About the book: Kara Tippetts knows the ordinary days of mothering four kids, the joy of watching her children grow…and the devastating reality of stage-IV cancer.
In The Hardest Peace, Kara invites readers to see the grace of the everyday in all seasons of life and to live well even when the living is hard. This book is an invitation to join her in moving away from fear and control and toward peace and grace. Just as the thousands of people who read her blog know, Tippetts explores the hardest questions of life with rare beauty and honesty. Most of all, she draws them back to the God who is present, in the ordinary and the suffering, and shapes every life into the best story of all.My thoughts: Sometimes it seems you're thrown foul balls or fast curve balls and just can't win. Or it seems like you just can't handle it all. And sometimes you realize that the great God of the Universe, the Savior of mankind and of each individual man is there. He is waiting for you to realize that He is there and that He is the answer to your needs, your problems, your hurts, your life disasters. He is your peace in that hard place you have encountered.
The author, Kara Tippetts, has a hard won peace. There are many who have been in that hard place and have encountered that hard peace - that peace that is truly unfathomable and so wonderful. The peace of God Himself.
Just over four years ago, my middle daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer. About the same time, I had a problem that required the removal of a mass. A month or so later, my husband was diagnosed with very aggressive Lymphoma. You know, some families just don't do things by "halves." They do it all at once.
But how does one cope? How? Surgery - three times over. Chemo - for dear daughter and elderly husband. Rough. Hard. Body-wrenching hard. Then radiation. There were three surgeries. And I started thinking...... Three can represent God; because God is in three persons. God the Father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit. We have a Triune God who loves us. And I have the Peace of God that is beyond understanding.
In Kara's story, she presents the hard and the beautiful of this journey she and her beloved family traveled. She has a beautiful way with words and she causes my heart to both rejoice with her and weep. I want to share just a few of her words.....
".... we are not the author of our stories, but the characters." pg. 64
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9, pg. 118
"I'm an extroverted embracer of people who feels the limit of her days." pg. 177
"Finally, Jesus. The Author of me. Thank You for loving this weary, broken woman so well. Thank You for trusting me with the hard in today. Thank You for Your sacrifice for my depraved and broken heart. You died a death I could not, so today, this day, I can walk in grace - proclaiming the greatest story ever told. Your story. Your words made alive in me today. Thank You. Thank You for the life You have given me, and the time to honor and glorify You forever - this life and the next." pg. 183GIVEAWAY: Win a copy to bring a blessing to yourself or someone you wish to bless. Giveaway begins October 10 & ENDS October 23 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA & CANADA addresses only.
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About Kara: Kara Tippetts and her husband, Jason, have four children and are planting a church in Colorado Springs, CO. Cancer is only part of Kara’s story. Her real fight is to truly live while facing a crushing reality. She blogs faithfully at mundanefaithfulness.com.
Follow her on Instagram: http://instagram.com/tippetts
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mother_to_many
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
My mother passed from Cancer, she choose not to do Chemo as the treatment would maybe have given her 6 more months. Without the treatment she was blessed with a year.
ReplyDeleteI recently said goodbye to a friend who fought colon cancer for over 4 years. During that time she lived life to the fullest and best of all, she gave her heart to Jesus. She was an inspiration to us all but, at the end , she was ready to go on. I miss her but I have to Be happy that she is now enjoying her reward!
ReplyDeleteI am 6 yr survived from endometrial cancer, my husband was 11 tear survivor from kidney cancer then passed from cancer that spread throughout him 2 years ago. My mother survived 15 years from colon cancer then passed from liver and bone cancer and my grandmother had breast cancer at age 18 and passed from liver cancer.
ReplyDeleteI truly did have peace in the hardest times of these journeys especially during the last 6 years of continually fighting the successes and losses from this disease.
Someone I know's duaghter just passed away from a cancer that had already been treated. It was aggressive and they decided not to go through lots of treatment in order to add a few weeks or months to their time together. In the end, watching their journey as a family was beautiful and heartwarming.
ReplyDeleteI do not have a cancer story.
ReplyDeletesunniewoodyplus2 atmsn.com
My church's pianist husband died about 5 years ago from cancer and now her son, who is in his 30s, has a different kind of cancer. She is such a strong lady.
ReplyDeleteLuckily i have no cancer story
ReplyDeletei learned she wants to write a book about capturing the big little moments of life.
ReplyDeleteAmanda akortokrax(at)mail.usf.edu
ReplyDeleteMy dad died at the age of 41 after a four month battle with leukemia. This was when I was 17 (with five younger siblings). All of my living grandparents have received treatment for cancer; luckily, most of them are now in remission. Found a tumor last year; blood work and biopsy came back clean - yay :) I get it checked out every 6 months.
I learned she received brain radiation. :(
ReplyDeleteamanda akortokrax(at)mail.usf.edu
Blessedly, I don't have a cancer story to share, from me or from a friend or family member.
ReplyDeleteI loved the post about her playlist during radiation. I learned how excruciating the radiation process is.
ReplyDeleteI follow Karas blog. She is such an inspiration to everyone to everyone. Im a 2 yr cancer survivor. I had stage 2 hodgkins lymphoma. My aunt is a breast cancer survivor and my sister is also hodgkins survivor. Thank you for the chance :)
ReplyDeletesue-hull64(at)comcast(dot)net
To everyone who knows and is following her blog.
DeleteI learned that she has music she listens to during her treatments.
ReplyDeleteBoth my grandmothers passed away from breast cancer. I learned to importance of family and not taking anyone for granted.
ReplyDeleteI have been very impressed with Kara, specifically some blog posts she has written recently. I have the utmost respect for her. Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com this week! I always enjoy your reviews and interviews!
ReplyDeleteTina
Thanks for sharing some of your story Vera. You have experienced hard-won peace.
ReplyDelete