Published by Thomas Nelson on May 5, 2020
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life, Memoir, Parenting
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How do you live a full life? Perhaps the better question is, how do you really live when life throws you sucker punches, when you face obstacles that seem to snuff out your faith, when you lose something or someone precious to you? In The Fight to Flourish, Jennie Lusko encourages women to suit up and thrive, not just in the dailies of monotony and routine but even in the most desolate of places. Using the backdrop of her second-born daughter Lenya’s passing into heaven five days before Christmas in 2012, Jennie invites readers to embrace whatever destination they’ve landed. She teaches how, through the good and the bad, they can learn to grow, be strong, draw near to God, and be a blessing to others. It is in this sacred space of pain and promise that women can begin to flourish.
In this deeply personal memoir, pastor’s wife Jennie Lusko shares hard-won wisdom about enduring through unimaginable hardship to still flourish in relationships and grow in Christ. In December 2012, her five-year-old daughter, Lenya, died in a sudden, traumatic way. Lusko writes about how this loss has affected her and her family, and shares insights into how she has held onto her faith in God even in this darkness. She shares excerpts from her old journal entries, reflects from her current vantage point, and writes about how she has fought back against guilt, self-blame, and shame over having not been a good enough mother to Lenya.
This book could be very triggering to others who have lost children, but it is also incredibly encouraging and helpful, because it shows how a family can endure this kind of pain without falling apart. Lusko is incredibly vulnerable and honest about her own struggles, even mentioning the suicidal thoughts that she had after losing her daughter, but she also shows that it is possible to flourish even in the darkest circumstances. These life lessons apply to other forms of loss and suffering as well, and Lusko consistently points her readers to Christ, showing that it is possible to grow spiritually even in the midst of doubts, questions, and pain.
The Fight to Flourish: Engaging in the Struggle to Cultivate the Life You Were Born to Live is a deeply personal, encouraging book. It is full of good advice and biblical teaching, and because Jennie Lusko is so honest about her own struggles, pain, and insecurity, she is able to write about spiritual realities in a vivid, personal way. This book can deeply encourage other women who are in various difficult circumstances, and is a strong testimony to God’s work in the author’s life.