For most women, a miscarriage represents the end of a dream. For Alexis Chanyl, it was the beginning of a journey. Reeling from the loss of Mercy, the daughter she would never meet, she sought out a productive way to cope, to connect, to share her story with other women and help them make sense of their own stories. Then she wrote them all down in For Mercy: Lessons I Would Have Taught My Daughter.
For Mercy is not a book about miscarriage, or even a self-help guide. Instead, it’s a love letter to girls and women everywhere, reminding them that they are seen, they are important, they are smart, and they are beautiful. Inspired by the overwhelming love she felt for her daughter, Chanyl asked herself what she wished she had known growing up and, and what might inspire other women to feel better about themselves, expand their minds and give more to the world. The result is 100 lessons about life and love and what it means to be female, providing a fresh perspective on life’s big and small questions—from how to decide what you want in life to the importance of staying hydrated.
As much an act of sisterhood as it is an act of motherhood, For Mercy was written to help readers find themselves in its lessons and see life, situations, circumstances, and God just a little bit differently. It’s a book that will remind you that life is worth living, that growth is a process, and that while nothing is perfect, joy and fulfillment are possible for everyone.
