Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko
Book Description
“I felt torn between two worlds. Each with its own mystery. One more captivating than the other, but the other more real and breathing.”
It took Lauren and her husband ten years to achieve their dream—reaching primitive tribes in remote regions of Nepal. But while Sam treks into the Himalayas for weeks at a time, finding passion and purpose in his work among the needy, Lauren and Ryan stay behind, their daily reality more taxing than inspiring. For them, what started as a calling begins to feel like the family’s undoing.
At the peak of her isolation and disillusion, a friend from Lauren’s past enters her life again. But as her communication with Aidan intensifies, so does the tension of coping with the present while reengaging with the past. It’s thirteen-year-old Ryan who most keenly bears the brunt of her distraction.
Intimate and bold, Of Stillness and Storm weaves profound dilemmas into a tale of troubled love and honorable intentions gone awry.
My Review:
I was unsure of what to expect from this novel when I began the story. So, for those of you that are unsure of what this story is about, I will share a little.
This is the story of the raw and real side of some missionary living. There are good times and bad times, but through it all, it is the stark reminder that when ministering to others, our families must come first.
It is not really anything you could finish and think it was a “HEA” story, or think, “Yay, that was sweet.” More so, you will be left with the desire to reach out and touch some of the out of the country missionaries, people serving others in other lands in a tangible way.
I think every person that works with ministry and missions should read this book. It can help us to realize how we can minister to those that are in ministry. We often focus on the excitement aspect of it and no one really wants to hear about diarrhea or children that are struggling with the adjustment.
This story takes one of the reality of mission life, and brings it to life. I thought the drastic part of the story, showing how the imbalance of seeking to do “God’s work”, took precedence over the needs of family, and left everyone in the family more emotionally vulnerable.
This book was given to me for review by BookLookBloggers. The opinions contained herein are my own.
It is available for purchase here. “Of Stillness and Silence”