Courage to Live
Author Julie Fillinger says, “As long as there’s pain and suffering in the world, there’s a need for us to tell our stories, and this is mine.” In Courage to Live: Learning to Live Again After Loss Julie shares the raw, honest story of her survival after the death of her oldest son. She describes her grief journey during which she discovered joy and sorrow can coexist and God’s grace is sufficient. She shares practical ways she managed her grief, and discusses what others did and did not do to help during her journey. God’s plan for living eternally is her “not so secret” secret for survival. Julie’s wisdom and faith inspire courage and endurance through suffering, so you emerge stronger than you imagined, with lasting, sustaining Hope.
Release Date July 1, 2024
New Book Release
What people are saying…
Courage in the face of trauma
In his classic work The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis said that ‘courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.’ In the pages of this beautifully written book saturated in a faith refined by fire, Julie Fillinger models what courage in the face of trauma looks like. You will discover where the roots of courage are planted, and you will see how one can maintain hope for the long haul of life, whatever twists and turns you may face. As you read her story, as you listen in on her process of grief and recovery, you will be accompanied by a wise, vulnerable and trustworthy guide. I was deeply impacted by this book, and believe you will be, as well.
Embracing life amidst pain
It takes courage to be a participant rather than an observer of life. In this riveting account, Julie details her lowest valley through the shadows and the step-by-step process of embracing life while experiencing incredible pain and loss.
Author and radio host
The comforting nearness of God
Though God tells us clearly in His Word that we, as believers, do not grieve as the world grieves, like people without hope, the reality is that we do still grieve. In the pages of Courage to Live: Learning to Live Again After Loss, Julie Fillinger testifies in the heart-wrenching pages of her story, to the comforting nearness of God as well as the hope He provides in the midst of our deepest valleys.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 we read that when the Lord compassionately ministers to us in our most profound troubles, He equips us to one day comfort others with that same comfort that we ourselves received from Him. Needless to say, there is no one better equipped to comfort and encourage you as you journey through the valley of grief and confusion than Julie.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 we read that when the Lord compassionately ministers to us in our most profound troubles, He equips us to one day comfort others with that same comfort that we ourselves received from Him. Needless to say, there is no one better equipped to comfort and encourage you as you journey through the valley of grief and confusion than Julie.
A trusted guide when wrestling with faith
As a pastor, when I try to comfort those who have experienced the pain of loss, I wonder if my words ring hollow since I cannot say to them that “I have been there.” But Julie Fillinger has. With unflinching honesty and a clear love for scripture, Julie explores the profound pain of grief and wrestles with faith. If you or someone you love has experienced loss, wondering if God’s grace is really sufficient, let Julie be a trusted guide to give you the courage to live.
Pastor, First Baptist Church Cullman, AL
Finding true joy in the face of incredible loss
Whether you’ve suffered the loss of a loved one or desire to comfort others in their grief, Julie Fillinger helps readers direct their hearts to the all sufficient grace of God in Christ. Courage to Live is born out of Julie’s real life pain in losing her son Nicholas, it’s rooted in the sure hope of the Gospel, and it’s filled with practical wisdom on how to find true joy in the face of incredible loss.
Senior Pastor at Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory, TN
Tenderness and transparency through deep grief
New authors are often encouraged to “write what you know.” In Courage to Live, author Julie Fillinger writes candidly on a topic no parent wishes to experience – the loss of a child. With both tenderness and full transparency, Julie shares the story of the life and death of her teenage son, Nicholas, and the ways both painful and slow that she has learned to live with his loss. Though deep grief has been her uninvited companion on the journey, Julie invites others to walk with her through suffering as she offers faith-infused hope and practical help to others navigating this path.
Author of This Life We Share
Saying goodbye too soon
Losing a child is devastating and heartbreaking. The grief is so intense that no words describe the mourning that goes on and on without relief. Breathing is difficult and thinking is nearly impossible. For those whose child took an early journey home, author Julie Fillinger understands how it feels to say goodbye too soon. In Courage To Live, this mother recounts the loss that forever altered her life, her journey through grief to grace, and the life-giving hope found in Jesus Christ.
Bestselling author of
40 books including The Patent, Homeless for the
Holidays, and The Ten Best
Decisions A Single Mom
Can Make
40 books including The Patent, Homeless for the
Holidays, and The Ten Best
Decisions A Single Mom
Can Make
Vividly captures the depths of grief
Many books have been published about loss and grief, but never have I read a book that so vividly and transparently captures the depth of those emotions as does Julie Fillinger’s Courage to Live. Any reader dealing with the trauma of loss (especially the unexpected loss of a child) will find here a friend, someone who truly understands, and encouragement that gets at the heart of finding “courage to live.” I would recommend this to anyone suffering loss or desiring to help a hurting friend.
Bringing light from darkness
Julie Fillinger shares the grief waves that wash over her when she loses her teenage son to a tragic death. She guides the reader through her painful journey by sharing specific strategies and advice that gave her peace, strength, and hope on the other side of the tragedy. A true story that brings light from darkness through her trust in God.