When Joy Came to Stay

Rating:
Summary: a wonderful message of God's grace and forgiveness
Review: Maggie Stovall had been living a lie for many years in both her private and public life. As she struggles to maintain the persona of Maggie that everyone knows, she gradually loses control of her life. As her depression deepens, she deserts her church life, her foster children, and finally her husband. Unable to take the pressures of day to day living any longer, she puts herself in a mental hospital and serves her husband with divorce papers. The ensuing story is twofold; plot one deals with Maggie's struggle to overcome her past and her depresson while plot two involves her husband's delving into Maggie's past while searching for answers. Entwined in these two ongoing plotlines is the story of a little girl who is "lost" is the foster care system and only wants someone to love her. Kingsbury's plots and subplots will keep you reading, and this is a wonderful story of God's redemption and unconditional love.

Rating:
Summary: Depression is a real problem...even in today's church
Review: My goal in writing "When Joy Came to Stay" was to help hundreds of thousands of women of all faiths realize that they are not alone. It really is time to take off our masks of perfection and walk in the honesty of God's grace. For only there will we find the courage to walk forward in victory. There is something about Maggie Stovall's story that will touch you, change you...and perhaps help spread compassion and healing among those hurting in the dark shadows of depression.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: This book did a really good job of dealing with 2 issues: 1. The foster care system and 2. Depression and the masks that people hide behind to hide their problems. The book described
how flawed the foster care system is in allowing abusive people be foster parents and how some kids are shuffled from home to
home, as Amanda was. The book also dealt sensitively with the subject of depression. The book talked about how depression
is not a weakness, but how depression can be caused by years of stress, as Maggie was under with her secret about her baby.
The book also mentioned that for some people, that medication can be an answer to prayer. Maggie was thinking that good
Christians didn't get depressed and was afraid of what people would think of her, yet, as she learned through her treatment
program, that is not the case.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: This book did a really good job of dealing with 2 issues: 1. The foster care system and 2. Depression and the masks that people hide behind to hide their problems. The book described
how flawed the foster care system is in allowing abusive people be foster parents and how some kids are shuffled from home to
home, as Amanda was. The book also dealt sensitively with the subject of depression. The book talked about how depression
is not a weakness, but how depression can be caused by years of stress, as Maggie was under with her secret about her baby.
The book also mentioned that for some people, that medication can be an answer to prayer. Maggie was thinking that good
Christians didn't get depressed and was afraid of what people would think of her, yet, as she learned through her treatment
program, that is not the case.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: This is a book you will not want to put down. It is a book of God's unfailing love and forgivness that is ours for the taking. It is also a living tale of God's protection and perfect plan for all of us. What an outstanding tale!!

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: This is a book you will not want to put down. It is a book of God's unfailing love and forgivness that is ours for the taking. It is also a living tale of God's protection and perfect plan for all of us. What an outstanding tale!!

Rating:
Summary: Pure Devotion and Pure Joy
Review: When Christ enters our lives, it's a feeling you will never forget. Christ worked a wonderful miracle for Ben and Maggie. Maggie shut down her heart to her husband and to Christ. She had such a massive secret and deep depression, she shut her whole world out. Is what Maggie finds out is, Christ did not shut her out. He helped her through her feelings about her daughter as well as her husband. Kingsbury once again does a tremendous job on a novel. Depression does happen to Christians. Kingsbury shows us with the Lords strength and scripture, He does lead us to joy. This is an incredible story of Maggie and Ben Stovell, then enters Amanda, Maggies daughter she gave up for adoption years ago. Ben thought he married a wonderful, pure virgin. If it wasn't for the dedication and devotion from her husband Ben,and Orchards Hospital, Maggie would have been lost. Through Christ they both learned to forgive each other and find Joy in the end. This novel sends a strong message about depression and how Christ never leaves us, even if you think you have left Him. Get your tissues ready!