Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet

Tasting the Goodness of God in All Things

By: Sara Hagerty

Narrated by: Jennifer Richmond

Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Sara Hagerty masterfully draws from her own story of spiritual and physical barrenness to birth in listeners a new longing for God. With exquisite storytelling and reflection, Hagerty guides listeners to a tender place that God is holding just for them—a place where he shapes the bitterness of lost expectations into deep, new places of knowing Him.

In the age of fingertip access to answers and a limitless supply of ambitions, where do we find the God who was birthed in dirt and straw? Sara Hagerty found him when life stopped working for her. She found him when she was a young adult mired in spiritual busyness and when she was a new bride with doubts about whether her fledgling marriage would survive. She found him alone in the night as she cradled her longing for babies who did not come. She found him as she kissed the faces of children on another continent who had lived years without a mommy’s touch.

In Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet, Hagerty masterfully draws from the narrative of her life to craft a mosaic of a God who leans into broken stories. Here readers see a God who is present in every changing circumstance. Most significantly, they see a God who is present in every unchanging circumstance as well.

Whatever lost expectations listeners are facing—in family, career, singleness, or marriage—Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet will bring them closer to a God who longs for them to know him more. What does it look like to know God’s nearness when life breaks? What does it mean to receive his life when earthly life remains barren? How can God turn the bitterness of unmet desire into new flavors of joy?

With exquisite storytelling and reflection, Hagerty brings listeners back to hope, back to healing, back to a place that God is holding for them alone—a place where the unseen is more real than what the eye can perceive. A place where every bitter thing is sweet.

©2014 Zondervan (P)2014 Zondervan

Beautiful, spoken from the heart.

This story resonated with my heart. The only issue is with the audio editing. Beautiful .

Great book annoying production.

I love this book but sadly the production was poorly done. There are repeats in the audio throughout. I thought about returning it cause it seems so careless. I've had similar problems with other books from this company.
The book was lovely. She made me feel her story while giving wisdom. Such a beautiful testimony to the love of God!I'm

God is Good

Just finished this book. It was very raw and real about hurt, pain, and how Jesus draws you near in those hours. It really addressed barrenness… but it applied to any kind of empty waiting. It was a good book. And a spoke of God’s Goodness. He is good even in the midst of unanswered prayers and sorrow. It is something I had learned before and am reminded of now. He is good and we don’t have to understand our circumstances to experience His goodness.

So so good

Beautiful! Thank you, beauty and so much learned in barrenness! Could relate to every word!

very encouraging.

Loved it. I enjoyed the decriptive writing, but at times It became too much. It became a little hard to follow. I would like to hear it again. Good narration. I will definitely recommend it to friends.

Amazing story

Oh this was the balm my questioning heart needed. Sara’s rare telling of her life’s story was a comforting mentor of sorts to my hurting spirit and soul. Thankful for her words and how God is/has used them to help heal my broken places.

A Long Pity Party

Sarah comes across as a spoiled girl who is ungrateful for the gifts God has already showered upon her because she can only focus on her barren-ness. If 3/4 of her lamentations were removed, this would be a good book on waiting upon the Lord. But then it would only be a short story instead of a book. I hope that some day she will realize that this is not the book she should have written.

Terrible audio editing!

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

This is a beautiful story, but it was hard to get past the nasal narrator and the horrible audio editing. Right off the bat, the story jumped to the middle of the book. This happened a few times. The most annoying, was the repeating of sentences throughout the book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Jennifer Richmond’s performances?

Yes, in book form.

Any additional comments?

Again, this is a lovely story, it's just a shame no one took the time to make sure the audio version was ready for an audience.