She's Still There: Rescuing the Girl in You

by Chrystal Evans Hurst, Priscilla Shirer (Foreword by)

Overview

Have you wandered from the life you want to live? Chrystal Evans Hurst shares raw and vulnerable stories from her own life to let you know how you too can find your way back after a few missteps. Over 100,000 copies sold!

What happens when a woman looks at herself in the mirror, lingering just a little longer than usual and realizes that she no longer recognizes the person staring back at her? What does she do when she sees that, somehow, her life has drifted away from all her original hopes, dreams, or plans?

Speaker, blogger, and writer Chrystal Evans Hurst wrote this book because she was that woman. One day she realized that she had somehow wandered from the life she was meant to live.

Chrystal since discovered that this moment of awareness happens to lots of women at different seasons of their lives. Poor decisions, a lack of intentionality or planning, or a long-term denial of deep hopes and dreams can leave a woman, old or young, reeling from the realization that she is lost, disappointed, or simply numb.

And she just needs encouragement.

This woman simply needs someone to hold her hand, cheer her on, and believe with her that she is still capable of being the person she intended to be.

Chrystal uses her poignant story of an early and unexpected pregnancy, as well as other raw and vulnerable moments in her life, to let readers know she understands what it's like to try and find your way after some missteps or decisions you didn't plan on. In She's Still There Chrystal emphasizes the importance of the personal process and the beauty of authentically sharing your journey one girlfriend to another. It’s a book of "me toos," reminders of the hoped for, and challenges for the path ahead—to find direction, purpose, and true satisfaction.

Also available: She's Still There DVD series and study guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310347811
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	08/08/2017
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	88,361
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Chrystal Evans Hurst is the bestselling author of She's Still There and co-author of Kingdom Woman, with her father Dr. Tony Evans. She reaches a wide audience speaking at conferences, sharing on her blog and podcast, and teaching and leading women in her home church and around the world. In addition to her work and ministry, Chrystal is a COO (Chief Operating Officer), cultivating hearts and commanding chaos at home. She is a mother of five and homeschools three boys around the kitchen table while hugging two adult girls, a son-in-love, and three grandchildren every chance she gets. Chrystal is grateful to share her life with her husband, Jessie, in their home just outside of Dallas, Texas. You can find Chrystal and the chronicles of her life at chrystalevanshurst.com.

Table of Contents

Foreword Priscilla Shirer 13

Acknowledgments 17

An Open Letter to My Reader 19

Part 1 Fight for Your Life

1 Break a Leg…or Two: You Area Masterpiece 23

2 Full-Blown Ugly Cry: You Are Okay 32

3 Gee out of the Middle of the Road: Own Your Story 41

4 Good Girl… His Girl: A Chapter from My Story 51

5 Hershey and the Highway: The Anatomy of a Drift 60

Part 2 Look at Your Life

6 An Episode from Adolescence: You Are a Soul 71

7 Double Blue Lines: Chronicle of a Collision 80

8 Precious Cargo: Carry Your Contents Carefully 89

9 GAIN Perspective: Look and Listen 96

10 Wake Up and Drive: Participate in the Process 104

11 Follow the Yellow Crumb Road: You Don't Have to Know It All 114

Part 3 Embrace Your Life

12 Sleeping by the Window: Nurturing Your Soul 127

13 A Labor of Love: Finding Purpose in Your Pain 139

14 Rockin' Hot Chocolate: Do What You Can with What You Have 149

15 An Answer, Not the Answer: The Process of Your Progress 158

Part 4 Develop Your Life

16 Dig Deep: Focus on the Finish 169

17 Analysis Paralysis: Make a Decision 177

18 Forty and Fat: Maintain Your Direction by Paying Attention 186

19 People, Places, and Things: Use Discernment 195

20 A Gift You Give Yourself: Exercise Discipline 207

21 Five to Seven Yellow Lines: Just Keep Going 218

Part 5 Encourage Your Life

22 Be Your Own Best Friend: Coach Yourself 229

23 The Monster in Your Mind: Coach Your Head 237

24 Swim against the Current: Coach Your Heart 246

25 Put a Little Sugar on It: Coach Your Hands 256

Part 6 Choose Your Life

26 Practice an Attitude of Gratitude: Choose Celebration 267

27 Run Your Race: Choose Freedom 278

28 The Great Cover-Up: Choose Honesty 285

29 The Sister Circle: Choose Community 292

30 The Butterfly Effect: Dare to Believe Change Is Possible 297

Closing Thoughts for My Reader 305

Gain a New Perspective: Personal Assessment 307

Notes 317

Editorial Reviews

If you’re a woman who’s felt lost, buried, overlooked, or unsure of her identity, this book is written for you. If you’ve ever wondered, “Where did I go? What happened to the girl I thought I’d be?” Chrystal offers the tender comfort of a good friend as well as the swift kick in the pants you need to rise up, own your story, and rescue the buried parts of the girl who is longing to come to life. While it can be hard to own the rocky parts of your story, She’s Still There encourages you to believe that you are a soul uniquely designed by God for a purpose, and gives you the tools you need to rescue the best of the girl in you.

CHRISTINE CAINE

What I love about She’s Still There? Chrystal tells the truth, holding nothing back. She’s honest about her struggles and compassionate about ours. Her wisdom is hard earned and generously shared, and her suggestions are both practical and purposeful. Her wry humor comes through, but so does her heart for God. Chrystal writes from a place of passion and conviction, and so gives her sisters a beautiful gift: freedom. Open it, my friend. You won’t be disappointed!

LIZ CURTIS HIGGS

Surprisingly poignant. Startlingly transparent. Stunningly insightful. Chrystal touched me deeply as I read her milestone book, which is destined to set women free on a deep and meaningful level. Rarely have I read a book so down-to-earth with such heavenly wisdom. Don’t miss this amazing book!

BRUCE WILKINSON

Chrystal puts her finger on our inner struggles as she shares stories of her life. Her heartfelt experiences lead us to courage, faith, and wisdom to live well. Chrystal’s powerful messages always inspire me.

SALLY CLARKSON

Chrystal is honest, hilarious, and full of encouragement for any of us who have looked up and realized life hasn’t gone exactly the way we planned. And isn’t that all of us? She’s Still There is refreshing in its transparency and encouraging in its authenticity. Chrystal reminds us that God never loses sight of us even when we lose sight of ourselves and is always working all things together for our good. You will find yourself sighing with relief, wiping away a few tears, and turning the final page knowing how much you are loved.

MELANIE SHANKLE

Chrystal’s passion for helping women of all generations challenges me as a blogger, mother, and boss. In She’s Still There, Chrystal encourages women to deeply engage in their own stories through healing of the past and embracing the present. If you are trying to resist drifting off course in your life, this book will help you find the purpose God has for you.

SUSAN MERRILL

I love Chrystal’s raw transparency and comical storytelling as she shares from her heart stories of God’s amazing work in her life. Through She’s Still There, you’ll be reminded and encouraged that in life’s ups and downs, good decisions and mistakes, God uses it all for a greater purpose. Be who God created you to be; you’re perfect that way!

ANGELA PERRITT

I love this book. And I love Chrystal. She’s managed to fill each page with hard- fought wisdom and insight. Far too many of us live with our unresolved issues buried beneath the surface, but in a place that wreaks havoc on our souls and skews our perspective. God wants to unearth the things we’ve buried so he can heal and reveal, correct and redirect, and, ultimately, restore us. No matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or what’s been done to you, God can redeem it if you’ll trust him and give him access to your story. Dig in to the material here with expectancy and vulnerability. God is about to do a new thing in you!

SUSIE LARSON

What you’re still looking for? Is right here in your hands. What you’re still hoping to find? Begins with turning these pages. What you’re still holding out for? You’re holding onto right now. Everything that girl you once were ever dreamed of, prayed for, imagined? That girl? She’s still there. And you can still believe. Chrystal’s words are like a healing balm, a strengthening iron, and an envisioning hope. She is one wise guide, gentle counsellor, and needed friend in your journey to find your way back to what you once hoped for. Your soul is begging you to begin.

ANN VOSKAMP

Have you ever met one of those women who made you feel like a friend you could never let go of from the moment you meet? That’s what happened when I met Chrystal, and that’s what will happen to you the moment you crack open this book. Prepare to be comforted and transformed by a woman who embodies the love of God.

SARAH JAKES ROBERTS

Chrystal shares her story with an intimacy that makes the reader feel as if they are sitting down for coffee with her. The truth and vulnerability of Chrystal’s story are packed with wisdom and steps to help anyone regain or discover for the first time the woman they were meant to be. As I devoured Chrystal’s words, I felt as though she were sitting across from me at a coffee shop. She’s the friend we all want. The friend who is real and vulnerable with you and constantly points you to the truth. If you are a woman, this book needs to be in your hands!

JAMIE IVEY

Chrystal cheers us on and calls us out, sharing her unexpected journey, while showing us how to value our souls, accept our processes, refocus our thoughts, and reaffirm our worth as women God created for a purpose we may not yet know, but one worth discovering! Packed with me-too stories, real-life application, and humorous-yet-convicting truth, She’s Still There is a message every women needs. Grab a copy for yourself and a friend!

RENEE SWOPE

Chrystal is a woman who has experienced brokenness, which gives her a huge heart for women who are in the same place. Read this work, which is a reflection of God’s putting her back together as he puts you back together.

DR. ERIC MASON

She’s Still There will help women get out the box of fear and shame and walk in their God given freedom! This is a bold, honest, and lifechanging book!

ERICA CAMPBELL

Chrystal is a fierce lover of God and people. Courage and empathy pour out of this woman. Prepare to be loved and challenged in these words.

JENNIE ALLEN

We celebrate the release of our daughter’s book, She’s Still There. With uncanny honesty, vulnerability, and spiritual insight, Chrystal will lead you on an exciting journey to rescue the girl in you. This groundbreaking work will reconnect you to the joyful and, yes, sometimes tearful discovery of the person God created you to be.

DRS. TONY AND LOIS EVANS

My witty and wise friend Chrystal will help you rediscover your lost dreams and uncover a renewed passion for moving forward. She knows what you’re feeling, but even better, she reveals the decisions you can make to get back on track.

LYSA TERKEURST

A woman’s resurrection journey is an important and powerful conversation to have, even for a husband and wife. She’s Still There is a tool to aid every woman in cultivating her dreams, reigniting her passions, and reviving her heart. Chrystal’s message breathes life into the girl who needs a fresh start. A renewed sense of hope and purpose is just a page away.

KIRK AND TAMMY FRANKLIN

Chrystal writes with the passion and wisdom of a woman who has lived fully and gleaned every lesson life has to offer. She’s Still There is a joy to read and an inspiration for any woman who is ready to break out of a rut and step fully into the abundant life for which she was created.

VALORIE BURTON

If you’re stuck in a life you never imagined and fear you’ve lost the best parts of yourself along the way, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, more than once. It’s crushing, painful. But here’s the good news: you’re holding a lifeline your hands. Through the rich pages of She’s Still There, Chrystal offers honest revelation, warm companionship, and hope-filled truth to help you rediscover the best parts of your life—and yourself.

MICHELE CUSHATT

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