I received an advance copy of the book of stillness and storm in the mail a few weeks back. It was a surprise. I guess I signed up to review it but do not recall doing so. Doesn't matter, I like to read and the book looked interesting so read it I did. I really enjoyed it. I didn't know what the purpose of the book was when I read it; I just read it as a piece of fiction and did wonder at times the point of the book. I don't know if I would have enjoyed it more knowing a little about it or not, but here are a few details to tell you about of stillness and storm.
It is a book about Lauren and her life. Bouncing from her time in college when she met her husband, to whom she is married, to their life in Kathmandu and what brought them there.
This book brings up some good points on the importance of marriage and treasuring it. Doing what is necessary to protect it, but also finding your boundaries to set to keep you being you and not getting lost in someone else's dreams. A fine line that can be difficult to balance. But the biggest thing is finding the joy that brought you together and keeping it alive. Not allowing separate relationships and other busy-nesses to pull you apart from being a couple doing service for God.
In this book Sam (Lauren's husband) has a passion to do mission work abroad and Lauren can't get herself fitted into it so there is a lot of tumult around their relationship which goes into their relationship with their son (Ryan).
Who is the main purpose of this book. To remind us that our children should be our first mission field and the rest of the world after that. Don't allow your "calling" to pull you away from being your children's parents who show them Jesus. Make sure your decisions to serve others also bring your children closer to God and not resenting Him. But at the same time don't let your concern for not offending your children keep you from being Jesus to others. I fully believe your children can get on board with just about any service project/mission field if you lead them into it with love and earnest diligence.
I do not like the way she ended the book I think there could have been a happier ending, But that isn't always the case, happy endings can be illusive. So if you want to know the story I suggest you read the book. You won't be sorry.
There is a bit of a give away going with this book release if you would like to enter it.
Many Blessings,
~Anna
