Navigating life

by Michelle Gomez

February 19, 2011

Life is difficult thing to navigate. I appreicated the honesty in which Kristen shared her struggles both before and during the attempt to end her life. I found her honesty in the book also ironic being that Kristen found herself in so much pain by keeping her struggles to herself for so many years. The first 3/4 of the book had me wanting to purchase and review this with several types of people that I come in contact with through my various church ministries. Teens will relate to the everyday struggles and deep demons they face in the quiet and also be able to find a resource of hope without going to the extremes Kristen did. Parents reading this book will be able to have an insight into what their children really may be working through.
I am now through my difficult teen years, I am a mother, I take a medication, but I also am a woman with a deep relationship with God so I feel I do have some responsibility to also share the one topic I didnt agree with Kristen on. God performs miracles YES God provides YES but unlike Kristen some people may not be able to fully stop taking medications. Throughout the majority of her book she also writes letters to the reader. Which I round useful. I was anticipating a letter that would help the readers who are on medications to not feel their faith is not "strong enough" if they happen to be in need of medication for their entire life. I would hate for a reader to struggle after reading this book if they in deed will not fall into the catagory of being healed of all their illness physical or mental and need for medications. I would like them to know God does not care for them less and they are not less of a believer. A Pastor told me once that God sometimes provides us with the Dr. to give us something not in us and it would be wrong to not use the resource provided by Godto get better and then go on to glorify God through out our daily lives in spite of the cross we bear.
I liked this book and I will recommend it to some-but I feel depending on the person I may need to talk with them about the last 1/4 of the book