It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered
Written by Lysa TerKeurst
Narrated by Lysa TerKeurst and Jolene Barto
4.5/5
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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
Lysa TerKeurst
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.
More audiobooks from Lysa Ter Keurst
Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Seeing Beautiful Again: 50 Devotions to Find Redemption in Every Part of Your Story Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It Will be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Made to Crave Devotional: 60 Days to Craving God, Not Food Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for It's Not Supposed to Be This Way
365 ratings24 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was just what I needed a great read and am blessed to have discovered it. may God continue to inspire you with wisdom to write.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A powerful and raw look at the greatest question- “how can a good God Allie suffering?”. Thank you Lisa for your honesty, faith and tears that wrote this book.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Narration by the author make this audiobook so special.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I appreciate the author’s transparency. Her book came just at the right time as I help others struggle and as I struggle myself.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great audiobook! I listened in one day while cleaning my house.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thank God I found this audiobook. God loves me! Thank you Lysa!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What an amazing book. She writes from the heart (hurt). You have a magnificent way of communicating such helpful biblical advise. Thank you, Lisa.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Remembering why God made me and hold onto my hope and trust. This book helped me seeing my daughter suffering from Stage 4 Metastatic Breast cancer. There is no cure but I know that God is the cure. My daughter is none. .believer , but she has asked me to get her a bible to read. She is married has a daughter Avery who is 6 years old. I know God is there for them.
Listening to this book also made me more understanding how to be strong mom to her and her family. I have a lot of anxiety, but Lord I open my hands to you and in trust you with my only daughter.
?? - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such a good book. I highly recommend for anyone who is experiencing a “life happens” moment in their lives. God is still good, even when people or life isn’t.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5AMAZING!! Raw and real revelations about the uncertainties in life.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This was just what I needed. Thank you for an awesome book! This book offers real encouragement for someone going through a difficult time.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A beautiful book that spoke volumes to me and appreciate His mercies
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was so inspiring, and relatable! Thank you for sharing the light of Jesus in the darkest of days!!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A slow moving book at first but as it gains pace with such raw honesty and with shocks in abundance it raises many questions which the author hear self has to battle with. But it feels like together there is a settling into God’s character revealed in his big picture of redemption and topsy turvy grace. At the end of listening to it I felt exhausted and slightly mattered but in a way refreshed. An great choice but stick with it to the end.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is such an encouragement. It’s filled with so many good reminders and eye-opening analogies; empowering realizations and overall good read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book. A must have in the library. I have read it so many times and will always do. Thank you Lysa for your openness and obedience to the Lord.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lysa T's writing is so relatable and encouraging. It is life-giving to be able to connect with someone on such a heavy topic while still finding moments of light hearted breaks in the seriousness. I would encourage the readers/listeners out there to dive into Lysa's literature!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5wonderful book must listen its very good in my opinion
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The season of life I'm in, this was just what I needed! Lysa is brave for bringing this to the light. The scripture used was like a balm for my soul.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lysa’s situation was the worst of the worst but her consistent faith and hope allowed her to see beyond the pain to something and someone much better. I was so encouraged by her story!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5All I can say is wow. God has a way of showing up and He has really done it for me this time through this ministry. I really needed every bit of this especially right now.
I highly recommend this if you are unsure or going through turbulent times. It’s a story and ministry of hope, of patience, love and endurance. I will be re-reading/re-listening often! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great! Will have to relisten along with the study guide.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I love Lysa and her books, but this one hit different than the others. It was just what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Thank you, Lysa.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I purchased this book from Amazon to read with my sister and proverbs 31 online bible study. All opinions are my own. ?????It's Not Supposed To Be This Way by Lysa Terkeurst. Sometimes life hands us lemons, sometimes life throws us curve balls we never saw coming, and sometimes life knocks us on the ground and keeps punching and kicking until there is no fight left in us. That is where this book fits in. Whether you've just been handed a lemon or taken more punches than you ever knew existed this book helps you reach a place where you say it's ok to not be ok. When you finally throw up your hands and say ok dust.....I get it. Even when you aren't getting the answers you need, you aren't hearing the words you want said, or you just aren't sure that prayer will ever be answered this book helps you through the messy middle of life. Lysa uses her own tragedies but ties them in a way that no matter what your trials are you can relate. She doesn't minimize any of the pain you feel from disappointment only makes suggestions on how to muddle through the best you can. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com