Let Yourself Be Loved | Book Review

 Review of Elizabeth Leon's Book - Let Yourself Be Loved - Big Lessons from a Small Life.

At the fag end of 2021, I came across @LoveBookTours on Instagram and signed up to be a host for the book tours. I am happy to say this is one of the best things that happened last year! I have been accepted as a host for a long list of books and this is my first review!

Let's move on to the book....

At a Glance:  

• Title - Let Yourself Be Loved - Big Lessons from a Small Life
• Author - Elizabeth Leon
• Pages - 210
• Publishers - Koehler Books 
• Format - Paperback / Kindle / Hardcover
• Publication Date - Jan 4, 2022

Blurb :

LET YOURSELF BE LOVED  explores the heart of a mother carrying a baby to term with the certainty of death. Diagnosed with trisomy 18, John Paul Raphael Leon lived only twenty-eight hours and ten minutes. Elizabeth Leon writes with unflinching honesty about the tsunami of grief and the exquisite agony of choosing to live and love in its wake. With vulnerability and courage, she surrenders to God's plan and learns to embrace the fragility of life and the nearness of death. In the depression that follows her son's death, Elizabeth Leon is forced to examine her own brokenness and confront the holy mystery of John Paul Raphael's short and shining life: in the light of faith, our deepest sufferings are an invitation to joy. Let Yourself Be Loved is a road map to find that joy in the shadow of the valley of death

My Review :

This is a heartbreaking story of John Paul Raphael Leon and a mother’s journey through a pregnancy filled with love and anguish.

The author’s 7^th pregnancy at 45 was a cause for concern. She was still recovering from her first marriage and with 5 kids of her own and 4 stepchildren from her second marriage to Ralph; she was plagued by self-doubt and self-rejection. The initial screening and scans were normal but the first trimester tests revealed a one in five chance of the baby having either Trisomy 18 or 13. Babies do not survive this chromosomal defect and either die in the womb or during delivery.

A strong network of friends and family made the pain bearable. Faith in God and prayer for a miracle kept the couple going.  The later scans revealed 5 symptoms consistent with Trisomy 18 which were independently not life-threatening and chances were they would resolve at a later date. But things did not turn out as they hoped.

A professional team answered their questions and cleared their numerous doubts throughout. Several other tests followed. They were not able to a conclusive picture and the parents decided to make decisions based on the course of the pregnancy and the birth of the baby.

After the birth of the baby and then losing it within a day was both the best and the worst that had happened. How she overcame this unbearable loss is what the remaining book is about.

Throughout the book, we can see the fact that a mother’s love for her child is in no way hindered by the child’s defects or deficiencies. She continued her pregnancy despite knowing the outcome. Prayers for a miracle and immense faith in the Lord were what kept the couple going. Elizabeth has candidly shared her journey of loss and how she struggled to come to terms with the grief and rage that followed it.

It is indeed a way to find joy in the shadow of death and the saddest story with the happiest ending!

The cover of the book is simple yet appealing. The language is straight forward and you can feel yourself walking with Elizabeth through every step of her journey. Loved the quotes and affirmations at the start of every chapter.

There are some questions for further reflection at the end of each chapter and also as a compiled list at the end. Resources such as Playlist for child loss and grief, Books and resources for child loss, grief, and Trisomy 18 will be helpful for parents facing similar circumstances.

I did tear up in places and sent up a prayer or two for Little baby John Paul.

 About the Author :

Elizabeth Leon is a Catholic wife and mother from Ashburn, Virginia. She has been a leader in ministry and faith formation for more than twenty-five years and inspires others to find freedom and healing in Christ through her speaking and writing. Her gift is her willingness to be vulnerable and love with a heart wide open despite the brokenness of divorce, adultery, death, and abuse. She and her husband, Ralph, are the parents of ten children-five of hers, four of his, and their son, John Paul Raphael, who died in 2018.

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Check out the 80+ books that I have reviewed so far on the Book Reviews page and let me know if you see any of your favorites!

Until the next post....