Reviews

REVIEWS

Story of struggle

Life From Death Emerging, by Paul Bradbury. Triangle SPCK £7.99 ISBN 0-281-05458-4

The author and his wife were overcome with wonder when their first child was born and somehow knew life would never be the same again. Little did they realise just how much suffering this would entail as their newborn failed to thrive and, in fact, deteriorated into serious illness, exacerbated by failure to diagnose his condition.

Paul Bradbury relates his personal story of his spiritual struggles as an evangelical Christian whose whole background conditioned him to maintain his faith. Yet he found that through doubt, anger and the agony of watching the life flow out of his precious baby, faith did not hinge on these questions alone.
He had to let go of the idiotic notion that God is thoroughly knowable and admit that there is so much that we don’t know. He repeatedly goes to the story of Job and admits that anger is acceptable to God.

As the illness wore on interminably, so the couple began to lose hope and live sadly day by day. Finally diagnosed as cystic fibrosis, a life-long genetic disorder, after two months they were able to take Jacob home and he eventually thrived.

A friend gave them this verse from Psalm 126:6 "he who goes out weeping, carrying seeds to sow will return with songs of joy ..." and Paul tells us how much the word ‘will’ impressed him so he learnt that pain is part of God’s world and part of his way of communicating; that it can be a positive experience and is intimately bound up with joy.

It is unusual for a man to write of his inner emotions but even more valuable for that. Thus this book should be equally attractive to men and women who go through periods of pain and doubts.

June Jolly is a qualified social worker with a diploma in Christian Counselling from CWR

Wake-up call

Youth in Exodus, by Geraldine Witcher. Highland Books
£ 5.99 ISBN 1-897913-64-8

It would be a pity if anyone were put off this book by the first half. Having clearly identified the problem of youth leaving the Church, Geraldine embarks on a lengthy, if loosely argued case for ‘covenant theology’. Whatever your views of this particular stance, the second half is worth waiting for, and applicable whether you agree with the theology of the first half or not.

The title may mislead, as it is actually about our responsibility not just to youth, but to children from birth. Although the actual ‘exodus’ becomes visible during teenage years, Geraldine clearly points out that the remedy is to be applied much earlier within our family and church lives.

Her starting point is a sometimes painfully honest view of the way some families and churches now function, as she places the prime responsibility for Christian teaching and discipline in the home. There is no easy bolt-on answer, but a genuine challenge for us all to ‘be church’ for seven days a week, and apply this to our own real-life situations.

I welcome this book as a wake-up call to families and to the Church both in and as a community. If it prompts us to assess honestly how far our own family and church have moved from the biblical model, to be realistic in checking how well children and youth are being properly integrated into our church, and then crucially to actually do something about it, then be encouraged – the exodus can be reversed!

Steve Morgan-Gurr is General Director of Children Worldwide

Not for the faint-hearted

Happy Even After, by Pat Edmiston with David Waite. Zondervan, £ 7.99 ISBN 0-007-13312-X

Married for 30 years, “out of the blue”, this wife found herself abandoned for a much younger woman. Pat had been confident in the fact that they were a happy, non-argumentative family, deeply involved in the outworking of their faith in a local church and materially prosperous. This book is a testimony written less than three years after she found herself alone.

Pat writes: “Too many of my friends were finding themselves in the same situation and I needed to know why.” She cites the reason for writing this book as the desire to share lessons learned with others who have gone through a painful relationship, and also to bring reassurance that it is possible to be released from the anguish and trauma that marital breakdown brings.

As the divorce is finalised, Pat describes how she believes God spoke to her, and immediately began to fulfil her earlier vision to set up a foundation to equip and train Christians as well as spread the Gospel. The result can be viewed on the website www.releasefoundation.com, the name implying freedom, lack of bondage and the ability to do and be all that we were originally created for.

Release Foundation is a charity, and training not only takes place in the well-equipped Oakwood Court in the Midlands, but on a yacht used for evangelism as she sails the Mediterranean. I would say this is a challenging rather than a comforting book, and not for the fainthearted, in spite of reassurances otherwise.

Wendy Illiffe is a retired nurse and married to a full-time children’s evangelist

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		REVIEWS Story of struggle Life From Death Emerging, by Paul Bradbury. Triangle SPCK £7.99 ISBN 0-281-05458-4 The author and his wife were overcome with wonder when their first child was born and somehow knew life would never be the same again. Little did they realise just how much suffering this would entail as their newborn failed to thrive and, in fact, deteriorated into serious illness, exacerbated by failure to diagnose his condition. Paul Bradbury relates his personal story of his spiritual struggles as an evangelical Christian whose whole background conditioned him to maintain his faith. Yet he found that through doubt, anger and the agony of watching the life flow out of his precious baby, faith did not hinge on these questions alone. He had to let go of the idiotic notion that God is thoroughly knowable and admit that there is so much that we don’t know. He repeatedly goes to the story of Job and admits that anger is acceptable to God. As the illness wore on interminably, so the couple began to lose hope and live sadly day by day. Finally diagnosed as cystic fibrosis, a life-long genetic disorder, after two months they were able to take Jacob home and he eventually thrived. A friend gave them this verse from Psalm 126:6 "he who goes out weeping, carrying seeds to sow will return with songs of joy ..." and Paul tells us how much the word ‘will’ impressed him so he learnt that pain is part of God’s world and part of his way of communicating; that it can be a positive experience and is intimately bound up with joy. It is unusual for a man to write of his inner emotions but even more valuable for that. Thus this book should be equally attractive to men and women who go through periods of pain and doubts. June Jolly is a qualified social worker with a diploma in Christian Counselling from CWR Wake-up call Youth in Exodus, by Geraldine Witcher. Highland Books £ 5.99 ISBN 1-897913-64-8 It would be a pity if anyone were put off this book by the first half. Having clearly identified the problem of youth leaving the Church, Geraldine embarks on a lengthy, if loosely argued case for ‘covenant theology’. Whatever your views of this particular stance, the second half is worth waiting for, and applicable whether you agree with the theology of the first half or not. The title may mislead, as it is actually about our responsibility not just to youth, but to children from birth. Although the actual ‘exodus’ becomes visible during teenage years, Geraldine clearly points out that the remedy is to be applied much earlier within our family and church lives. Her starting point is a sometimes painfully honest view of the way some families and churches now function, as she places the prime responsibility for Christian teaching and discipline in the home. There is no easy bolt-on answer, but a genuine challenge for us all to ‘be church’ for seven days a week, and apply this to our own real-life situations. I welcome this book as a wake-up call to families and to the Church both in and as a community. If it prompts us to assess honestly how far our own family and church have moved from the biblical model, to be realistic in checking how well children and youth are being properly integrated into our church, and then crucially to actually do something about it, then be encouraged – the exodus can be reversed! Steve Morgan-Gurr is General Director of Children Worldwide Not for the faint-hearted Happy Even After, by Pat Edmiston with David Waite. Zondervan, £ 7.99 ISBN 0-007-13312-X Married for 30 years, “out of the blue”, this wife found herself abandoned for a much younger woman. Pat had been confident in the fact that they were a happy, non-argumentative family, deeply involved in the outworking of their faith in a local church and materially prosperous. This book is a testimony written less than three years after she found herself alone. Pat writes: “Too many of my friends were finding themselves in the same situation and I needed to know why.” She cites the reason for writing this book as the desire to share lessons learned with others who have gone through a painful relationship, and also to bring reassurance that it is possible to be released from the anguish and trauma that marital breakdown brings. As the divorce is finalised, Pat describes how she believes God spoke to her, and immediately began to fulfil her earlier vision to set up a foundation to equip and train Christians as well as spread the Gospel. The result can be viewed on the website www.releasefoundation.com, the name implying freedom, lack of bondage and the ability to do and be all that we were originally created for. Release Foundation is a charity, and training not only takes place in the well-equipped Oakwood Court in the Midlands, but on a yacht used for evangelism as she sails the Mediterranean. I would say this is a challenging rather than a comforting book, and not for the fainthearted, in spite of reassurances otherwise. Wendy Illiffe is a retired nurse and married to a full-time children’s evangelist © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.