Lies to Love: Everything Happens for a Reason

While at times I found “Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved” by Kate Bowler incredibly annoying, it has stuck with me for weeks after finishing reading it. Maybe because she had the guts to say what she thinks even if they may be wildly unpopular opinions. There were some themes that I found troubling. They completely go against my own core beliefs about life and death and the medical system, but I will expand on that later. I recognize that we all have different opinions. Reading books from authors I don’t agree with gives me an excellent opportunity to grow.

I also have to acknowledge that I have never been in the exact position of the author in the book. Even if I had, I would not have her same experiences behind me. So I am doing my best to release any judgment about those views. I hope my insights from reading this memoir help me be with people in their pain instead of minimizing or looking past it. I have gained a lot of perspective by seeing Kate Bowler’s thoughts at this difficult time in her life.

Plot

In a nutshell, the author, Kate Bowler is sick. She went to doctor after doctor trying to diagnose pain in her stomach and it was ignored. When she finally got proper testing, she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer.