THE LIFE YOU NEVER EXPECTED PB

Sometimes you end up living the life you never expected. When Andrew and Rachel found out that one, and then both, of their children had severe autism, their world was turned on its head.

This is a book about surviving, and thriving, when something goes horribly wrong. It is a mixture of their story and God's story, and the way in which his has shaped theirs.

With clarity and biblical insight, they share their experience of grief and worship, struggle and hope. As well as reflecting on the specific challenges of raising children with special needs, they speak to broader questions as well: the problem of suffering, building a marriage under pressure, fighting for joy and trusting in the goodness of God.

This is not just a book for families and friends of special needs children, but for all who have been thrown a curve ball in life, and need to know how to lament, worship, pray and hope.

Book review by GLO General Director, Dr. Stephen McQuoid 09/03/2017

Andrew is one of the best of a new generation of apologists and theologians and a leader within the New Frontiers movement. They have two children Zeke and Anna who have severe autism and this book is an attempt to explain what life is like under such circumstances.

It is clear from reading the book that both parents are thoughtful and gifted Christians as well as brilliant and committed parents. The book is very honest and beautifully written, in a style that is very typical of Andrew. They hold nothing back as they express the anguish of parents who struggle dealing with kids whose lives are extremely complicated. However, the book does not read like a complaint, rather it is a transparent and frank attempt to describe the bundle of emotions that cascade through a situation where tragedy and joy cohabit within the intimate surrounds of family life. It is also full of profound reflections as they touch on issues such as unanswered prayer, suffering, divine healing (or the lack of it) and the parenting of difficult children.

Most of all it is a beautiful and moving insight into the world of an extraordinary family. This is an enriching book and one that challenges mind and heart alike. I would recommend it to anyone, Christian or non-Christian, especially if the reader is someone with significant pain in their life.

Publisher: IVP
Publication date: 01/01/15
Paperback: 160 pages