The Dance of Walking through Suffering Together - Just Show Up

It is difficult to write a poor review about a book which hits home to so many. These Christian women mean well and the topic needs to be addressed in today's "busy and fulfilled" culture. YET, the writing is poor quality. Where was the editor? Just because you love Jesus, and have a message to share, should not be an invitation to ramble on and on. Truly, the idea of "showing up, offering compassion without advise or sage words" is a noble thought. BUT, as believers we should demand quality, have higher standards and seek to promote strong literature. This book does not fit that standard, I am sorry to say. It could easily be a magazine post....not a book.

Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking Through Suffering Together by Kara Tippetts & Jill Lynn Buteyn
Kara Tippetts was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. You may remember that during her illness she reached out to Brittany Maynard as a voice against assisted dying. Kara's story involves more than dying; her story reflects the life and love of family and friends.
Kara and Jill joined forces to write about their difficult journey. These two young women shared a give and take relationship while Kara went through cancer treatment and eventually hospice. You might think Jill did all the giving and Kara all the taking, but that would be wrong. Through their fresh, new friendship each one learned from the other and depended on each other, as well as a slew of friends God set in their path.
Just Show Up is the most honest book I've ever read. Both authors bared their souls and wrote about the hard times, the good days, the laughter, and the tears. Most of all they shared their journey as a transparent story for the reader to experience in full. Many of Jill's chapters are prefaced by the notes she wrote in reaction to Kara's, but never mailed. As a relatively new friend of Kara's she shares the insecurity she felt as she plodded her way through giving. Kara gave excellent and raw insight into what it's like to be the person receiving the gifts. As I read the book, I witnessed an amazing faith.
This is not a my friend's sick, let's take a casserole sort of book. This is an inside look at what it's like to live out the end of life with a friend and the friend's family. This is a practical guide about when to call ahead, when to volunteer to watch the kids, and when to send a prayer up and remain quiet. As I read Just Show Up my heart went out to the women who circled around Kara and gave of themselves. But at the same time, I saw how these young mothers were blessed beyond measure because they trusted God and just showed up.
I received Just Show Up free in exchange for a fair review.

Friendships are so very important in my life. As I look back through the years I can see the impact many friendships have made in my day to day life as well as my heart.

Reading Just Show Up by Kara Tippetts and Jill Buteyn reminded me why it is so important to make friendships a priority in our lives as women. Kara and Jill were friends for only 6 months when Kara was diagnosed with cancer. At that point, Jill decided to be all in with Kara despite the early stages of their friendship.

This is a very serious book, a very serious topic, but the writers write a beautiful story that is more encouraging than discouraging. I thought when I signed up for this book that it was all about being a good friend - showing up, being there when your friend needed you. This book is so much more than that!!

Since both authors share their thoughts in each chapter you get a perspective into the one who is being the care-giving friend as well as the one receiving the care. This was very eye opening for me, to hear how Kara had to learn to ask for help and let others help her, but also how Jill had to figure out how to really do more than make offers of help. This book shows how when we show up we offer more than a meal or a house cleaning, we offer our hearts.

At this point in my life I have two very close friends walking through terminal illnesses with super close friends - and it is hard. Even though it is not me doing the actual walking through this, my heart breaks for both of myf fiends. I cannot imagine walking through it with someone in my life, but it daily reminds me how fragile this life is. I am constantly reminded to not take other people for granted, and I try to remember to make priorities for people. In the end, the relationships we make here on Earth are one of the few things that is eternal.

I really do recommend this book, it is a hard topic, but handles so beautifully. Jill shows us how to love a friend no matter how much it may shatter our hearts. Jill shows us how to love someone going through something really hard, and seeing how God will hold us up and encourage us through that.

NOTE : I received a copy of Just Show Up in exchange for an honest review.

This life we live is often not easy. Whether the problems are ours or it is those close to us who are suffering, trials abound. One of the greatest challenges comes when others are suffering, and we desire to help in some way but feel paralyzed, not knowing how.

Just Show Up is a touching tribute to the relationships between Kara and her friends who walked through her hard with her. But more than that, it is a raw, honest look at what it means to bear one another's burdens. Showing up means more than bringing a meal, although that is helpful. There are many ways to show up for a friend in need.

What if we're not good at that? What do we say? How do we deal with our own insecurity? Just Show Up digs into these questions and more, offering perspectives from both the one suffering and the one wanting to ease the pain.

This is a beautiful picture of what community and showing up could look like if we were willing to be there for another, and if the one going through the hard time was willing to let others in. Each struggle will look different, and the community that surrounded Kara may not be possible in every situation. Just Show Up is an inspiring glimpse, and an encouragement, for each of us as we walk through life with others and attempt to be His hands and feet.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts expressed here are entirely my own.)

(I received a free Kindle version of this book through NetGalley.)

Kara Tippets died almost eight months ago, but her words are still touching people and changing lives. It's exciting to see God continue to use her life and story.

This isn't quite a how-to for supporting people who are "going through hard," as author Jill Buteyn puts it; it's more like a memoir with some discussion questions and tips scattered throughout. Some of them seem painfully obvious, but unfortunately, there ARE people who don't know that you shouldn't respond to someone's loss with "I know how you feel because my dog died."

The candor and vulnerability of both writers is beautiful, but thin; this is a light read despite the heavy subject matter. It feels like it could have been lifted straight from blog posts (which is appropriate, I guess, since blogs are where the Mundane Faithfulness community grew). It's understandable that Ms. Tippetts, who wrote her sections during the final months of her life, was not able to flesh out her parts of the book more. But it would have been nice to see the rest of it more developed and better-organized.

This book begins with a somber greeting: "Hi. My name is Kara Tippetts, and I may not be alive when you read this book. I hope so, but I don’t know. That decision is in the hands of the Author of my life—His name is Jesus. I trust Him with every ounce of who I am."

With these words, Tippetts begins this book with hope, that even when she does not know what to do, what to say, or what to answer, just showing up is already a blessing in itself. It is also a step of humility to come as we are to say: "I'm here. I may not have the answers, but I'm here." With "Just Show Up" as her principle of perseverance through the ups and downs, and especially the suffering moments of life, cancer patient Tippetts shows us what perseverance means amid the pains and sorrows of life. Tippetts died on March 22, 2015, but not without touching the lives of many. Through this book, her life continues to influence many even after her death. Written with Jill Lynn Buteyn, author of inspirational novel, Falling for Texas, this book is an honest down to earth retelling of the struggles through the tough times of life by simply walking together and being present for each other.

It all began when the Tippetts's family went to Colorado to plant a Church. Buteyn joined that Church and the friendship with Tippetts blossomed. Tippetts was an extrovert while Buteyn an introvert. They knew each other for only six months but their friendship seemed like an eternity. Both are mothers together. They were not afraid of sharing their pains and joys. They cried together, laughed together, and wrote this book together. They shared "big love" together. Instead of promising perfect answers, they supplied honest ones. Instead of simply writing a book to give us a laundry list of do's and don'ts, they issue readers a challenge to "start showing up" for the people we love. The two basic questions are:

Ask WHO is the one suffering and in need of us showing up.
Ask ourselves about any fears of anxieties preventing us from showing up.

Gently, the authors show us how to overcome the fears of showing up. They keep contrasting it with the tendency to do things perfectly. Those who insist on perfection will never take the plunge. Those who are more interested in doing things together, regardless, are those more willing to try. In showing up for one another, readers learn that silence is not something to be uncomfortable about. Just being present includes creative ways like using the concentric circles approach to be together. The ones suffering the most stay in the center of the ring. The ones who feel they are relatively least in pain and suffering at that time move to the fringes, but always staying connected. Friends do one thing best: Being there for one another. Friends learn to be humble to receive and to be generous to give. Friendships may change from struggle to struggle, but we should never gossip or minimize the reality of each struggle. For every situation is unique. Beware of insecurity which can damage relationships. Whether it is going through the ups and downs, dealing with future plans, suffering is made more bearable when people show up for one another. This is the beauty of community.

It takes a dying person to teach many of us how to live. It takes one who has struggled through immense pain to be able to speak with some authority about the importance of showing up. This book is not some kind of a self-help book to boost up our ego in order to overcome our problems and issues of life. Neither is it a manual that contains lots of do's and don'ts that supply steps to overcome our mountains. It is simply a guide to encourage us to be there for one another. Whether friends or family, close or distant, as long as we are people, we all have the capacity to show up. In pastoral care, one of the most important things is to remember the gift of presence. Far too often, especially in an Internet and social media era, we condense our words into abbreviations and send out inspirational quips. The problem lies in that "problem-solving" mentality behind all of these actions.

Tippetts and Buteyn have shown us a different and a more honest way of sharing our lives. It means simply being ready, being comfortable, and being courageous to be who we are and to show up for one another. The words and wisdom in this book is small enough to wipe the smallest tear and big enough to hug the biggest fear.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

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This book is provided to me courtesy of David C. Cook Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Recently I received the book, Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking Through Suffering Together by Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Butelyn. “Living our stories together,” as the back of the book says. That’s what this is all about. Although this book tells the story of Kara’s cancer, that’s not the focus. The focus is Jesus… and praising Him through our everyday lives by showing up for each other. By loving each other. “The beauty in showing up, in choosing to enter the dance even though you might not know the steps, is that God creates something beautiful from our attempts.” The two authors, Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn, have succeeded in writing an instruction manual for others on how to be there - how to "just show up" for someone who is going through a “hard”, as they liked to put it.

I found that as I read Just Show Up, God kept bringing to my mind the names of the people in my life who practiced the act of "showing up" when I was involved in a near fatal car accident back in August of 2012, whether it was for physical assistance or emotional assistance. I almost feel like I could write a book of all the stories of all the times my friends were there when I needed them. I am truly blessed by the family and close friends in my life and don’t know what I would do without each and every one of them. This book allowed me to stop along the way and individually pray for each of these people as they came to my mind as I remembered how each one had blessed my life. This book resonated with me as I was able to see God's gift inside of each of us that leads us to show up in the lives of others.

A warning here folks: This book isn't an easy read filled with "warm and fuzzies". This is a real book with real situations and hard topics and discussions. The fact that the authors share through the honesty of their situation - by transparent for us to see inside their lives - makes this book simply beautiful. There have been times in my past when I didn't know the right words to say or the right gesture to make, so I did nothing. Just Show Up has made me realize doing nothing is not the right answer, and the next time I'm presented with an appropriate situation, I will - as they say - Just Show Up!

If you are reading this post and you think to yourself "this book just isn't for me" - well, that means this book is probably just for you. Showing up and being available for other people in community who are hurting is something that God leads us all to do and this book is basically your instruction manual. The authors share their insights and provide ideas for your situation in the event you aren't sure how to just show up for someone. They share direction on how to be kind and sensitive and to be respectful with words even if there are no "perfect" words to say. The book shows us that when we let God lead us, He will surely use us in the lives of others, using our specific gifts and strengths to be just exactly what they need.

Disclosure: I'd like to thank Family Christian for providing me with a copy of this book without cost in exchange for my honest review and unbiased opinion. They are the greatest!

I read Kara Tippetts blog while she was going through her ordeal with breast cancer. I felt like she was a friend and cried many tears when she passed away. She touched my heart so much and I was so happy to see that she finished the book she talked about with her friend, Jill. This book is amazing. It's all about showing up in people's lives. Showing up when they are suffering or going through a situation that is difficult.

Both Kara and Jill write the book from different points of view. Kara from the sufferer and Jill from the friend's view. It's so insightful to see Kara's situation from both sides. I really liked that Kara was so open about what she needed. It helps to know how we can show up in someone's life that is going through a hard situation.

Jill shares writings that she wrote, but never submitted, to Kara's blog. They are raw and heartfelt. It was so hard for Kara's friends to know what to do at times but Kara was the type to share openly about what she needed. That's not always easy for some of us. Jill shares that when her baby was colicky, she ended up hibernating. She is an introvert (I can relate) and she didn't know exactly how to reach out to let others know she was hurting and alone.

That's what is so great about this book. It gives us ideas and tools to know how to show up for people. So many times we think if we say, "Let me know if you need anything." that it's enough but it's not. People don't always want to burden us so they won't ask for help when they need it. We have to show up in their lives - be more specific in offering to do things.

They also share that it's important to show up as time goes on. When people have a long term illness or pain situation, their ordeal doesn't end quickly. However, people can forget about them as time goes on. They are left alone and desolate. This book helps us to show up in people's life when they have long term illnesses, too.

I love this book. I could relate so much to much of this book and I love that I know now how to reach out to my my friends when they need me. I can show up and be there for them and I know how to do it. I think everyone should read this book. I especially think that those in ministry should read it as it would help them to know how to help others who are going through painful situations. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I read Kara's book The Hardest Peace a while back and it completely undid me in every way...convicted, challenged, comforted and offered peace. All the while reading Kara's and her family's journey through her cancer diagnosis and the unbelievable hard that followed, I kept asking myself, "How in the world does one love someone well through such hard things?" Just Show Up answered my question.
"Most often it's those who come without answers or agendas who are the most helpful." Kara Tippetts (pg. 10)
Published and released after Kara's passing, Just Show Up was "written" through some of life's hardest moments and by one of the sweetest beautiful friendships of Kara and Jill in the midst of the hard. Throughout the book, the value of the gift of silence and the beauty of community is expressed by both Kara and Jill. In the book, readers hear from Kara as she and her family worked their way toward the goodbyes that were inevitable and also from Jill as she "showed up". Jill teaches readers by example.
"Showing up is not a new concept, but sometimes it feels that way. Something in our culture has told us to pull back, to protect ourselves from hurt, from people, from entering in with one another. And there's a reason for that. Showing up can get us hurt in the biggest ways. People disappoint and wound us. Or, in the case of walking through suffering with a friend or loved one, it can hurt beyond anything we've ever imagined. Take-me-out-at-the-knees, ugly-cry hurt.
"So, year, showing up isn't easy at times. But maybe that's why there's such value to be found in it. I've learned real beauty lies in the good that comes out of the hard. While walking through suffering with a friend or loved one can hurt in the biggest ways it also brings the greatest blessings. It changes people. Showing up can be the greatest gift ever given or received." Jill (pg. 17-18)
Kara and Jill allow us into their journey and through some of the most intimate moments and thoughts, they teach us how to just show up.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of review. A positive review was not asked for or expected.

In their book, Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking Through Suffering Together, Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn write about the importance of friendship during hard times. From the practical to the profound, these two friends explain how to navigate through the difficult seasons of life, using their own experiences as a guide. Although the subject matter is serious, the book is not without humor and heart.

Tippetts and Buteyn are both gifted communicators who express themselves beautifully. Without sidestepping the subject of suffering, they explain the blessing of friendship in the midst of great grief. Just Show Up is full of rich insight for those who want to come alongside those who experience tragedy. The book also elaborates on things that aren’t helpful for someone who is in pain. However, they argue that being there for one who is suffering is weightier than making mistakes out of ignorance.

Just Show Up is a well-written, practical resource for those who wish to help someone in the midst of “life’s hard.” I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

I’m going to be honest with you…I usually don’t find reading enjoyable. I normally have one bible study book I’m reading. I enjoy growing spiritually and I enjoy a good bible study with friends, but beyond that books aren’t part of my pastime.

I was offered this book, Just Show Up, at a good time because I have a short break from bible study for the holidays. I really didn’t know anything about the book, but I thought I could handle 190 pages of reading. Little did I know, I found this book difficult to put down!

Just Show Up is a book written by two friends, Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn. Kara and Jill are friends who met at the school of their children. Kara and Jill wrote this book together based on their friendship and the struggles they faced. Early in their friendship, Kara was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Kara is a mother, pastor’s wife, and a friend to many. She is also an extrovert and strong leader. It is through Kara’s struggle with facing death that she teaches many to “just show up”.

Often when people are suffering from illness or tragedy, we aren’t sure what to say or do. In this book, Kara and Jill show how important showing up is for both the person suffering and the person showing up. Sometimes we think ignoring the situation is the better choice, but Kara and Jill make it clear that saying nothing at all is not only hurtful but wounding.

Through Kara’s suffering, we learn how to BEST show up. Often we offer too broad of help to those in need. “The beauty in offering a specific help instead of a broad one is that we get to help within our gifting”. For example, I love to bake, so it would make perfect sense for me to offer to bake goodies to take to a person in need. However, I do not like cats and I’m allergic to them, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to offer to watch someone’s cat. We need to offer help in the area in which we are comfortable.

Kara begins this book in hospice care and therefore, her friends need to show up for her. Through this struggle, Jill learns how to just show up for Kara. Together the two of them teach their readers how to rely on God in the good and the bad and how to JUST SHOW UP!

If you are eager to be present for someone going through a difficult battle or if you want inspiration for making friends in a new way, I highly recommend Just Show Up.

Just Show Up, by Kara Tippetts and Jill Buteyn, is a moving book about learning how to walk through the hard seasons of life with those we care about. Tippetts and Buteyn do a masterful job of sharing how their stories intertwined and deepened as Jill Buteyn walked with Kara Tippetts through her cancer journey.

Buteyn shares with vulnerability her fears, lessons learned and practical applications on how to walk through the hard seasons with friends. Kara shares her insights about her journey and the importance of the people who gathered around her during her cancer journey.

I appreciated how Jill Buteyn shared with honesty about the struggles she had with insecurity in figuring out how to show up for Kara Tippetts. This is something many of us deal with. The key for these two ladies (and the others who circled around Kara Tippetts) was in building and deepening friendships.

Buteyn also shares some great practical ways to “show up” for those who are struggling in our lives. And some of those ways surprised me with their simplicity and their common sense. Sooner or later, most of us will be impacted by a loved one forced to walk a journey like this one. Whether it’s illness, life circumstances or other events, Just Show Up helps readers prepare to be effective in walking alongside the one suffering.

At the end of each chapter, two questions are posed for further contemplation or discussion with a book group. I found them to be thought-provoking and insightful.

I highly recommend this book, and I’ve already handed it out to a couple people who find themselves in the midst of walking alongside a friend dealing with illness.

**I received an advanced copy of this book with no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.

Kara Tippetts does it again. She writes this book with her friend Jill Buteyn about what it looks like to walk with a friend through serious "hard." While Buteyn does most of the writing, Tippetts adds her voice to the end of each chapter. I read this book in about 24 hours. Kara's story is so compelling, that as a reader, I found myself wanting to be a part of her circle of friendship. To walk with her through the hard even though I know what the ending will be.

Buteyn and Tippetts provide the reader with a first hand account of what it looks like to walk with someone who is suffering, from both sides of the experience. The share the mistakes, the successes, and the "I'll do this better next time" moments. Their story is one that makes you hold your breath as you wait for the next moment, and even though this book does not specifically set out to share major details of Kara's story, you feel the emotion of the authors in each and every word written on the page.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from David C Cook and NetGalley.*

Some of our most important and profound words are said in doorways. Because someone is leaving, words spoken at the door are often more consequential, more weighty. Time is short and must not be frittered away. An entire evening may pass filled with light conversation and meandering stories until it’s time to say goodbye, and suddenly the flow of words gushes into the streambed of relevance.

In Just Show Up, Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn are standing in the door together, and this record of their words is raw and real. Kara, author of The Hardest Peace, writes from the perspective of a cancer patient in her final days. (Kara passed away in March 2015 shortly after the book’s completion.) Jill speaks as a close friend who has offered her hands and her heart in service to Kara and her family. What emerges from their shared writing is a chronicle of the painful, long good-by called cancer, many reassuring and sometimes humorous stories about the agony and the awkwardness of a friendship in which cancer is the unwanted third wheel, the helplessness of watching a dear friend suffer, and the need for both parties to put all pretense aside and fall into the rhythm of God’s choreography.

This pouring out of words about friendship and suffering would be enough if that was all that lived between the covers of Just Show Up — but it’s not, for in the way of showing up, Jill and Kara learned valuable and practical lessons about loving and saying goodbye:
•The uncomfortable dance of giving and receiving help can be relieved somewhat by clear communication. Being specific is key. For example, rather than vague “call-me-if-you-need-anything” statements, offer to grocery shop, to provide transportation to appointments, to assist children with school projects.
•When you provide a meal, use disposable dishes. Suggest that the family place a cooler on the front steps so that meals can be dropped off unobtrusively without impacting family time. Ask for guidelines on family food preferences and allergies.
•Don’t visit when you are sick!
•Put your giftedness at the family’s disposal. If you are a skilled photographer, offer to take pictures of the family. Put your organizational skills to work managing their mail or other details.
•Don’t become overwhelmed or neglect your own family responsibilities. If you add a caring role to your life, subtract something else to make room for it.
•Mourn the loss of your relationship as it used to be, but then find a new normal.

Jill and Kara drew from the wisdom offered in an LA Times article called “How Not to Say the Wrong Thing,” which described a series of concentric circles with the name of the person who is suffering in the center. From there, place the names of family and friends with this in mind: the closer one is to the person who is suffering, the closer their name goes to the center ring. Using that as a guide, the key is this: “Comfort in. Dump out.” For example, Jill did not complain to Kara’s family at all (about anything), but Kara’s husband was free to be honest with Jill about his struggles and observations regarding Kara’s decline. As a general rule, if in doubt, err on the side of comforting instead of dumping.

In a way, what we have here is a devastatingly practical book on the theology of suffering and the sovereignty of God. With tears, protesting the suffering, and mourning the brevity of Kara’s life, both Kara and Jill assert the truth that “suffering is not the absence of God’s goodness.” Kara’s suffering and the process of dying were the cause for mourning, but also the occasion for finding “the smallest good and expand[ing] on it.” Kara made the choice to be transparent about her suffering and to live her final days in a community that wrapped her in love and that continues to support and to love her family. Just Show Up is the story of suffering being redeemed, “of God showing up in the midst of community here on earth.”

This book was provided by David C. Cook in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Just. Show. Up. Showing up means your life is going to get messy and most of us don’t like messy, we like order, cleanliness, emotions that can be easily hidden – showing up is going to mean not having order, getting messy with someone’s life and raw emotions that can’t be hidden. Kara passed away in March, just a few months after I lost my husband, suddenly, unexpectedly in December of 2014 – I became a widow and her husband, a widower. The emotions in this book – both from the viewpoint of Jill, one of Kara’s friends and Kara herself are raw, real and honest. Maybe it wasn’t the best book for me to read right now – but I did – and it left me thinking of how I too can show up for someone. For the first month the children and I had people coming by, we had meals, financial donations and then it went away – our hard is still hard and it’s something that won’t go away.

So much has resonated with me in this book – even now we get asked “let me know if you need anything”, this is one of the worst thing to say to someone – whether it’s an illness, a death, or an injury – I can honestly say when I was told this I’d stare blankly back. I could barely think about what needed done for my children let alone what a friend could do – as Jill says this is easily dismissed by the person going through their hard because it’s too broad. Then there was this one (location 1190 Chapter 6 in my Kindle version) “Some people who have lost loved ones quickly – without a word, kiss, hug, or shared last moment would give anything for these days we’re having with Kara even though they are hard.” I think Jill crawled inside my head – I admit to thinking that when I heard of Kara’s passing – thinking well at least her friends, her children, her husband got to hold her, kiss her as she was ushered before the Lord.

Whether you’re going through hard or just want to know how to show up for someone close to you or not close to you (Jill met Kara shortly before the cancer so it was a very new friendship) this book will give you and honest look at what it means to show up. If it’s not your gift to bring dinners, don’t – find your gift, is it to just sit quietly, just sit and listen, help car pool children to and from activities? Your showing up isn’t going to be the same as mine or anyone else, that is why the Lord gave us all different gifts. It’s raw – there were several times I had to stop reading because of the emotions that came up – and even some bitterness which made me look at myself because my friends couldn’t come around for months and months – so it had me taking a long hard look at me. The reflection questions at the end of each chapter can help evaluate how to show up and what that will look like for us and it’s based on Scripture, which makes it even better. I cannot recommend this book enough and it’s a quick read but so worth reading through a couple of times.

**I was provided a copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion no other compensation was given.

Oh, if only I could be with you right now, to press this book into your hands and say, “Here. Read this. And save it. It’s one for your keeper shelf.” It certainly is for mine, this handy little book that I anticipate referencing again and again as I walk through life with friends.

If you are a woman…if you have friends–this book is for you.

Written with open authenticity by both authors, this book is about being there for our friends. Being present, always, but especially when a friend is walking through a dark valley. Honestly, I can’t think of a woman who wouldn’t be blessed by what she’ll read here. If you are a woman who does “hard” well, it will provide you strength and encouragement. If you don’t, it will provide sound, practical advice and hope for doing better tomorrow. If you fall somewhere in between–as probably most of us do–it is one of the most helpful, authentic books on friendship I’ve read.

But this isn’t solely for those who are walking alongside those who are suffering. It also has a wise word or two for the woman who is suffering. On how to ask, and receive. On covering the stumbles and missteps of well-intentioned friends with grace. Because that’s what authentic community requires. Being thrown together in suffering demands vulnerability on both sides if it’s to be done meaningfully, in a forever kind of way. With an all-in kind of attitude. And since none of us is perfect, all-in will mean an occasional gaffe. And that’s okay.

Two other things I especially appreciated about the authors’ story. One, the fact that they were not BFFs when Kara’s suffering began. They were friends, yes, but had known each other only six months when Kara was diagnosed. Prompting a deliberate choice on Jill’s part: Do I keep my distance during this difficult season (where it’s more comfortable), or do I make the harder choice to show up for my friend while she’s going through her hard? Jill chose the latter, and was challenged…and blessed. My takeaway? Few friendships are exempt from the invitation to just show up.

The second thing I appreciated was the addressing of the introvert issue. Reaching out…showing up…can sometimes be hard for us introverts. Especially in Christian circles, it seems we’re often expected to be extroverted. (Say: Sunday morning greeting time.) But there’s grace for us here too, as well as gentle encouragement to lean into Christ for the strength and courage we need to reach beyond ourselves.

I read this beautifully poignant book in two days flat. Just Show Up is a lovely portrait of community and faith, and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity and David C. Cook for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

"Big Love" wasn't just the title of Kara Tippetts' first book. It was how she lived her life to those around her. And the circle of "those around her" widened beyond her imagination when she found herself in the fight of her life, opposite breast cancer. She big-loved those in front of her and those reading her journey from the other side of the blog screen. We who read, ventured to her blog each day hoping for inspiration and dreading the possibility of news we might not want to read concerning her health.

We prayed - the "we" who never knew her in real life but still felt like we did and the "we" who did know her and spent time tangibly caring for her and her family. And sometimes both sides of that "we" didn't know what to do. How should we pray? How should we be present? How should we be absent? Kara was but one person in a sea of need, and the questions "we" asked in caring for her are the same questions we ask for all around who need us and leave us wondering how to best support.

Kara won her battle with cancer by receiving a Heavenly healing, and months after her death, words she penned in the throes of the war appear on new book pages, alongside the raw ache and wisdom of her dear, real-life friend, Jill Lynn Buteyn. Their co-authored book, Just Show Up is, in my opinion, a masterful resource in supporting those in need. It doesn't matter if the need is a terminal illness or a temporary sideline. Their words from both sides of the needing fence bring incredible wisdom to a confusing situation.

There isn't a formula and they don't pretend one exists. But Jill speaks for most of us when she says, "I was afraid of doing the wrong thing, and I didn't have a clue where to begin. But when we step out in the middle of our fear, God meets us there." And the rest of the book is the chronicle of how God met them there.

Jill bravely shares raw journal excerpts...private words she wrote during Kara's illness, to empty her heart of its emotion before she exploded from the enormity of it all. Words that will make you nod because you've thought them, even if you haven't known how to phrase them. Kara's own words conclude each chapter, bringing affirmation to the ideas and suggestions Jill's chapters offer. Kara's voice that we came to trust in her last months on this earth, are beautifully comforting...giving us all one more peek into her heart and her blessing over the sometimes messiness of just showing up.

Jill offers very practical suggestions of ways to help those in a season of need, and she also offers truths about how to accept the response {or non-response} of those you reach out to - especially if it wasn't what you expected or hoped to receive. She urges us to try even when we don't know how. To make this journey about God and not ourselves. To stop giving in to doubts and lies so we don't later live buried under regrets. She shows how beautiful a community can be, even when it converges around suffering.

The read isn't light. It's hard. But hard is necessary. We live in a hard world filled with hard suffering, hard questions and hardly any answers. Just Show Up can offer some insight to typically silent scenarios.

Jill wrote that she worried her book wouldn't be accepted because it wasn't Kara. People loved Kara, and they would want her words. But those who loved Kara, from near or far, can't help but love Kara's people, too. And Jill was Kara's people. I think you'll find her writing style remarkably Kara. And her words...remarkably helpful.

What a continuing tribute to a God-anointed life. Thanks, Jill, for being brave with your soul and your words. You carry the torch well. Thanks for giving us light.

* And thanks, David C. Cook - and Jill! - for sending a copy of the book my way for review. It's a gift I treasure. *

It may seem like an awkward situation. Someone you know is gravely ill, perhaps terminal. You want to help but, well, what do you do? Just show up.

Kara Tippets was dying of cancer while she wrote her part of this book. Her good friend, Jill Buteyn, wrote the other part. They share their experiences of living and dying, of supporting and being supported, of just being there.

Buteyn knows that showing up isn't easy, especially when you know that your friend, barring a miracle, will soon die. You feel unqualified. You don't know what to say. You don't know what to do.

Nonetheless, being there is important, she writes. Pray for wisdom and seek guidance, but do show up. She relates many stories and gives suggestions. Saying something, she writes, is better than saying nothing. But she also reminds us what kinds of things not to say. For example, be specific in your help. “I'll pick up the kids for a play date on Tuesday,” rather than, “If you need anything, let me know.”

There are good suggestions for the ill person too. Keep your friends informed. (Kara blogged regularly.) The Tippets had a cooler on their step where meals in disposable dishes could be left without barging into the house. There was also a chalk board near the door indicating whether Kara was up for visitors or not.

Kara wrote a section on what the care professionals call “the ministry of presence.” We can perform ministry by simply showing up and being there for someone. No clever dialog is required. No deep prayer session. Kara noted that she was blessed when Scripture was read to her...without commentary.

This is an excellent book for those who want to help a suffering friend but do not know how to begin. Kara added some thought provoking questions at the end of her entries. Readers are encouraged to engage with others. It need be nothing elaborate. Perhaps just a cup of coffee. I remember a rewarding time when a friend and I sat with a stroke victim from church, giving her husband time away to do some errands. She talked and we listened and all of us were blessed.

This is an excellent book on a difficult subject. I highly recommend it to those who would live well and die well, and to those who would support others in that journey.

Food for thought: “We need each other. God made us to walk with each other.”

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Litfuse for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

"Just Show Up" is both a practical guidebook and a personal revelation, co-written by two friends, Jill and Kara. At the time of the writing, Kara was fighting cancer, and Jill was part of her supportive (and beloved) community. Shortly before publication, Kara passed away, and Jill completed this book while loving on Kara's family and friends as they all grieved this loss.

If you've read Kara's first book "The Hardest Peace," then you'll have already absorbed pieces of her story. That book was also written during her fight with cancer, and out of her pain and sickness she gifted readers with words of life, a glimpse into her family and their Big Love. She captured, in a few short chapters, why it is so good and so hard to be human.

If you haven't read "Hardest Peace," then perhaps you grabbed this book because of the subtitle: the dance of walking through suffering together. Perhaps you're trying to navigate the rough waters of a terrible diagnosis in your family, and you need somebody who understands how you feel as you take care of somebody else.

Jill and Kara are good guides to turn to. The first portion of this book is intensely practical. They begin by explaining that when it comes to blessing somebody in a hard situation, Just Show Up is the most important principle. If you don't take the risk of going to them, nothing beautiful can happen between you.

They next suggest ways to show up and meet specific needs according to your abilities, at the right time and with no expectations.

Then they address the need for the "helper" to have their own support system, and the need to be honest about how bad you'll feel even as a supposedly "unaffected" helper. You'll probably feel guilty thinking like this, but the thoughts will come: "This is so hard for me! They're the one who's suffering, and I feel so bad! Who do I turn to?" Jill and Kara make it clear: when you have somebody you're giving comfort to, and you need somebody to dump on.

Together, Jill and Kara go to their vulnerable places in this book. Once they move past the more advice-based parts, they return to Kara's story, as seen by Jill and other friends who walked beside her. At the end, you know this truth unshakably: The God who is God-with-us made us to be with each other, and if you choose to be with someone in the hard, then you may never know how very much your choice means, because it does.

I thank David C Cook for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my thoughts.

About the Book:
Kara Tippetts’s story was not a story of disease, although she lost her battle with terminal cancer. It was not a story of saying goodbye, although she was intentional in her time with her husband and four children. Kara’s story was one of seeing God in the hard and in the good. It was one of finding grace in the everyday. And it was one of knowing “God with us” through fierce and beautiful friendship.

In Just Show Up, Kara and her close friend, Jill Lynn Buteyn, write about what friendship looks like in the midst of changing life seasons, loads of laundry, and even cancer. Whether you are eager to be present to someone going through a difficult time or simply want inspiration for pursuing friends in a new way, this eloquent and practical book explores the gift of silence, the art of receiving, and what it means to just show up.

My Review:
Suffering....

It hits us all at one time or another anywhere at anytime. Kara Tippetts story is not unheard of or not known. She was a beautiful young woman with a family that received ultimate healing when she returned to her Savior after a valiant fight with terminal cancer. She caused us to look at death differently, from Christ's point of view.

Is death fair? Is cancer fair? NO! It is a terrible disease that causes us all to question God and I believe it is purely from the devil, himself. Kara and her close friend Jill collaborated on this book and described how their friendship evolved because of this disease and ultimately Kara's death. If a loved one will allow you to be present while they are undergoing their crossing over to meet Jesus, you need to take them up on it.

It is a way for the love you share with that individual to grow even deeper and more long lasting. Join the two of these individuals as they navigate this tough road and show us what they learned especially through the tough days.

A very touching eloquent book written straight from the heart!

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Litfuse.

I've never read a book quite like Just Show Up. The book is meant to be helpful and to motivate people to actually show up when others are suffering. Kara Tippetts was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after she met Jill Lynn Buteyn. Ignoring her anxieties, Jill stepped up and became a real source of support for Kara. Just Show Up is the story of their relationship. Jill's parts of the story are insightful and immensely helpful if you're wondering how to act around someone who is suffering or wondering what to say (or not say). Hearing Kara's opinions about what hurt the most in terms of reactions or comments from friends was both enlightening and surprising. You'll undoubtedly cringe at some point in this story when you happen upon a situation you've been in--I'm sure just about all of us have made a comment we wish we could take back! I feel much more prepared for the next time someone I know is suffering. I have ideas of what not to say and how to actually help. One of the most interesting ideas in Just Show Up was the comfort in, dump out circle. It's a simple illustration that helps you determine who you should talk about what--you never want to complain or vent about a situation to someone who is closer to the situation than you are. I know that sounds murky, but read the book--they explain it very well! I was amazed by the things Kara did to plan for her family to be taken care of after her death. Her friends built a community around her in the face of tragedy. I'm planning to pass this book on immediately, but I think I'll pick up another copy for a refresher when I'm facing this type of situation. I highly recommend Just Show Up to anyone who wants to be supportive and helpful to people who are suffering.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I struggle with how to help someone who is going through a time of difficulty. What do I do? What do I say? How do I not do or say thing wrong thing? How do I help and not hinder? How do I help and not make things more difficult?

I want to speak Jesus to them, to truly be His hands, His feet to my friends and neighbors who are in the hard places of life. I want to minister His grace and healing. But I'm clueless how.

The late Kara Tippetts and Jill Buteyn collaborated on a book, Just Show Up, that serves as a beacon of light to those who, like me, want to help but don't know how.

The chapters are written by Jill with a small portion at the end of each on written by Kara. Kara's portion ends with two questions designed to help you just show up. The chapters teach on the value of different ways we can show up and how we can be a gift to our suffering friends.

Can I say I enjoyed a book on suffering? I learned a lot from the book. I learned that it's okay to sometimes tell friends, "Look, I know this is a hard place for you, so suppers is on me." I learned I can do that from across state lines to across the country.

The book is written conversationally; it reads as if we're sitting across the table sipping coffee and chatting with Jill and Kara. I love that.

There were a few times I didn't fully agree with what was being taught. I think it is important to know your friends and what they would want/need.

How each of us will respond when either faced with our own hard or when a friend experiences hard in her life is different. We don't and we won't all respond the same, but we all have the same needs.

We all need friends to just show up.

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

If you’ve ever had a friend who is suffering something hard in life, you know the tension that exists between wanting to do something and knowing the right thing to do for them. In Just Show Up, Kara Tippetts and her friend Jill Lynn Butelyn share candidly with great grace what it means to show up for a friend who is hurting. You may recognize Kara’s name from the blog Mundane Faithfulness. Through this blog, Kara provided a window to the world of her suffering from cancer but more importantly, she threw back the curtains on what it means to live and die for Christ.

Though death was nearly certain for Kara while she and Jill were writing this book, both women spoke at length at the need for community in the midst of struggle. Kara writes in Just Show Up, "giving and receiving get blurred in Jesus. We have received so much from others, but I believe if you were to ask them, they’d say they’ve been on the receiving end.” This book is all about how to give when it hurts and receive God’s ever present peace in return. I can think back to my own season of tremendous loss, when we discovered our unborn daughter Whitney had a chromosomal abnormality that was incompatible with life. Through the pain of this diagnosis, we clung to the Cross of Christ, and were able to experience the blessing of community. Friends brought us meals but didn’t expect to be entertained. When we got home from the hospital after I had given birth, our fridge was stocked with fruit, cold-cuts and other sandwich fixings. My very best friend who was hundreds of miles away (and very pregnant still with her own daughter) called every single day. At the time I just couldn’t pick up the phone, so she started calling my husband. Not to be annoying, but simply to check on me and pass the message along that she loved me. It took a couple of weeks for me to be in a place where my grief allowed me the energy to talk on the phone again. But you know what spoke volumes in that time I was silent? My best friend continued to call and leave a message with my husband. Every. Single. Day. I will never forget the way she selflessly loved me in that season as we were both hurting.

Have you ever heard of a friend who was hurting but you didn’t know what to do? Maybe it was a woman listed on the prayer chain at your church. Or an elderly neighbor who has just lost his wife. Sometimes, it is people close to us who are hurting, but often it is someone we would only consider an acquaintance. The Spirit may move us to do something, but our own insecurities prevent us from stepping in to just show up. Jill Lynn offers some beautiful examples of practical ways to be present for a hurting friend. One of my favorite suggestions from this book is to offer specific means by which you wish to help. The generic “Let me know if I can be of help!” has become a catch-all phrase without much meaning behind it. Instead, offering up a specific service is much more likely to get a grateful response. Jill Lynn writes, “The beauty in offering a specific help instead of a broad one is that we get to help within our gifting.” I never feel like a good enough cook to offer meals to someone. But I LOVE cleaning & doing laundry. So when I offer to come run the vacuum and fold some laundry for a hurting friend, that is a specific request that they can then accept with confidence.

While the difficult subject of this book may be intimidating to some, I can assure you that reading it will bless your life. You will come away from reading it with a greater understanding of what being a friend is, what living in community looks like and how to just show up. If you are interested in reading this book, you can purchase it here on the store.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This review is for the book "Just Show Up" by Kara Tippetts and Jill Buteyn. I read the first book that Kara wrote, right before she passed away in March. To read this book was pretty surreal, because she seemed so peaceful and wise, and I know that her life here on earth is over.

Kara and Jill have a fantastic back-and-forth in this book and I love their perspectives. Jill is able to write from the perspective of someone who is losing her best friend, and Kara is the victim of a brutal cancer that, while ravaging her body, is giving her an incredible opportunity to witness about her faith. Both of them are learning to lean on each other. Kara has to say yes to all the ways that her friends want to help her through this time, and Jill has to learn what is helpful and what is a burden.

This book is an incredible guide to being a person who will show up in the hard times. From Kara's perspective, having someone who will just "show up" for her means more than anything. And from a mother's perspective, it is heartbreaking to hear the decisions that Kara had to make for her family - to have a friend willing to help plan her funeral, a friend who will make school lunches for her kids when she's gone, a friend who will pick up her friends for a playdate when her husband needs a break.

There are so many ways we can be there for our suffering friends. This book made me want to be that person, and be the person that can accept help also. We must learn to lean on each other in this world, and be greater victors that way.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

On my son’s 1st birthday, Kara Tippetts went home to be with the Lord after a battle with cancer. At only 38, she led a full life and left the world a beautiful inheritance born out of mundane faithfulness, an excellent book on the ministry of mercy written together with her friend, Jill Lynn Buteyn.

Most books often delve on the struggles of the caregiver or the patient only. An effective, and empathetic work of mercy is conversant of the fears and desires of the giver and the receiver. Just Show Up, is an exceptional twofold memoir of a caregiver and a patient.

The honest worries echoed through Jill’s writing were quenched by few concise nuggets written by Kara while in hospice. Together, they screamed about their fears and comforted each other with the love of God. Mercy is not about having the answers, but being available.

One of the main reasons the ministry of mercy is avoided is many believers are confident of their compassion, but doubt their competence. Just Show Up is an account of how God works in both the caregiver and the sick through intentional vulnerability
.
The heart of the book is summed up in the statement, “Friends. Community. It is the only way to know and be known. It’s where we see our own humanity and frailty, our gifts and our weakness.”

Jill agreed, “This is a journey we’re meant to walk with each other. The joys, the hurt, the grace that always shows up, plus the beauty God orchestrates when we show up for each other is amazing.” In another chapter, she added, “The idea that I can listen to the Holy Spirit and then offer within the gifts he’s given me is freeing.”

People in suffering are looking only for one thing, besides being better. They all want to know that the people close to them care. The least we can ever give to a suffering friend or family is to show them we care by any means possible. At times it is simply knocking at their door and asking them if you could help with a specific thing.

Many times I have failed to comfort those who are suffering because I was afraid of offending them or I wanted to say the right words. Kara advised;

Our physical presence is enough. I believe sometimes God wants to say something to us… but his voice gets crowded out by our nervous talk, trying to say the right thing or come with a comparable story.

I recommend Just Show Up to anyone who has a friend or a family member who is going through suffering.

This book will help you remove your eyes from the pain and fix them on the grace of God which is sufficient even for our insecurities. It offers practical advice and encouragement for those around the sick from the point of view of a cancer patient and her caregiver.

I received the book from the publishers through NetGalley free for an exchange of an honest review.

As a nurse and someone who has served as Care Minister for my church for several years, I am passionate about reaching out to folks during the hard seasons of their lives. I followed Kara's journey intermittently at mundanefaithfulness.com and more consistently as her earthly life ebbed to a close, and I was touched by the community that surrounded her family--and that continues to walk this difficult road with her husband and children. Just Show Up, which Kara began writing before her death with her close friend Jill Lynn Buteyn, is a moving and practical guide for ministering to those in hard places. It also provides wise counsel for those who find themselves on the receiving end of care. Whether the hard is illness, death, job loss, infertility, divorce, or a host of other issues that upend one's life, Just Show Up will not only encourage you but equip you with realistic advice. Jill and Kara's warm and authentic styles made me feel as if I were sitting in the room with them as I read. Though Kara's illness was heartbreaking, the love and community experienced in the midst of unspeakable sorrow is a beautiful picture of God's grace and the way he designed the Body of Christ to function. Don't miss this gem!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from David C Cook and Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I read and reviewed Kara Tippett's first book, The Hardest Peace last year and was so impressed by Kara's faith in God. I definitely connected with her through her first book and when I heard that she finally left this earth to be with her savior, I was deeply touched. I felt as if a friend had passed away. Although I feel sadness for her family and friends, I feel joy for Kara that she is now past all that suffering and at peace with her Savior. Reading Kara's words of wisdom makes the reader realize what peace she had. Her words give such a real idea of the beauty of the death of His saints! At the same time, Kara was not detached from this world; she had a family who she felt loathe to leave and she certainly suffered through the pain she felt through all the cancer which eventually took her life. Just Show Up is a book compiled by Kara Tippetts and her close friend Jill Lynn Buteyn. Each chapter in this small but rich paperback provides amazing wisdom and insight on life to the glory of God. I was moved and touched and convicted by this book! You cannot read this book and come away without being changed in at least a little. I loved the practical approach Just Show Up has....Kara, as an invalid and Jill, as a friend of an invalid give wisdom from their hearts on the topic of friendship and being there for your friends. Their words stem from Biblical truths and can only help uplift and lead you to a more God-glorifying life. I highly recommend this book. I received it from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

“Just Show Up – the Dance of Walking through Suffering Together” is packed with concrete, suggestions, supportive ideas, and meaningful information for reciprocal friendship during hard times and suffering. Authors Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn team up to share their story of a deep meaningful friendship throughout Karen’s life and death battle with cancer.

Kara and Jill explore the concepts of the long good-bye, the ministry of silence, and the gift of presence. They express them from two viewpoints, that of the giver and that of the receiver. Theirs is a story of nurturing friendship through pain and tiredness, insecurity and doubt, of unfathomly hard days, and the beauty and of being surprised by joy on a good day.

Careful consideration of the discussion prompts, are included for opening honest dialog in a group setting or for individual contemplation and will add to the personal impact and value of the book for individual readers; and immense help for anyone experiencing the process of anticipatory grief.

Anyone who had or is going through the suffering of a friend or loved one will find solace, comfort and support throughout the pages of “Just Show Up – the Dance of Walking through Suffering Together.”

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own.

The book in and of itself is not a listed "how to walk alongside someone who is suffering". Rather, it reveals the shared experiences of two friends who had to learn to allow others to show up for them and also how to best show up for others. Great insight is found through their examples that make you stop and ponder:
~Where is my place in the circle for showing up for a person going through a difficult time? (We are NOT always called to be the inner circle! And many times, we are called to be the person who is available to the close friends and family who are supporting the person going through the main struggle.)
~Could the words I desire to say come across as empty or even hurtful? (Often, it's just our mere presence that will bring comfort to the person who is hurting.)
~Is God challenging me to step forward and help meet someone's needs? Am I seeking Him as I desire to care for those around me?
~Do I need to give others permission to show up and fill needs within my own life and circumstances?

True friendship is on display as Kara & Jill walk the final stages of Kara's terminal cancer. It is a book filled with love and hope, and readers will find great encouragement through the example shared through the lives of the authors.

*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review*

I enjoyed reading Just Show Up, which feels like a strange thing to type considering that the book is full of hard truths and painful situations. The two authors succeeded in writing a narrative on how to be there for someone who is going through a “hard”, as they liked to put it. In this case, the “hard” was Kara fighting a cancer battle that was not to be won here on earth.

Although Just Show Up deals with the sadness of knowing that Kara won’t be long for the world, I actually found the book to be very uplifting. It is full of practical advice for how to actually be there and be a true friend to those around us. There are also plenty of amusing anecdotes to keep the reading flowing along and lighten the heavier moments.

I appreciated the direct way both authors wrote about the importance of being someone who actually shows up and jumps in to help, as opposed to saying, “Let me know if there is any way I can help.” Their advice is so sound.

I think this book is really a must read. We all need to know how to be there to help those we call friends during hard and painful times in their lives. Just Show Up is an excellent guide to encourage us to do just that.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

Have you ever picked up that book that spoke to your core? That is exactly what Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn Just Show Up did for me! While Kara was battling cancer, the two decided to write a book together...a book that can only be described as WOW. It came at the right time for me to get a good dose of "lessons learned." I realized, I haven't been showing up for my friends. And I've not allowed them to show up for me. I've gone through my own hard alone, and allowed them to walk their hard with out me due to fear. Fear of loss. Fear of looking silly. Fear of intruding. Fear of....I don't even know! I have a friend now facing cancer, and it's a hard I can't even begin to imagine....but I now understand how I can make that hard a little softer. And I plan to do just that. But beyond helping you learn how to truly be there for a friend (or allow friends to be there for you) it opened my eyes to my own social anxiety. This book has made me realize I give into my anxiety when I need to embrace it, see it, acknowledge it, and deal with it to live a more productive and well meaning life. I high recommend picking up a copy of this book for yourself!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.**

I read Kara Tippetts book last month and it was brave and beautiful. I was eager to read her words here, that she wrote with her friend Jill. This book felt like the details of what it means to bear one another’s burdens. Jill wrote what it was like to show up in her friend’s battle against cancer. Kara wrote what it was like to be the one with cancer. They write about the big ideas of community and suffering. They also write about what’s helpful to say, how meals and caring for kids worked. They write about the mess of long-term suffering and how to grieve while being present in the every-day living. I loved this book more than I can say. I want everyone to read it. Our culture doesn’t often make room for the disequilibrium that comes with suffering. We don’t know what to say or do, and have no teacher for where to start showing our hurting people that we care. Jill and Kara are bravely our teachers for what it looks like to suffer together, to show up and love like Jesus. A solid A for me.

This is not a story about someone dying, but of someone living in the midst of her earthly life nearing its end through a terminal illness. Karen's story is about finding and knowing God through the fears and pain she endures to the end. She has a profound experience of God journeying with her, even when she is struggling to make sense of her illness. Her story embodies what the community of believers should be. She sees grace as it happens through those who journey with her, each one being sent by God at just the right time when she needs it most. Holding nothing back from her loved ones, she allows them to find the answers when they are ready to ask the questions.

Inspiring, heartwarming, sincere yet not sugaring the reality of her journey to life through death. Her story echoes what Paul says, to live is Christ, to die is gain. Highly recommended for anyone who is going through what she and her loved ones experienced, or who wants to know how to respond to a loved one going through a similar experience. It is highly recommended for anyone who wants to know how God journeys with us through our life with all its struggles and challenges and the people he sends on our journey.

If you are hoping to make new friends or be more intentional with your friends, then "Just Show Up" is the book for you! This book is an excellent and quick read that has left me thinking about friendships I currently have and ones that I had in the past as well. Kara and Jill's friendship is the backbone to this book that they wrote together and through their stories and relationship the reader can gain a new perspective on making friends and building friendships. A part that really stood out to me is the point that truly the key is just showing up. So often it can seen that a lot of time and effort is needed to be a good friend as you may feel like you have to say the right thing or keep a conversation going, when really just your presence is what matters and what is needed. I loved how it was further explained and described as a dance, meaning we don't have to be perfect, each and every thing we say and do does not have to be just so and perfect, mistakes will be made, things won't always go just as planned or hoped and that is fine. This book is just such an inspiring read and thought provoking in regards to being friends and how to become the friend I want to be.

Kara Tippets battled cancer for two and a half years. During that time, many friends came around the Tippetts family to support and serve them. Kara is now home in Heaven, but before passing from this life to the next, she and her friend, Jill Lynn Buteyn, wrote a book about walking with a friend through suffering. Kara and Jill loved and served each other well, and their friendship is an example to follow. Their book, Just Show Up, will be a helpful resource to others who are going through a season of suffering with a friend.

It can be difficult to know how to be there for a friend who is suffering. In Just Show Up, Kara and Jill share practical ideas of ways to be there for, and serve, a family in need. They allow the reader a peek into the community that surrounded the Tippetts family during the past three years. They are open about the hard parts and the awkward parts. They share about the tension, the struggles, the insecurities, and the highs and lows. They share honestly about the fact that mistakes were made and that grace was needed.

Just Show Up has a conversational tone, making you feel like you are right there chatting with Kara and Jill as they share about facing hard times of suffering together. They speak to the one who is walking through suffering with a friend as well as to the one who is suffering herself. I especially appreciated the personal stories that were shared from the community of support that surrounded the Tippetts family. It was a beautiful thing to see how the body of Christ can come alongside a suffering member and love them well in their hard season.

Just Show Up is for the one with a friend who is suffering and in need of help and support. It is for the one who wants to be there for a friend in need, but doesn’t know what to do. It is for the one who is chronically ill and is needing guidance regarding her role in friendship when her abilities are limited. This would be a great book for two friends, one who is ill and one who is healthy, to read together as they navigate the awkwardness that comes when friendship is lopsided because one friend simply can’t give much. It would also be a great book for a group of friends to read together as they prepare to show up for a friend in need. I highly recommend this book!

I received a review copy of Just Show Up from David C. Cook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is not a story about someone dying, but of someone living in the midst of her earthly life nearing its end through a terminal illness. Karen's story is about finding and knowing God through the fears and pain she endures to the end. She has a profound experience of God journeying with her, even when she is struggling to make sense of her illness. Her story embodies what the community of believers should be. She sees grace as it happens through those who journey with her, each one being sent by God at just the right time when she needs it most. Holding nothing back from her loved ones, she allows them to find the answers when they are ready to ask the questions.

Inspiring, heartwarming, sincere yet not sugaring the reality of her journey to life through death. Her story echoes what Paul says, to live is Christ, to die is gain. Highly recommended for anyone who is going through what she and her loved ones experienced, or who wants to know how to respond to a loved one going through a similar experience. It is highly recommended for anyone who wants to know how God journeys with us through our life with all its struggles and challenges and the people he sends on our journey.

If you are hoping to make new friends or be more intentional with your friends, then "Just Show Up" is the book for you! This book is an excellent and quick read that has left me thinking about friendships I currently have and ones that I had in the past as well. Kara and Jill's friendship is the backbone to this book that they wrote together and through their stories and relationship the reader can gain a new perspective on making friends and building friendships. A part that really stood out to me is the point that truly the key is just showing up. So often it can seen that a lot of time and effort is needed to be a good friend as you may feel like you have to say the right thing or keep a conversation going, when really just your presence is what matters and what is needed. I loved how it was further explained and described as a dance, meaning we don't have to be perfect, each and every thing we say and do does not have to be just so and perfect, mistakes will be made, things won't always go just as planned or hoped and that is fine. This book is just such an inspiring read and thought provoking in regards to being friends and how to become the friend I want to be.

Kara Tippets battled cancer for two and a half years. During that time, many friends came around the Tippetts family to support and serve them. Kara is now home in Heaven, but before passing from this life to the next, she and her friend, Jill Lynn Buteyn, wrote a book about walking with a friend through suffering. Kara and Jill loved and served each other well, and their friendship is an example to follow. Their book, Just Show Up, will be a helpful resource to others who are going through a season of suffering with a friend.

It can be difficult to know how to be there for a friend who is suffering. In Just Show Up, Kara and Jill share practical ideas of ways to be there for, and serve, a family in need. They allow the reader a peek into the community that surrounded the Tippetts family during the past three years. They are open about the hard parts and the awkward parts. They share about the tension, the struggles, the insecurities, and the highs and lows. They share honestly about the fact that mistakes were made and that grace was needed.

Just Show Up has a conversational tone, making you feel like you are right there chatting with Kara and Jill as they share about facing hard times of suffering together. They speak to the one who is walking through suffering with a friend as well as to the one who is suffering herself. I especially appreciated the personal stories that were shared from the community of support that surrounded the Tippetts family. It was a beautiful thing to see how the body of Christ can come alongside a suffering member and love them well in their hard season.

Just Show Up is for the one with a friend who is suffering and in need of help and support. It is for the one who wants to be there for a friend in need, but doesn’t know what to do. It is for the one who is chronically ill and is needing guidance regarding her role in friendship when her abilities are limited. This would be a great book for two friends, one who is ill and one who is healthy, to read together as they navigate the awkwardness that comes when friendship is lopsided because one friend simply can’t give much. It would also be a great book for a group of friends to read together as they prepare to show up for a friend in need. I highly recommend this book!

I received a review copy of Just Show Up from David C. Cook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Many of us followed Kara's journey to eternity through her blog Mundane Faithfulness. Unfortunately Kara was well into her battle with cancer when I stumbled upon her blog so I didn't "know" her very long. But I loved her. With all that she was going through personally she still encouraged others and loved on them. She knew what was important and didn't expend her energy on trivial drama.

This book was written by Kara and by Jill Buteyn who went through the day to day battle with her. Titled appropriately, "Just Show Up" it is the story of the joys and heartaches of being in the thick of the battle with a suffering friend. This is a quick read, more like a letter from a friend than a how to book.

It an inspiration to us on how to do this thing called life, and actually BE a true friend to another. I find myself looking inward wondering if *I* am the kind of friend that others can really, truly trust. Am I THERE? Do I show up?

This would be a great read for a group of friends, a Bible study group, or like me, just reading it by yourself. Kara showed us how to live and die with Grace. May we learn from her and carry on. May we truly SHOW UP for one another.

*I was given a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book that Kara co-wrote with Jill is an essential tool to help people understand how to open themselves up to be a help to another, just as Jesus would long for us to do for one another. It's not easy. The road of suffering is hard, and watching those you care about enduring hard trials, will weigh heavily on you. But we have hope! Hope in the One Who gave up His life for us. And if He was willing to give of Himself for us, shouldn't we be willing to "Show Up" for those around us? This book will help you to see those moments as part of the good works He prepared for you to walk in (Eph. 2:10) instead of moments to fear. Because... this life isn't about us. I highly recommend that you take the time to pick up this book, and make it an essential part of your library!

***I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I must admit, I'm a fan of Kara Tippets and was saddened when she passed away so my review may be biased. I loved this book, even more than her first one. I cried when I read it knowing that she was genuine in her words and authentic to share truth about living well through the ups and downs of having cancer. While reading this new book, I was motivated to have increased empathy/ sympathy for people who are sick. Kara has ideas on how to live life to the best of your ability so it isn't a book centered on cancer. I did not read her blog so I don't know if this is the same material or different material. This book doesn't have questions at the end of each chapter like her first book and this book doesn't require the reading of the first book to pick up where the other ended. I received a free preview copy of this book to review for my honest opinion and was not reimbursed nor coerced to write a positive review.

Kara, who passed away earlier this year from cancer, wrote a book with her friend Jill about what it means to show up and be there for a friend who is suffering. The women take turns telling their story from their own perspective. The style of writing is simple, and feels like a conversation with two friends. Each perspective gives practical and faith filled advice to those who want to help their friends and just don't know how.

The writing was real, raw, emotional, and profound. It's been a long time since I've read a book that spoke to me so well. It showcases what true friendship, community, and love should be about. The authors mention "big love" several times throughout the book. The friendship between these two was all about love, real love. I feel blessed to have read this book.

I received this book free of charge from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.

I was one of the many touched by Kara Tippett’s faith journey—I think especially because her life and words sparked sweet reminders of my own best friend, who died of breast cancer several years back. I was privileged to walk by my friend’s side during her vicious battle against cancer.
Those last months of our twenty year friendship changed me forever. So I’m a witness to the power of just showing up in a suffering friend’s life and how that step of faith brings blessing after blessing.
The book Just Show Up shares Kara’s journey of suffering from two perspectives: Kara’s and her friend Jill’s. Jill details how showing up for Kara changed and challenged her, along with some practical advice for those who find themselves faced with a similar privilege.
Just Show Up urges us to follow Kara Tippett’s legacy. May we abound in big love and be ever grateful for beautiful, messy life.

Thursday, October 22, 2015
Format: Kindle
The copy I have is a free copy from the Publisher, which as I understand it has no strings attached.

Just Show Up by Kara Tippetts is a book that the author wrote during a tragic time of her life, which was made tolerable by her own response to those times. This appears to have been a response triggered by the community of friends she was fortunate to have been a member of; and this group showed Gods’ love through a Christian response to her battles.

Previously I read her up-coming book “And It Was Beautiful”, also from David C. Cook and the writing there was both comforting and informative. I said there “I’ll be looking for others she wrote …” so I was very happy to find the opportunity to read this. I highly recommend both books, and I suspect I will any of her work; it’s easy reading that is moving and in some way comforting.

In this book, the Kara’s writing did not disappoint; and the co-author Jill Lynn Buteyn did not either. Both wrote well here. She (Jill) reminded me that “Your life is not about you”, which I learned from Richard Rohr; the reminder was a help. I haven’t finished this read; but it’s very good so far. I think you’ll like it.

While insanely depressing, this book is important and will hopefully find its way to those in times of need. Thankfully, I don't need all the advice this book has to offer now, but I did learn some other important information and will be well prepared should tragedy strike. This book is a practical guide on how to be there for someone suffering cancer or loss or some other tragedy. It talks about how to show up, what to say and do, and how to make the greatest impact on your friend and on your soul. Written by the late Kara Tippets, a cancer patient, and her good friend Jill Lynn Buteyn this book offers good faith based and common sense advice. A must read for anyone wanting to help out others in their time of need.

I received this book for free from Litfuse publicity in return for my honest, unbiased review.

Just show up is an amazing book that I just finished and put up on my bookshelf to display next to Kara's book, The Hardest Peace. Kara opening up about her journey with cancer and her strong faith has really changed my outlook on life. Jill coming in to talk from the friends perspective was extremely helpful. I know we have all been there when someone is sick or chronically ill and we are not sure how to respond and unfortunately more times than not due to not knowing what to do, we do nothing at all. Just show up teaches us how to show up in a way that fits with what feels right to us or uses our special talents, asking Jesus to guide us ( I am glad to know I finally have permission to skip on making meals since it is not my strong suit and maybe find something else to do that would be helpful). Kara created such a loving community to help care for her and her family with people that she didn't even necessarily know for that long. People were grateful to help and be invited into her community. She could have easily said her family doesn't need help, but she opened up her journey to others and now people all over the world have been touched my the lessons that she has taught us about Jesus. family. friends, life and love. Because of Kara, I have a sign up in my house that says, "Love is Kind". I miss her dearly and I have never even met her. Thank you Kara and Jill for such an honest, loving, heart warming book.

I loved this book so much it almost hurts. It felt like I was invited in to this special friendship and given answers to all my questions about what to do when a friend is in crisis. I am BAD at this - absolutely paralyzed in the face of overwhelming need. In "Just Show Up," Kara and Jill took me by the hand and said, essentially, "Everyone feels this way. Here's what to do anyway..." This book is a gracious blend of honest storytelling and practical suggestions. There are pages where I underlined every single word. Thank you Kara and Jill for writing this book. I"m already recommending it to friends.

In this inspiring story of two friends, Kara Tippetts and Jill Buteyn, Just Show Up teaches readers about the trials of life and the true meaning of friendship. It teaches of the hope of becoming a better friend, of always being there, in fact to “Just Show Up.” This delightful, quick-read will leave readers thinking about their personal friend relationships and how to make them better. I would recommend this non-fiction, inspirational, women’s fiction to anyone that has a friend and wants to learn how to be a person and a better friend.

Genre: non-fiction; women’s; inspirational; Christian
Publisher: David C. Cook
Publication date: October 1, 2015
Number of pages: 192

A review copy of this book was provided by LitFuse.

In Kara and Jill's book "Just Show Up" Kara faces the battle of her life. Cancer. Jill and Kara had that relationship Both gave, both received, but the one thing in common was they were all in One of the statements made in the book said Showing up in suffering benefits both sides, and iit has to be entered in from both sides Had either pushed or pulled the other, there is no way it would have worked.

This book is that journey. Their struggle through the hard and in that struggle, God meets you right there, both of you, all of you, everyone involved and all that being said, you have a completely different form of worship. Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking through Suffering Together

Just Show Up – Kara Tippetts

I found out about Kara Tippetts a few months before she passed away. I loved her blog. I loved her honesty. I loved how she just put it out there! We need more of that in the world.
It is often hard to know what to do when someone is hurting. Laying down your life often means laying down your schedule. Just Show Up is an honest view of how to serve. It is a guide to how to be a better friend.
Cancer sucks. I have watched it consume a 13-year-old student, and my 57-year-old brother. Kara handled the cancer she had with the more grace than is easy to comprehend.
Great read! Honest! Raw!

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Even though I have had opportunities to personally observe and enter the very journey Kara and Jill write about, I am amazed, humbled and inspired by the account of compassion, kindness, sharing, hoping, bumbling, caring, communicating and seeking togetherness through suffering. In reading, I have learned new and practical ways to support and pray for my friends and family who hurt, and to recognize their willingness to reach out to me in my own trials. Showing up is neither scripted nor easy, but it is worth it both now and in eternity. You will not be sorry you read this book, nor that you followed any of its recommendations. Genuine love is always big, even when it may feel small, and it always shows up.

I was so moved and touched emotionally by this book Just Show Up. What a story that shows someone that is so concerned about those who care for her and her family. Not wanting to be a burden to anyone. She wants to help in any way that she can. Making sure that people take care of their own needs also. To have such a emotional drive to do what she can for others. Her faith remains strong through this difficult time. She touches lives in so many different ways. Helping family and friends deal with what is to come. Living her life the best that she can. I was moved to tears reading this book. It is such a touching and powerful story. Be sure to get your copy today! 5 stars!

The Hardest Peace, published in 2014, made way quite naturally for Just Show Up, the book Kara co-authored with Jill Lynn Buteyn in 2015. Unfortunately, Kara didn’t live to see this book published but her words teach us still. I’d recommend this book as required reading for anyone who participates in a care ministry at a local church. Really though, it's for all of us.

This book has so much to teach us about how to walk through the hard times together. Even when we're convinced we're going to do it wrong. When we actually do it wrong. When we don't even know where to start. An insider's look at how to show up well.

I love this book and how it is very,real! That's the one thing I loved about Kara(though I never actually MET her), her blog and facebook posts were very real. I understand the emotions and pain all too well, but I also know the joy and love expressed in these pages! This book is a great examples of how to be there for people who are going through a hard time, no matter what it may be. I highly recommend this book to you!

*Disclaimer*
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

This book is one of the best books that I have ever read. I was able to relate to Jill in that a lot of what she wrote felt like she had written it straight from my thoughts. This book was my introduction to Kara and what a beautiful person she was. Her family and friends were truly blessed in knowing her. People who don't read this, or read it and don't like it (how is that possible???) are missing out on one of the best gifts they could ever read.

Just Show Up is easy to read, and it's hard to read. Easy, because it's conversationally written. Hard, because it deals with hard.

A year ago, we were in the midst of our own "hard." My father was gravely ill; he even spent time in hospice.

If you want a book to help you know how to Just Show Up for a friend or loved one who is going through a hard time in life, this book will show you just that. I can relate to Jill so much, since I'm an introvert to the core.

Be sure to have a box of tissues nearby.

On the surface, this book is about a friend, and a battle with cancer. But it's more than that. The book offers nine chapters that are full of insightful and inspirational ways that we can show up, we can be there, and support each other. It might be cancer, it might not. I have friends with different struggles. I am not always good at showing up. But reading this book reminded me of how important it is to do so. I really cannot say enough good things about this book. I learned so much from it. I think everyone could. I think it can be applied to so many different situations in life. This is a very good Christian based book that anyone from any Christian faith would enjoy.

Great Book. I have ordered her other two books. This book literally changed my life. Makes me think differently about how to approach friends that are going through their own HARD times. How to be there for them even when it feels like they dont realize it, or say they are okay. It makes you really step back and think things through. Great book, Loved it, highly recommended. Cant wait to read the other two books.

Pros:
Great material to chew on and immediately apply not just in situations of suffering, but in community and relationships overall. The subject matter introduced in each chapter is a perfect amount for a casual chapter-by-chapter book study. Loved what I learned in this book!
Cons:
Could have used some better editing and been more concise (although the fact that it has some extra fluff and a little redundancy would be viewed as a plus for a book study, or at least for my study group. We are a group of moms with littles, so a little repetition helps us not miss anything=)). I read this on my own though so I would have appreciated less fluff. We are planning on doing it in our group.

Just Show Up is a beautifully written, heartfelt and practical look at walking through suffering with a friend. Both Jill’s and Kara’s humor provides much needed levity in a book that begins “Hi. My name is Kara Tippetts, and I may not be alive when you read this book.” In fact, she isn’t – on earth, anyway. Kara won her hard-fought battle with cancer in March of this year (2015) and is now with Jesus. She completed her contributions to Just Show Up before her death, and her words carry the added weight of this poignancy, yes, but also reflect once more her delightful and grace-filled personality.

Jill's ability to admit and poke fun at her own fears and comfort zones gave me the freedom to rest in my introverting and acknowledge that growing friendship as an introvert in the middle of “hard” is indeed possible. And not even all that painful, according to Jill. Good news for introvert me. On the flip side of that coin… “The tough-love news is that introverting is not an excuse for avoiding community – although I have attempted to use it as one before.” Uhhh…yeah. Me too. So much easier just to read a book than to show up in the middle of someone else’s pain, isn’t it?

Another thing I loved so much about Just Show Up is how practical it is. We’re not just told to show up – we’re given hints on how to do that. This book is full of ideas that are relatively easy to implement – for you and the person you are serving. There’s also a great section about the Christian platitudes we need to stop using (seriously. If you can’t say something besides a platitude, don’t say anything at all.) and who to vent your feelings to versus who to comfort.

Now, I’m not gonna lie to you. Yes, I laughed while reading Just Show Up. But I also ugly-cried a few times. Like as soon as I started reading Kara’s introduction (I’ve already mentioned the first sentence). Every time I read Jill’s thoughts that begin her sections, the raw emotions and reactions she felt as she journeyed through “hard” with Kara, I ugly-cried. But oh my heart, it’s so worth it.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)

There were several places in this book that brought tears to my eyes. The life and testimony of a woman who knows she is dying but continues to carry on for Christ is a powerful one. Written with the help of her friend, this book examines the question 'when someone is going through a trial, what can I do?'. I think it's a question we've all asked. Not knowing what to do or say, how to act or react can make us uncomfortable when a friend is in the midst of a trial. This reminds us the most important thing we can do is just show up for each other. Even if we have no words, even if we can't offer much. Knowing they aren't alone goes a long way in encouraging someone.
I found several points I related to and examples I could remember from my own experiences. The trial doesn't have to be cancer, although that's what Kara was going through. The only part I didn't appreciate was in the last chapter. The author was talking about how she and Kara will probably be on the 'slightly sinner-side of heaven' where they 'drink beer and dance to loud music'. Even if it was said tongue-in-cheek, that's completely unbiblical and not helpful. The great thing about heaven is there's no sin, we're in God's presence!! We can't comprehend exactly what that means but it does mention that we'll be praising and worshipping God for eternity. In a book meant to give us hope in the face of losing someone we care about, I don't think an unbiblical view of heaven is helpful or encouraging.
But aside from that paragraph, I enjoyed the advice, humor, and honesty of 2 friends who went through much together but were faithful to show up when needed.
I received a preview copy via NetGalley for review but that didn't alter or influence my opinion or review. Book available in Oct 2015.

"The community God has made in the midst of the horrible hard is beautiful to see". It truly is! A community of faithfulness learning to Just Show Up in love. Discipleship.
I cried hard when I read these words.. "Now, my soul whispers, Jesus, come." WOW. THIS IS OUR STORY. I encourage everyone to read this testimony of love. I will again and again. I purchased my digital copy of this love story and will be buying a paper copy.

A story about true friendship. Kara is dying of cancer and Jill is her best friend, this is their story. It's a wonderful book that shows God's faithfulness in all things. There's heartache and even laughter whike the tears are flowing. It helped me realize how important your friends are in your journey through life.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Hardest Peace and following Kara Tippett’s story through her blog, I knew Just Show Up would be a must read. Co-authored with her good friend Jill Lynn Buteyn, this special book shares “the dance of walking through suffering together”.

Kara and Jill share, openly and honestly, their friendship and finding peace and grace in the midst of life’s hard. Walking with someone through suffering is a gift that can change lives. Just Show Up shares both sides of the journey, the giving and the receiving of this precious gift. Not only do Kara and Jill share the value of showing up for each other, they also share tangible ways we can show up for those around us who are struggling or suffering.

Heartfelt and hopeful, Just Show Up is a beautiful book! I encourage you to read it, savor it, and commit to just show up!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I read this book in one sitting. It is such an honest look into the heart of someone in the battle. As a ministry leader and one who walks alongside others in these fights, it was so helpful! Seeing the importance of just showing up in all the different relationships (spouse, children, family, friends) was a great reminder. It's so easy to want to pull away.

I am a huge Kara Tippetts fan. Yes, she's a beacon of light in the darkness of cancer and the shadow of death. Yes, she points to Christ and clings to him in the unknown. But I think what I appreciate most about her and her writing is her God-given wisdom about other things in life. She clearly was a wonderful mentor an discipler for her family and many others and I appreciate so much the thoughtful insight she offers. She was a gentle, kind person and you should read this book, and every other book she has written. They will stick with you and cause you to think about it for many days and weeks to come.

Very powerful read. There are times in our lives when we don't have the answers to solve our friend's problems, but if we just offer that listening ear, that helpful hand, and our presence we can accomplish so much.

Sometimes all we have to do is Just Show Up!

“The beauty in showing up, in choosing to enter the dance even though you might not know the steps, is that God creates something beautiful from our attempts.”

I truly am thankful for the friends in my life. I could write a book of all the stories of all the times my girlfriends were there when I needed. I am truly blessed by the women in my life and don’t know what I would do without them. Whether in the little or big things, the Lord has used them so much. I think of the time when my mom had a heart attack and had to have quadruple bypass surgery, my best friend was there in so many ways, whether picking my up from the airport and taking me to the hospital, to bringing Del Taco and just hanging out since I was at the hospital for two weeks straight.

Like I said, I can share so many other stories, but I know y’all know the kind of friends I’m talking about. This book shares that kind of friendship and I highly recommend it to everyone. Life can be hard and it’s a blessing to have friends to be there by your side in all of it.

With the truth of scripture and rooted in real life emotions, struggles and joy, this book is a story of friendship and, not only how important it is, but how beautiful it is.

This is a book we all should read. Whether you’ve already experienced hard times or not yet, there will be times when we need this story more than others. It’s not easy and it’s really messy, but from it beautiful things can come and this book is a shining example of that.

I loved the honesty from both women, the vulnerability and the practical advice too. It’s a compelling read and worth your time.

When are some times your friends have been a gift to you?

(Thank you to Litfuse and David C Cook for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Originally posted at: http://booksandbeverages.org/2015/10/19/just-show-up-by-kara-tippetts-and-jill-lynn-buteyn-book-review/

This is a moving personal account of a young mother's battle with breast cancer, that became terminal. It records her strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, her struggles, and her care for her husband and children and their futures. It would be a major help to others facing similar battles. The book was particularly moving to me because my wife is a two-time cancer survivor, 13 and 26 years ago, both occasions requiring chemo and surgery but not radiation. "the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Cor. 15:26). But one day it will be destroyed for ever!

The counsel Kara gives in this book is amazing. The practice of silence with a friend who is trought a terminal ill is very conforting. Progress comes from constant practice, so assess where you are and what you can realistically do for your friend.

True, gut wrenching honesty. Everyone needs to read this book, no one is untouched by tragedy and loss. Love how it speaks to both the one in the middle of a battle and to the one watching a loved one go through trials. Encouraging and full of wisdom.

Kara Tippet is a proof of God's grace.
Can we face hardship in life and finish out our life victorious?
Jesus is the ultimate witness, and Kara is following His example,
witnessing too about how all things work together for our good and for God's glory.

Well written and thought provoking. What is really important in life when actually facing the end of your life.
Really reminded me of the last days with my husband and boys.
Friends and family that "just showed up", to just be there for us, feed the dogs, help around the house and yard while I had to work. Just to do whatever needed to be done, or just to sit and watch the tv with my family. Priceless friends are hard to find!

Excellent read. A book of joy, grace, blessings and community. God's faithfulness in the midst of hard circumstances is shared in poignant ways by both Kara and Jill. Whether you are the one walking through that hard time or you are the friend walking alongside someone going through the hard this book is most helpful. The reader will find joy and heartache, laughter and tears, what to say and do, and what not to say and do. Grace all around!

Just finished advance copy- should be required reading for families going through any prolonged illness or suffering. Kara writes both simply and truthfully, with words and thoughts that express what we all feel and consider in such times. She has surely blessed so many already through her books, for which she used so much of the precious time she was given here.

This book so honestly and transparently written reminds us of the importance of showing up for those who are walking through HARD. But it is more than just a how to book ~ it will grab your heart and challenge you as you are drawn into the friendship experienced by Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn as they walk through what it means to Just Show Up.

Kara Tippetts' book demonstrates how the biblical injunction of bearing one another's burdens actually takes place. The pain of terminal disease overwhelms all it inflicts, yet this book indicates how the hope of Christ gives abundant life in the right now despite circumstances. This book ought to be read by all hurting people which would include everyone.

I'm so thankful for this book. It is challenging, encouraging, and convicting. Kara's faith-filled, and honest response to the suffering in her life makes her one of my new heroines of the faith. The book is also a good reminder to continue to pray for her family. I thank the Lord for the gift of people like Kara Tippetts to this world!

Incredible book! We are going through a family health crisis now and finding encouragement and support through their story. So often we feel guilty for saying or doing the wrong thing or worse, doing nothing. What a blessing to be assured that it's ok to not have all the answers and perfect words, but just being there is what matters.

This is what Christian love in action is like!! We need so much more of this in our world!! Kara us with our Lord & Savior cancer free & no more pain or suffering, she watches her husband & babies from heaven awaiting to see them in glory!!

"Just show up" is about friendship with one another and with God. Friendship is the only way to know and be known. When we show up for one another, we share in each others love, pain and sickness. Encouraged that our lives are not a mistake but we are loved with an everlasting love.

This book has been by far the most helpful book I've read on this subject. It has encouraged and challenged me to show up. Showing up isn't easy but it is worth it! This book was very practical, honest and written from experience. I would recommend it!

I have not read this particular book yet, but I have read similar ones sent from David Cook's site and they are all great selections. All seem well written and strike right at the heart of the matter. Just when I think a topic or subject does not pertain to me, it turns and hits home right in the spirit. So, in order to tell the truth, I cannot give it the five stars it is sure to be, but I will give it three because of who referred it.