Formational book review by Megan

3.5/5 stars

“All suffering has an end, David, if only you wait long enough. Try to remember that… Sorrow has its life just like people. Sorrow is born and lives and dies. And when it’s dead and gone, someone’s left behind to remember it. Exactly like people.”

I Am David is a story of a boy who escaped a concentration camp after growing up there and knows nothing of the outside world. It’s a story of his journey to freedom and his perspective of the world.

Reading as a Disciple

“But when he entered the house, his old way of life lost some of its value. He had seen what he could never have, and nothing would ever again appear quite so good and satisfying as it had done before he had learned of the existence of that other life.”

Jealousy is a difficult emotion to navigate, discontent is even harder. We teach our boys that once you see something, you can never unsee it. David learns this through experience and goes on his journey with a discontent at his circumstances. We have all been there, seeing someone get a job promotion, a new car, a dream home… things that we may never enjoy. We are left with this feeling of discontent and sadness at our own situation in life.

I enjoyed reading how David prays to “the God of the green pastures and still waters,” such a beautiful image of contentment and peace. It is this approach that is helpful when the feelings of discontent arise. I can also appeal to the God of the green pastures and still waters for that peace in where I am at in life. God is with me in all parts of my life, and that is enough.

Reading Communally

“He talks beautifully, and he has really charming manners- often better than our own youngsters’- that seem to come from a quite instinctive knowledge that consideration and respect for other people’s rights are the only way to live peacefully and satisfactorily together.”

David meets all kinds of people on his journey north; some are kind, some are suspicious, some are cruel and some are loving. Each encounter is fresh with lessons to be learned whether about life or about himself. What is beautiful when looking at the whole story is that David would never have made it if he did not learn to trust people, people were important to his success. It took another to help pull him out of his discontent when he lost hope of a better life.

Through each encounter, he showed respect for each person. His respectfulness for the worth of each individual, no matter whether he liked them or not, was something that set him apart from the average person. His attitude is a great reminder that we should show respect for the imago dei in each person and that each person we meet has something to offer us.

Final Thoughts

The book is a work of fiction but has much to offer in looking at perspectives and human nature/nurture. The lower score is simply because I don’t generally enjoy first person thought narrative, just too many conversations in his head and there were a few slow parts in the story. The story still holds lots to discuss and think about though.

Other books:

Anne Holm is a Danish author and has written other books. I have not read any others by her but there is a movie based on the book by the same title.

What were our favorites from last year? Here’s our breakdown in no particular order.

Megan’s Top 3

1. Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
3. Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose
4. Runner up: The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

Lance’s Top 3

1. Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
2. The Space Trilogy by C. S. Lewis
3. Lilith George MacDonald
4. Runner up: Blessed are the Misfits by Brant Hansen

Overall

Much to my angst, my normal reading this year has been interrupted by the textbooks of school. I do not begrudge this change too much however, as it is all for the good cause of continuing my education to gain more specific skills in our ministering and loving those we serve. In my other reading, it has mostly been a year of oldie-but-goodies that I have read multiple times. I think it was Lewis who said that you have never really read a book until you have gone back to it over and over again. He is also a major part of my re-reading this year. The boys and I have been slowly going through Narnia and it is as alive to me as ever. I also read the space trilogy again. These books are so important for our time now, as all the Space Trilogy evangelists will tell you. Blessed are the Misfits was a surprisingly helpful book for me. I would have not given it a second glance unless a friend went through it with me. I have always felt uncomfortable in different Christian settings, and this helped me understand that I was not alone. Finally, George Macdonald hits me in so many good ways and I owe to him a lot of my love for God and others through his writing… thanks again Lewis for the recommendation.

In our last email update, Lance had just arrived in Lviv, Ukraine for the national YWAM gathering called Razom, meaning together. It was such a great time for all the staff. It was important for everyone to come together, to see each other, hear what everyone is doing and how they are doing. The care team Lance is part of, held break-out sessions about caring for traumatized people and how to do simple group care. He also met with different people throughout their time. After the gathering, Lance went to Kyiv to meet with more people. It was a time well spent. 

Lance with the rest of the care team that came to Ukraine.

Lance with the national leaders in Ukraine.

With the Ternopil leaders.

On the way to Kyiv.

Lance with some of the staff from Kyiv.

Formational book review by Megan

4.5/5 stars

“People’s stories matter.”

The Lost Year follows Matthew, Helen, Mila and Nadiya and how their stories are intertwined. How the decisions of their parents changed their own stories and how their own decisions will irrevocably alter their story.

Reading as a Disciple

“I suddenly wished that Nadiya had never shown up at my door. I missed that Papa and I were united in a great struggle. Doubt was a much lonelier place.”

Doubt is a lonely place. It is no fun to be in a place of confusion and uncertainty. We all want to know what God’a plan is; where should I live, what career should I pursue? It is just easier if someone tells us instead of trying to decide ourselves and feel good about our decision. Doubt creeps in when someone questions our choices, mocks or laughs at our decision or when we are alone in our decision and it seems everyone is doing something else. In The Lost Year, Mila longs for the days where she was united with her father in a common goal, but now she is filled with doubt and is lonely. Choosing what is right when it appears that you are the only one doing so is incredibly hard, Mila is forced to decide whether her father is right or wrong and what should she do about it.

It is good to keep in mind that in the midst of doubt and confusion, God is there. While we may feel alone and uncertainty feels normal, God is constant and is with us. Mila may have been lied to, she may be forced to make difficult decisions that everyone will tell her is wrong but God was with her as he is with us in our times of doubt.

Reading Communally

“Stories were powerful, but even more powerful was the act of sharing them.”

Stories are powerful, that is why it is good to be in a community that can be open and share life stories. That’s why support groups are so helpful. We need to share and to listen to people’s stories. If I don’t know someone’s story, it is easier to assume the worst of someone and we are less likely to extend grace. Hearing someone’s story gives us, the community, a chance to enter into a person’s story, to see them differently or in a new light; we have the opportunity to insert respect and kindness in their story.

As Helen becomes friends with Ruth, they share stories they have heard from others concerned for family in Ukraine. Ruth declares that Helen is a leader, this shocks Helen, she never saw herself as one and it took another person, hearing her story to encourage her in this character trait. “A leader. No one had ever used this word to describe me. But maybe, just maybe, I could be one.”

It always amazes me how God made every single person in the world, past, present and future, to be so incredibly different. Not only physically but also in our personalities and character and therefore, our stories are so immensely different. It is such a joy to discover how God created someone, (I am that weird person on a plane that enjoys talking to strangers.) In the moments of meeting someone new, sharing in a moment of their story, I remember imago dei, that everyone is created in the image of God. What glimpse of God does this person carry?

Final Thoughts

Great story! What’s beautiful is that part of this book is based on the author’s family history, she is sharing part of her story with the reader. She has done a great job with research and language. I highly recommend it to help people understand Holodomor and what life was like in early Soviet era Ukraine.