Life, In Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson

by Holly Smith

February 13, 2012

@hollyrenee1

Kristen felt like she had nothing to live for. After being raped, experiencing the deaths of several friends, and dealing with family problems, Kristen had reached the end of hope. One night she decided to end it all. But God had other plans. The miraculous survival of her attempted suicide launched her into a different life, one that not only set her on the path of a challenging journey, but on the path towards Christ. Kristen tells her story and shares the source of hope in the midst of life's struggles.

Life, In Spite of Me is an amazing book that offers hope and challenges readers to see how miraculously God works.

When I first picked up this book, I didn't quite know what to expect. Plenty of people have attempted suicide, but Kristen's story is unique. The more I read, the more I found myself standing in awe of the God who restores all things.

This book is written very well--especially for an auto-biography. Of course, Tricia Goyer, who helped Kristen with this book, is an excellent writer, and I honestly wouldn't expect anything less than the quality of writing shown in this story.

It's so much more than that, though. This book is written in a way that makes it easy to engage in. It's as though we are feeling the emotions with Kristen. I'm not just reading her story, I'm experiencing each step with her, needing to know what will happen next, feeling the tension in critical decisions.

I shed so many tears while reading this story. Tears of sorrow, tears of joy, and tears of praise. They really should include a package of tissues with this book.

We live in a world where depression is increasing. With the economy at its lowest and with jobs decreasing, people are feeling the loss of hope. Kristen's story offers encouragement and shows us that God continues to pursue those who have no hope, and fill them with life.

I truly recommend Life, In Spite of Me. I think every Christian should read it. No matter where you are in life, Kristen's story will touch you, because it's not just her story. It's God's as well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.