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It's Not Supposed to Be This Way Study Guide: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered

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In this six-session video Bible study, New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst offers a safe place to share your disappointments, fresh biblical insight to get you through painful situations, and life-giving perspectives for living between Eden and eternity. Life often looks very different than we hoped or expected. Some events may simply catch us off guard for a moment, but others shatter us completely. At times like these, it's easy to feel disappointed and disillusioned and to wonder about the reality of God's goodness. So what do you do when God's timing seems questionable, his lack of intervention hurtful, and his promises doubtful? Lysa understands this deeply. But she's also discovered that our disappointments can be the divine appointments our souls need to radically encounter God. In this video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Lysa invites small groups and individuals into her own journey of faith. With vulnerability and honest humor, she helps us: Sessions include: Designed for use with the It's Not Supposed to Be This Way Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.

176 pages, Paperback

Published November 20, 2018

25 people are currently reading
316 people want to read

About the author

Lysa TerKeurst

143 books31.9k followers
Lysa TerKeurst is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the New York Times best-selling author of Univited, The Best Yes, Unglued, Made to Crave, and 18 other books. Her newest book, It’s Not Supposed to be This Way, is scheduled for release in November of 2018. Lysa was recently awarded the Champions of Faith Author Award and has been published in multiple publications such as CNN and Fox News online. Additionally, she has appeared on the Today Show as one of the leading voices in the Christian community.

Each year, Lysa is a featured keynote presenter at more than 40 events across North America, including the Women of Joy Conferences and the Catalyst Leadership Conference. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God's glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries' annual She Speaks Conference and writer training program, COMPEL: Words That Move People.

Connect with Lysa on social media @lysaterkeurst or at http://lysaterkeurst.com/.

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5 stars
276 (65%)
4 stars
87 (20%)
3 stars
44 (10%)
2 stars
10 (2%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Jona-Lynn Rowe.
225 reviews
June 26, 2025
This is an incredible book on disappointment. and I'm really grateful that I got to read the book and do the study at the same time. I still am feeling disappointed because of our fertility but I now have tools to have peace in that disappointment.
Profile Image for PollyAnna Joy.
Author 4 books27 followers
November 23, 2019
It felt as though Lysa was living MY life. Wow. It's Not Supposed to be This Way was written exactly for me. I could have written it because I have been going through a lot of the same things Lysa was going through. Our lives seem to be on a parallel track. I appreciate her words, her vunerability, her honesty, and her obedience to the Lord. This book and Bible Study are worth your time.
Profile Image for Jenette Gonzalez.
46 reviews
July 29, 2024
A perfect companion to the book of the same title. Helps you to dig deeper and slow down while reading the book to truly get all that it has to offer.
Profile Image for Kate McBride.
324 reviews2 followers
June 11, 2025
A book about three different life events and how the author turned to God during these times. I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
Profile Image for Thita.
180 reviews19 followers
March 30, 2019
Considering the high rating and how I skimmed most of the book, maybe I’m just not the right audience. It was an impulsive buy and I’m not Christian (so I cannot relate to the Bible), but I feel that the content of the book not to be so helpful in case of hardship. The advices sound a bit “idealistic” yet non-solutional: be good, accept that the hardship is part of the God’s plan (I mean, yeah, maybe, but then it doesn’t help soothing me at all), read the Bible, and go back to the scripture.
6 reviews
January 29, 2021
Lisa has a wonderful way to connect with her readers and in this case it does not disappoint. She understands how if feels for all of us to have shattered dreams and what it looks like to pick up the pieces. Great take on how believers and nonbelievers alike can approach these huge disappointments with grace, forgiveness and strength.
Profile Image for Kay.
45 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2022
I loved this book. The only reason I ranked it four stars is because there were several pages I didn’t use. That is a little unfair, really, because it is written as a group Bible study and I chose to do it alone. Feelings were just too raw to be in a group setting. Really excellent companion to the book and DVD study.
4 reviews
February 11, 2019
I loved this book. My life, marriage, and career are going through some drastic changes - most unwelcome - and this book helped me put things back into perspective. The author was easy to connect with. I have a waiting line of friends wanting to borrow this book!
Profile Image for Kelli Widmer.
42 reviews
July 1, 2021
Excellent study, especially when life isn’t going the way you had hoped. Gives great insight and encouragement.

I also love how this is set up. Only 3 days of homework instead of the 5 many Bible Studies ask.
3 reviews1 follower
February 7, 2019
Absolutely love this book, and it is a blessing to do it as a Small Group Leader for P31 ministries
Profile Image for Jennifer.
46 reviews6 followers
February 25, 2019
FANTASTIC book!!! This will stay on my shelf to refer back to often! Lysa talks like your best friend would - full of hard truth, humor, and encouragement.
Profile Image for Cherish Brown.
1,279 reviews10 followers
January 24, 2021
(5☆ Would recommend & would read again)
Great study guide to go along with the book. Well thought out.
Profile Image for Carly Simes.
23 reviews1 follower
February 27, 2023
This book was a salve for my soul. It was exactly what I needed when I needed it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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