Book #6 - To An Angel Who Is New

I walked by this book the first time through the store, too. I'm not impressed with people who talk to angels or think we become angels.

I'll tell you why I picked it up the second time. The back says it is the letters of a man talking to his wife.... you mean men TALK?!?

So I picked it up.

It is an interesting book. Another one about someone dying. No, I am not typically morbid. I do often see death, though, so I do not shy away from it as quickly perhaps as others. I do not mind reading how others face death because I often stand beside people while they watch one they love die. I appreciate learning from people who are brave enough to write honestly.

This book is written honestly. The author is in the Netherlands and writes with the simple directness of the Dutch. The basic story is that there is a horrible accident and he and his wife and two daughters are badly injured. His wife ends up in one hospital and he and the girls in another. The book is the account of him telling his wife day by day what is going on. He tells of the pain, the decisions, the suffering, the beauty, the hope, the crushing realization of hope shattered. He comments on friend's actions, helpful and unhelpful.

It really is a touching story.

It made me sad. Sad because it is the story of people facing awful suffering without God. They use words like "hope" and "luck" and "destiny". They gather people together to "focus their good thoughts and try to radiate their good energy" and talk about her "moving toward the light, whichever direction that light may be". There is a deep sadness I felt as I read their attempts to deal with pain with only a general idea that there must be a light and a heaven, but without knowing God.

It encouraged me. Strange that it would, but it did. It reminded me that I do not grieve like this. I do not face life like this. I have a God whose name I know. He knows my name. I can talk to Him. I don't face things alone with a general hope and a sad acceptance of fate. I am a daughter of the King, and I can talk to Him.

I gave me a renewed desire to reach out to others. To see people suffer with so little to hang on to. I wanted to call into the book, "Wait, stop, listen - He's listening. You can talk to Him. He has a name, a heart, a purpose. He is not a general light, but a God who suffered a broken body Himself so you can know Him."

But mostly, deeply, deeply grateful that whatever I face, I face with God. My God who is daily, minute by minute, involved in my life in ways too small and infinite for me to even know. God is involved. He is. We do not grieve like those who have no hope. We do not face life without a Comforter. This book reminded me of God' deep love for me and His very presence in trouble in my life - not by its example, but by its omission. We do not face life like they had to.

And that reminder gave me hope and comfort. It filled my heart with thankfulness.