Carol Kent Reviews

Added June 12, 2007

A New Kind of Normal

Hope-Filled Choices When Life Turns Upside Down

Author: Carol Kent
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers
Available At: Bookstores everywhere
Publishing Date: June 5, 2007
Genre: Nonfiction: Christian Life
Format: Hardcover
Price: $19.99
ISBN-10: 0-8499-0199-7
ISBN-13: 9780849901997
Author Email/Website: www.carolkent.org/
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

A New Kind of Normal is anything but ordinary. Carol Kent’s life has been filled adversity, yet this modern-day Job gives us a glimpse behind the veil to the glory that awaits.

When her son was sentenced to prison without the possibility of parole, Carol had to rethink the rest of her life. As a committed Christian, she made the conscious decision to trust God in this situation, and to determinedly choose hope over sorrow. Although the last page of this book doesn’t end with a happily-ever-after miracle, her thoughts, prayers and progress are a stirring testimony to the faithfulness of the Lord.

Tragedy and triumph blend beautifully in this sensitive account, as Carol’s own ‘voice’ tells her story, simply and candidly. Her son, Jason, shot and killed the ex-husband of his wife in a desperate attempt to save his stepdaughters from the threat of sexual abuse. While his intentions were honorable, his methods were wrong. Yet, God steps in and begins to place the broken pieces of their lives into a new arrangement, one that is fastened together with tears and trials.

As the pages turn, Carol invites readers to come alongside her to cry, laugh and marvel at the events that transpire. Even though her heartaches are agonizingly real, at no time is she bitter or resentful. A holy hush surrounds her words as she makes the effort to glorify God in spite of her sadness. In a bittersweet way, Carol shows readers how to ‘wear’ their garment of grief to allow the radiance of the Lord to shine through.

Bring tissues and prepare to be blessed.

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