I don't recall how long ago it was, but I caught Kristen Jane Anderson's story on an Oprah episode and was amazed by her courage and faith. I was even more excited when my brainstorming buddy, Tricia Goyer, was hired to turn Anderson's story into a book. Don't miss Life, In Spite of Me.
She wanted to die. God had other plans.
Why does my life
have to be so painful?
What’s wrong with me?
It’s
not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I
won’t hurt anymore.
Kristen Anderson thought she had
the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook:
three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling
from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could
trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.
One
January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to
deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set
of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send
her to heaven…and peace.
But Kristen's story doesn’t end there.
In
Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares
the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed
suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life,
giving her a powerful purpose for living.
Her gripping story of
finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder
that life is a gift to be treasured.
The book includes notes of
encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling
most.
“Life, In Spite of Me is a remarkable story of life beyond
despair and hope that triumphs over tragedy.”
—Louie Giglio,
pastor, Passion City Church/The Passion Movement
“Suicide is a
liar and a thief. It promises peace to those who are escaping but
delivers unimaginable pain and rejection to those left behind. Kristen
Jane Anderson’s riveting story unmasks the thief and gives hope a face.”
—Dr.
Dennis Rainey, president, FamilyLife Ministries
“When I first
met Kristen, I was overwhelmed with her smile, and then I saw her
wheelchair. It was a defining moment for me. I had not heard her story
or why she’d ended up at Moody. But it was her smile—and it is still her
smile—that dismantles me. Kristen has something. It is something
otherworldly. She had every reason to die, but now she has every reason
to live. I hope you’ll read her story, see her smile, and know why she
lives.”
—Michael Easley, former president, Moody Bible Institute
~robin
