Choosing to SEE: As Hard As Hard Gets

We all had worries and concerns about Will. I had lost one child, and I just kept crying out to God, “Please don’t let me lose Will too!”

Will had such a special connection with all three of his little sisters, and he had been Maria’s constant playmate. He called her “little dude” and would always take time out to play.

Will . . . so caring, so tenacious, so strong, so broken. Clinging, just barely, to what he knew to be true, that God was with him even in this. Such a hard concept for anyone to grasp, let alone a seventeen-year-old boy and Maria’s best buddy.

Caleb Chapman (At Maria’s memorial service)
"We prayed for healing for Maria, but God healed her in a way that we didn’t like. But God is going to heal my brother in a way that I think we’re all going to like a lot."

After everyone else had left the graveside… I put my arm around Will’s shoulders and hugged him hard. “There are no words for this,” I said. “It’s as hard as hard gets. But I promise you one thing right here by your sister’s grave: it’s going to be a long, long journey that won’t end until we get to heaven, but it’s going to be okay.”

He leaned his head against mine and sobbed. I told him that I loved him, that I didn’t blame him, that this was a horrible accident, and that we were not only going to get through it, but that God was going to give each of us a different kind of story to steward well.


Book details and sample chapters
UK paperback edition just published!
Price: £7.99
ISBN: 9780800719920
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Mary Beth's blog

Information on 'Show Hope', the charity established by the Chapmans.