Inspiring and moving.
These are two words that summarize my impression of the book. The book is inspiring because it gives hope
to readers who struggle with depression and hopelessness. It is moving because the book vividly describes
the emotional journey that Kristen experiences from a teenager who lost her
life purpose to a young lady who discovered God’s purpose for her redeemed
life.
The book began with Kristen’s suicide attempt on the railroad
tracks. She lost her life purpose after
she suffered multiple tragedies in her life over a period of a year and a
half. Four of her close friends died,
and she was raped after attending a party at a friend’s house.
She survived the suicide.
It was an amazing miracle. However, her road to recovery is a long
process. She even questioned why God let
her live. Her struggle with depression
continued. At one point, she trusted that it was God’s will that she abandoned
her medication. Her miraculous healing
did not happen instantly.
In the end, God stepped in, and slowly things started to
turn around for the better. She found the faith community where she found God’s
amazing grace, and there also, she discovered the true meaning of being a follower
of Christ. She learned to let go and let God be God. She surrendered everything to God—her sadness,
shame, and guilt (: 172). In her
surrender, she discovered God’s purpose for her second chance, and God gives her a new ministry to
reach out to others with the same struggle of depression and hopelessness. Not only she overcame her depression, but she
also led many to Christ. What an amazing
story. She went from a broken life to a
restored life and finally to a transformed life.
If you are struggling with hopelessness, this book is for
you. It will give you hope that God
loves you, and He has a purpose for your life. Some may question what if she did not survive that
night. Would she go to hell? Kristen
asked the same question, and she concluded that she would go to hell because she
had not accepted Christ as her personal Savior (:119). Some would find her conclusion too
simplistic. My response is that this
book is not meant for a theological reflection. It is a book about hope of a
second chance. God gave her a second
chance so that she could help others find God and find their life purpose.
I would highly recommend this book because Kristen’s story
brings hope about the amazing love of God, and one can experience the fullness
of life when one discovers this love.
