Have you ever wondered how to do friendship well during cancer or suffering?
Kara and I wrote Just Show Up from both of our perspective's--the person suffering and the friend role. We talk about what works, what doesn't, how we messed up, and what we learned as Kara battled breast cancer. If you want to learn to love those around you well when life is messy, then these heartfelt pages are for you.
"Kara Tippetts changed my life and thousands of others’ lives because she was a rare, singular voice who, when facing the end of her life here, had street cred to speak about what really matters. Open these rich, radical pages and give yourself the gift of friendship like you’ve always wanted and community like you’ve only hoped for—before it’s too late to just show up."
Ann Voskamp, New York Times bestselling author of One Thousand Gifts
"Just Show Up should be mandatory reading for everyone 18 years old and older.
We are all going to face "the big hard," as authors Kara Tippets and Jill Buteyn describe suffering that takes us out at the knees. Kara Tippets, who went home to Jesus on March 22, 2015, as mentioned early on in the book, faced a long battle with breast cancer, but completed her contribution to the book before her death. Jill Buteyn "showed up" during this time -- and learned how to keep showing up. What they share will help others know how to love ... how to "invade each other in love and become witnesses to the truth that trials and sickness and pain are not the whole story." (Quote by Kara Tippets.)
As Jill Buteyn said: "Life isn't Pinterest, is it?"
Just Show Up takes is past the perfection of our Pinterest-y lives into the realities of the hard stuff: sickness, grief, loneliness, hurt ... and teaches us through real life experience how to show up for others who are hurting.
"Showing a person they matter in the midst of their suffering is a gift you can give." (Quote by Jill Buteyn)
This book is a keeper ... it's also a book to be shared with others. "Beth K. Vogt, Author of Things I Never Told You
"I had a friend suffer through an agonizing battle with cancer. She finally won the battle when she went home with her Savior. Guilt took root inside my heart during her fight as I felt like I wasn’t “showing up” the way I thought I was supposed to. I didn’t feel I gave her what she needed from me. I wasn’t “that” person. But, after allowing the words in Just Show Up to sink in–really SINK IN–I realized I did show up. I showed up in the way I was gifted. I showed up in the way I knew how. I did what I do well. And, looking back, I realize that she had a community of women surrounding her. Each of those women had a special gift, a way they showed up. Together, we walked the journey with her.
Just Show Up speaks from the heart of Kara Tippetts as she goes through her hard journey and from the hearts of the women who came around her to support her and each other as they worked toward one purpose–Showing Up. Jill gives practical advice on what to say and what not to say when people are hurting as well as how to do what you do well and allow others to do their “thing”.
Just when I thought my heart couldn’t take anymore, Jill would throw in little bits of humor. (I loved that by the way.) I totally could relate when she said, “I’m an introvert (text, don’t call) and I prefer to enjoy my misery alone.” GUILTY! Seriously though, it reminded me that we all deal with hurt and pain in different ways and we need to be open to it. God made us all unique for a reason!
I began the journey with Jill and Kara with a lump in my throat, cautious of where they were going to take me. I laughed here and there and (I have to admit) I cried in the end. This book was healing to my heart.
Just Show Up. It’s about Community. It’s about Friendship. It’s about women loving women. It’s about BEING."
Lisa, Goodreads Review
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