Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Braving Sorrow Together

October 18, 2017 by Kristin 13 Comments

“Braving Sorrow Together” was a tough book to read because it brought me face-to-face with grief from relationships that aren’t what I hoped they would be. But author Ashleigh Slater doesn’t leave me there in the pit of hard memories. With her words, she pointed me to Jesus and reminded me God has given me a community that also doesn’t look like I expect in the best ways possible. We have to grieve what we’ve lost to make room for the new things God is doing.

“‘God’s in His heaven, all’s right with the world,’ Anne Shirley says in Anne of Green Gables. When you and I experience loss, it often feels like this couldn’t be further from the truth. Yet when we choose to brave sorrow, together, allowing faith to transform us and our community to uphold us, we can courageously echo these words, believing that the Author of my story, and your story, is with us even when life is hard and the world feels anything but right.”

–Ashleigh Slater in “Braving Sorrow Together”

What I’ve learned from my sorrowful days of when my father-in-law died unexpectedly seven years ago, when Greg and I experienced infertility when we wanted to start a family more than a decade ago, when I walked with my best friend through a hard season in her marriage, and most recently when my grandpa died is that we are better together and the joy does come. Ashleigh captures these mixed emotions and the basic truth that we’ve all known sorrow.

Braving sorrow takes courage, but at least we don’t have to face life’s disappointments and grief alone. Just notice the subtitle: The Transformative Power of Faith and Community When Life is Hard. It’s true, folks.

Remembering others can say, “Me too!” when
we share a hard part of our story is valuable.

{Tweet that.}

About the book

“Braving Sorrow Together” shares truth author Ashleigh Slater learned through her own heartache, includes stories from others, references unchanging Bible verses, and ends with a guide help foster community in your own life.

This 166-page paperback book was published by Moody Publishers (Oct. 3, 2017).

About the author

Ashleigh Slater is the author of the book, “Team Us: Marriage Together.” In her writing, she loves to unite the power of a good story with biblical truth and practical application to encourage readers. For more information visit AshleighSlater.com.

*****

I received a free copy of this book for being part of a launch team, but these opinions are my own and true. I reviewed – and loved! – Ashleigh’s “Team Us,” so I was excited to read her new book, especially because doing real life together is a theme close to my heart. I even gave it a shout out on This House podcast when I was interviewed about my book and adoption last week. And, yes, I’ve mentioned this book in my complication of all the many good, new books that I’ve read recently.

*****

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Filed Under: books, Porch Stories Tagged With: community, review

Comments

  1. Debbie Putman says

    October 18, 2017 at 7:05 am

    There is much truth here. Joy does come…but it takes a long time. And we do need others to walk with us instead of expecting things to be fine after a few weeks.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 18, 2017 at 3:15 pm

      Yes, and how long is always unknown, which can certainly be hard. Glad you’re here, Debbie!

      Reply
  2. Joanne Viola says

    October 18, 2017 at 7:13 am

    Wonderful review and another to add to my ever growing “to read” list which has now become my “Christmas wish list” 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 18, 2017 at 3:14 pm

      My list is quite long too! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Michele Morin says

    October 18, 2017 at 7:13 am

    Sounds like a great book!
    This must be Lauch Team Season! Everyone I know is on at least one!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 18, 2017 at 3:13 pm

      So many good new books and launch teams!

      Reply
  4. SUSAN SHIPE says

    October 18, 2017 at 7:41 am

    You do such a good job with book reviews – me, not so much! We all process grief differently but it sure is nice to have someone to walk beside in the process!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 18, 2017 at 3:13 pm

      I like book reviews – does that make me nerdy? 🙂 It’s always better to have someone, that’s for sure!

      Reply
  5. Meghan says

    October 18, 2017 at 10:53 am

    This books so good, Kristin. I am a fixer girl who is recovering from thinking she has to fix all the issues, so it sounds like one for me.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 18, 2017 at 3:12 pm

      Oh, yes, I’m a fixer too. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Lisa notes says

    October 18, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    This sounds like an important work. Doing grief is never easy. But it is often necessary in order to move forward. “We have to grieve what we’ve lost to make room for the new things God is doing.” “We are better together and the joy does come.” Amen!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 18, 2017 at 3:12 pm

      Yes, I guess it’s true important work is often hard work. Thanks for being here, Lisa!

      Reply

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

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They're 16 and 8 right now. Both of their classes have been studying ancient Egypt and had a joint feast today. Sweet, huh? 

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Anyway, my daughters. They're lovely, funny, and smart. I love that Cate helped Rachel with her Egyptian eye makeup this morning and made her a Nutella and banana sandwich. I love that they got to have a party today at school together. I love that even though they're eight years apart, they're sisters. 

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You’re a light wherever you go! And you like to You’re a light wherever you go! And you like to go! You’re always making friends, asking about our next adventure, wanting to know what’s next, and talking if you’re not singing. You’re the joy our family needed in 2015 and you continue to be the one who makes us laugh and love better than we did before we knew you. 

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