Living Brave: Lessons from Hurt, Lighting the Way to Hope

“Shannon’s struggle, defiance, strength, and power emanate from every page. That kind of brave can be trusted." — Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Untamed and Founder of Together Rising

For all women looking to find “hope in a hopeless world and bravery in an age that seems to lack it,” comes a searing memoir by Shannon Dingle, a writer and disability advocate who has navigated loss, trauma, abuse, spiritual reawakening, and deep pain—and come out the other side still hopeful.

Shannon Dingle has experienced more than her fair share of tragedy and trauma in her life, including surviving sexual abuse and trafficking as a child that left her with lasting disabilities and experiencing faith shifts that put her at odds with the evangelical church that had been her home. Then, in July 2019, Shannon’s husband was tragically killed by a rogue wave while the family was on vacation. The grief of the aftermath of losing her love and life partner sits at the heart of Living Brave, where Shannon’s searing, raw prose, illustrates what it looks like to take brave steps on the other side of unimaginable loss.

Through each challenge, she reveals the ways she learned to walk through them to the other side, and find courage even through the darkest moments. Living Brave gives women permission to wrestle with difficult topics, to use their voice, to take a stand for justice, to honor the wisdom of their bodies, and to enact change from a place of strong faith. 

This is a story of surviving the unimaginable—and a guide to finding your own way through.

• A Young Widow's Story: Shannon Dingle shares the heart-wrenching, minute-by-minute story of losing her husband in a freak accident and having to tell their six children he was gone.
• Surviving the Unspeakable: With unflinching honesty, she writes about her journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and trafficking, and how that history informed her response to sudden loss.
• Spiritual Awakening: A raw look at navigating a profound faith crisis, questioning the evangelical church of her past, and finding a more authentic belief on the other side of pain.
• Chosen Family: Discover the power of the community that shows up, from the friends who arrived at the hospital to the framily who helps a disabled single mother of six learn to live again.
• Hope Is the Bravest Thing: An invitation to find courage in the darkest moments, permission to wrestle with hard questions, and proof that light can still shine after the unimaginable.