She is clothed with strength and dignity , and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25
Isn’t it funny how the perfect book comes into your life at just the right time? That’s how I feel about And Still She Laughs: Defiant Joy in the Depths of Suffering, a book that I just finished.
A few weeks ago, I was doing the dishes (does this job ever end?) and listening to my favorite podcast, At Home with Sally. Sidenote: Podcasts really elevate the mundane tasks of my day into sacred experiences! And At Home with Sally never disappoints, exhorting me to live a more excellent life in areas of the mind and service.
Sally interviewed a woman named Kate Merrick, a wife and mother, and pastor’s wife. She briefly shared about her book, And Still She Laughs that she wrote after losing her daughter to a long-term illness.
Just like Peter, we flinch at the slightest prospect of discomfort. We’ve been conditioned to expect ease as a sign of God’s blessing, but that is not how Jesus would have us live. It’s not how he lived. The last time I checked, he came to give life-abundant life- but maybe that looks a little different from what we thought.- Kate Merrick
My family and I have been experiencing some difficulties in the past few months, including recent health challenges along with other things. And quite honestly, at times it has been hard to find joy amidst doctor’s appointments and anxious thoughts about the future. So, I wondered if hearing this podcast was a divine appointment to pursue laughter and joy.
After a quick trip to the library, I immediately started reading this book and couldn’t put it down! Merrick honestly shares her difficult story of her family’s suffering and God’s faithfulness. And she shared her message in such an interesting way, by comparing her struggles and journey to several infamous and notorious women of the Bible including Bathsheba, Mary, and Sarah. I just love that God includes women in his word who didn’t have it all together, who suffered, who failed, but whom he never gave up on.
Merrick gently leads the reader to keep trusting God and to trust him with our lives in an honest and fresh way. She shows how its possible to grieve the hard parts of live while still finding joy and hopeful strength.
“Its up to us. We decide if we are to hold on to disappointments. We can let fear creep and grow like pond scum, reaching to our exterior and crowding out the light, or we can walk in the strength he supplies, exchanging the despicable for the dependable. We decide if we are willing to laugh without fear. – Kate Merrick
I was so encouraged by this book, and I know that you will be too. In life, its not a question of IF the difficulties will come, but WHEN. Maybe you are in a peaceful and calm season of life, but I’m sure that just means that you’ve already come through a hard time. Or maybe you have someone close to you who is going through tough times to whom you’d like to give some encouragement. Check out this book; I know you’ll appreciate it so much.
