If you could talk to your younger self, what would you tell her? If you could equip her for the challenges she would face today, with the Church plagued by scandal and the culture on the verge of collapse, what would you say?
In Letters to Myself from the End of the World, Emily Stimpson Chapman answers those questions, weaving Catholic theology, biblical wisdom, and her own life experience into forty-five “letters” to her twenty-five-year-old self.
Both personal and practical, Chapman’s letters reflect upon sin and grace, the Church’s sacraments and saints, scandals and injustice, social media and prayer, suffering, adoption, motherhood, and much more. Written in real time, during the summer and fall of 2020, while pandemics and riots filled the news and as Chapman and her husband prepared to adopt a second child, Letters to Myself from the End of the World is a faithful guide for pursuing holiness and spiritual maturity in a world broken by sin. It’s also a testimony to the power of grace to heal our hearts, renew our minds, and transform our lives.
Includes a free PDF discussion guide. To purchase this discussion guide separately, click here.
Emily Stimpson Chapman is an award-winning Catholic author of over a half-dozen books, including Hope to Die: The Christian Meaning of Death and the Resurrection of the Body, co-authored with Scott Hahn; The Catholic Table: Finding Joy Where Food and Faith Meet; These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body; and The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years. She also is the editor of the high school faith formation series Formed in Christ and the author of numerous studies for the women’s ministry Endow. Chapman lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, Chris, and their three young children.
Reviews
2020 was a year that none of us will easily forget. Between the pandemic, political strife and social unrest, it was easy to lose hope and fear the worst. This book, however, is a wonderful reminder that no matter the circumstance, our Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. Emily is a marvelous writer and reminds us of this fact while discussing a wide range of topics with wit and humor. There is a raw authenticity to her writing that is very compelling. The entire book is full of wisdom and sage advice, but the last two sections (“On Prayer” and “The Last Things”) were my personal favorites. I highly recommend this book!
