Awful Beautiful Life : When God Shows Up in the Midst of Tragedy

A gripping story of grace, faith, and triumph for a woman whose world shattered hours after her husband's suicide.




Becky Powell faced the unthinkable on May 16, 2013. Her husband Mark called and said, "I've done something terrible." Within hours, she learned that he had taken his own life and, over a period of several years, millions of dollars from friends and colleagues. Everything she believed to be true, the very fiber of her marriage, was called into question. Within a week, rather than planning carpool runs and volunteer fundraisers, she owed almost one hundred creditors millions of dollars and had her own team of ten lawyers. She was also the subject of open FBI, SEC and DOJ investigations--and faced potential criminal charges. And, although she instantly denounced every cent of Mark's $15M in life insurance and promised to repay every penny taken, her lawyers knew that in reality she faced years of court battles and lawsuits, and possible jail time.




Yet from that first horrific moment, God was there. He showed up in His Word, in Becky's friends, in her lawyers and in the generosity of those around her. He worked miracles. CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and others covered the first moment, but what about the last? What about the story in which God gives your next breath because you can't find it on your own? What about the story of a mom and three kids trying to make sense of their pasts, present and future while living under a microscope?

Awful Beautiful Life is Becky's journey through the two years surrounding Mark's death and how she overcame. It came down to a loving God who surrounded her, a present and dedicated family, and friends, who made her life, offered her sanctuary and showed up for her and her kids in tangible ways. This is a story of remarkable grit, strength, and what the Body of Christ in action looks like.

BECKY POWELL now works as an insurance agent. Her oldest children, Madison and Boone, have graduated from Baylor University and her youngest, John Luke, is a freshman in college. Alongside her career, Becky remains active in her church and volunteer work, including Helping Hand Home and YoungLife. She and her three children live in Austin, Texas.





KATHERINE REAY is a national bestselling and award-winning author of several novels. She has enjoyed a lifelong affair with books and brings that love to her contemporary stories. Awful Beautiful Life is her first full-length nonfiction work. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University and currently lives outside Chicago, IL with her husband and three children. Publishing credits also include Redbook, USAToday, Christianity Today and FamilyFiction.