256 pages
Kayla Stoecklein
Thomas Nelson, 2022
Description: Kayla Stoecklein became an unexpected widow in August 2018 when her husband, Andrew, the pastor of their large church in California, died by suicide. With three young boys also grieving and a heart full of pain, it became her mission to bring hope and help to others who have faced unexpected hardships. Rebuilding Beautiful shows people that they not only have a purpose, but that they can build a beautiful life once again.
In Rebuilding Beautiful, Kayla shares the life experiences that have turned into lessons, including
- acknowledging the pain;
- making the choice to start healing;
- finding courage in uncertainty;
- embracing God’s constant presence; and
- exploring a new path and falling in love with life all over again.
Sometimes, the journey from agony to awe takes time. Rebuilding Beautiful is the perfect roadmap for anyone who’s on the path from heartache to a life that is a new kind of beautiful.
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This book was provided to me for review by TLC Book Tours. All opinions are my own.
Whether you have lost a loved one, lost a job, and had to let go of a dream, Rebuilding Beautiful is for you. While the impetus for the author’s story is the loss her husband, this book contains universal truths that are encouraging for anyone who is dealing with grieving any kind of loss. There are chapters about trying new things, breaking free of victim mentality, having self-compassion – topics that are helpful for everyone, not just a widow.
Though the themes in this book sound heavy, Kayla handles them gently with overtones of hope. She writes from a perspective of Christian faith and weaves in the pursuit of joy in her journey. She says:
“Real joy isn’t anchored in how we feel in the moment; real joy is anchored in the eternal. To reach for joy is to reach for truth; to reach for truth is to reach for God; and to reach for God is to find him in the ordinary and the extraordinary details of our daily lives.”
Kayla Stoecklein, Rebuilding Beautiful
Rebuilding Beautiful left me feeling encouraged and inspired to live a life of joy and gratitude, making intentional choices that lead me toward the life I want instead of coasting in familiarity.
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