Into the Deep Diving into a Life of Courageous Faith, published by Abingdon Press, is an inspirational book designed to help people through the tough times in life without losing faith. This two-hundred-page, soft cover book is sold at several retailers. Prices vary.  

Lauren Gaskill shares her story of being diagnosed with an incurable connective tissue disorder and how she struggled with her faith at times and how she learned to lean into Jesus and trust him even during the hard times. She shows us how to develop an even stronger faith by trusting Jesus, even when we are going through unbearable circumstances, and how to have hope when we feel like we are drowning.

This book addresses the questions with which people struggle. Why does God let terrible things happen to good people? Why won't God heal me from my pain? If I am a Christian, why do I have anxiety and depression?

I wanted to read this book because I have had the same questions about my life. I have wondered why certain things have happened to me. I have cried out to God and asked him to heal my pain and wondered why he would not heal me. I have gained a lot of understanding from this book. I have come to understand that sufferings and trials serve a purpose in my life. I may never know why God allows certain things to happen to me, or those I love, but I know that I can trust Him to work all things together for the good, and not to punish me. It is hard to see the good in things or to see hope, but Lauren helped me to see that whatever I am facing is not the end of my story.

Lauren talked about how she has struggled with trusting herself more than she trusted God. She talked about when things got tough, it was easier and less scary to trust herself to figure things out rather than leave it to God to take care of. I can very much relate to this. It is so hard to "Let go and let God." I learned that when we take control, we are saying that we cannot trust God to come through for us.

We are reminded of the story of Job. His is a devastating story. Job loses everything he loved, yet somehow, he did not lose his faith. I am not sure if I would react the same way Job does, but Lauren points out that his "story reminds us that God does not cause suffering. While he may allow it and use it to purify our faith and draw us deeper into a relationship with Him, He does not allow the enemy to overtake us. What the enemy intends to harm us, God can and will use for good."

Another quote I have taken to heart from this book is "Fear is defeated when we choose to be a warrior instead of a worrier." Along with this verse: Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

I recommend this book. I think that it is a very practical book that all of us would benefit from reading. We all have our struggles and this book helps us to not only get through those strugglesbut to come out from under them even stronger.

Product review by Rodna Allman, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2019