We want to live with joy. But life is hard. Culture tells us to ignore the hard and focus on the positive. But science shows that actually makes us more depressed and physically ill. In her transparent, hopeful way, Jillian Benfield shows how we can live with the joy Jesus promises—not by ignoring our dark circumstances and emotions, but by practicing a truer way of living: embracing the '&' in life.



Through sharing psalms, scientific findings, personal stories, and journaling prompts, Jillian
offers encouraging, practical ways we can be real about our hard things & be grateful for the good things. She shows how we can be honest about our hardships & aware of God's goodness. We can acknowledge our pain & keep our eyes open to the beauty still unfolding. We can be overwhelmed, grieving, stressed, angry, confused, and unsure & we can be grateful.



Because the truth is, life is hard & life is beautiful. True gratitude is found at this intersection & leads to the joyful, abundant life God promises—no matter what is going on around us.