Rachel’s Tears by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott with Steve Rabey is a very touching account of the life of an incredible teenage girl, Rachel Scott, who was killed in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. Written by her parents, this book is much more than just a blow-by-blow account of the days leading up to and including the shooting. It is a very personal account of Rachel’s life and faith. Although Rachel was a typical teenage girl, she was also a girl with a remarkably deep faith and spiritual maturity beyond her years. She was a devoted follower of Christ and millions of lives are impacted each year as her family continues to share her story to students all over the country. I was inspired by Rachel’s courage and convictions as well as her family’s response to the tragedy. Instead of reacting with bitterness, they are an encouraging example of forgiveness and peace amidst trials. The book includes a lot of excerpts from Rachel’s journals and drawings and it is fascinating to see that she seemed to sense that her time was short and she wanted to make the most of it. I expected the book to be sad and depressing but instead found it to be uplifting and hopeful.

You can purchase this book here.