★★★★★ 5
Joy restored!
Format: Paperback
Now, to be honest, I've been a John & Stasi Eldredge reader for a long time. I love their books and their writing styles. But more than their skills with language is their transparency and candor. If you get the chance to meet them, you'll see that who they are in person is just how they portray themselves in their books. They're honest. They're kind--both with themselves and with others and they're consistently dedicated to telling the truth--no hype. No bait and switch.
Now, to Defiant Joy. This is a book for those who have lost joy. This is a book for those who have been blinded to the subtle creep of disappointment and cynicism that has tragically become the filter through which they see life. Let's be honest. Life can really suck sometimes. And it's both understandable and inevitable that joy is harder and harder to find...much less experience. Stasi has lived enough life to understand that condition. She shares her own struggles and disappointments--all of which give her credibility when she invites her readers to consider seeking joy in the midst of less than joyful circumstances.
"Defiant Joy" is a fitting title for those who don't want to give up yet; who don't want to give in to resignation. And that's the invitation Stasi gently offers--there is another option beside resignation, cynicism, depression and disillusionment. Joy! Who would have thought?
Stasi writes like she talks. Reading her work is like sitting down with a good friend for an honest and frank conversation about what really matters. She's the kind of friend we all long to have--one who tells us what we need to hear instead of what we want to hear; one who tells us the truth, even when we've lost hope of ever finding it. You won't find any relativism or warm-fuzzy self-talk. This is not a self-help book. Stasi has suffered too much to offer simplistic answers to some of the most difficult questions.
I highly recommend this book. It's on my suggested reading list for the community I lead. Stasi is one battle-experienced traveler who's offering other weary travelers hope for the journey ahead. I'll bet money you'll discover joy again.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2019
