There isn't a person you wouldn't love if you could read their story

I think I have mentioned a time or two on this blog that I am strangely fascinated/traumatized by books written by ex-polygamists who vulnerably share their story. I am here to confess that I am also fascinated by a lot of other traumatizing stories of different varieties. Last year, I came across this amazing blog of a wife of a sex addict and I read her entire story within 24 hours. I continue to read anonymous blogs of wives and ex-wives of sex addicts. Recently, I read Elizabeth Smart's new book and I went on a "kidnapping" reading rampage. (Actually I just read Elizabeth Smart's book and A Stolen Life in less than a week.) As I finished reading my last book I thought, "What the heck is wrong with me?! Why do I continue to read such traumatizing stories?! Is this normal?!"

I love what Elizabeth Smart says in her book about the human spirit:

The human spirit is resilient. God made us so. He gave us the ability to forgive. To leave our past behind. To look forward instead of back.

These stories, while horrible, are also inspiring and beautiful. They give me hope. They teach me that the human spirit can heal from anything, no matter how tragic and traumatic circumstances may be. Sometimes I wonder why a perfectly loving God allows such horrible and unfair cruelties to happen to His children. Alissa Parker, the mother of Emilie Parker who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting answered this question beautifully. When people asked her, "Where was your God when this happened? Why didn't He stop it?" She answered:

God allowed others to kill His son. He allows for us all to make our own choices, good and bad, because that is the only way good can be in us is if we freely choose it over all else... what I've realized through all of this is how strong and how big God's love really is. 

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I am now accepting traumatically inspiring book recommendations, or a light and fluffy read to wind down from it all :)