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About this item
Highlights
- How can I approach God if I'm struggling to believe in His goodness?So much of our belief can be formulaic.
- Author(s): Kristen Lavalley
- 224 Pages
- Religion + Beliefs, Christian Life
Description
About the Book
So much of our belief can be formulaic. We often think that if we do A, B, and C, then God will do X, Y, and Z. But when our experiences inevitably deviate from that belief, our trust in God often crumbles. After a series of life-altering trials--including a devastating diagnosis--Kristen LaValley knows what it's like to uncover faith inthe cracks of pain. In Even if he doesn't, Kristen unpacks the nuances of suffering and faith, holding space for the tension between the two and revealing how the gentleness and grace of Christ offer a surprising path to healing. Through her vulnerable and honest story, she reminds us that when our belief is reduced to a formula, we rob ourselves of a faith that is enriched by suffering, not crippled by it.Those in the midst of heartache will find strength and renewal as Kristen approaches the complexity of suffering with compassion, guiding us to endure while not forsaking the joy, hope, and peace of those marked by Jesus.Book Synopsis
How can I approach God if I'm struggling to believe in His goodness?So much of our belief can be formulaic. We often think that if we do A, B, and C, then God will do X, Y, and Z. We check things off the "Good Christian Checklist," trusting we'll be okay, and our trials will be minimal. But when our experiences inevitably deviate from that belief, our trust in God often crumbles. After a series of life-altering trials--including a devastating diagnosis--uncovering faith in the cracks of pain is something Kristen LaValley knows well.
In Even If He Doesn't, Kristen will:
- share her vulnerable and honest story
- unpack the nuances of suffering and faith, holding space for the tension between the two
- reveal how engaging the gentleness and grace of Christ in our suffering offers a surprising path to healing
- remind us that when our belief is reduced to a formula, we rob ourselves of a faith that's enriched by suffering, not crippled by it
Review Quotes
VERDICT Gentle Christian wisdom that offers a fresh take on the link between suffering, faith, spirituality.--Sandra Collins--Library Journal
Dimensions (Overall): 8.19 Inches (H) x 5.43 Inches (W) x .79 Inches (D)
Weight: .48 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 224
Genre: Religion + Beliefs
Sub-Genre: Christian Life
Publisher: Tyndale Momentum
Theme: Spiritual Growth
Format: Paperback
Author: Kristen Lavalley
Language: English
Street Date: February 20, 2024
TCIN: 89536923
UPC: 9781496478528
Item Number (DPCI): 247-30-2512
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.79 inches length x 5.43 inches width x 8.19 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.48 pounds
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5.0 out of 5 stars with 12 reviews
100% would recommend
11 recommendations
For Anyone Who Ever Has Suffered, Is Suffering, or Ever Will Suffer
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
KNorman - 1 year ago, Verified purchaser
This book is the first book on suffering that I’ve successfully been able to pick up and process. It’s relatable, vulnerable, theological, and funny all in one. I’ve told people that it’s readable in moments when you are suffering, if you have suffered, or if you will one day experience suffering again. I think that is unique and beautiful aspect of this book. Perhaps it’s because this book acts somewhat like a guidebook to the Valley of the Shadow of Death. I know that I’m often tempted to think that I’m alone in my grief or suffering or that I have to figure things out on my own. Kristen’s word have guided, challenged, affirmed, and empowered me in my relationships with the Lord, myself, others, and the Church. God makes known the path of life and He has used Kristen’s trials and words to illuminate it when it is so faint for others on the same road. Besides my own personal copy, I’ve already gifted two copies to friends who are going through grief and suffering. My best friend said that she’s been carrying her copy around the house with her so that she can read it in any free moment that she has. Kristen’s words are supportive and sustaining. I have a couple other copies set aside on a shelf for those moments when a friend or family member is walking through pain or suffering. Seeing that my first two extra copies didn’t even last a month, I’m sure that the words of “Even If He Doesn’t” will soon speak to the hearts and minds of others whom I love. Thanks to Kristen for sharing her story and the goodness of God when He did and even when He didn’t.
Must Read for Every Human
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Renrae - 1 year ago
Wow. This book is a must read for anyone walking through suffering, grief, and trauma, or if you know someone who is. Kristen is such an amazing author who makes you feel like you’re having coffee with your best friend. She doesn’t shy away from the hard questions, makes you think, but also keeps you laughing out loud. Highly recommended the audiobook read by the author too!
Healing for hurting hearts
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
REmerine - 1 year ago
had the pleasure of listening to Kristen read the audiobook that I received as part of my preorder. Hearing her read is like sitting down over coffee with a friend. In her book, she talks about trauma and pain from the perspective of someone who has walked there before. She doesn't try to fix the pain or tell us to move on, but sits with us in our pain and reminds us we are not alone. God is present in our pain, even when things don't turn out as we hoped. This book is a refreshing take on suffering that doesn't try to justify it, provide a formula to fix it, or wipe it away with a cliché Christian phrase. Instead, as she shares her own stories, Kristen invites us to experience hope and peace amidst our suffering. One of my favorite parts of the book is how she takes a common distortion of our faith and shows us how to shift it based on Scripture and knowledge of God's love for us. This book is for anyone who has or will experience pain, grief, trauma, or hurt. It is for anyone who has questioned their faith amidst pain. It is for anyone who has walked away from faith or wants to reevaluate their theology of suffering. It is for anyone who "wants to be okay." It is an excellent book for personal reflection or in discussion with close friends.
Highly recommend for everyone!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Johanna - 1 year ago
A breath of fresh air among conversations and comments that pop up from others during seasons of suffering. I found this book so relatable and there were many moments where she would just word something so perfectly that I've previously struggled to articulate, even in my own mind. After listening to the audiobook that came to me early as a pre-order bonus, I went back and ordered 3 more copies so I can give them to loved ones going through some really difficult things right now. Highly recommend to anyone who has gone through hard things, is going through hard things, or knows someone going through hard things. So, everybody.
Beautiful
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
J - 1 year ago
Such an amazing story. It’s real and raw and relatable. Anyone going through hard times and questioning faith should read this.
Incredible book!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
- 1 year ago
I loved this book! In periods of mourning and great loss, sometimes what we need most is the quiet presence of a friend who acknowledges and bears up with us. Not a prescription to move through grief as quickly as possible, or a rush to get back to normal, but patience and compassion and willingness to sit in the upheaval with us. This book is like that. Kristen writes about suffering with empathy and compassion, and hope. Hope without pressure to hide grief or wrap our sorrow up in a tidy bow and heal quickly. Hope with patience and fortitude to make space for questions and wrestling. Get this book and let it be a balm to a weary heart.
Conforting words if encouragement!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Sam - 1 year ago
This book tells of hardships whilst calling to God, how he is good regardless of how he is working. Even if He doesn’t is the best title for this book, because He is good, even if He doesn’t.
Even If He Doesn't
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Debbie - 1 year ago
Kristen writes with a simple honesty about what she has been through and shares what she has learned to be true. It reads like having a coffee with a friend and catching up. Amazing!
So healing
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Khubbard - 1 year ago
I put off reading this book for weeks after I got an advance copy because I was scared that my suffering was too raw. Kristen's book is like a balm to a suffering soul. She delivers truth with such tenderness. I cannot recommend this book enough!
a life-giving and grace filled exploration of navigating difficult times while trusting God's goodness
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
KateDeMello - 1 year ago
tl;dr: This book is a life-giving and grace filled exploration of navigating difficult times while trusting God's goodness. I laughed. I cried. I am changed for the better for having read it. In "Even If He Doesn't" Kristen LaValley takes readers along on the difficult and lonely journey of working through trauma as a follower of Christ despite well-intentioned, but misguided, advice from Christians. I wept along with Kristen as she vulnerably but sensitively shared her trauma and responses to and through the trauma. I paused multiple times to receive the grace Kristen offers those who think they should be over their trauma, and even more to reflect on how I have influenced others in their pain. This is most certainly a theological exploration of suffering, but it is not a treatise or a dense book full of heady rationalization. Instead, it is a call to know Jesus in suffering and to draw nearer to God in the moments when His goodness is not immediately apparent. It's an invitation to realign your belief system so that the reader can rest in God's goodness no matter whether, how, or when God answers our prayers. This book is a must-read for anyone who: * Desires to serve and love others who are in pain or have experienced trauma and suffering. * Has experienced pain, suffering, or trauma and has struggled to understand God's goodness in it. * Has wrestled with God's goodness in a world full of sin and pain. I have already bought this book as a gift for several friends and intend to use the resources available to lead a small group through the book. This book will change your perspective and draw you closer to God, if you let it.
Honest, beautiful, life-giving!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Bethany R - 1 year ago
What an incredible story! I love Kristen’s honesty and the fact that she does not dodge talking about what is hard in life. It’s hard to say life is hard, but she does it well and makes space for the reader to learn it’s ok to say “this is hard” too. Page after page is an invitation to see the real and raw of life and push to understand God’s place in it. There are no cliches, only clinging to hope. Thanks to Kristen’s story, I am in new places on my own healing journey, and my heart is drawn to walk well with others as they heal too. Read it, read it with a friend, read it again!