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The Clouds Ye So Much Dread: Hard Times and the Kindness of God
"It's true that this book is about me. (It's hard to avoid that when writing stories from my own life.) But this is also a book about trials big and small--about cancer, about suffering, about death--and especially about the temptation to fear. Sounds like a real downer, I know. But let me assure you that, while these frightful things are the reason for this book, none of them is the point of this book. The real point is God Himself and the comfort that His fearful and afflicted children can find only by trusting Him." ~ Hannah K. Grieser, from the Preface The Clouds Ye So Much Dread is a beautiful blend of memoir, theology, meditation, and storytelling. Each of these chapters--from dreading the birth of her first child, to living in unfamiliar and dangerous places, to facing the news that her son had been diagnosed with cancer--describes the stories through which Hannah K. Grieser has come to see that hard or uncertain circumstances, rather than being cause for doubt and dread, can instead become the unasked-for means that our loving Father uses to turn us toward Him and to show us His faithfulness. Told in Hannah's graceful yet punchy prose, the reflections in this powerful book will challenge readers to revisit their own hard times and see how God can take the storms that we most fear and turn them into downpours of blessings.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
45 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
Hannah K. Grieser
1 book102 followersHannah K. Grieser designs graphics, photographs landscapes, dabbles in the garden, and (with her husband, Jayson) is raising five pig-farming, music-loving, baseball-playing sons—including one cancer survivor. She has written for Relief Journal, Books & Culture, and Desiring God.
You can watch a short interview here.
You can watch a short interview here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 8, 2017
This book began as a series of blogposts (which is always a dangerous beginning for a book since it might never find it's own natural aesthetic structure), united by nothing more than being the reactions of an average person to a very distinctly un-average situation, namely childhood cancer. This a book maketh not.
However, the author found a unifying theme, as she says in the preface, in the idea of fear. It is simply remarkable how even Christians can continue to worry about tomorrow, even though Jesus says not to do it. I think there are two reasons we continue to disobey our Lord and Savior on this point: first, fear has sometimes had an enormously effective role in our lives, whether it's fearing spankings or bad grades as a child or losing our job as an adult, a lot of the worrying we do can be productive. Secondly, however, we worry because we are not into prosperity theology. If you've studied any history, you know that there is no guarantee to a perfect, existentially fulfilled life. People starve. People die in pointless wars. People fail. People go into spots they really want to avoid. You can try to talk about providence all you want, but if there's no room for the kinds of things that happened to Jesus, the apostles, and the vast majority of people in human history, then your theology needs to change.
So we prefer to fear, because we know that God's promises are not cheap. In fact, His plans for our lives may include quite a bit of suffering. This is true whether we are suffering for somebody else or for Christ, or whether we are one of the many laymen who are just trying to get by. Suffering is a part of life outside of Eden. However, that being the case, what many people who have been through suffering have told me in the past is that it is one of the best things that ever happened to them. Sadly, such conversations rarely have the effect they should have on us: Hannah's closes the escapes that normally allow us to forget such talks. She is a vivid writer and she shows us exactly what God does and how He can indeed bless us and how, at the end of the day, we don't have it so bad as we often think.
Do not make the mistake of thinking this book is imbalanced. Hannah is a very careful writer who will attack her own self-pity and selfishness with mercilessness, but she is not imbalanced like so many Christians today: in one section, after discussing her own fears of pregnancy (a very interesting section for a guy to read, by the way) she includes a lengthy footnote about how more knowledge of medicine and postpartum depression could have helped her. This is not a dark book in tone or substance. It has dark moments and thoughts. It points to the brokenness of Christians, but does not revel in it. She also knows how to describe things. Those who liked Death by Living will enjoy her descriptions of Poland and Africa (there are some very exciting stories here; one scene involving a Muslim girl is so vivid I could have seen it with my own eyes, which takes more skill than most people realize). She's also a little controversial at times: she had a bad experience with health food fads, and her experience should be taken seriously by anybody (like me) who finds themselves looking down on their groundling neighbors for having lesser (we would be tempted to say dumber) forms of liturgy, movies, music, and food.
At the very end of the book, Hannah comments that even now she knows that there is probably more suffering ahead and that there is more fear inside her that needs to be dealt with. It is gems like these that are scattered throughout the book and make it the most accessible book that Canon has ever published. If a million people read it, that would not be a bad thing. I highly commend it to you.
However, the author found a unifying theme, as she says in the preface, in the idea of fear. It is simply remarkable how even Christians can continue to worry about tomorrow, even though Jesus says not to do it. I think there are two reasons we continue to disobey our Lord and Savior on this point: first, fear has sometimes had an enormously effective role in our lives, whether it's fearing spankings or bad grades as a child or losing our job as an adult, a lot of the worrying we do can be productive. Secondly, however, we worry because we are not into prosperity theology. If you've studied any history, you know that there is no guarantee to a perfect, existentially fulfilled life. People starve. People die in pointless wars. People fail. People go into spots they really want to avoid. You can try to talk about providence all you want, but if there's no room for the kinds of things that happened to Jesus, the apostles, and the vast majority of people in human history, then your theology needs to change.
So we prefer to fear, because we know that God's promises are not cheap. In fact, His plans for our lives may include quite a bit of suffering. This is true whether we are suffering for somebody else or for Christ, or whether we are one of the many laymen who are just trying to get by. Suffering is a part of life outside of Eden. However, that being the case, what many people who have been through suffering have told me in the past is that it is one of the best things that ever happened to them. Sadly, such conversations rarely have the effect they should have on us: Hannah's closes the escapes that normally allow us to forget such talks. She is a vivid writer and she shows us exactly what God does and how He can indeed bless us and how, at the end of the day, we don't have it so bad as we often think.
Do not make the mistake of thinking this book is imbalanced. Hannah is a very careful writer who will attack her own self-pity and selfishness with mercilessness, but she is not imbalanced like so many Christians today: in one section, after discussing her own fears of pregnancy (a very interesting section for a guy to read, by the way) she includes a lengthy footnote about how more knowledge of medicine and postpartum depression could have helped her. This is not a dark book in tone or substance. It has dark moments and thoughts. It points to the brokenness of Christians, but does not revel in it. She also knows how to describe things. Those who liked Death by Living will enjoy her descriptions of Poland and Africa (there are some very exciting stories here; one scene involving a Muslim girl is so vivid I could have seen it with my own eyes, which takes more skill than most people realize). She's also a little controversial at times: she had a bad experience with health food fads, and her experience should be taken seriously by anybody (like me) who finds themselves looking down on their groundling neighbors for having lesser (we would be tempted to say dumber) forms of liturgy, movies, music, and food.
At the very end of the book, Hannah comments that even now she knows that there is probably more suffering ahead and that there is more fear inside her that needs to be dealt with. It is gems like these that are scattered throughout the book and make it the most accessible book that Canon has ever published. If a million people read it, that would not be a bad thing. I highly commend it to you.
April 30, 2024
2024: Fantastic!
2017: Really good. This is a book that was written to encourage us to see clouds and storms from a different perspective. I am so very grateful for the faithfulness of the Grieser family, for God's work in their lives, and for all the love and effort Hannah put to write this testimony of God's goodness.
2017: Really good. This is a book that was written to encourage us to see clouds and storms from a different perspective. I am so very grateful for the faithfulness of the Grieser family, for God's work in their lives, and for all the love and effort Hannah put to write this testimony of God's goodness.
December 31, 2020
On the spectrum of uptight <--> relaxed, I would classify my mothering as leaning relaxed. Sadly, I've come to see that as a Nana, I tilt uptight. Propelled by fear of injury to my beloved grands, the screaming meemies sound the alarm, and they are coming from my mouth! I don't want to be this way. I want to be a faithful warrior instead of a fearful worrier.
Hannah Grieser's excellent book is a potent disinfectant for fear.
She writes from her eventful life; pregnancy fear, her son's leukemia, moving to Kenya, Poland, Texas, and back to Idaho. Her prose sings and her chapter titles delight. I sensed some dissonance in her section on food fads; I'm not convinced it fits in with the rest of the book.
I read C.S. Lewis's The Problem of Pain right before this one. Sorry, Jack, I found The Clouds more helpful. I have books I'm stockpiling for future suffering. Hannah Grieser is joining Kara Tippetts, N.D. Wilson, Elisabeth Elliot, and Jeremiah Burroughs.
Quotes!
Hannah Grieser's excellent book is a potent disinfectant for fear.
She writes from her eventful life; pregnancy fear, her son's leukemia, moving to Kenya, Poland, Texas, and back to Idaho. Her prose sings and her chapter titles delight. I sensed some dissonance in her section on food fads; I'm not convinced it fits in with the rest of the book.
I read C.S. Lewis's The Problem of Pain right before this one. Sorry, Jack, I found The Clouds more helpful. I have books I'm stockpiling for future suffering. Hannah Grieser is joining Kara Tippetts, N.D. Wilson, Elisabeth Elliot, and Jeremiah Burroughs.
Quotes!
We should face all the things that we tend to worry about ... with the same confidence and the same care with which we approach driving: buckle in, follow the rules of the road, and pray for God's sustaining hand to guide you safely through.
There's nothing quite like being knocked flat on my back to point my gaze toward heaven.
Gratitude is the best cure for gripe.
True joy is never the enemy of godly grief. Joy is what trains and equips us to bear it.
Gratitude serves as daily training for the battle against fear.
March 9, 2020
It would be a really lame move NOT to read this book.
Read
July 9, 2025I’ve been reading this or listening to it every year for the past three years. The reminders in this book always apply, and it seems a different chapter hits me every time if I go through. If you ever worry, or fear, or want to understand more about why God sends trials, read it. Thank you, Hannah, for writing it.
January 22, 2018
I found this to be a heartbreakingly beautiful book. Hannah was so generous and conversational in sharing her story and struggles that I had to remind myself that she isn’t a close friend. Her example of faith and trust in the Lord in the midst of suffering is beyond encouraging.
“God is weaving this apparent chaos of loose and twisted fibers into a rich and beautiful design, so I can trust that when, at last, He pulls me, on my own slender thread, through to the other side, the work I will see will be glorious beyond anything we could have dreamed. Even the smallest stitch will have been perfectly, marvelously placed.”
We all deal with fear, some more than others…. I would put this in the must read category for any Christ follower.
“God is weaving this apparent chaos of loose and twisted fibers into a rich and beautiful design, so I can trust that when, at last, He pulls me, on my own slender thread, through to the other side, the work I will see will be glorious beyond anything we could have dreamed. Even the smallest stitch will have been perfectly, marvelously placed.”
We all deal with fear, some more than others…. I would put this in the must read category for any Christ follower.
April 13, 2024
April 2023 — The author writes that she's not much of a crier. But her book sure makes me one! The chapter on frugality, though it's not much of a tearjerker, is the one I identify most with these days. I've added a new book tag, Moscow Mood, which I'm going to apply to titles that demonstrate the actual lives of real people in this community...people who, with their leaders, are relentlessly maligned. If anybody would like an honest look at the fruit of Christ Church, books like this will provide it.
*****
December 2018 — A moving and encouraging book, even moreso as read by the author.
*****
December 2018 — A moving and encouraging book, even moreso as read by the author.
January 12, 2018
Hannah walks us through trust in God in the midst of fear whether it’s driving hazards, food, cancer, or simply our own dreams and ambitions. God’s goodness and faithfulness is always the answer.
“What is surprising, however, is that recognizing our lack of control, rather than driving us into a tailspin of sleepless nights, drove us instead to seek God and to rest... being left with no choice but total dependence provided me with a very real sense of comfort because I was seeing, in countless tangible ways, that ” our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:2).”
“What is surprising, however, is that recognizing our lack of control, rather than driving us into a tailspin of sleepless nights, drove us instead to seek God and to rest... being left with no choice but total dependence provided me with a very real sense of comfort because I was seeing, in countless tangible ways, that ” our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:2).”
January 23, 2023
Read again. Even better. Different parts strike me harder each time. Now that I'm a mom with two kids, Hannah's meditations on "necessary death to selfishness" were timely and needed.
A life-long re-read.
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Read again. Weirdly fitting to my time of life. No real updates from the review below 👇
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Read this last night, with some free time I had. Normally, books of this type I hardcore skim. I read every word. Maybe it was her writing style, maybe it was the stories. The book was hardly predictable in its structure and topics. I liked the section on fear of childbirth, the good things that came about because of cancer, etc. But my favorite was the tales of her travels, and how miserably she anticipated them. Her life is exemplar. Fascinating.
A life-long re-read.
_______________________________________
Read again. Weirdly fitting to my time of life. No real updates from the review below 👇
_______________________________________
Read this last night, with some free time I had. Normally, books of this type I hardcore skim. I read every word. Maybe it was her writing style, maybe it was the stories. The book was hardly predictable in its structure and topics. I liked the section on fear of childbirth, the good things that came about because of cancer, etc. But my favorite was the tales of her travels, and how miserably she anticipated them. Her life is exemplar. Fascinating.
March 5, 2021
I wasn’t sure what to expect but this was SO GOOD. This resonated so deeply with my heart and fears (both articulated and unarticulated) and helped me see and love God more. I don’t think you can walk away from this book without a greater appreciation for God’s providence, faithfulness, and mercy.
Grateful for this book, the writing, the humor, and all the lives that led to its publishing.
Grateful for this book, the writing, the humor, and all the lives that led to its publishing.
January 1, 2018
So grateful for this book, it hurts. Hannah turns her own valley of the shadow of death into a sterling memoir to encourage the world. Here’s hoping the whole world reads.
“I was finally willing to see my life...as a seed. I could try to lock it up, worrying that it might get dirty, or wet, or—worse—buried. But to fear those things is to forget what a seed is for.”
“I was finally willing to see my life...as a seed. I could try to lock it up, worrying that it might get dirty, or wet, or—worse—buried. But to fear those things is to forget what a seed is for.”
January 20, 2019
A wonderful book filled with stories that will make you look up and have your hope in Christ renewed over and over again.
I enjoyed the audiobook more than the paperback. It is delightful to hear the author narrate all the stories she shares, specially since the book is narrated in the first person.
I enjoyed the audiobook more than the paperback. It is delightful to hear the author narrate all the stories she shares, specially since the book is narrated in the first person.
July 8, 2021
Amazingly written and very inspiring to read about the author's life. I absolutely love how she points out her son's faithfulness even when faced with cancer and the fact that he might've died. He is a great example to us and how we should be when confronted with our fears and troubles.
July 24, 2023
I barely finished this book. There was hardly an encouraging word in it, though she does admit she has a tendency to have a “cold” personality. She spends two chapters harping on solid health advice. Her stories on living over seas were wonderful, and would have made a great book by itself.
March 15, 2019
I love this book and the way it is formatted. It was very encouraging. I love how she reiterates how to confront fear and discontent and replace it with a righteous courage and fear of God.
March 10, 2019
This lovely little gem is not quite memoir, not quite Christian non-fiction, but a mix of both. Grieser's writing is strong and eloquent. She speaks of grief, fear, and doubt with the perfect balance between stiff upper lip and soft heart. Reminiscent of Rachel Jankovic, but gentler and more nuanced. I especially valued her chapters on fear as related to cancer, food, ambition, and God's sovereignty.
December 17, 2017
A must read for all those encountering trials, big or small, past, present or future; in other words - for everyone! I couldn’t put it down. Encouraging without any sappy cliches.
March 3, 2024
"This is...a book about trials big and small—about cancer, about suffering, about death—and especially about the temptation to fear. Sounds like a real downer, I know. But let me assure you that, while these frightful things are the reason for this book, none of them is the point of this book. The real point is God Himself and the comfort that His fearful and afflicted children can find only by trusting Him."
This book is a blessing. It's vivid, keen, and frank, the words wriggling under defenses you may not know you've thrown up. This is the kind of theological memoir I love reading, one where the author takes an assortment of life stories but shoots them through with Gospel brilliance. (And many times, I felt she was writing to pierce my own heart time and again.) Humble and winsome, the author winds through stories of cancer, childrearing, confusion, and culture shock, holding up the thread of grace in each one. It's not a cliché to say God exhorts us to "fear not," that he's written all things to turn for the good of those who love him, and Hannah K. Grieser stands firmly on that truth with candor and empathy.
I'm so grateful for what she's etched into this book. I can't recommend it highly enough.
September 17, 2021
A moving memoir about fear and God's providence in hard times. Its written by a woman from the very Evangelical end of Reformed Christianity and someone who is from the American Far West. For all the difference in cultural syntax I found the style simple and some of the anecdotes were charming and substantive. Greiser has a takes that Id never thought of, and even more I needed to be reminded of.
March 12, 2018
Wow. Just a very good book about Christian perspective.
January 6, 2024
A fresh reminder —through the power of stories— of our sure, secure Comfort in the midst of dark and treacherous times.
December 16, 2022
Excellent and moving.
August 16, 2023
I agree with other reviewers who said that it felt like a series of blog posts rather than a book. Symptoms of blog posts-turned books include repeatedly introducing information to us that we’ve already learned in other chapters, and having each chapter be a subject or story that doesn’t necessarily build on the last one. Gretchen Ronnevik’s book suffered from a similar problem.
That said, I appreciated her stories and insights that felt like I needed to hear again at this time regarding the providence of God. Some good, solid truth in those pages.
It did occur to me that this book would likely not ring as true to anyone who had grown up in a difficult background or who had or was experiencing intense poverty, trauma, abuse etc. A lot of her problems, while certainly grievous and, like childhood cancer, not-class specific, seemed to be framed in a way that would be most insightful to a certain type of Christian who has never really had to wrestle with the idea that life is often tragic and painful, that comfort is not guaranteed simply for obeying God, and is maybe experiencing this world-shaking for the first time.
That said, I appreciated her stories and insights that felt like I needed to hear again at this time regarding the providence of God. Some good, solid truth in those pages.
It did occur to me that this book would likely not ring as true to anyone who had grown up in a difficult background or who had or was experiencing intense poverty, trauma, abuse etc. A lot of her problems, while certainly grievous and, like childhood cancer, not-class specific, seemed to be framed in a way that would be most insightful to a certain type of Christian who has never really had to wrestle with the idea that life is often tragic and painful, that comfort is not guaranteed simply for obeying God, and is maybe experiencing this world-shaking for the first time.
July 22, 2018
If you have experienced pain, trials, tribulations, frustrations, sadness, at anytime in your life, or witnessed this in the lives of those around you - you should read this book. For in the midst of our trials, our fears, our pain, our loneliness (the clouds we so much dread) we are commanded to give thanks to the one who never leaves or forsake us because He will give us peace. God never promised a comfortable, pain-free life for His people. In fact, He promised the opposite, but He has promised to be with us - and may we all realize someday that this is the greatest of all comforts. Therefore, let us fearlessly face our trials for in Him we live and move and have our being, in the presence of Immanuel - God with us - our greatest blessing and joy.
March 14, 2020
I have found once again that I do not have adequate words for how amazing this book was. I felt the entire time like I was sitting with this woman, having a cup of coffee as she spoke about her beliefs and her life. So beautifully written. I may have to read this one again sometime. I would describe its premise as, prepare now for the clouds that are coming. Ground yourself with scripture and prayer, strengthen your relationship with Christ. It won’t put a stop to the hard times but it’ll give you the strength to face them.
July 9, 2022
3.5 stars. A good bit of this is about motherhood and geared towards mothers. That would have been nice to know. As a whole, it was mostly unrelatable as she went on about living in a foreign country, her child’s sickness, and motherhood (along with a few chapters on things like fear of car wrecks randomly thrown in).
If you fall in one of those categories, I suspect it would be a more satisfying read.
If you fall in one of those categories, I suspect it would be a more satisfying read.
July 24, 2022
This was the most well-crafted blessing at the most perfect time. Listened to the author narrate and I felt like we were having coffee together and she was giving me a behind-the-scenes look at the opportunities the Lord gave her to fear Him instead of fearing her trials. Some chapters seemed a little out of place but the gems for sure outweighed those parts. A definite re-read. Thanks Kristin 😘
April 20, 2023
Highly recommend. Highly, highly.
January 1, 2024
Good. I really like these books of mothers telling stories and making some applications they learned from them.
July 24, 2025
Fantastic. Put this on your church's library or counseling shelf and encourage people to pick it up.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews