Burdens Into Blessings

Embracing Hope by Janell Butler Wojtowicz is a contemporary Christian novel which I really enjoyed. Embracing Hope is a study of life and of grief. There is no one way to work through grief. There is no time limit on the pain. And there are multiple ways to deal with loss. Ultimately one has to work through the pain and the loss to find a new way of ‘normal.’

God is at the centre of the novel. “Follow His road map.” When life and loss hit, people either run to God or from God. The God of all comfort is also the God big enough to take our anger and our questions. “Lean on God. He’ll get you through this.” Grief lasts as long as it lasts but we need to “give it all to God, only He can set you free.”

There are the difficult topics of anger, alcoholism, violence, suicide and domestic abuse. This doesn’t make for easy reading but it is ‘real’ life. Even the Christian can have moments of deep despair where God feels absent.

Linking to this is the theme of forgiveness, “Don’t waste anger on someone God has already forgiven.” This may seem a step too far but God requires that we forgive because we have been forgiven.

Life can be hard but doing life without God is harder. “He doubts God can do anything, so he tries to do it all.” Life needs to be done in partnership with God. Give Him our burdens and watch Him transform lives into blessings.

Embracing Hope was a powerful, gritty read with complex characters. Embracing Hope showed the power of the love of Christ to bring hope. “Hope is a decision, it’s action.”

Embracing Hope is a story that needs to be read, life is not always fun but God is faithful.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON