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Shunning platitudes and easy answers, Guthrie deals head-on with the issues experienced by those going through suffering and loss. Drawing upon the biblical story of Job and the experience of losing her infant daughter Hope, Nancy takes her fellow sufferers by the hand and guides them on a pathway through pain---straight to the heart of God. Holding On To Hope offers an uplifting perspective, not only for those experiencing monumental loss but also for anyone going through difficulty and failure. Guthrie's story of losing her daughter is woven beautifully throughout, adding richness and credibility to her words.
Shunning platitudes and easy answers, Nancy Guthrie deals head-on with the issues experienced by those who are going through suffering and loss. Through lessons drawn from the biblical story of Job and the experience of losing her infant daughter, Hope, Nancy gently challenges readers to embrace suffering as a means of discovering a more meaningful relationship with God. Holding On to Hope offers an uplifting perspective, not only for those experiencing monumental loss but also for anyone going through difficulty and failure. Ms. Guthrie’s story of losing her daughter is woven beautifully throughout, adding a richness and credibility lacking in many books on suffering. After finishing the manuscript, the author added an epilogue that deals with an additional devastating loss--the death of her infant son Gabriel who died of the same disease that took her daughter Hope.
(Evangelical Christianity/Consolation) In late 1998, doctors diagnosed
Guthrie's newborn daughter, Hope, with Zellweger syndrome, a rare congenital
disorder, and gave Hope less than six months to live. Guthrie, a media
relations specialist who has a 10-year-old son without the disease, tells of
Hope's brief life with raw emotion, but never resorts to cloying
sentimentality. After Hope's death, Guthrie's husband had a vasectomy to
prevent future pregnancies. Thus they were shocked to learn, a year and a half
later, that Nancy was pregnant again. Although there was only a 25% chance
that the baby would carry the disease, they soon discovered that this child,
a son, would also be a Zellweger baby. Gabriel lived just one day shy of six
months, dying in January of this year. In trying to extract meaning behind
such suffering, Guthrie turns to the Book of Job, teasing out themes of
restoration and redemption amidst Job's many trials. She is honest about her
own terrible sorrow; after outlining God's possible purpose for the fleeting
lives of these two children, Guthrie admits, "That is what I believe. It is
not necessarily how I feel." She says that her decision to trust in God is a
daily choice, not a onetime sacrifice, and that some days such submission is
easier to embody than others. The book closes with a time-honored evangelical
altar call. And here, it works. Readers who have immersed themselves in
Guthrie's honest story of redemptive suffering will examine their own faith in
a new light. (July 16) Forecast: When a Time magazine feature article relayed
the Guthrie family's story last July, untold numbers of people became
familiar with their tale of hope arising from apparent tragedy. Excerpts from
this book will appear in USA Today, and Guthrie will do a multicity author
tour. The book's release date is July 16, which would have been Gabriel
Guthrie's first birthday. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
“Only God could orchestrate such events.”--Max Lucado “This book and her story will touch your emotions and inspire your mind in an unforgettable way.”--Ravi Zacharias
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
2 of 2 Reviews Showing: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Debbie Hard (Loveland, CO), January 31, 2003 This is an ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL book--a MUST READ! I highly recommend it for anyone who has suffered a loss and longs to "make some sense of it all". Nancy's sharing of her own experiences with the loss of her 2 precious babies, and the examination of Job's godly response to his own suffering in the Bible, paint a powerful picture of how our suffering, if we choose to let it, can draw us "near to the heart of God". We can know God on a deeper level, "face to face" through our suffering. I have realized since reading this book, that my own suffering has a purpose and that God uses all circumstances for our ulimate good, so that He will be glorified! God has certainly been glorified through Nancy and this powerful little book. It is sure to help millions of hurting people everywhere! THANK YOU NANCY! 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jackie Lane (Houston, TX), August 27, 2002 The book was excellent. Nancy has touched my heart with her honesty. She wove the story of Job into her personal story in a touching manner. I prayed for Gabriel before and after he was born. I now know the end of his story that will live on with Hope's story. Thank you Nancy for opening your heart and sharing the story of your sorrow and the story God led you to share with Job. Write a review of Holding On To Hope
Availability: Only 3 in stock - order soon! Additional quantities may be backordered.
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