Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Multnomah (September 15, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590527518
ISBN-13: 978-1590527511
From Amazon:
Book Description
Maggie Stovall is trapped inside a person she’s spent years carefully crafting. Now the truth about who she is—and what she’s done—is bursting to the surface and sending Maggie into a spiral of despair. Will she walk away from everything, or can Maggie allow God to take her to a place of ultimate honesty—before it’s too late?
Maggie Stovall.
One of the golden people. She has it all together. At least on the
surface…
Ben Stovall.
Godly husband. Successful attorney. Has no idea of the darkness about
to overtake his life…
Amanda Joy.
Child of society. Abused, broken, thrown away. But her trust in God
is still alive…
When Joy Came to Stay is the heart-wrenching story of one woman’s
descent into the shadows of depression, her husband’s search for
understanding, and a precious child’s unwavering faith.
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This book grabbed me from the beginning and wouldn’t let me go! It’s a fast, emotionally charged book, and once you start, I’m sure you’ll finish fairly quickly you’ll be so anxious to see what happens to the characters.
Ben Stovall is a judgemental Christian, however, he doesn’t realize how his views have almost cost him his marriage.
Maggie Stovall loves her husband so much, that she gives up the ultimate sacrifice just to marry him, her child.
Her secret hides with her for years, festering, until it drives her crazy to the point that she admits herself to a mental hospital.
When Ben goes searching for the truth to his wife’s mental illness, he finds a lot of unpleasant surprises, however, he needs to learn to trust in God, and not lean on his own understanding. Maggie learns this lesson too as she heals from past pains.
I highly recommend this book. I loved it much more than the book I reviewed a year or so ago, A Thousand Tomorrows.
I think I prefer this one so much is because of the deep faith element throughout the story. This is the second book I’ve read by Kingsbury, and I’m anxious to read more of her novels. I have another one on my shelf entitled A Moment Of Weakness. I’m sure I’ll be reading that one within the next month or so.