It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered

Lysa TerKeurst

Nov 2018 · Thomas Nelson · Narrated by Lysa TerKeurst and Jolene Barto

About this audiobook

READ BY THE AUTHOR | Also includes exclusive interview with Lysa!

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

What do you do when God’s timing seems questionable, his lack of intervention hurtful, and his promises doubtful? Lysa TerKeurst unveils her heart amid shattering circumstances, inviting you to live assured when life doesn't turn out like you expected.

Life often looks so very different than we hoped or expected. Some events may simply catch us off guard for a season, but others shatter us completely. We feel disappointed and disillusioned at best and overwhelmed and hopeless at worst. We quietly start to wonder about the reality of God’s goodness and why he allows us to suffer and experience grief and loss.

Lysa TerKeurst understands this deeply. But after many tears, godly counseling, and prayerful seeking, she's also discovered that our disappointments can be the divine appointments our souls need to radically encounter God. In It's Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa invites us into her own journey of faith and, with grit, vulnerability, and honest humor, helps us to:

• Stop being pulled into the anxiety of disappointment by discovering how to better process unmet expectations and other painful situations.
• Train ourselves to recognize the three strategies of the enemy, so we can stand strong and persevere through unsettling relationships and uncertain outcomes.
• Discover the secret of being steadfast and not panicking when God actually does give us more than we can handle.
• Shift our suspicion that God is cruel or unfair to the biblical assurance that God is protecting and preparing us.
• Know how to encourage a friend and help her navigate hard realities with real help from God's truth, the Bible.

Look for additional biblically based resources and devotionals from Lysa:

• Good Boundaries and Goodbyes
• Forgiving What You Can't Forget
• Uninvited
• You're Going to Make It
• Embraced
• Seeing Beautiful Again

Ratings and reviews

While I think this read has value, it failed to get me on board with its teachings. Having suffered the unthinkable, the sudden and violent death of my child, I do realize that hope and comfort is not always attainable for everyone, no matter what form (or writings) it is packaged as such. For me, Time and Suffering are pretty much the students (yes, you did read that correctly) and I am the teacher. No books required.

I did not like this book at all. Having recently had a traumatic death and a natural death in my immediate family just a few weeks apart I thought this sounded ideal, because no, life is NOT supposed to be this way. I realized her big trauma was divorce while mine was loss of my father and son. No comparison. This is a whine fest.

Indeed I will. This focus can be applied to every scenario. There are just people that wallow in self-pity... This happened to me, and that happened to me, and what I am going through is so much harder than you, so there is no comparison. The good news is that trouble does not last always. This too will pass. We are born to die, and usually it is just for the whiner who wants to hold people back from moving on to the next dimension. It is a wonderful book. I wish the writer a big congratulations. Writer, I am happy for you, and proud of you. I look forward to your next book. Please know that GOD is using you to help and heal those that have eyes to see, and ears to hear. Love, Joy, Peace, and ongoing Blessings to you and your loved ones.

About the author

Lysa TerKeurst is president and chief visionary officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the author of six New York Times bestsellers, including Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, and It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way. She writes from her family’s farm table and lives in North Carolina. Connect with her at www.LysaTerKeurst.com or on social media @LysaTerKeurst.