Through the Storm
By Lynn Spears

Posted on December 10, 2008 12:00 AM MST by Sara Richardson

Even those of us who aren’t all that into the entertainment scene heard the reports about Brittany Spears’ infamous fall from stardom. The weird behavior, the mishaps with her kids, the routine court appearances. Through the eyes of the media, all of America watched her crumble, and it was hard not to wonder what went wrong.

In her recently released book, Through the Storm, Lynn Spears talks about the pain of watching her daughter fall apart, as well as about their family life, her personal faith, and how things quickly spiraled out of control.  Throughout the book, Spears is both honest and vulnerable, discussing her failings as well as her hopes and dreams for her kids. This book gives the reader a real sense of what it’s like to be in the spotlight, what it’s like to live under constant scrutiny, and how a family can go through the worst of times and still pull together.

Reading this book tore away the assumptions I had made—that maybe she wrote it for personal gain, that she only wanted to justify her actions and set the record straight. Instead, I saw her as a mom. Just a mom who was supporting her kids, trying to make their dreams come true, loving them the best way she knew how. Instead of focusing solely on Brittany and Jamie Lynn’s fame, Spears tells her own story, recounting memories from her childhood, from her early years as a mom, and from her troubled marriage. She brings everything together acknowledging that the events and experiences in her life were all part of God’s plan. In the last chapter she states, “When I reflect, I realize something: the fame that came crashing into my life may have been a shock to me, but God was not surprised. Everything that has happened to my family has passed through his hands.”

Through the Storm reminds us that the people we see in the tabloids are real. They have real issues, real concerns, real struggles. Their problems are no less painful than ours. It also reminds us that even in the worst of circumstances, we can seek healing and hope in a relationship with God. “My roots and my small town and my friends have always kept my feet planted on solid earth, but the single biggest grounding force in my life has been my faith. I would not have been able to survive the hurricane of fame without God’s abiding strength and comfort.”  (p. 199)

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