When Dawn Barton reminds readers that joy is a choice, they know she means it--not just because she's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but because she's had more heartache in her lifetime than most can imagine.

In this collection of honest and sometimes raw stories, Dawn throws a loving, untoned arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all. Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days.

A beautiful gift book, Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a great reminder to girlfriends, sisters, and moms that they are not alone. It's also a touching, winsome, and funny book to share with those facing cancer or other heart-wrenching circumstances. Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day."

Dawn's journey has been anything but easy, but through it, she discovered the life-changing power of leaning on God and purposefully choosing joy. As Dawn wholeheartedly believes, obstacles in life give everyone reasons to more fully embrace joy wherever they can find it.