
When tragedy claimed Mary Beth Chapman's daughter, she chose to see God's presence in darkness. This NYT bestseller chronicles her raw journey through grief to hope, praised by Chuck Colson as "a book you won't put down until you've wept, laughed, and relished every page."
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Mary Beth Chapman never wanted to be the protagonist of a tragedy. Growing up in a structured home with her "Supervac" mother's immaculate housekeeping, she developed an early craving for control and perfection. When nine-year-old Mary Beth made a single mistake coloring a Holly Hobby picture, she ripped it to shreds in frustration-a pattern that would follow her into adulthood. Her spiritual life felt equally rigid: her church taught her more about fearing the loss of salvation than understanding grace. Her relationship with God was transactional-work hard, be good enough, don't mess up. College brought a fresh start and an unexpected plot twist: Steven Curtis Chapman, a mullet-wearing country boy with cowboy boots and a green guitar. Despite her intentions to marry someone predictable-perhaps an accountant-she found herself drawn to this musician. Within six weeks, they were declaring their love. Their marriage revealed a fundamental personality clash: his bouncy Tigger optimism permanently linked to her pessimistic Eeyore outlook. They settled into a tiny apartment with their meager savings and a green Ford Pinto, while Steven pursued his music dreams and Mary Beth worked as a hospital secretary. Life accelerated quickly. Their first child Emily arrived in 1986, followed by sons Caleb and Will. Meanwhile, Steven's music career soared with multiple awards and hit songs. But beneath their seemingly perfect exterior-beautiful children, Steven's booming career, their new Victorian farmhouse-something was deeply wrong inside Mary Beth.