Be Brave in the Scared

This book will touch your heart strings. Seriously, whatever you are going through  you will find uplifting words.
Every page spoke to me. 

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

What an inspirational book! The author crafts her story in a way that makes you see how she's embraced the challenges in her life through her faith. What is clear is her love for her daughter as well as her faith. A truly uplifting story.

Mary Lenaburg begins her story by betting the reader that you wouldn't ever want to trade your life for hers. Personally, I'm not enough of a gambler to come near a bet like that with a ten-foot pole. But if I did...she'd win. I've rarely heard stories of such profound tragedy, yet Mary is able to convey how God's grace is always present (and perhaps most strongly present) in moments of heartbreak and difficulty. Her style is incredibly engaging--I breezed through this in two sittings...and by "breezed," I mean, "sobbed and wheezed and laughed and nodded and prayed." This book came to me just when I needed it, and I'm very grateful.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc of this title!

In her debut solo publication, Be Brave in the Scared, Catholic speaker and author Mary Lenaburg deftly weaves a powerful story of sacrifice, pain, loss, rebellion, heartache, healing, forgiveness, redemption, courage, hope, and above all – love.

Mary and her Navy sweetheart Jerry were married with two kids when their world imploded. Daughter Courtney began seizing during her Baptism ceremony at five weeks old, an affliction that followed her throughout her 22 years of life. Subsequently, an adverse reaction to medication led to blindness and a cessation of Courtney’s neurological development before she was a year old. The Lenaburgs were faced with a lifetime ahead of caring for their daughter around the clock. But that wasn't all. Courtney’s condition impacted the young family in other ways, too. Incredible emotional, financial, and physical stresses strained their relationships between husband, wife, and their older child Jonathan. As she pulls back the curtain of their family life, readers glimpse Mary's attempts at self-medicating with a food addiction, a marriage confined within a prison of pornography and shame, the toll on Jonathan's behavior and emotional health, and financial challenges that left the family dependent on others for help. For each crisis, though, Mary relates how her family ultimately surrendered to God's providence, and how they allowed Him to bring healing and redemption into their deepest messes.

Mary’s book had me chuckling - but mostly weeping - as she shared the joy, hope, wonder, and sorrow that illuminated Courtney’s life and beautiful death. The outpouring of love and grace upon Mary, Jerry, and Jonathan as they walked the road with Courtney was nothing short of miraculous.

Permeating every detail of their journey is Mary’s overarching theme – the idea that Being Brave in the Scared means letting go of our human limits, expectations, failures, and visions for the future, and abandoning ourselves to the will of the Creator who loves us. Mary gives concrete examples of what that looked like for her over the years, providing a roadmap for those who might be in the midst of their own battles. Each chapter concludes with self-reflection questions for readers to ponder, and journalling space to capture thoughts, prayers, or notes.

Be Brave in the Scared is a must-read for everyone looking to dive deep into the ocean of God’s unfailing mercy and finally learn how to “let go and let God.”

Reviewer’s Note: Chapter Five, on the scourge of pornography within their marriage, is a particularly heartbreaking look at how porn devastates marriages. For this reason, it might be difficult for some to read. It is in no way graphic, but does shed a light on a topic that desperately needs to be exposed for what it is – pure evil.

I couldn’t put this book down. Mary’s story of finding hope, and ultimately finding God, in the midst of great suffering is profound. As I read each chapter, I felt like I kept losing excuses; I can’t read this story and go back to believing that I can only find peace, happiness, and courage if life goes my way. Be Brave in the Scared reminds us that joy is possible even after you’ve endured more than you could’ve imagined, and this book offers a timely message to our world that the value of a human life has nothing to do with accomplishments or productivity. Everyone should read this- wherever you’re at, I am convinced that you’ll find hope in this story.

n Be Brave in the Scared, Catholic writer Mary Lenaburg shares how the overwhelming demands of caring for her severely disabled daughter ultimately taught her—and can teach you—that trusting in God and accepting his will can lead to profound joy, no matter what challenges you face.

Be Brave in the Scared is an uplifting account of human frailty (and stubbornness) surrendered to faith. Lenaburg tells the heart-rending story of how caring for her severely disabled daughter affected her self-image, marriage, family life, and faith.

Although she initially struggled to accept God’s will and her own limitations, Lenaburg ultimately learned how to trust God. She found that trust inexplicable joy, even during the most difficult days of her life. She writes boldly and authentically about challenges we all encounter, such as trials with control, blame, exhaustion, fear, and acceptance.

Each chapter concludes with an invitation to write and a place for readers to express their thoughts and feelings. Lenaburg’s extraordinary story affirms that God’s redeeming love never fails and that he is there to help us through all of the challenges we encounter.

A very uplifting inspirational book!  I laughed, I smiled and came out better for this book.  This is a story filled with hope and sorrow and overcoming.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.   THank you NetGalley!


This book DOES contain lots of talk about her faith/religion, so don't read if you aren't okay with that. 

The author did a beautiful job with this book.     It brought tears to my eyes quite a few times.

An amazingly honest telling of what real faith looks like in the face of staggering difficulty. Mary’s vulnerability in sharing how her daughter’s life and profound disability changed the course of her life doesn’t inspire with shallow platitudes but details how redemption truly transforms.