VANEETHA RENDALL RISNER
WALKING THROUGH FIRE
a memoir of loss and redemption
I wanted to believe—not just in theory but with all of me—that the suffering in my life wasn’t random or meaningless, but that God was using it all for good. “Is that even possible?” I whispered.
When Vaneetha Risner’s infant son died due to a doctor’s error, she felt devoid of purpose, of thought, and even of feeling. Hadn’t she suffered enough? Multiple childhood hospitalizations due to polio, years of being bullied, the heartache of her husband’s unfaithfulness, and losing three babies to miscarriage—wasn’t there a limit to how much pain one could endure? What happened to the abundant life God promised? And could she survive whatever might come next?
Walking Through Fire is a raw and utterly compelling memoir of one woman’s courageous journey toward wholeness amidst a world of brokenness. With laughter and heartbreak, honesty and hope, Vaneetha's story tenderly reminds us that the same God who walked with her through fire is present with each of us in our pain—and offers a purpose and peace that is breathtakingly beautiful.
When all seems lost, can God truly bring us to a place of abundance? Come and see.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
"Vaneetha Risner is a modern-day Job. And this is the story of a woman who feared God enough to not be afraid to cut through the smoke of things and be howlingly honest with God, to say out loud what a whole world of us are thinking… Turn these pages and feel your own heart ignite for God. Because that’s the only way you will ever walk through flames. You’ve got to fight fire with holy fire."
From the foreword by Ann Voskamp
“Here is a true story that shows how God can turn tragedies into remarkable triumphs of faith and endurance. So, be inspired by Vaneetha’s extraordinary story, and rest assured that the same God who sustained her will uphold you through every heartache and hardship!”
— Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center
“This mature Christian wisdom, winsomely and poetically rendered, is replete in Vaneetha’s powerful memoir.”
— Rosaria Butterfield, pastor’s wife, homeschool mom, and author of The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert and The Gospel Comes with a House Key
"This is Vaneetha at her finest: vulnerable, transparent, honest, and hopeful . . . always hopeful. It made me want to run the race with greater perseverance. I loved reading this book. Spectacular!”
— Brian Fikkert, coauthor of When Helping Hurts
“In her page turning memoir, Vaneetha doesn’t merely tell us who God is. She masterfully shows us.”
— Quina Aragon, spoken word artist and author of Love Made and Love Gave
“I know of no other book that more engagingly and graphically presents the deep heartaches of life in this fallen world and the comforting glory of the presence, power, and promises of the Redeemer.”
— Paul David Tripp, author of New Morning Mercies
“Is a life of suffering a life worth living? In her transparent and inspiring memoir Walking Through Fire, Vaneetha Rendall Risner answers that question with a resounding yes…Vaneetha’s story of excruciating losses and radiant hope reveals the glory of God in such a way that you might just find yourself removing your shoes.”
— Sharon Garlough Brown, author of Sensible Shoes series and Shades of Light
“Every lamenter has a story. It’s rare to be invited into the sacred places of the soul and hear the long and confusing struggle with pain. Grief is messy. Sorrow is humiliating. Doubt is discouraging. Yet Vaneetha Risner welcomes us into her journey. Not just to hear her story but to marvel at the redeeming grace of God. Walking Through Fire is more than a memoir. It’s a memorial to hope in Christ for those who hurt.”
— Mark Vroegop, lead pastor of College Park Church, Indianapolis, and author of Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy and Weep with Me
“I have endorsed many books over the years, but I don’t recall reading one from start to finish the day it arrived. It held me all the way. Beautifully done.”
— Randy Alcorn, New York Times bestselling author of Heaven, Happiness, and If God Is Good
“Vaneetha had re-grounded me to see again the precious value of each human life, the gift of joy despite the sorrows, and the goodness of God over everything…it’s a story for anyone who needs to be re-grounded in order to feel human again. Highly recommended.”
— Tony Reinke, author and senior teacher at Desiring God
“Vaneetha poignantly offers herself— and the valuable lessons she’s learned—t o us as a reminder that often life’s most difficult struggles can be our most powerful assignments.”
— Katherine Wolf, survivor, advocate, and author of Suffer Strong and Hope Heals
This book equips readers to trust God when we need God most.
— Margot Starbuck, author of The Grown Woman’s Guide to Online Dating
“I couldn’t put this book down! Vaneetha writes raw with vulnerability and honesty about her past, her deepest pain, her biggest losses, and her God who faithfully held and transformed her through every broken chapter in her story. This book is a close-up and colorful reminder that life is full of suffering, but that God draws near to the brokenhearted.”
— Ellie Holcomb, author and Dove Award–winning singer-songwriter
"From the moment I started reading Walking Through Fire, I couldn’t put it down…This book will encourage your faith, kindle your hope, and show you how to walk with God in the midst of life’s unexpected hardships.”
— Melissa Kruger, author and director of Women’s Initiatives for the Gospel Coalition
"This book beautifully and honestly tells a story of deep loss and redemption, and it is a must- read for anyone who’s ever wrestled with the question of why a good God would allow such suffering in this world.”
— Natalie Grant, recording artist, author, and philanthropist
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ABOUT VANEETHA
Vaneetha Risner is a writer and speaker who is passionate about helping people find hope in the midst of suffering. Part of her story is losing her infant son, which was the inspiration for the hit song "Held," recorded by Natalie Grant. She is also the author of The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering. Before she started writing, Vaneetha had a career in business and received her BS from University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce and her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Vaneetha is married to Joel and has two grown daughters, Katie and Kristi.