"It 's Not Supposed to Be this Way : Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered" Is a Christian living book and very practical. Lysa is very candid and open about the real struggles she is going through. She shares about her broken and struggling marriage. She shares about her health issues. She reminds the reader that God is still there even when we are disappointed. She experienced a time when everything went wrong and she wants us to know God will still be there and the reader should not allow their thoughts to think that God is not there or does not care for them. She says the devil wants us to be pulled away from God when we experience disappointments. It is such a rich book and vital for the tough world we live in. She reminds us to read God 's word and remember that He keeps His promises. She reminds us to continue reading God's word and not allow us to let our busy life and trials to keep us from turning to God. and His word. The book comes with a study guide and DVDs if the reader wants to purchase them. The book would be good for a group Bible study or individual study. It helps our world to hear about others trials so they do not feel alone. I think if a Women's Bible study used this book for their study it would sure be rich and benefit the group to reflect and share on how the book has impacted their lives with each other. I appreciate the publisher for sharing this book with me for a review. I will share the book with pastors, , facebook, my blog, Amazon, friends, Goodreads. I hope many people read this book and experience the rich truths and values in the book. . It is a very practical and useful book.

"What if the worst parts of your life are actually gateways to the very best parts you'd never want to live without?" - that is a tough question to ponder...but liberating when you realise how right the statement is. This book is all about trusting our God who is good ALL the time. Trusting God to turn what the enemy means for evil, for our good.

Lysa TerKeurst is well qualified to write this book. She has gone through a lot so I really respected her view on this subject. She did an amazing job explaining suffering in this book, it was fantastic. I love that everything she wrote, she backed up with scripture. It was both encouraging, comforting and personal. Her dust to clay analogy is one I will always remember. Thank you Lysa.

"Take this Lord, and shatter it just right, so I can be made stronger, more beautiful, and able to withstand fires as never before. I believe that You see things I cannot see. And You have eventual good in mind" - Amen

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by this author who I have only followed on social media for a relatively short while. This book is uniquely written in the midst of her own personal struggles and testing; the captivating honesty is refreshing and all the wrestling with feelings always leads us back to the truth of God's promises in His word. This book is full of compassion and I think it would make a lovely companion for someone who is going through a dark night of the soul. I shed tears at some points because I identified with so much of what she said based on my own experiences.
The book contains a lot of scripture references which will no doubt be a lifeline for the reader who is in the midst of a difficult situation and cannot find the strength to go do too much research on her own.

I am not a fan of the author's writing style - which at points comes across too melodramatic, poetic, and a little flowery - but this does not detract from the content so I did not take off any stars for my preference, which is nonetheless a big issue for me. That said, there would be no time wasted by reading this book and only gains to be had. I recommend this book which speaks comfort and hope to the hurting, disappointed heart.

I couldn't recommend this book more. This book came at the right time, OF COURSE it did!
Relatable to any trial that your going thru. A MUST READ!

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

This is the perfect book to read when you need some extra inspiration and a few encouraging words. Terkeurst is great at motivating the reader to look forward and look for the positive in any situation.

"God isn't ever going to forsake you, but He will go to great lengths to remake you."
Gah, this book. My words will not do the beauty or eloquence of the author's plight justice. Nothing would do it justice. TerKeurst is a voice for all women. She puts words to depths of pain and the human soul. A reader can trust every word she writes in this book because she has lived it, in fact lived through it while also writing this book.
I find interesting the way the chapters are written in real time. The author doesn't look back on a time in the past when she dealt with pain. She literally writes this book during the worst years of life. From one chapter to the next, she is getting news, diagnoses, and counseling. This book reads like a journal of lamenting and choosing joy. We as readers walk through the moments of struggle with her. She knows. And not only does she know, she trusts. And because she trusts, she encourages us that we can trust too. No matter what turmoil we are in, we can trust that God is for us and with us.
In the heartfelt, emotional writing Lysa Terkeurst is known and loved for, she had me swaying between tears and laughter. And I am tucking this book safely away for another day when I may be in the midst of a dark valley, because I know this will speak to me all over again in a whole new way, in every season.

It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by author Lysa TerKeurst is an uplifting and fun book that gives hope. TerKeurst tells her experiences and guides others through a life full of discouragement.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Its Not Supposed to Be This Way in exchange for an honest review.

Every chapter of this book is a combination of authenticity and truth. The result is powerful. Lysa’s work is both brave and inspiring. I mean, who writes a book about something, when you don’t know how its all going to turn out? Who writes with such passion and conviction whilst still being in “the messy middle.” Truly, Lysa lives, “Let Thy Will, Not My Will Be Done,’

We’ve all been disappointed at some stage. we've all suffered the pain, whether physical, emotional or spiritual and one of Lysa’s gifts is to clarify complicated concepts into expressions that you can latch on to. Some of my favourites are as follows:

“ I want to learn to wrestle well in this life between two gardens.”

“ We praise God when our normal looks like what we thought it would. We question God when it doesn’t.”

“I could only face the future in teaspoons of time.”

There is no doubt that reading this book strengthens one’s faith. Perhaps it’s fitting that I feel compelled to review the book while I am in the ‘messy middle’ of it. It’s just so good, I can't rush through it! I will read it again, and I recommend it to all. Is there anyone you know that hasn’t felt at some point in their life that “It’s not supposed to be this way?” If there are, I certainly haven’t met them It’s Five out of Five !!

With many thanks to the author, the publishers Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for my free copy to review.

Opening a Lysa Terkeurst book is always life-changing and mindset-shifting. It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way” takes it to a different level though. It’s emotionally rich, raw and so real. As I read, I felt Lysa’s pain, turmoil and struggles and I related! I haven’t walked her path but the heartful emotions, the doubts and fear, I’ve walked that!

Lysa has a gift at framing the tiniest, but crucial, moment in a way I can understand and learn from. She is in fine form here, this book is full of transformational insights such as: “When you suffer, slow becomes necessary. Slow becomes good. One of the best parts of this season of suffering for me was a life that doesn’t require shoes. When your wear no shoes the sun has access to your feet.”

Lysa’s life during the writing of this book has had so many highs and lows. Each chapter connects the reader with a different point in her life and, it’s an emotional rollercoaster, so of course I had to read it flat out til the early morning! Let this be a warning, this is a jam-packed, mile-a-minute, challenging and faith-building book to begun in a morning with a Bible beside and the understanding you may need to read it twice to fully comprehend it!

Central to the book, is Lysa’s framing our time here on earth, between gardens. She speaks of those who have learnt to live this life in its fullness! I love this vision of how we can be: “It’s those clothed with garments of understanding. They have personally experienced that this life between two gardens can sometimes make it excruciatingly painful to simply be human. They keep in mind the Bible’s instructions, as we rub shoulders human to human. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)”

To highlight, share or discuss more of the book would disrupt the amazing experience Lysa has created. All I can say is, the end is amazing, it full of hope and it’s a fantastic guide to life in faith! I highly recommend it, it’s a five out of five on the enjoyment scale, I’ll be reading it again and sharing it widely!