There is a lot to say about a woman who has endured as much in life as Ms. Nichol! That she has lived to not only tell her story, but lead others to hope daily, speaks volumes for the convictions she must hold near and dear to her heart, and walk in! Having walked through much, and some things similar to Ms. Nichol, I can attest to the amount of strength it takes, but it isn’t until you let God have it, that your truly realize where you need to let that strength rest. (In His arms.) Fortunately, Shellie Nichol discovered this too.
A little background on the author of Destination: Hope – A Guide Through Unexpected Journeys:
Shellie was physically and mentally abused as a child, molested, bullied, rejected, battered, lived through two divorces, fought off cervical cancer, lost a child, suffered from an eating disorder, experienced debilitating panic, anxiety, ADD, OCD…and right then, in the throes of hard-won peace and happiness, a doctor pronounced a death sentence for her first-born.
That’s when the real journey began. And now readers can marvel at her survival skills in Destination: Hope – A Guide Through Life’s Unexpected Journeys. Written as a road trip, this memoir/self-help book asks readers to buckle themselves into the passenger seat as Shellie chauffeurs them on a ride through life’s losses and recoveries.
And yes—the destination really is HOPE.
“In the midst of everything, I made a choice—a conscious choice—to believe in the sovereignty of God,” says Shellie. “Once I believed that, I found hope. Once I found hope, I gained courage. With courage came endurance to withstand absolutely anything that came my way. And because of the endurance, my heart was changed and I was mentally free to help others on their journeys.”
In Destination: Hope the reader will find 14 easily-readable chapters. Shellie guides readers through personal tragedy, helps them identify emotional crossroads, then challenges them to take the same steps she and others took in similar situations. Each chapter ends with a poignant invitation for readers to “Think, Feel, Do” something—anything—to find hope in the midst of strife and God’s grace along the way. (Courtesy of Adams PR Group)
From a review standpoint, I have to be honest: I didn’t enjoy the way this book was written. It’s a little out of the ordinary in how it’s divided up and the voice it’s written in. I found it not containing as much depth as I’d hoped so was somewhat disappointed. Perhaps the point of the book is to lead you to Ms. Nichol’s national radio station. I also heard a lot about God but do not recall a word about Jesus Christ being her savior…so, as a disciple of Christ, this perks up my spirit a bit. The omission could have been on purpose (you know, as not to offend people) but if you are claiming God has healed you, Jesus’ name needs to be in there if you’re a Christian. At least she’s giving God the glory.
Despite what I’ve just stated, Nichol’s personal testimony, as it is written in the book, is enough to give anyone who’s walked through any amount of trial hope that God is real, He is there to walk with you through the most difficult times and hold your hand after. I appreciate her courage in sharing and allowing God to write HIStory through her, and that she doesn’t hold back the hard stuff in the details!
I’m sure this book will be a great source of encouragement to anyone who needs a ray of hope through the storms of life!
You can learn more about Shellie and this ministry of hope at:
http://www.adamsprgroup.com/destination-hope-by-shellie-nichol.html
You can find the book at:
https://www.amazon.com/Destination-Hope-Through-Unexpected-Journeys/dp/1942557264