Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet

Sara Hagerty masterfully draws from her own story of spiritual and physical barrenness to birth in readers a new longing for God. With exquisite storytelling and reflection, Hagerty guides readers to a tender place that God is holding just for them---a place where he shapes the bitterness of lost expectations into deep, new places of knowing Him.

Foreword by Katie Davis

“It is my great privilege to introduce you to my friend, Sara. This is a book for those hearts longing to see Him in the mess. It is Sara’s personal story, written with eloquence and grace, about a God who rescued her from barrenness and carried her to a land of abundance, dripping with milk and honey and all things His goodness. She teaches me again what I have already known; she teaches me to hope anew. He is the candle in the darkness, the Light that radiates glory and sprinkles new mercies every morning. My prayer is that as you read these words you would be drawn to a hope, to the Father, whose extravagant love never ceases to amaze. –From the foreword by Katie Davis, author of Kisses from Katie

“With vulnerability and insight, Sara Hagerty shares her story and invites the deep parts of us to find the deep parts of Him, where life is found. It is a profound testimony to the love and goodness of an intimate and beautiful God.” –Staci Eldredge, co-author of New York Times Bestseller Captivating

“Sara poetically takes us on a fresh, yet familiar journey - delays, pain, stress, loss - that leads us to the feet of the One whom our soul loves. Every Bitter Thing is Sweet is a tender cry for all of us to find His beauty in the middle of all of our frustrations, and a beautiful reminder that He sees us through it all. You will be deeply encouraged and moved by this stunning book.” –Jennie Allen, author of Anything and Restless

"From page one, Sara's poetic and vulnerable writing invites readers to truly experience the pain and redemption she has experienced and we can all relate to. Her hunger to experience God's presence and description of what that looks like will inspire you to find God in every circumstance of your life, bitter and sweet, and lead others to do the same.” –Sara Hall, Professional Track Athlete

“Sara Hagerty in her book Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet has captured an unlikely route to joy. Instead of bitterness and resentment about her barrenness, Sara learned that out of something painful, something beautiful can grow. The book is like a garden of beauty that has so many blossoms of hope that were ‘birthed’ in her barrenness. What God taught Sara in her struggles will inspire any woman with a pulse. –Jackie Kendall, Bestselling author of Lady in Waiting

“Each year I choose a ‘best book of the year’ to recommend or give to friends. This year my choice is clear, for Every Bitter Thing is Sweet is a life changer! Sara Hagerty has a depth in her soul, the tongue of a skillful writer, and an amazingly compelling story. Thank you, Sara, for giving us what we need the most, whether we realize it or not: more intimacy with this mysterious God who sees us, shapes us, and shows up in our life with “bursts of glory.” –Dee Brestin, Author of Idol Lies, The God of All Comfort, and The Friendships of Women

"God is still in the business of giving beauty for ashes. Sara's story proves it. Stunningly honest and moving. You don't just read this book, you experience it." –Stacey Thacker, Co-Author of Hope for the Weary Mom

“If you have struggled with the goodness of God in the valleys of life, then this book is for you. Sarah beautifully paints how God gently and tenderly revealed Himself in the midst of her seasons of longing and waiting.” –Noelle Dienert Davis, RN, homeschooling mom to four, daughter of Ruth Graham, granddaughter of Ruth & Billy Graham

“With penetrating vulnerability and insight, Sara Hagerty brings us into the deep wrestling of our hearts in pain and delay, offering us the lifeline she found in the darkness: fellowship with the heart of Jesus. The gold of this book will leave you thirsting for more of God and equipped to find Him even in the hardest times.” –Dana Candler, author, Deep unto Deep

“Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet is an exquisite love story between a woman and her God. Prepare to be swept away by Sara's storytelling and by the God who loves her and you! This is one of my all-time favorite reads by one of my all-time favorite authors.” –Joy Forney, joyforney.org

“We sing it on Sundays and put it in greeting cards—God is good. But, we live our days not grasping that God is good to us; God is good to me. In her book, Sara poetically draws us into her story of loss, grief, and redemption and how God’s name was written over every word of it, drawing her to Himself and showing her that He is not only a good God but a God who is good to her, His treasured possession. You can’t trace her journey in Every Bitter Thing is Sweet without being pointed to the One who took her through it.” –Kelly Raudenbush, The Sparrow Fund

“My favorite parts of Sara Hagerty’s stories come as God gives her children who—though they were born on different soil to different biological mothers—share the same wounds as their American mother. This is a story of grace and miracles, a story of bitterness turned sweet, a story of hope for everyone—from the orphan in Africa to the middle-American churchgoer—who looks to God as healer.” –Amy Julia Becker, author of Small Talk: Learning from my Children About What Matters Most and A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penn