I had the pleasure of hearing Sarah Thebarge speak at the Writer’s Connection meeting recently, and I picked up a copy of her book, “The Invisible Girls.”

If her stories at the meeting weren’t enough to stir my soul, her book drove me to near tears.

Amazon’s description: 

Twenty-seven-year-old Sarah Thebarge had it all – a loving boyfriend, an Ivy League degree, and a successful career – when her life was derailed by an unthinkable diagnosis: aggressive breast cancer. After surviving the grueling treatments – though just barely – Sarah moved to Portland, Oregon to start over. There, a chance encounter with an exhausted African mother and her daughters transformed her life again.

A Somali refugee whose husband had left her, Hadhi was struggling to raise five young daughters, half a world a way from her war-torn homeland. Alone in a strange country, Hadhi and the girls were on the brink of starvation in their own home, “invisible” to their neighbors and to the world. As Sarah helped Hadhi and the girls navigate American life, her outreach to the family became a source of courage and a lifeline for herself.

My description:

This book will draw you in and never let go. I read this straight through in three hours and couldn’t stop, even for a moment. Her writing is effortless and her powerful words will take your breath away.

Her experiences will awe you and astound you.

She is a powerhouse — and when I first saw her website “sarahthebarge.com,” I thought it was Sarah the Barge. And she is. Not in any negative way, but as in a driving force that will knock you off your feet. You’ll emerge from reading this book with a different perspective and a different heart.

No matter your story, your walk in life, you must read this book.

Now. Please. Do it.

PS – The proceeds of this book go to the Invisible Girls scholarship fund. Buy a copy. Or two. Or three.

Do it. Please.