Shattered Shaken and Stirred by Gilbert Ahrens - REVIEWED

Shattered Shaken and Stirred is the second book I’ve received that bears strong testament to God’s goodness and sovereignty in the midst of grave trials. Gilbert Ahrens’ life was shattered, shaken and stirred when he and his wife and infant daughter were hit head-on by a drunk driver. God mercifully spared their lives, but He forever altered their daily reality in such a way that their faith will be a shining testimony of God’s grace and mercy to countless others.

I was drawn to this book, because I actually witnessed a similar event in the life of a couple in our Army unit several years ago. Bad weather and a stalled logging truck were the culprit, but the outcome was the same. The father and infant daughter were unharmed, but the wife suffered a spinal injury that left her wheelchair bound. Actually, my friend was left paralyzed from the neck down permanently – a much worse outcome than Ahrens’ wife – but their journey was not so dissimilar. I was amazed at the way God worked in the lives of all who were touched by this tragedy, and thus I was curious about an inside look at another family’s experience.

Shattered Shaken and Stirred is written from Ahrens’ to his young daughter as a chronicle of the events that forever altered their lives. It’s as though he is remembering for her in his book. I learned some pretty painful details about the actual hospital stay, therapy and life-altering decisions that are required when tragedy strikes unexpectedly. The Ahrens family truly came through with a stronger faith and a beautiful testimony, but it was not without some dark, horrific experiences along the way. There were, in fact, some details that simply were too much information…and while I didn’t think they were necessary for the story, I could understand why a father might include such detail if he were leaving a legacy for his daughter.

Ahrens was brutally honest about his emotional struggles all along this journey. Yet despite the fact that there were times he felt as if he’d rather not go forward, God always brought him to the next level of faith and trust and enabled him to keep trusting Him. I encourage you to visit the author’s website and learn more about this family and their experiences. Your heart will be changed.