With Her Last Breath

When Barbara M. Roberts first heard that her niece, Kathy, had taken her life, the pain was so bad she could barely stand it. If only she had called her more often; if only they had taken her to dinner one more time; if only she had taken her ‘suicide talk’ more seriously.

Suicide happens so often in our society that it now almost seems normal. People used to think that Christians did not commit suicide. But when Barbara read through Kathy’s 26-page journal, written within the last 36 hours of her life, she knew she was experiencing something the likes of which she had never seen in all her years of pastoral ministry. Kathy’s journal not only details the act itself, but her reasoning behind her suicide—a depiction of why she could not stay here on this earth one more day, looking forward instead to her hope of Heaven. Each chapter of With Her Last Breath is tied to a page in Kathy’s journal, intertwining the pages with stories of others and tools to help those who are suicidal or their loved ones, including what to watch for, how to care, and where to turn. Hearing others’ stories of suffering, those struggling with suicide in any manner are able to make more sense out of their own suffering and emerge with a vision of God’s love and faithfulness.