I don’t usually read anything but fiction but I felt called to read this one and I am glad I did. It had me asking myself so many questions and it was truly eye opening in some aspects of how I perceive things. It was a really good read.

This non fiction novel talks about the authors life and how her faith has grown with her as she has grown as a person. I think the book was short and sweet. I follow Kendall on social media and enjoyed learning more about her

I’ve followed Kendall on Instagram for a while, and we share the experience of adoption (including transracial adoption), so parts of this book felt deeply personal. What resonated most with me was what Kendall calls “soul friction”—that tension that shows up when you know something isn’t right but you don’t know what to do about it. I have had seasons of wrestling with God, seasons of doubts and seasons of disappointment, and I felt seen in Kendall’s words.

Her reflections on adoption and her health journey were especially moving. While our stories look different, the emotions—grief, surrender, and learning to trust God in the tension—felt incredibly familiar. This book doesn’t encourage walking away from faith; it invites you to sit honestly with God, ask thoughtful questions, and allow that tension to deepen—not diminish—your relationship with Him. She challenges the negative connotation around “deconstruction,” explaining that for many people, it’s simply looking at your faith and asking “What do I believe and why? Is it because it was passed down to me or is this faith and belief truly my own?” In that sense, I HAVE asked those questions—and came out on the other side with a stronger relationship with Jesus.

“These questions aren’t about breaking faith apart just for the sake of questioning—it’s about rebuilding it on something real, true, and personal. Because when we do the work of figuring out what we actually believe— beyond expectations, beyond religious culture, beyond inherited faith—we find something deeper. We find Jesus himself.” - Kendall Mariah

Highly recommend this book to everyone. Whether you are strong in your faith or you aren't sure where you stand with your faith, this book will make you question the tough things. It will make you reflect on what you believe.

Kendall shares her truth and her experiences with military life, infertility, grief and so much more. She shares what has helped her grow in her faith... asking questions!

I loved when she talked about doubting Thomas. I was always taught that Thomas wasn't strong in his faith, because he had his doubts about Jesus raising from the dead. Maybe he just needed to see for himself that Jesus was alive. Maybe he didn't just want take the word of others. I loved thinking about this.

Also, I loved her view of Jesus and the children. When he said "Let them come to me." Jesus knew that the children would have tons of questions. "He was saying that raw unfiltered curiosity- those honest, sometimes messy questions- are exactly what we need to connect with him and the world"



There were so many amazing quotes, I'll share a few:

"Gold is refined in fire - not to destroy it but to make it purer, more valuable. And faith, much life gold is strengthened in the heat of trials."

"When we walk through season of hardships, uncertainty, and suffering, the fire may feel unbearable, but it is not without purpose. It reveals what we truly believe, forcing us to let go of what was never meant to last and cling tightly to what is eternal."

"Faith is not built in the absence of fire. It's built in the heat of it."

"Faith isn't always light and easy. Sometimes it's a battle. Sometimes it's built in the tension. And sometimes the fact that you're feeling the weight of it all is just proof that your faith is alive- that it matters."

"Because the world doesn't need more quiet Christians who are afraid to ruffle feathers. The world needs people who have been through the fire, wrestled with the tough stuff, and come out on the other side more rooted, more free, and more on fire than ever before."