"Growing Forward when you can’t go back"

With ten female Bible characters, contemporary examples and fascinating  illustrations from her own life, “She Blossoms” blogger Laurie Pawlick helps readers face many types of loss and life’s challenges in her book “Growing Forward When You Can’t Go Back.” But this isn’t an ordinary self-help book. If you truly want to grow through the tough times and say “yes” to God, Pawlick shows you how it happened to women in the Bible and offers steps to take and discussions so you can experience it too.

Each chapter can stand alone. The particular problem addressed is summed up in the leading paragraph. The layout is great. You don’t have to read the whole book to benefit, and you don’t have to read the whole chapter if it doesn’t pertain to you. (But you’ll probably want to).

Each chapter contains spiritual, emotional, creative, physical and intellectual sections, five in all.These are rich with examples and Bible teaching yet concise and easy to read with Laurie’s conversational style. You may choose one or more of the action points which are most appropriate for your circumstances. Professional counseling is often encouraged.

Each chapter ends with questions for group discussion or a personal journal. Considering the questions adds even more valuable help to this wonderful book. It’s like sitting down with a great friend and pouring out your heart.

One a personal note, I received a no-strings-attached copy of this book from the author last December. At the time I was reading Lysa TerKeurst’s “It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way.” Reading, underlining, highlighting, folding page corners, and having many “A-ha!” moments. So I set Laurie’s book aside. I mean, who could say more than Lysa TerKeurst, right?

Yet, here I am, six months later and so grateful to have Laurie’s book. I finally read it and boy do I need it! I can’t compare it to Lysa’s; both are so good at addressing suffering, loss and change but they’re very different in how they do it. I’ll go back to Lysa TerKeurst’s drama someday maybe, but Laurie Pawlik’s blossoming is what I need right now. If you’re like me and need help defining the choices you must make regarding unexpected loss/change/suffering and how it will affect you, get this book.