Have you ever had a book arrive in your life unexpectedly – maybe you’ve never heard of it before, or never read anything by that author – and yet it was exactly the book you needed right at that moment in time?  This was the case for me with a new book by Sally Clarkson, entitled “HELP, I’m Drowning: Weathering the Storms of Life with Grace and Hope”.  When I first saw this title, little did I know that by the time it arrived in my mailbox our family would be facing a huge health crisis, and our entire lives would be turned upside down in the space of a few weeks.  And yet, of course, God knew…

In “Help, I’m Drowning”, Sally Clarkson admits right on the back cover that “life is filled with unexpected storms that take you by surprise”, but peace comes in finding and holding fast to the One who is always with us, and trusting and accepting that he will see us through.  Although every page of this book contains gems of wisdom, the chapters are organized so you can also step right into the specific issue that most applies to your current life situation.  For this reason, some of my favourite chapters were: 

• Does God Not Care? We all feel dark sometimes
• Broken Expectations: High anticipation versus reality is a recipe for disaster
• Busyness + Distraction = Exhaustion: Everything is a problem when you’re worn out
• And, I also really appreciated the Storm Care Kit in the appendix, it will definitely become dog-eared soon as I turn to it often!

Each chapter includes the gentle yet raw wisdom of Sally’s many years of growing and walking with God through various seasons of life.  The lengthy chapters are broken up into sections, as well, making it easier to digest and read at your own pace.  At the end of every chapter is a prayer, a Scripture to contemplate with corresponding application questions and room to journal, and finally an ‘act’ – something we can actually DO to put our newfound wisdom into action.

I so appreciate this book for this season of my life, as I do sometimes feel like the pressures build and build until it is almost like the sensation of drowning beneath burdens.  Sally Clarkson’s words are not trite and fluffy feel-goods, but rather they challenge, they dive deep and don’t hold back, and they dig until our raw hearts are exposed – to the Truth of God’s Love.  

If you are going through a difficult season of your life, please know that God will see you through – and if you can, take the time to read this book and apply what Sally has to share.  Not everything will resonate with you, but the parts that do just may change your life.  

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”