When I Lay My Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances

I was drawn into this book and I loved the way Carol brought it together to apply each chapter to our lives

Wonderful book Author's true story is interwoven with other true stories of people all experiencing some event that suddenly crashed into their "normal" lives, causing a loss whether permanent, temporary or of unknown duration, of their hopes, dreams, plans and expectations of life and future.I can think of tons of people to give this book to...the author was jolted out of normalcy by a phone call that her exemplary .son was arrested for first degree murder...not everyone's experience, but we all have hopes, dreams and expectations and ...sooner or later life comes crashing in when you least expect and everything changes ...and there go your neat and pretty expectations of the future...temporarily or permanently or who knows! Satan would have us defeated and neutralized...curled up in the fetal position under the covers...I have definitely walked around looking alive but dead inside! But God has a bigger story and Romans 8:28 is a sure promise. This book shows how people cope through faith and can not only survive but thrive.Gave the book to one person.... husband got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer...right when they were downsizing, enjoying having both kids launched and gainfully employed ,perfect time to enjoy traveling to visit friends, doing ministry they have been involved in etc...poof goes the future...now they are at cancer appointments all day 1-3 days a week!Other people with smart, beautiful child 4.0 student suddenly had brain bleed, stroke, speech therapy, difficulty reading and comprehending now struggling to finish college at all. having seizures...definitely rewriting theirs plans and expectations for her...Was thinking of getting the book for another person ...she and husband getting ready to retire in a few years and enjoy life...spend more time at their vacation condo ...when he drops dead on vacation! So much for fun retirement plans!!Got the book for someone whose wife unexpectedly shot herself apparently severely depressed...she miraculously survived but continuing physical and mental problems.Only God promises to Restore all the locusts have eaten...and has the power to back up that promise! This book is a great encouragement.

It was a gift for a dear friend

Carol Kent wrote When I Lay My Isaac Down to share the heartbreak she experienced when her son, Jason, shot and killed his wife's ex-husband. By describing her journey and her desperate struggle to make sense of the tragedy, she gives voice to questions people ask whenever they bump into hard realities: Why did God allow this to happen? How can we regain faith in the goodness of God? How can God possibly redeem this impossible situation?Kent, a nationally known Christian speaker, and her husband had enjoyed a full and satisfying life and Jason, a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, had been a model son, husband and father. Kent shares the raw emotion of the experience, the guilt she felt over the possibility of failed parenting and her long slow journey to peace.The title of the book comes from the story of biblical Abraham when he surrendered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. So Kent has relinquished her right to expect God to do a miracle and return life to normalcy. She has come to the place where God, rather than a resolution to her problem, proves to be sufficient. Since many people may not identify with the kind of situation Kent experiences, she shares the stories of others who have experienced life-changing upheavals in other ways--through rejection, betrayal, addictions, etc.The whole experience led the Kent family into the unfamiliar world of a prison. There they found needy souls and fresh opportunities for ministry that they continue to explore. The book will inspire any who agonize over difficult situations, no matter the cause. Questions at the ends of chapters help readers process main points and apply them to their own lives. Scriptures and quotations by well-known Christians are well documented on five pages of end notes.The book pulled you along. I would have liked to know more of Jason's mindset and his perspective walking through all this, but that would be another book.

I feel like I highlighted this whole book.Such a great encouragement.I too am a mom who has faced things I never thought I would face. And the blindsided feeling of it almost was the end for me. I am thankful for a God who sees, heals, and restores, even when it looks different than I expected.Thank you Carol for your courage.

I only gave 4 stars because I'm not finished reading. So far Carol has put this traumatic story in such away that you feel her pain. However, she gives you questions to help you through or prepares you for similar experiences. She also makes you prayerfully prepare before attempting to "help" someone else. She tells of the harm one person inflicted on her while thinking she was doing a good deed. Reading this has made me consider how I console others. I hope I never go through a similar experience but life isn't always a bad of roses. This will be the book I'll carry for strength.

A mother’s true story of how she and her husband survived the devastation of their only child being accused of murder.

All of us have to lay down our “ Isaac” and to have the amount of faith that Abraham had to know that even if he killed his son God would bring it back to live, no doubt it’s not easyI’ve learn that is not the outcome the miracle itself happens through the processIs when we learn to surrender to stop taking control of anything that we think we can fix.

This will stay with me forever xXx

Will start reading soon. But I know this book is excellent and powerful testimony of faith, grace, love, and courage.

Love to read her books. She always gives me another perspective on life in general. Would recommend to anyone. Thanks

Great book, gives much food for thought

This is written by a Christian woman Minister & is about her spiritual journey when her only child is arrested for murder. There is an account of the fact but only to explain her feelings at the time as this is about how her faith was tested & the many Biblical references which were appropriate. This is not a book for those who do not like that , but someone suffering in some way may find it helpful. There are no miracles here other than her ability to accept what has happened, & carry on. That means the daily struggle she faces is helped by her faith & other Church members spiritual & practical assistance. I hope that she &,her family are able to carry on & that they do get their most heartfelt wish. Not easy reading but interesting & hopefully helpful to some. I feel that I know this family & thank the author for being brave enough to write about such a delicate subject without coming across as either a Saint or a bitter self-pitying person.