The Duck Dynasty empire has grown ever-popular with a successful TV series, products, and books including the upcoming release of The Good, the Bad, and the Grace of God: What Honesty and Pain Taught Us About Faith, Family, and Forgiveness written by Jep and Jessica Robertson with Susy Flory. I had the privilege to read this profound book before its release in a few weeks on June 23, 2015.
I was excited to receive an advance reader’s copy of this book from Family Christian in exchange for an honest review. I dove right into this book, excited to learn more about this family who’d already endeared themselves to me through their television series and their display of faith. I wasn’t disappointed. I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up. The one unique, refreshing, and comforting quality that recurred throughout the book was the raw honesty. I don’t think the Robertsons have any skeletons lurking in their proverbial closets because they’ve been very candid about their humanity, past mistakes, and struggles. I genuinely shed some tears while reading this. The tender emotion and rare insight into their lives made me feel like I knew them and they became more and more familiar with each page.
Jep and Jessica share their personal and marital testimonies in alternating chapters, allowing us readers to understand things from each unique point of view. We are privileged to learn of Jep and Jessica’s respective upbringings, how they differ and how they relate. And when the time comes in their telling, we get to witness their love story unfold. And it’s not a fairy tale as we assume it may be. There are some bumps in the road and some downright mountains including Jep’s serious health crisis last year.
They’ve loved, fought (with and for each other), supported, and forgiven each other. They have made faith then family their priorities and their life. I found Jep and Jessica incredibly relatable, especially Jessica in relation to losing your voice in a relationship and with our feelings as mothers. Jessica says, “Many of us girls are easily persuaded, and we can get ourselves into difficult situations where we feel manipulated and silenced. Don’t let that happen to you. Reach out and ask for help.” Wise and resonating words indeed.
This is a true story of overcoming obstacles, addiction, and struggles, of redemption, forgiveness, and grace. Jess and Jep teach us about God’s love and His ability to save us, even from ourselves. They share their imperfections and struggles and demonstrate that they’re truly ordinary people with an extraordinary story of God’s forgiveness and their ability to forgive themselves and each other. I am grateful for their candid openness in sharing their hearts so that we may be encouraged. Preorder your book today so you can read it the minute it becomes available at Family Christian.
