Themes in chapters 1-6: The Breaking // Supporting a limping partner // Life is suffering // Rushing through pain // The Ganges // White-Hot Grief // Riptides
đŽâđ¨ Phew
Weâve plunged right into the deep end, huh? The Breaking, panic, anger, an up-close look at deathâŚbut also some beautiful moments of courage, connection, and chai.
An interesting note that didnât make it into the final manuscript: as Tim and I prepared for this trip to India, he had us create a will to leave behind in the event that we, you know, died during our trip.
As you can imagine, this was a deeply emotional thing for me to participate in as I wrestled with overwhelming anxiety and fear.
Anyway, Iâm excited to hear how these first few chapters are sitting with you. In this post, youâll find photography from these chapters, a chai recipe, some fun things to click on, and a few questions about you and your story that I hope youâll answer in the comments.
đ¸ Gallery
âď¸ Authentic-ish Indian Chai At Home
If all this talk of chai endowed you with a craving, please, whatever you do, donât settle for Starbucks.
This chai tea kit makes the closest version of authentic Indian chai Iâve found stateside. If you can make it with water buffalo milk, definitely do. đ But, if not, regular milk/milk alternatives should work just fine.
đŞ Dig DeeperâŚ
đĽ Iâve written more about anger (specifically regarding spiritual deconstruction) in this Substack article if youâre interested.
đ¤ď¸ To give you more of a peek into an Indian commuter train platform, hereâs an extreme example.
đś On our way to Tordi Garh, we asked Adnan to show us his current favorite Indian song. He played us this.
đŹ Discussion Questions
Below are some questions and prompts related to the themes present in these chapters. Answer or elaborate on any, all, or none in the comments below:
Tell me the most unexpected time, place, or occasion when heartbreak hit you the hardest.
What would you tell someone who suddenly finds themselves supporting a âlimping partnerâ?
What is your understanding or interpretation of life is suffering? How does that statement make you feel?
Have you ever felt pressure (internal or external) to rush through pain? How did you respond?
Think of the moment when anger burned hottest inside you. What do you think that anger wouldâve told you had you sat it down, bought it a coffee, and listened to it?
Handy links:
đ Review Tiger in the Lifeboat on GoodReads
đ Review Tiger in the Lifeboat on Amazon
Hey yâall, Iâm Lauren: a doubtful-yet-hopeful Jesus person writing through the messy middle of faith, hope, and humanity. My debut memoir, Tiger in a Lifeboat, about trauma recovery and faith deconstruction set against the backdrop of my time in India, is out now wherever you buy books.














I loved reading your book, and I am LOVING these pictures that go along with it! Just wow. And I'm going to have to sit with your reflection questions!