Choosing To See - by Mary Beth Chapman and Ellen Vaughn

My Thoughts: 
I was so incredibly moved by this book. Likely it's impact was heightened by the fact that I had just gotten back from leading a missions trip working with disabled and abandoned children in Changsha, the same town that the Chapmans adopted their children from, but it went deeper. This book is inspiring, touching, heartbreaking, raw, completely honest and so much more. The content of this book made me laugh and cry but more than that it carried some heavy life lessons, ones that I would not wish on any family and I applaud Mary Beth for putting it out there for all to see, so that others may know what God is doing in their lives. It's a bold move. I would like to thank her for all of it and let her know that it has changed my heart. 

"Every now and then a book comes along that is not only great--it's a gift. An extravagant gift. This is one of those books."--Beth Moore

From the beginning, Mary Beth Chapman's life was not how she planned. All she wanted was a calm, peaceful life of stability and control. Instead, God gave her an award-winning singer/songwriter husband, crazy schedules, and a houseful of creatively rambunctious children. Most difficult of all, God's plans for her also included tragedy.
In Choosing to SEE, Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life, both the happy chapters and the tragic ones. And as the story unfolds, she's been forced to wrestle with some of life's biggest questions: Where is God when things fall apart? Why does God allow terrible things to happen? How can I survive hard times?
No matter where you find yourself in your own life story, you will treasure the way Mary Beth shows that even in the hard times, there is hope if you choose to SEE.

Endorsements

"Mary Beth makes the deepest places of our being easier to embrace and grasp. I felt like I was looking at my own heart exposed on the pages of this book."--Denise Jonas, mother of the Jonas Brothers

"Mary Beth has an important story to tell that starts long before the accident. It's a story of heartache, betrayal, depression, and loss. Yet her encouragement to us is that there is hope--spring is coming."--Mark (of Casting Crowns) and Melanie Hall

"Mary Beth has opened the doors of her stories to us so that our deepest fears may be overcome with hope. And so that we can all walk in a deeper trust that God is good . . . all the time."--Toby (TobyMac) and Amanda McKeehan
"When the world is telling us to suffer alone in despair and hopelessness, the Chapmans are fixing their eyes on Christ and faithfully walking each step clinging to the Lord and the hope we have in the promises in His Word."--Bart (of Mercy Me) and Shannon Millard
"This tender story will capture your heart and point you back to the One who restores, replenishes, and renews . . . even when He asks us to do hard, seemingly impossible things."--Wess Stafford, president and CEO of Compassion International
"With a balanced combination of heart-wrenching honesty and absolute grace, Mary Beth shares her 'severe mercy.' I couldn't help but sense God's presence in every sentence."--Mary Graham, president of Women of Faith
"Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman are living their story in a way that brings glory to God and real, practical help to the body of Christ. You won't be able to put this book down until you've wept, laughed, and relished every page."--Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship and the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview

Mary Beth Chapman is the wife of Grammy and Dove Award winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Together they began Show Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the world's most vulnerable children by providing financial assistance to families wishing to adopt, as well as increasing awareness of the orphan crisis and funneling resources to orphans domestically and internationally. Mary Beth serves as president of Show Hope and is a speaker for Women of Faith 2010 with her husband. She is also coauthor with Steven of the Shaoey and Dot series of children's picture books. Mary Beth and Steven have six children: Emily, Caleb, Will Franklin, and adopted daughters Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue, who is now with Jesus. The Chapmans live in Tennessee.
www.MaryBethChapman.com

Ellen Vaughn is a bestselling author and inspirational speaker. Her recent books include It's All About Him with Denise Jackson (wife of Alan Jackson), which debuted at #1 on the New York Timesnonfiction list. She is also coauthor with Chuck Colson of Being the Body. In addition to her nonfiction work, Vaughn is an award-winning novelist. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband, Lee.