Breathe Again: How To Live Well When Life Falls Apart by Niki Hardy

I Am A Thriver

 Breathe Again: How To Live Well When Life Falls Apart by Niki Hardy is a powerful book about Niki Hardy’s journey to not only survive bowel cancer but to thrive. This book is a great book for anyone going through tough times. It shows you that you are not alone and gives you tips to thrive. It is also a great book for those whose journey is smooth so that you will have the tools to help you thrive when the tough times come.

Niki Hardy writes in a very personable way. It felt more like reading a letter from a dear friend than reading a book. Niki Hardy offers so much wise advice. Each chapter has personal stories and ends with aids for you to self-examine and thrive on your walk with God. It finishes each chapter with a prayer.

Life is not just about surviving but thriving. “When I was knee-deep in grief and chemo, I needed someone to show me how to grab hold of the life Jesus came to give me.” Sometimes we need others to walk through the tough times with us and sometimes we need to help others and to reach out in love. “If love isn’t shaped like a cross, it isn’t really love” – Ann Voskamp. We need to remember that Jesus walks with us at all times, whether we ‘feel’ Him or not. “Jesus is not ‘I Might be’ or ‘I Used to be’, He is I Am.” Jesus can be trusted in all circumstances and “we march into the future focused on His past faithfulness.” We have to trust that there are good times ahead.

Life is about choices. We cannot always choose what happens to us but we can choose how we respond. “We can choose brave.” Bethany Hamilton said “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” We may still be fearful but courage is fear that has said its prayers. “Courage is not an absence of fear; courage is fear walking.”

Whatever we face we need others to walk with us. “Community is God’s plan.” We were never meant to do life alone. We also need to be real with others. If we are hurting, we need to tell them or how will they know? “Authenticity… it’s about the choice to show up and be real” – Brene Brown.

Jesus said we were to give thanks in all circumstances. At times life seems very bleak. We need to look for things to be thankful for to lift our spirits. Thankfulness is an action not a feeling.

Breathe Again is an amazing book. Niki Hardy has written a very honest account of her life as she faced cancer and learnt to thrive. She calls herself a ‘cancer thriver.’ Her heart is that we thrive as we journey through life hand in hand with God.

Breathe Again is a very powerful and helpful book. It would be great to work through either individually or as a connect group. It is ideal to dip in and out of too. Breathe Again is a book I will revisit again and again as I journey through life.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON

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