Lysa TerKeurst
Lysa TerKeurst (born July 21, 1969) is an American speaker and author of Christian non-fiction. She has written more than a dozen books, including the #1 "New York Times" bestsellers "Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely""" and "Forgiving What You Can't Forget". She is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Career. TerKeurst is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, which started as a small newsletter published in 1994 by Jennifer McHugh but expanded in 1995 when TerKeurst and Marybeth Whalen got involved. After growing the organization, TerKeurst led the way for the  newsletter to be transformed into Proverbs 31 Ministries reaching millions of women daily with Biblical truth and wisdom. TerKeurst published her first book, "Living Life on Purpose: Discovering God's Best for Your Life", in 2000. Several of her books have been "New York Times" bestsellers, including "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way", "Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions", "Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely", "Forgiving What You Can't Forget", and "The Best Yes": "Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands". "It's Not Supposed  to Be This Way" was on the "New York Times" bestseller list for 13 weeks. "Uninvited" was on the "New York Times" bestseller list for 31 weeks. "The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands" was on the "New York Times" bestseller list for six weeks. Critical reception. Her books "Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely", "Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again", and "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way" received  starred reviews from "Publishers Weekly". A review for her 2014 book "The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands" reads, "TerKeurst's often self-deprecating humor and ability to be vulnerable, combined with insightful Bible references, make this a book women can relate to in a hundred little ways each day". In 2015, TerKeurst published a book for children, "Win or Lose, I Love You!", which was illustrated by Jana Christy. This book was met with mixed reception from "Publishers Weekly", which wrote, "As a teaching tool, it's sure to have its uses, though the  story itself never rises beyond its instructive goals". "Kirkus Reviews" similarly received the book as, "Didactic? To be sure, but it’s a much-needed lesson that goes down easily". "Publishers Weekly" praised the conversational tone of TerKeurst's 2016 book "Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely". The audiobook adaptation was read by Ginny Welsh. About her 2018 book "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way", "Publishers Weekly" noted "[h]er transparency, wit, and spiritual insight make this skillfully crafted volume feel like time spent in honest conversation with a trusted friend". "Publishers Weekly  gave the 2020 book Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again" a positive review, noting, "TerKeurst’s fans will love this stirring, realistic look at confronting the arduous aspects of forgiveness". Personal life. TerKeurst is a native of Tallahassee, Florida. Her parents divorced when she was in middle school. She was raised a Christian, but gave up on her faith when her 16-month-old sister died. She graduated from Furman University in South Carolina. In 2008, TerKeurst published an essay about an  abortion she had before her marriage. She has five children. Terkeurst reconciled with her husband Art TerKeurst, who she said was repeatedly unfaithful and abused substances. In December 2018, TerKeurst and her husband renewed their vows near their home in Waxhaw, N.C. In January of 2022, TerKeurst announced on social media that she had finally decided to end their marriage. "I now believe the wisest (and hardest) choice I can make is to stop fighting to save my marriage of 29 years and, instead, accept reality."