Daring to Hope Book Review
What does one missionary, author, founder-of-an-amazing-organization, single mother of 13 (now married mom of 14) in Uganda, Africa have in common with an ordinary mom living “normal” life in small town America? Turns out, quite a lot actually. Dirty dishes in the sink, the love of cheerful, bright colors, being a doer of tasks, home schooling and spaghetti dinners.
But also.
Feelings of inadequacy. Being so tired, exhausted – WEARY – to breaking point. The struggle, wrestling, even anger, as God’s plan plays out and it’s not what we had pictured. And through it all, hanging onto a lifeline of God’s promises. With a fragile hope trusting that rain will come after the drought, beauty from ashes, and even on Abraham’s mount Moriah, The Lord Will Provide.
In this way, hope is my great offering to Him. It is a meager offering, but it is all I have. –Katie Davis Majors, Daring to Hope
I grew up on the mission field and NEVER have I heard someone be so real, so raw, so honest about their struggle and their emotions and wrestling with why God lets bad things happen. It’s refreshing. Because to be honest? I doubt too.
This hoping is the exercising of faith.
I am not even sure I remember signing up months ago to be part of the launch team. I had certainly forgotten by the time my advanced copy arrived in the mail. Some life changes had happened by then and at first I was overwhelmed and felt it a burden to read and review this book. But God knew it was just what I needed right now. No matter what season you’re in, there is something you will relate to!
Part life story, part devotional; all a testimony to God’s Faithfulness. You will cry, yell, hurt and laugh as you get to know Mack, Katherine, Betty, Simon, and yes, her now-husband Benji. 🙂 And when you read it? You’ll want a pen in hand, to underline the amazing quotes and all the pieces that speak to you. And then you’ll want to go around reading your underlined sections to your husband, family, friends… everyone. And saying yes, Yes, YES! THIS! AMEN!
Then you’ll want to buy one for all of your friends. {Seriously, it makes a great gift!} I so wish I could gift one to all of you, my friends. I guess that’s the sign of a good book. Though I’d rather call this a God-book. It will strengthen you, challenge you, and let you know you are not alone.
And you’ll also really, really want to have a heart-to-heart chat over coffee with Katie – to get to know this woman who has such a vibrant and tangible relationship with God. God is using her humility and transparency to do extraordinary things! She’s encouraged me so much; I know she can do the same for you.
Catching her passion for Jesus already? Order the book HERE.
Once you’ve done that {before Oct. 3, 2017} you can go HERE and get a free gift!
Continents apart, this is what we have in common; we know the same God. And our hope is in Him!
Faithfulness is in chopping carrots and folding laundry and all the things that go unseen and unnoticed. Faithfulness is in a million tiny decisions and a million small surrenderings–submitting with a simple “yes, Lord,”–that create a lifetime of obedience in the extraordinary and in the mundane. –Katie Davis Majors, Daring to Hope
Thank you, Katie, for this and all the other timely reminders for moms, for women, for God’s people everywhere. I pray God uses this book abundantly!
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I just can’t stop with the amazing quotes that caused me to read with pen-in-hand. I hope this little snippet of a few MORE of my favorites will be a blessing to you as well. Be blessed!
I have walked the road pocked with doubt and despair and the wondering and the I had hoped and the lie of Satan that maybe this time He let me down, that maybe this time He would not be enough. But when I push aside those lies I can say with full confidence to you and to anyone who cares to listen, “I did not walk alone.” We do not walk alone. God in His unimaginable grace walks beside us, whether or not we choose to recognize Him, reaching for us, offering us bread that sustains, His very body, broken for us.
The woman with the issue of blood never would have reached for Jesus so desperately had she not been bleeding. …to have Jesus Himself look into her eyes–was it worth it? Though we would rather be delivered from our suffering and our trials, or never encounter them at all, I have come to long for the tender care of Jesus that feels most tangible in places of pain and desperation.
And whatever we are facing, He is enough.
Maybe courage is not at all about the absence of fear but about obedience even when we are afraid. Maybe courage is trusting when we don’t know what is next, leaning into the hard and knowing that it will be hard, but more, God will be near.
It is a brave thing to hope, to continue in hope, knowing that God might say yes but He could say no and choosing to praise Him anyway. –Katie Davis Majors, Daring to Hope
