What if you were told there's a possibility you would not be alive to see this afternoon or wake up tomorrow morning? Do you think you would live differently?
How would this reality affect every single moment of the life you have been given?
Julie Manning was in the middle of giving birth to her second child when doctors noticed an irregularity in her heartbeat. Within six weeks, tests revealed it was no one-time occurrence. This ultra-capable mom, wife, marathon runner, and pediatric nurse practitioner was in active heart failure, finding herself at risk for experiencing a sudden cardiac death.
My Heart is the first-person account of Julie's journey from then to now--from a healthy woman's normal expectations and self-reliance to the surrendering of her dreams, plans, and deepest desires into the hands of our unchanging God. Part retelling and reflection, part in-the-moment prayer journal, her story takes you with honest vulnerability into the jaws of fear and suffering, and speaks realistic hope into your own story, leaving you with well-fought, well-placed confidence for the road ahead. It's what her heart would like to say to you . . . about the faithful, loving, impeccably trustworthy heart of God.
My Thoughts
I think a universal fear of every mother is that something will happen to them while their children are young and they will be left to grow without her. I know it was an underlying fear of mine and that of my friends. In My Heart Julie Manning finds herself facing that scenario head on.
For all intents and purposes Julie's life had been relatively normal. She married the love of her life, she had a very fulfilling career, and they had a darling boy and were soon expecting a second one. Then out of left field an unknown heart condition appears.
I will admit that for the first half of this book I was in desperate need of Kleenex. Julie's story is gut-wrenching. All of those mommy fears came true. Second opinions didn't give different answers. Begging and pleading to God didn't change the circumstances. But what slowly began to emerge was beautiful. In the midst of such brokenness, healing was found. Her heart was still broken but her soul had found rest.
Julie's journey is one that we are all on. We may not have a life-threatening physical condition, but we all have broken hearts that need healing. I enjoyed Julie's willingness to let us look in on her private struggle. She allows herself to be vulnerable in order that you and I will see how Jesus broke through all the changes and became the unmovable and unchanging force in her life. You can't help but be inspired by her words and encouraged to take similar actions in your own life.
No comments:
Post a Comment