About the Book: (from the publisher)
From the beginning, Mary Beth Chapman's life was not how she planned. All she wanted was a calm, peaceful life of stability and control. Instead, God gave her an award-winning singer/songwriter husband, crazy schedules, and a houseful of creatively rambunctious children. Most difficult of all, God's plans for her also included tragedy.
In Choosing to SEE, Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life, both the happy chapters and the tragic ones. And as the story unfolds, she's been forced to wrestle with some of life's biggest questions: Where is God when things fall apart? Why does God allow terrible things to happen? How can I survive hard times?
No matter where you find yourself in your own life story, you will treasure the way Mary Beth shows that even in the hard times, there is hope if you choose to SEE.
MY REVIEW:
“…God has asked us to do hard. It really stinks and I wish we didn’t have to, but this is what our family has been called to. If we stick together, we can do hard.” (p.196)
“Heaven is real, the gospel is true, you just have to SEE!” (p. 157)
Choosing to See, by Mary Beth Chapman with Ellen Vaughn is a book that is going to powerfully encourage everyone who reads its pages! This is so much more than a story of a family who suffers through a tragic loss. This is a story about how God works in our lives, every day of our lives, to show Himself powerful to save. He saves us from ourselves, He saves us from our mistakes, He saves us from hell itself! God alone is the author and finisher of our faith, and through every single tiny circumstance, through every single huge tragedy…HE IS THERE! And like Mary Beth’s daughter taught them through her life….you just have to SEE!!
I don’t know the Chapman family personally, and I am only marginally familiar with Steven Chapman’s music. (although that is about to change!) But after reading Choosing to See I feel like I have been introduced to folks that I would enjoy immensely were I ever given the opportunity to know them on this earth. But I tell you something…I know I’ll enjoy spending eternity with them worshipping this Savior! Mary Beth’s life and the lives of her family have taught me so much through their faith and their heartache – through their crazy schedules and their love and laughter.
Oh friend, please don’t miss this book! Choosing to See is a precious testimony of God’s grace and mercy through some of every situation life can throw at you. And you will PRAISE the LORD for His goodness as never before! Thank you, Mary Beth Chapman and Ellen Vaughn for being obedient to God to tell this story! Many lives will be forever changed!
About the Authors:
Mary Beth Chapman is the wife of Grammy and Dove Award winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Together they began Show Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the world's most vulnerable children by providing financial assistance to families wishing to adopt, as well as increasing awareness of the orphan crisis and funneling resources to orphans domestically and internationally. Mary Beth serves as president of Show Hope and is a speaker for Women of Faith 2010 with her husband. She is also coauthor with Steven of the Shaoey and Dot series of children's picture books. Mary Beth and Steven have six children: Emily, Caleb, Will Franklin, and adopted daughters Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue, who is now with Jesus. The Chapmans live in
www.MaryBethChapman.com
Ellen Vaughn is a bestselling author and inspirational speaker. Her recent books include It's All About Him with Denise Jackson (wife of Alan Jackson), which debuted at #1 on the New York Times nonfiction list. She is also coauthor with Chuck Colson of Being the Body. In addition to her nonfiction work, Vaughn is an award-winning novelist. She lives in the
2 comments:
Wow, this sounds like a powerful book. I'll definitely look for it.
Loved this book!
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