws us to him as nothing else can and opens us anew to the flow of grace. While Jesus calls each of us to a more perfect life, we cannot achieve it on our own. To be alive is to be broken; to be broken is to stand in need of grace. It is only through grace that any of us could dare to hope that we could become more like Christ. Brennan Manning I am needy and that drives me to grace.
Her words communicate a the great love and grace of God thru suffering.
A Special Thank You to David C Cook and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
July 21, 2019
Wonderful! Kara has a beautiful, authentic voice in her writing, so I feel as if I just finished an encouraging and hopeful conversation with her. Even though this story related her struggle with the hard reality of knowing she faced limited time because of cancer, she somehow convinces me to find grace, hope, kindness, and love in my own “hard” obstacles!!
When we face hard obstacles, how powerful to realize the comfort of God’s sovereignty — to find strength in the truth that our stories have already been written by God and that we are simply living out His purpose, even in the hard times.
This book is a must-read for anyone facing a seemingly insurmountable obstacle!
When we face hard obstacles, how powerful to realize the comfort of God’s sovereignty — to find strength in the truth that our stories have already been written by God and that we are simply living out His purpose, even in the hard times.
This book is a must-read for anyone facing a seemingly insurmountable obstacle!
February 15, 2016
For those who have had cancer touch their lives or the lives of loved ones, the notion that any part of it could be a gift sounds offensive and insensitive. Yet it was this that drew me to And It Was Beautiful and author Kara Tippetts. Kara was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2012 and passed away in March 2015 at 38, leaving behind a husband and four children. And It Was Beautiful is a posthumous collection of writings from her blog Mundane Faithfulness.
To call the book moving is to fail to do it proper justice. Of course, dealing with the topics of death, grief and the suffering that comes with a debilitating disease is going to be emotional. For Kara however, along with the anger and frustration there is also an incredible opportunity to see grace revealed in the midst of this great pain. It is here that Kara finds the gift of cancer such as how she and her family have found an incredible love and compassion, from family and friends who have disrupted their own comfortable lives to enter into and join in their suffering. She writes that they have:
“stepped into a house of hurting kids, a tired daddy, and a sick mama, and they’ve offered comfort and hope in our dark season. I’m not brave, but they are.”
Along with the deeply personal and often difficult to read passages where Kara struggles with failing her own expectations of her role as a mother due to her sickness she also raises some through provoking questions such as when she asks “how does one die well?” or “how do you live well when the living you’re living isn’t the living you expected?”. They may seem trite, but from Kara’s voice they are meaningful challenges to our assumptions regarding life and death.
Kara’s writings invite us to glimpse a different perspective on suffering. One that acknowledges the loss and regret, for instance when a friend asks what her heart hungers for she replies with “one word and a bunch of tears: time”, but also that such experiences bring change, growth and refinement. Most of all, it is through suffering, through the depletion of our own strength that we find God waiting for us:
“Some of my most difficult conversations I have had in the midst of my cancer have been with believers that do not see God in a hard plan. So many believe that hard comes and then God makes it better. It is so easy to forget that our salvation came by way of the hard of a cross.”
And It Was Beautiful is an emotional celebration of life that will bless all with the courage to read it.
To call the book moving is to fail to do it proper justice. Of course, dealing with the topics of death, grief and the suffering that comes with a debilitating disease is going to be emotional. For Kara however, along with the anger and frustration there is also an incredible opportunity to see grace revealed in the midst of this great pain. It is here that Kara finds the gift of cancer such as how she and her family have found an incredible love and compassion, from family and friends who have disrupted their own comfortable lives to enter into and join in their suffering. She writes that they have:
“stepped into a house of hurting kids, a tired daddy, and a sick mama, and they’ve offered comfort and hope in our dark season. I’m not brave, but they are.”
Along with the deeply personal and often difficult to read passages where Kara struggles with failing her own expectations of her role as a mother due to her sickness she also raises some through provoking questions such as when she asks “how does one die well?” or “how do you live well when the living you’re living isn’t the living you expected?”. They may seem trite, but from Kara’s voice they are meaningful challenges to our assumptions regarding life and death.
Kara’s writings invite us to glimpse a different perspective on suffering. One that acknowledges the loss and regret, for instance when a friend asks what her heart hungers for she replies with “one word and a bunch of tears: time”, but also that such experiences bring change, growth and refinement. Most of all, it is through suffering, through the depletion of our own strength that we find God waiting for us:
“Some of my most difficult conversations I have had in the midst of my cancer have been with believers that do not see God in a hard plan. So many believe that hard comes and then God makes it better. It is so easy to forget that our salvation came by way of the hard of a cross.”
And It Was Beautiful is an emotional celebration of life that will bless all with the courage to read it.
February 24, 2016
Life can be hard. Terribly sad things happen, people suffer and hurt. This happens to Christians just like it happens to everyone else. Unfortunately, parts of the modern Western church have fallen into the idea that if you love God well enough, you won't ever have to hurt, that enough prayer and faith can fix everything. This leaves those who aren't healed or miraculously delivered believing one of two things - either God doesn't really love them as much as He does others, or they're doing something wrong. The truth is we live in a fallen world that contains suffering. People die, they lose their jobs, they're mistreated, robbed... they get terrible diseases that cause pain and eventually kill them. Like Kara Tippets.
This book is a compilation of blog post Tippets made after she got a diagnosis of cancer. Mother of four, pastor's wife, Tippets went through the chemo, surgery, hair loss, nausea, weakness... all that the diagnosis can mean. And then - she died. But she left behind her faith in the form of her life and her writing and her family and friends. She's honest without being brutal. She speaks of the peace and the fear. The love and the loneliness. The refining of suffering which breaks through our illusion of knowledge and strength and reminds us that we are all "like grass", withering and dying away. And the joy one can still find in knowing that there is more to life than what we see and experience here, the grace that is always there for us, if we will only look for it.
If you're suffering this book will alternately encourage and shame you - in a nice way, of course. :) If you're not, then read it for the insight you'll gain and the compassion it will develop for those who are. And remember to look for the grace - always.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book is a compilation of blog post Tippets made after she got a diagnosis of cancer. Mother of four, pastor's wife, Tippets went through the chemo, surgery, hair loss, nausea, weakness... all that the diagnosis can mean. And then - she died. But she left behind her faith in the form of her life and her writing and her family and friends. She's honest without being brutal. She speaks of the peace and the fear. The love and the loneliness. The refining of suffering which breaks through our illusion of knowledge and strength and reminds us that we are all "like grass", withering and dying away. And the joy one can still find in knowing that there is more to life than what we see and experience here, the grace that is always there for us, if we will only look for it.
If you're suffering this book will alternately encourage and shame you - in a nice way, of course. :) If you're not, then read it for the insight you'll gain and the compassion it will develop for those who are. And remember to look for the grace - always.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
March 8, 2016
For nearly three years Kara Tippetts wrote regularly on her blog, Mundane Faithfulness. Kara was a church planter’s wife and mother of four, and she wrote about her life and journey with cancer. Kara passed away in March 2015, but her words continue to encourage and inspire today.
Through her blog, and through her books, Kara Tippetts has shown the world how to live well and die well. And It Was Beautiful is Kara’s final book, and it is primarily a collection of many of her blog posts. Those who have enjoyed reading Kara’s blog will love owning a copy of her blog in book form!
In this little book, Kara shares beauty and joy in the midst of the very hard grief of dying as a young wife and mother. Kara shares about the grace and peace that can be found in times of suffering. You will be encouraged to live life with joy and love, and you will learn to see beauty in the hard things in life.
Because this book is primarily a compilation of blog posts, the chapters are very short. Many of the chapters are only two pages long, making it easy to read in small segments of time. For those who struggle with being able to read due to fatigue and brain fog, this may be a book that you could read! The chapters are short and sweet, but give warm encouragement and much to think about.
I greatly enjoyed reading And It Was Beautiful. Like all of Kara’s books, I read this one twice! I will keep it on my bookshelf to read again when I’m in need of encouragement from someone who has lived through hard days and found grace and peace in the midst of it all.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, David C. Cook, through Litfuse Publicity. All opinions are my own.
Through her blog, and through her books, Kara Tippetts has shown the world how to live well and die well. And It Was Beautiful is Kara’s final book, and it is primarily a collection of many of her blog posts. Those who have enjoyed reading Kara’s blog will love owning a copy of her blog in book form!
In this little book, Kara shares beauty and joy in the midst of the very hard grief of dying as a young wife and mother. Kara shares about the grace and peace that can be found in times of suffering. You will be encouraged to live life with joy and love, and you will learn to see beauty in the hard things in life.
Because this book is primarily a compilation of blog posts, the chapters are very short. Many of the chapters are only two pages long, making it easy to read in small segments of time. For those who struggle with being able to read due to fatigue and brain fog, this may be a book that you could read! The chapters are short and sweet, but give warm encouragement and much to think about.
I greatly enjoyed reading And It Was Beautiful. Like all of Kara’s books, I read this one twice! I will keep it on my bookshelf to read again when I’m in need of encouragement from someone who has lived through hard days and found grace and peace in the midst of it all.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, David C. Cook, through Litfuse Publicity. All opinions are my own.
October 15, 2015
Kara Tippetts had cancer. It overcame her body. She died in early 2015. This book is adapted from her blog, Mundane Faithfulness. (It reads as a warm memoir, not a series of blog entries.) Kara had a lovely way with words. Sweet, not sugary. Kind, not always nice. Realistic, not harsh. Mostly women will read this. It is good for men too. My wife was diagnosed with and healed from leukemia during Kara's last lap around the sun. Instead of bitterness and despair, Kara and my wife clung to hope in God and his faithfulness no matter what. From this book I better understand my wife's experience. It also helps me heal from my role as a caregiver. I recommend this to anyone touched by cancer - which is sadly all of us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2018
Could not put this one down!
March 11, 2016
I think you could say that Kara Tippetts has become one of my heroes. This courageous woman faced aggressive metastasized cancer in her late 30s, and although it did claim her life in 2015, she never stopped seeking to glorify God and exhort others through their own times of hard. This book is a collection of Kara's blog posts over the final years of her life, the years she was fighting cancer. It is a beautiful look into the heart of a woman who loved God and her family well even through such awful devastation. I first met Kara in her book The Hardest Peace, and I would recommend both that book and this one to all who are struggling with what life has brought them.
"In our many different ways, we're all living in the desperation of life that hasn't turned out like we'd planned," Kara says on page 155. Kara never focused solely on the shattered dreams of her own life. She recognized that there are hard things for each of us in this world, and the way she wrote allows us to connect our pain and difficulty with her words of encouragement. That's what makes these books such precious gifts, because these words meet us in our deep needs and fears. "We are all desperately afraid of what's hard, but once we face it, it's possible we find a new joy we hadn't known before." (Page 131)
Kara speaks emphatically on the importance of love, specifically loving well. "Love matters, always." That simple sentence from page 236 makes a great motto. Our relationships should always be marked by love, even when they are difficult and it has to be tough love. Hopefully most of our relationships are positive, life-giving ones that build each other up. That is important for when hard times arrive, as I agree with Kara's point on page 171: "The investment in love you make today will affect your tomorrows. Suffering will come, I promise. Work at building the foundation so when the storms come, you can stand, together."
My favorite chapter was the one called Five Thoughts on Dying Well. They're five really good thoughts for those of us who want to live well, too. Kara's perspective on "the long goodbye" of cancer makes you stop and think about your own priorities and goals. What is important? Am I doing those things? Am I living well so that one day, may God be gracious that it be many years from now, I can die well?
None of us are guaranteed more than today. We do take it for granted that we'll have more, and it's not wrong to have hopes, dreams, and goals for the future. But don't let those stand in the way of intentional living today. We have today. What are we going to do with it? "A bucket list? No, I don't need one. I'm so rich. It's relationships that matter. And for me, paying attention to the precious gift of today is the only thing on my list." (Page 113)
Kara bravely faced death and leaves behind a legacy of love for her husband, her four young children, her friends, and those who only know her through her written words. She lived well. May our own lives be marked by such grace and beauty even amidst the hard.
I received my copy of the book in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com
"In our many different ways, we're all living in the desperation of life that hasn't turned out like we'd planned," Kara says on page 155. Kara never focused solely on the shattered dreams of her own life. She recognized that there are hard things for each of us in this world, and the way she wrote allows us to connect our pain and difficulty with her words of encouragement. That's what makes these books such precious gifts, because these words meet us in our deep needs and fears. "We are all desperately afraid of what's hard, but once we face it, it's possible we find a new joy we hadn't known before." (Page 131)
Kara speaks emphatically on the importance of love, specifically loving well. "Love matters, always." That simple sentence from page 236 makes a great motto. Our relationships should always be marked by love, even when they are difficult and it has to be tough love. Hopefully most of our relationships are positive, life-giving ones that build each other up. That is important for when hard times arrive, as I agree with Kara's point on page 171: "The investment in love you make today will affect your tomorrows. Suffering will come, I promise. Work at building the foundation so when the storms come, you can stand, together."
My favorite chapter was the one called Five Thoughts on Dying Well. They're five really good thoughts for those of us who want to live well, too. Kara's perspective on "the long goodbye" of cancer makes you stop and think about your own priorities and goals. What is important? Am I doing those things? Am I living well so that one day, may God be gracious that it be many years from now, I can die well?
None of us are guaranteed more than today. We do take it for granted that we'll have more, and it's not wrong to have hopes, dreams, and goals for the future. But don't let those stand in the way of intentional living today. We have today. What are we going to do with it? "A bucket list? No, I don't need one. I'm so rich. It's relationships that matter. And for me, paying attention to the precious gift of today is the only thing on my list." (Page 113)
Kara bravely faced death and leaves behind a legacy of love for her husband, her four young children, her friends, and those who only know her through her written words. She lived well. May our own lives be marked by such grace and beauty even amidst the hard.
I received my copy of the book in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com
February 23, 2019
I discovered Kara Tippetts when she wrote the blog Mundane Faithfulness. I love the fact that I can now own a copy of her blog posts related to her cancer journey.
March 15, 2016
Several years ago, my sister-in-law shared a blog post on her Facebook page that was written by the mom of one of her Pre-K students. This woman - a pastor's wife, mom of four, and beloved friend to many - had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and she blogged as a way to update her friends and family on her illness. Something about that first post I read drew me in, and after I'd tucked my kids into bed that evening, I went back in the archives and read the entire blog from the beginning. Over the next couple of hours, Kara Tippetts worked her way into my heart.
Kara blogged regularly throughout her cancer journey, and her readership grew steadily. She wrote honestly about the battle she was fighting, how it affected her not only physically, but spiritually as well. One of Kara's goals was to find God's goodness in the midst of her suffering, and He was faithful to help her find it. Kara wrote beautifully about this in her first book, The Hardest Peace. In her last months, she also coauthored Just Show Up, a book about living in community and walking through times of suffering with others.
Kara's blog crashed awhile back, and sadly, all of her posts were lost. Thankfully, she had saved them to her computer, but the site was unable to be restored. Her final book, And It Was Beautiful, is a compilation of many of those posts, along with other writings, and it is SO good. Even though I'd read most of it as the original blog, and I know how Kara's earthly story would come to an end, I was still completely drawn in. Turning the page to Act Four in the book, and seeing the chapter title, "Letter to My Readers Upon My Death", caused a lump to form in my throat and my heart to sink again. It obviously wasn't a surprise to me, but it still took me back to the day Kara went Home and the tears came again...for her husband, for her kids, for her community. They have all modeled well how to grieve with hope. She was so loved.
As the one year marker of Kara's "[flying] away to the land of no more tears" (p. 246) approaches, reading this book has been a fresh reminder to me of the ways Kara inspired us to look for the grace in every situation. How very blessed I was by her words, and how very much I miss her voice here on earth.
*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.*
Kara blogged regularly throughout her cancer journey, and her readership grew steadily. She wrote honestly about the battle she was fighting, how it affected her not only physically, but spiritually as well. One of Kara's goals was to find God's goodness in the midst of her suffering, and He was faithful to help her find it. Kara wrote beautifully about this in her first book, The Hardest Peace. In her last months, she also coauthored Just Show Up, a book about living in community and walking through times of suffering with others.
Kara's blog crashed awhile back, and sadly, all of her posts were lost. Thankfully, she had saved them to her computer, but the site was unable to be restored. Her final book, And It Was Beautiful, is a compilation of many of those posts, along with other writings, and it is SO good. Even though I'd read most of it as the original blog, and I know how Kara's earthly story would come to an end, I was still completely drawn in. Turning the page to Act Four in the book, and seeing the chapter title, "Letter to My Readers Upon My Death", caused a lump to form in my throat and my heart to sink again. It obviously wasn't a surprise to me, but it still took me back to the day Kara went Home and the tears came again...for her husband, for her kids, for her community. They have all modeled well how to grieve with hope. She was so loved.
As the one year marker of Kara's "[flying] away to the land of no more tears" (p. 246) approaches, reading this book has been a fresh reminder to me of the ways Kara inspired us to look for the grace in every situation. How very blessed I was by her words, and how very much I miss her voice here on earth.
*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.*
January 22, 2016
This is an excellent collection of blog posts written by Kara Tippetts of Mundane Faithfulness collected and published after her death. Readers who came to know Kara through her previous books, but have not read her blog, may appreciate this collection of some of the best of her work. It makes her writing accessible for those who are not blog readers and allows those of us who came to know Kara only as she was dying a chance to know better how she lived in the middle of her long goodbye.
Kara's writing, like her life and death, is beautiful and honest. She stays faithful to to her truth and her people. She presents a philosophy of life that can be appreciated both by those who know the end of their life is near and those who do not. As I read through this collection of blog posts, I felt a deep longing to live a better life in the midst of my own mundane, everyday existence. I don't know how long my good-bye is, but I do know that I want my own life to be beautiful to those who happen to be a part of it. Kara's book is a great encouragement to do that, no matter what the source of our challenges might be.
I had the privilege of reading an ARC copy of this book, thanks to Netgalley and David C. Cook. I don't know if the final copy will have this or not, but I did find myself longing for dated posts. I can understand why it may not be included, but I would have found it helpful to know how much time transpired between some of the posts.
Kara's writing, like her life and death, is beautiful and honest. She stays faithful to to her truth and her people. She presents a philosophy of life that can be appreciated both by those who know the end of their life is near and those who do not. As I read through this collection of blog posts, I felt a deep longing to live a better life in the midst of my own mundane, everyday existence. I don't know how long my good-bye is, but I do know that I want my own life to be beautiful to those who happen to be a part of it. Kara's book is a great encouragement to do that, no matter what the source of our challenges might be.
I had the privilege of reading an ARC copy of this book, thanks to Netgalley and David C. Cook. I don't know if the final copy will have this or not, but I did find myself longing for dated posts. I can understand why it may not be included, but I would have found it helpful to know how much time transpired between some of the posts.
March 13, 2016
I became aware of Kara Tippetts' story and her blog, Mundane Faithfulness, shortly before her death last March. Like most people (I assume, anyway), I don't like thinking about death—especially death we would consider "untimely." I didn't read much of Kara's blog for that reason. But recently I learned about And It Was Beautiful, which is mainly a collection of writings from Kara's blog, and something told me to read it. I'm glad I did.
I picked up And It Was Beautiful with a bit of trepidation, fearing I was facing 250 pages that would make me want to cry. I couldn't have been more wrong. The subtitle, "Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye," so clearly communicates what Kara did through her writing—she struggled, she cried, she questioned ... but she also found humor in the pain, lived life to the fullest, and trusted in the One who knew the number of her days.
Yes, I did cry as I read the book's final pages, but I closed the book thankful for the gift of being able to see the grace, dignity, and hope that Kara left behind as her legacy.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I picked up And It Was Beautiful with a bit of trepidation, fearing I was facing 250 pages that would make me want to cry. I couldn't have been more wrong. The subtitle, "Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye," so clearly communicates what Kara did through her writing—she struggled, she cried, she questioned ... but she also found humor in the pain, lived life to the fullest, and trusted in the One who knew the number of her days.
Yes, I did cry as I read the book's final pages, but I closed the book thankful for the gift of being able to see the grace, dignity, and hope that Kara left behind as her legacy.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
March 26, 2016
"A bucket list? No, I don’t need one. I’m so rich. It’s relationships that matter. And for me, paying attention to the precious gift of today is the only thing on my list.” Kara
This was a difficult book for me to read because I lost my mom last year. Toward the end, she was ready to go, but I wasn't ready to lose her. There would never have a been a time in my life when I would have been ready to lose her. Even though I know I'll be with her again, the emptiness is still there. I miss her so.
For the author, the hardest part about dying was that she would not be there for the family she loved so much. She wanted to be there to see her husband as a grandfather and her children as grown-ups.
Throughout it all her faith remained steady and she continued to cherish her family and friends, and they cherished her She had an incredible support group that she felt blessed to have. She sings their praises throughout the book and I'm sure they all felt cherished by her.
There is a good bit of inspiration for the rest of us to be gleaned from the pages of this book. For me, it was further confirmation of the need to make these moments we have count, and to press forward in a relationship with Jesus that deepens with each day.
This was a difficult book for me to read because I lost my mom last year. Toward the end, she was ready to go, but I wasn't ready to lose her. There would never have a been a time in my life when I would have been ready to lose her. Even though I know I'll be with her again, the emptiness is still there. I miss her so.
For the author, the hardest part about dying was that she would not be there for the family she loved so much. She wanted to be there to see her husband as a grandfather and her children as grown-ups.
Throughout it all her faith remained steady and she continued to cherish her family and friends, and they cherished her She had an incredible support group that she felt blessed to have. She sings their praises throughout the book and I'm sure they all felt cherished by her.
There is a good bit of inspiration for the rest of us to be gleaned from the pages of this book. For me, it was further confirmation of the need to make these moments we have count, and to press forward in a relationship with Jesus that deepens with each day.
May 9, 2016
“It Was Beautiful” is one of the most inspiring books that I have read in a long time. I felt like we were old friends having coffee, and me listening to Kara share her story. The book chronicled Kara’s personal journey through cancer and the “long goodbye” Kara experienced with her family. The pages of this book are filled with evidences of Jesus’ mercy and grace, and how He creates something beautiful out of hard circumstances.
Over the past year, I have been homebound due to some major health problems and this book was the balm my soul needed during this season. This is one that I will often go back to for much wisdom and encouragement. If you haven’t yet, pick up a copy to read — you won’t be sorry.
I was given a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review.
Over the past year, I have been homebound due to some major health problems and this book was the balm my soul needed during this season. This is one that I will often go back to for much wisdom and encouragement. If you haven’t yet, pick up a copy to read — you won’t be sorry.
I was given a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2016
"I was here. I saw beauty. I embraced it." Reflection after reflection, in the midst of her hardest battle, Kara Tippetts gently and continually points us to the joy and peace that comes from acknowledging the sovereignty and goodness of God. She repeatedly reminds us that Gods grace is indeed sufficient.
Because "hard is grace too." What a perfect perspective with which to see the beauty of each moment.
My copy of this book has text on nearly every other page highlighted; it's filled with that much wisdom and inspirational! If you are looking for hope in the midst of a hard situation or looking to find beauty in your mundane days, you'll want to pick up a copy of Kara's third book. The Lord has taken her Home, but her life ministers on in the words she left behind.
*This honest review is in exchange for an advanced readers copy of the book from David C. Cook.
Because "hard is grace too." What a perfect perspective with which to see the beauty of each moment.
My copy of this book has text on nearly every other page highlighted; it's filled with that much wisdom and inspirational! If you are looking for hope in the midst of a hard situation or looking to find beauty in your mundane days, you'll want to pick up a copy of Kara's third book. The Lord has taken her Home, but her life ministers on in the words she left behind.
*This honest review is in exchange for an advanced readers copy of the book from David C. Cook.
November 30, 2015
Having lost a dear friend to breast cancer in 2008, I wanted to read this book. This past year I lost two other friends within 6 weeks of each other to cancer. I had not heard of Kara until I saw her moving video on YouTube reaching out to Brittany Maynard.
This book is a chronicle of the fight Kara led against her breast cancer. She was a mother to four children. Her biggest desire is that her children would know how much she loved them. She wanted to show them how to live and die without losing your faith in God.
Her writing is real and honest. Cancer sucks. It's not a disease that anyone asks for. You will smile. You will cry. You will be inspired on how to help someone who is walking through a cancer diagnosis.
This book is a chronicle of the fight Kara led against her breast cancer. She was a mother to four children. Her biggest desire is that her children would know how much she loved them. She wanted to show them how to live and die without losing your faith in God.
Her writing is real and honest. Cancer sucks. It's not a disease that anyone asks for. You will smile. You will cry. You will be inspired on how to help someone who is walking through a cancer diagnosis.
December 19, 2015
This book was hard. And beautiful. Having lost a young cousin to cancer that was terminal upon diagnosis and having my mom just finish her second round of chemo and radiation, I could understand so much of what Kara talked about in her story. Hearing the thought process for someone who is actively going through treatment and knowing they will not live was painful. It moved me to tears. Kara's writing is beautiful and she helps you understand the ugly with the beauty. Her story is full of courage and grace and peace.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.*
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.*
October 29, 2015
This book is horribly honest and reads like someone's journal. This is taken from Kara's blog but it honestly reads like a journal or dairy. But with less of the not making sense and more beautiful with the flow. It was difficult to read but I took lots of things from the book. Quotes that cause you to think & ponder. I thought it was a great book.
September 12, 2016
Loved it! Kara sought God's grace everyday and He upheld her through her hard journey. Keep a tissue box close by.
August 5, 2016
This is reality! A must read for anyone "dying gracefully", having cancer, or knowing someone who does. Tear-jerker but filled with joyful insights.
December 26, 2018
And It Was Beautiful.
That title could be my book review... because this edited collection of Kara Tippett's blog posts (from Mundane Faithfulness) was simply stunning.
Her simple, earnest voice, coupled with her solid-but-tested faith, spoke deeply to me. She lost her battle with stage 4 breast cancer several years ago, but she is face to face with Jesus now, and her words continue to challenge and inspire many.
It took me weeks to read this brief book, because I had to pause so often, set the book aside, and give myself time to think and pray through the things God showed me in my own heart through her words.
If you are a believer who would like to be challenged in the way you live out your faith day to day, this is an important book for you to read.
That title could be my book review... because this edited collection of Kara Tippett's blog posts (from Mundane Faithfulness) was simply stunning.
Her simple, earnest voice, coupled with her solid-but-tested faith, spoke deeply to me. She lost her battle with stage 4 breast cancer several years ago, but she is face to face with Jesus now, and her words continue to challenge and inspire many.
It took me weeks to read this brief book, because I had to pause so often, set the book aside, and give myself time to think and pray through the things God showed me in my own heart through her words.
If you are a believer who would like to be challenged in the way you live out your faith day to day, this is an important book for you to read.
August 9, 2016
Lots of good things in this book, very poignant and personal vignettes from Kara's blog.
From Suffering and Sovereignty: (65+) "Some of my most difficult conversations I have had in the midst of my cancer have been with believers who do not see God in a hard plan. So many believe that hard comes and then God makes it better. It is so easy to forget that our salvation came by way of the hard of a cross. ...I know it's easy, as a Christian, to buy into the American ideal that happiness is the goal, that protection from suffering is really living. Some people have entered our home uncomfortable with how much my children understand suffering. Sally Lloyd-Jones was such a reassuring treasure to me. We spoke about how people do not give their children enough credit. Jason and I let our children lead the discussion; we let them ask what their hearts are ready to understand. I see my children struggle when we keep them in the dark and they sense our stress without knowing our hearts. We did not want to tell our children about radiation, that the story of cancer was continuing. The fact is that we didn't want to tell ourselves that either. But once we faced it honestly, something happened. Peace ran through the painful nooks of avoidance. The stress lessened and the grace to face the new hard entered the crevices of unbelief. We are kept, closely kept near to Jesus in the midst of our story. Back to Joseph. I'm reminded how he suffered, how he was hurt and forsaken by those who were supposed to love and protect him. Through it all he looked to God. There are days when I'm tempted to grow bitter toward those who have forsaken us in a dark season. But like Joseph, I look to God and offer forgiveness and grace to those who bring harm instead of protection. ...I believe that suffering is caught up in the sovereignty of God. I can't not believe that. Jesus was, after all, the Man of Sorrows, well acquainted with grief."
From "Always Move Toward" (105+): "Jason and I are very simple in our practices when it comes to parenting. Through the little years, we lived with a basic philosophy: love is kind. That has been the filter through which we look at all of our parenting. If love is kind, then discipline is kind. If love is kind, then even at our most irritated we don't have permission to leave the realm of kindness. This is definitely no small feat, no easy thing to accomplish. But it has served us well. Those three simple words have marked our young years raising children and loving one another. When we have gone outside the boundaries of kindness, it has been our humble opportunity to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Now our children are getting older and the struggles they face are more complex. The principle of kindness will never be outgrown...but I have a new extension of that, simply a variation on the theme of kindness: always move toward. The best picture I have of this is that of Jesus continually moving toward me. His face is always toward me, always gently pursuing, always desiring nearness. Even when I turn away, act out, or move toward my own ends, He stays ever focused on moving toward me, not away. And while this has been my approach to the kids, it has spilled over into my relationship with Jason. My heart's desire is to always be moving toward those people in my life I love so very much. I will fight against the distance, always."
From A Love Story (170+): "When we interviewed with Jim Daly on Focus on the Family, he asked Jason how he would encourage husbands to do cancer well. ...as we left and discussed the interview, we talked through what actually got us through the last two years. ...What really got us through were the years and years committed to learning to love. The endless hours communicating, being mentored, praying, moving toward one another prickles and all. All those years, that time spent learning to love prepared us for the bottom that is cancer. We simply could not have survived any other way. I can see so clearly how cancer can destroy a marriage. I completely understand. That is why the time you spend now, your healthy efforts in love, matters so much. The investment in love you make today will affect your tomorrows. Suffering will come, I promise. Work at building the foundation so when the storms come, you can stand, together."
From Strength in Weakness (180): The sovereignty of God in suffering is a kindness to keep us utterly dependent in a way our strength resists. Suffering often comes to the strong and is met with bitter anger. It isn't the suffering that causes the anger so much as the taking of strength. Honestly, in the hardest of my treatment, I was not crying out for the suffering to stop, but more for the strength to return. If I'm totally honest, that is my prayer right now--not for fewer days of suffering but for more days of strength. We love strength, we pet it, we live for it, and when it is gone, we question the goodness of God. But as I have seen in my own story, the taking of strength is grace, huge grace to draw me to Jesus. And now, as I face a different treatment, a hope of improvement, and a small ability to go and go --how will I use that strength? And when the suffering comes again, will my heart be ready to receive it? I hope to be able to say, 'Thank you, Jesus, for entrusting me with this new hard. Help me to be faithful in it. Help me to reflect Your goodness in letting me partner with You in suffering.'"
From Suffering and Sovereignty: (65+) "Some of my most difficult conversations I have had in the midst of my cancer have been with believers who do not see God in a hard plan. So many believe that hard comes and then God makes it better. It is so easy to forget that our salvation came by way of the hard of a cross. ...I know it's easy, as a Christian, to buy into the American ideal that happiness is the goal, that protection from suffering is really living. Some people have entered our home uncomfortable with how much my children understand suffering. Sally Lloyd-Jones was such a reassuring treasure to me. We spoke about how people do not give their children enough credit. Jason and I let our children lead the discussion; we let them ask what their hearts are ready to understand. I see my children struggle when we keep them in the dark and they sense our stress without knowing our hearts. We did not want to tell our children about radiation, that the story of cancer was continuing. The fact is that we didn't want to tell ourselves that either. But once we faced it honestly, something happened. Peace ran through the painful nooks of avoidance. The stress lessened and the grace to face the new hard entered the crevices of unbelief. We are kept, closely kept near to Jesus in the midst of our story. Back to Joseph. I'm reminded how he suffered, how he was hurt and forsaken by those who were supposed to love and protect him. Through it all he looked to God. There are days when I'm tempted to grow bitter toward those who have forsaken us in a dark season. But like Joseph, I look to God and offer forgiveness and grace to those who bring harm instead of protection. ...I believe that suffering is caught up in the sovereignty of God. I can't not believe that. Jesus was, after all, the Man of Sorrows, well acquainted with grief."
From "Always Move Toward" (105+): "Jason and I are very simple in our practices when it comes to parenting. Through the little years, we lived with a basic philosophy: love is kind. That has been the filter through which we look at all of our parenting. If love is kind, then discipline is kind. If love is kind, then even at our most irritated we don't have permission to leave the realm of kindness. This is definitely no small feat, no easy thing to accomplish. But it has served us well. Those three simple words have marked our young years raising children and loving one another. When we have gone outside the boundaries of kindness, it has been our humble opportunity to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Now our children are getting older and the struggles they face are more complex. The principle of kindness will never be outgrown...but I have a new extension of that, simply a variation on the theme of kindness: always move toward. The best picture I have of this is that of Jesus continually moving toward me. His face is always toward me, always gently pursuing, always desiring nearness. Even when I turn away, act out, or move toward my own ends, He stays ever focused on moving toward me, not away. And while this has been my approach to the kids, it has spilled over into my relationship with Jason. My heart's desire is to always be moving toward those people in my life I love so very much. I will fight against the distance, always."
From A Love Story (170+): "When we interviewed with Jim Daly on Focus on the Family, he asked Jason how he would encourage husbands to do cancer well. ...as we left and discussed the interview, we talked through what actually got us through the last two years. ...What really got us through were the years and years committed to learning to love. The endless hours communicating, being mentored, praying, moving toward one another prickles and all. All those years, that time spent learning to love prepared us for the bottom that is cancer. We simply could not have survived any other way. I can see so clearly how cancer can destroy a marriage. I completely understand. That is why the time you spend now, your healthy efforts in love, matters so much. The investment in love you make today will affect your tomorrows. Suffering will come, I promise. Work at building the foundation so when the storms come, you can stand, together."
From Strength in Weakness (180): The sovereignty of God in suffering is a kindness to keep us utterly dependent in a way our strength resists. Suffering often comes to the strong and is met with bitter anger. It isn't the suffering that causes the anger so much as the taking of strength. Honestly, in the hardest of my treatment, I was not crying out for the suffering to stop, but more for the strength to return. If I'm totally honest, that is my prayer right now--not for fewer days of suffering but for more days of strength. We love strength, we pet it, we live for it, and when it is gone, we question the goodness of God. But as I have seen in my own story, the taking of strength is grace, huge grace to draw me to Jesus. And now, as I face a different treatment, a hope of improvement, and a small ability to go and go --how will I use that strength? And when the suffering comes again, will my heart be ready to receive it? I hope to be able to say, 'Thank you, Jesus, for entrusting me with this new hard. Help me to be faithful in it. Help me to reflect Your goodness in letting me partner with You in suffering.'"
September 16, 2018
This is not an emotionally easy read, but I found it a rich, honest testimony of one woman’s struggles and faith in the midst of her fight against cancer. Small chapters, which I enjoyed as part of my morning reading time. This book is to be savored and slowly mulled over, not engulfed in one gulp. It was a powerful encouragement in my own walk of faith, and when my daughter nears womanhood I plan on having her read it as well.
July 13, 2022
Kara's words honor the Lord, her family, her friends, and her brothers and sisters in Christ. I read this during my brother-in-law's quick and difficult battle with stage IV metastatic esophageal cancer. It brought both a poignancy and hard reality to my grasp of her story having just walked with my sister and her husband through their's. Beautifully written and a blessing to many, just as she would have wanted it.
August 16, 2023
I just love this little book so dearly. It’s one of the few books I have downloaded on my phone and I purchased it years and years ago. I end up reading it every year and Kara never fails to remind me of the goodness of both God and life, even in suffering. I imagine Kara was probably one of the most likable people to ever live; her humor, simplicity, and reflections are gifts and her writing will make you laugh and cry.
March 11, 2016
If there was anyone who ever lived out this Biblical Truth, it was Kara Tippetts:
Luke 9: (23 – 27) (MSG)
"Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how."
In her final book, And It Was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Goodbye, Kara shows us that as we turn toward this truth of suffering, Christ's Love pours out more freely both into and then out of us. For in drawing near to the truth, we draw near to Him: our Way, our Truth and our beautiful Life.
Kara's words, compiled from the years she spent battling cancer as a wife and mother to four young children, follow her journey of faith in and through suffering. Like many, who have known deep loss and the horrors of cancer from nearby, I was apprehensive about opening the pages of this book. However, I am so glad I did. For precisely in the awful pain and deep heartache, Christ's Light shines even more brightly. His Nearness, His Peace, His Comfort and His eternal Hope embrace Kara's words etched in pain.
One of the most beautiful passages in Kara's book describes the pursuant Love of Christ, how He chooses to (pp.105 - 106):
"always move toward. The best picture I have of this is that of Jesus continually moving toward me, always gently pursuing, always desiring nearness. Even when I turn away, act out, or move toward my own ends, He stays forever focused on moving toward me, not away."
Christ's pursuant nearness is palpable throughout the book, as each new truth of an ever encroaching cancer draws Kara closer and closer to God's Love. In choosing to face the truth, we also see her assurance of God's Presence growing (p.21):
"Cancer wants to be a thief and steal my moments, but there is always grace. There is always room for Jesus and love."
And in choosing to increasingly rest in this assurance, we see that:
Psalm 145: 18 (AMP)
"The Lord is [indeed] near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth."
From page to page, Kara pays witness to the many men and women of faith, who draw near to her and her family, as she chooses to turn to the awful truth of her circumstances, trusting in God's goodness. We see a community of believers, who lovingly care for, cook for, clean for, sit with, cry with, listen to and encourage both Kara and her family through the ravages of cancer. Kara, her husband and her children are embraced in their Heavenly Father's Love.
And It Was Beautiful also encourages those who are suffering to take hold of the peace that is held out to them. Kara repeatedly shares of anxious, fearful and even despairing moments in her journey, but illustrates how God brought beautiful peace to her and her family, as they chose to face the truth and seek the Face of Jesus (p.66):
"But once we faced it honestly, something happened. Peace ran through the nooks of avoidance. The stress lessened and the grace to face the new hard entered the crevices of unbelief. We are kept, closely kept near to Jesus in the midst of our story."
The comfort only God can bring also shines through Kara's story. The most beautiful instances are found in the moments Kara chooses to allow and even encourage her children to face the truth of the cancer that is crippling her and stealing their mother from them. When her daughter, Harper, asks her if she is dying, she does not shy away from the truth, but allows her daughter to face it, weep through it and be embraced by her comforting arms and the Truth of God's eternal life awaiting her. When her son, Lake, is overcome by anger at what is being stolen from him, she moves toward him, soothingly embraces him, and both acknowledges his terrible loss and reminds him of God's Presence. With her eldest, Eleanor, she allows a friend to encourage her to let her daughter face the truth with her at her side. She does this despite the searing pain she knows it will bring her because it affords both her and her daughter the opportunity to lean into God's warm embrace together, precisely in their searing pain.
Finally, Kara's book turns us all to the Hope of Salvation (p.46):
"It was God in his good and perfect providence to number my days, to count the hairs on my head, to not only plan but join me in my suffering. Jesus is my song. Jesus is my guide. Jesus is my hope."
As humans walking this suffering-infested earth, not one of us is immune to heartache, grief and pain. If you long to be embraced by Nearness, Peace, Comfort and eternal Hope in your own suffering, then I'd encourage you to purchase a copy of this beautiful book. Read it and step into the assurance that (Isaiah 30: 18, AMP):
"Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them]."
I received a free copy of Kara Tippetts' And It Was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Goodbye, having been selected to participate in the #LitfuseReads Blog Tour. However, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own and have not been affected by this fact.
Luke 9: (23 – 27) (MSG)
"Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how."
In her final book, And It Was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Goodbye, Kara shows us that as we turn toward this truth of suffering, Christ's Love pours out more freely both into and then out of us. For in drawing near to the truth, we draw near to Him: our Way, our Truth and our beautiful Life.
Kara's words, compiled from the years she spent battling cancer as a wife and mother to four young children, follow her journey of faith in and through suffering. Like many, who have known deep loss and the horrors of cancer from nearby, I was apprehensive about opening the pages of this book. However, I am so glad I did. For precisely in the awful pain and deep heartache, Christ's Light shines even more brightly. His Nearness, His Peace, His Comfort and His eternal Hope embrace Kara's words etched in pain.
One of the most beautiful passages in Kara's book describes the pursuant Love of Christ, how He chooses to (pp.105 - 106):
"always move toward. The best picture I have of this is that of Jesus continually moving toward me, always gently pursuing, always desiring nearness. Even when I turn away, act out, or move toward my own ends, He stays forever focused on moving toward me, not away."
Christ's pursuant nearness is palpable throughout the book, as each new truth of an ever encroaching cancer draws Kara closer and closer to God's Love. In choosing to face the truth, we also see her assurance of God's Presence growing (p.21):
"Cancer wants to be a thief and steal my moments, but there is always grace. There is always room for Jesus and love."
And in choosing to increasingly rest in this assurance, we see that:
Psalm 145: 18 (AMP)
"The Lord is [indeed] near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth."
From page to page, Kara pays witness to the many men and women of faith, who draw near to her and her family, as she chooses to turn to the awful truth of her circumstances, trusting in God's goodness. We see a community of believers, who lovingly care for, cook for, clean for, sit with, cry with, listen to and encourage both Kara and her family through the ravages of cancer. Kara, her husband and her children are embraced in their Heavenly Father's Love.
And It Was Beautiful also encourages those who are suffering to take hold of the peace that is held out to them. Kara repeatedly shares of anxious, fearful and even despairing moments in her journey, but illustrates how God brought beautiful peace to her and her family, as they chose to face the truth and seek the Face of Jesus (p.66):
"But once we faced it honestly, something happened. Peace ran through the nooks of avoidance. The stress lessened and the grace to face the new hard entered the crevices of unbelief. We are kept, closely kept near to Jesus in the midst of our story."
The comfort only God can bring also shines through Kara's story. The most beautiful instances are found in the moments Kara chooses to allow and even encourage her children to face the truth of the cancer that is crippling her and stealing their mother from them. When her daughter, Harper, asks her if she is dying, she does not shy away from the truth, but allows her daughter to face it, weep through it and be embraced by her comforting arms and the Truth of God's eternal life awaiting her. When her son, Lake, is overcome by anger at what is being stolen from him, she moves toward him, soothingly embraces him, and both acknowledges his terrible loss and reminds him of God's Presence. With her eldest, Eleanor, she allows a friend to encourage her to let her daughter face the truth with her at her side. She does this despite the searing pain she knows it will bring her because it affords both her and her daughter the opportunity to lean into God's warm embrace together, precisely in their searing pain.
Finally, Kara's book turns us all to the Hope of Salvation (p.46):
"It was God in his good and perfect providence to number my days, to count the hairs on my head, to not only plan but join me in my suffering. Jesus is my song. Jesus is my guide. Jesus is my hope."
As humans walking this suffering-infested earth, not one of us is immune to heartache, grief and pain. If you long to be embraced by Nearness, Peace, Comfort and eternal Hope in your own suffering, then I'd encourage you to purchase a copy of this beautiful book. Read it and step into the assurance that (Isaiah 30: 18, AMP):
"Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them]."
I received a free copy of Kara Tippetts' And It Was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Goodbye, having been selected to participate in the #LitfuseReads Blog Tour. However, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own and have not been affected by this fact.
February 4, 2017
This a poignant but powerful collection of Kara Tippetts writing, which offers both insight into living well in the face of illness and a terminal diagnosis, and encouragement for all who share Kara's desire to pursue a life soaked in God's grace.
And it was Beautiful is not an easy read, but it is beautiful, and even though I disagree with some of Tippetts' theological emphases, I recommend this book to those who I feel would appreciate it.
I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
And it was Beautiful is not an easy read, but it is beautiful, and even though I disagree with some of Tippetts' theological emphases, I recommend this book to those who I feel would appreciate it.
I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2018
Beautiful story of a life well lived, a read that will make you cry, but also bring beauty and joy to your life as you appreciate how to celebrate life in any circumstances. From a woman who knew she was dying and chose well the important things in her long goodbye.
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