Kate Braestrup’s memoir Here If You Need Me was one that I first saw on the Barnes and Noble “Discover New Writers” display (one of my favorite sections to visit when I go there) and her story sounded so intriguing that I added it to my wishlist. And there it sat, until I suggested it as one of the books for my church book club and luckily for me, they agreed. That gave me the excuse I needed to move it up on the list and actually read it.

Kate Braestrup was a wife and mother of four when one day, her life changed forever. That was the day her husband, a Maine state trooper, was killed in a car accident. She decided to take on his plan to become a chaplain for the Maine Warden Service, entering seminary while coping with the daunting task of being a single parent and dealing with the aftermath of her husband’s death. She shares some of the most sorrowful, terrible experiences as the wardens’ chaplain and writes of her grief and commitment to her vocation with grace and a self-deprecating humor. What is most appealing about this woman is her quiet strength and her vulnerability. Kate Braestrup is a woman you’d want in your corner and her story is one that will touch your heart.

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