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Not My Will: How Much Will Surrender Cost?
Eleanor's secret love for Chad could mean losing her inheritance and giving up a life long dream. Will she follow her own will, or make the hard choice to submit her life to Christ's leadership? Now available with a contemporary new look, Not My Will is a classic story of love, loss, and surrender, with more than 500,000 copies sold.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
32 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
About the author
Francena H. Arnold
17 books25 followersFRANCENA H. ARNOLD was a schoolteacher, talented storyteller, mother of four children, and author of ten novels. Her first, Not My Will, was originally written "just for the eyes of the family" and has since sold more than 500,000 copies. Her other novels include Then Am I Strong, Three Shall Be One, Brother Beloved, Straight Down Crook Lane, The Road Winds On, Fruit for Tomorrow, and Light in My Window. Raised in rural Illinois, Francena lived with her husband, Frank, in the Chicago area. (Biographical detail courtesy of Moody Publishers)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
May 4, 2021
Normally if I rate a book years after I read it, I give it a rating based on my enjoyment at the time of reading, rather than my opinion now. Sometimes this means I rate a book quite highly, when now I wouldn't touch it. With Not My Will, I'm going to break my own rule.
I received Not My Will as a gift through my church, either at Christmas time, or for a Sunday School Anniversary (weren't they nice people!). Not having much money to purchase books, any book I did own was re-read. A lot. So, I have to say I read Not My Will many many times as a teen. My rating at the time would have been 3 or 4 stars, as even though I had no real similarity to the main character, the story was enjoyable, and the characters complex and likeable.
Sometime in the late noughties, I decided I'd give the book another re-read. It had been stored away for a number of years, and I was curious to read it again and discover what kind of influence it might have had on my growth as a teenager, and as a Christian. Considering the volume of times I read it, and my inclination toward compete absorption in anything I read, I figured I might gain some insights into myself.
And this is when my rating dropped. It's not because of the story, or the characters, or the plot. It's due to the Christianity Not My Will presents, and the way it contributed to my faith and my perception of myself. A recurrent concept in Not My Will is the idea of a once for all commitment to God. In this the author is not referring to that initial commitment a person makes when they come to faith in God, and accept his forgiveness and atonement. Rather, the author is describing a Christian, who struggles to obey God's will and live in surrender to Him, eventually giving in and yielding finally and fully to God. The Christian then lives in a kind of sinless harmony with God for the remainder of their life.
Now before you start accusing me of being some sort of heretic, please let me clarify. I don't have anything against a full commitment to God. In my opinion, there is no greater gift in this universe than being in relationship with God, and naturally the deeper one's commitment and submission to Him, the sweeter this relationship is going to be.
My issue is the once for all way that Francine Arnold represents this commitment. And this was a huge, huge stumbling block for me as a young Christian. I could not understand why, despite my frequent confession, and "going forward" at meetings I still continued to sin. No matter how sincere a commitment I made, I would fall short and be right back where I started from.
After a lot of years, and a lot of pain and guilt, I figured it out. The reason I keep stuffing up is not the powerlessness and insincerity of my faith or my commitment, it’s because I'm a sinner. A one off "yes God I will do whatever you say for the rest of my life" is not going to stop me from sinning and missing God's best for me. What I really need is to say every day, "God, I can't do this without you. I need you today, not just to give me the food I eat or the air I breathe, but to live."
So Francine Arnold, I give you two stars for Not My Will. You wrote a good story and I'd like to think you blessed people with it. But you created a stumbling block for me. And while I've figured it out some twenty years later, I wish I could go back to my teenage self, beating herself up for failing again and whisper, "it's okay. God knows you're a sinner, He knows you're going to go out and do the same stupid thing again tomorrow. But He still loves you and He still forgives you."
November 2015
Just adding a quote from JC Ryle I found that adds to my thoughts above. I was encouraged to see a church leader with similar thoughts to me.
"The theory of a sudden, mysterious transition of a believer into a state of blessedness and entire consecration at one mighty bound, I cannot receive. It appears to me to be a man-made invention; and I do not see a single plain text to prove it in Scripture."
I received Not My Will as a gift through my church, either at Christmas time, or for a Sunday School Anniversary (weren't they nice people!). Not having much money to purchase books, any book I did own was re-read. A lot. So, I have to say I read Not My Will many many times as a teen. My rating at the time would have been 3 or 4 stars, as even though I had no real similarity to the main character, the story was enjoyable, and the characters complex and likeable.
Sometime in the late noughties, I decided I'd give the book another re-read. It had been stored away for a number of years, and I was curious to read it again and discover what kind of influence it might have had on my growth as a teenager, and as a Christian. Considering the volume of times I read it, and my inclination toward compete absorption in anything I read, I figured I might gain some insights into myself.
And this is when my rating dropped. It's not because of the story, or the characters, or the plot. It's due to the Christianity Not My Will presents, and the way it contributed to my faith and my perception of myself. A recurrent concept in Not My Will is the idea of a once for all commitment to God. In this the author is not referring to that initial commitment a person makes when they come to faith in God, and accept his forgiveness and atonement. Rather, the author is describing a Christian, who struggles to obey God's will and live in surrender to Him, eventually giving in and yielding finally and fully to God. The Christian then lives in a kind of sinless harmony with God for the remainder of their life.
Now before you start accusing me of being some sort of heretic, please let me clarify. I don't have anything against a full commitment to God. In my opinion, there is no greater gift in this universe than being in relationship with God, and naturally the deeper one's commitment and submission to Him, the sweeter this relationship is going to be.
My issue is the once for all way that Francine Arnold represents this commitment. And this was a huge, huge stumbling block for me as a young Christian. I could not understand why, despite my frequent confession, and "going forward" at meetings I still continued to sin. No matter how sincere a commitment I made, I would fall short and be right back where I started from.
After a lot of years, and a lot of pain and guilt, I figured it out. The reason I keep stuffing up is not the powerlessness and insincerity of my faith or my commitment, it’s because I'm a sinner. A one off "yes God I will do whatever you say for the rest of my life" is not going to stop me from sinning and missing God's best for me. What I really need is to say every day, "God, I can't do this without you. I need you today, not just to give me the food I eat or the air I breathe, but to live."
So Francine Arnold, I give you two stars for Not My Will. You wrote a good story and I'd like to think you blessed people with it. But you created a stumbling block for me. And while I've figured it out some twenty years later, I wish I could go back to my teenage self, beating herself up for failing again and whisper, "it's okay. God knows you're a sinner, He knows you're going to go out and do the same stupid thing again tomorrow. But He still loves you and He still forgives you."
November 2015
Just adding a quote from JC Ryle I found that adds to my thoughts above. I was encouraged to see a church leader with similar thoughts to me.
"The theory of a sudden, mysterious transition of a believer into a state of blessedness and entire consecration at one mighty bound, I cannot receive. It appears to me to be a man-made invention; and I do not see a single plain text to prove it in Scripture."
March 31, 2008
Grandma's best book--even though her style is dated by today's standards, this one still touches my heart every time I read it.
December 4, 2017
I bought this book for under $5 at a local Christian bookstore. It was a used copy, but I was excited to find a book for so cheap that was on my TBR list, so I knew I definitely had to get it. (Can't help a good deal, right? ;) )
What I Liked: This book was excellent. This author and I have similar writing styles, I believe, and she did a really good job with writing about everyday life and struggles and keeping the story interesting. She truly is a very skilled writer and I enjoyed this book a lot.
I loved the purity of this book. It was just a sweet, down-to-earth story of a young woman's struggle against pride and selfishness. Eleanor portrays a lot of us as humans pretty well. We want to walk down our own path until we realize that we just make a mess of things and we need God to direct our paths and discover that He is always watching and caring for us.
I really felt for Eleanor and her struggles and really enjoyed seeing her transform into a Godly, upstanding Christian young woman who selflessly serves others. I want to be like that. I also liked the emphasis on the power of prayer in this story. I know this is a fictional story, but it was nice to see the characters give things over to the Lord in prayer and trust in Him. To see things work together for their good reminded me that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. I was very much encouraged.
What I Didn't Like: I can't say I disliked anything in this book. Francena H. Arnold did a very good job with this story and I definitely want to read more books by her.
I give this book 5 stars for an excellent story portraying the sorrows of choosing to live selfishly and then the joys of living for the Lord.
What I Liked: This book was excellent. This author and I have similar writing styles, I believe, and she did a really good job with writing about everyday life and struggles and keeping the story interesting. She truly is a very skilled writer and I enjoyed this book a lot.
I loved the purity of this book. It was just a sweet, down-to-earth story of a young woman's struggle against pride and selfishness. Eleanor portrays a lot of us as humans pretty well. We want to walk down our own path until we realize that we just make a mess of things and we need God to direct our paths and discover that He is always watching and caring for us.
I really felt for Eleanor and her struggles and really enjoyed seeing her transform into a Godly, upstanding Christian young woman who selflessly serves others. I want to be like that. I also liked the emphasis on the power of prayer in this story. I know this is a fictional story, but it was nice to see the characters give things over to the Lord in prayer and trust in Him. To see things work together for their good reminded me that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. I was very much encouraged.
What I Didn't Like: I can't say I disliked anything in this book. Francena H. Arnold did a very good job with this story and I definitely want to read more books by her.
I give this book 5 stars for an excellent story portraying the sorrows of choosing to live selfishly and then the joys of living for the Lord.
June 19, 2009
I find myself being a literary snob too often (same with movies), not giving credit for a good plot or moving story when the writing is mediocre compared to masterpieces I have enjoyed. Yet there is a place for a simple tale that brings tears to your eyes and reminds you of spiritual lessons that we easily forget. This book was comfort food and a bittersweet story that was easy to read, which I will remember for a long time. Through much suffering God brings many sons to glory was its theme, a theme of every Christian's life at one time or another, though many of us think our trials are unique. God's patient love and providence are portrayed in the life of Eleanor, the heroine of the story.
March 8, 2017
This is one of the most best books I've read. I've read it two or three times and cried every time. The lessons and faith aspect is huge in this book. Eleanor learns that she must trust God's will, not her own. At first Eleanor is not very likable, but she's one of those characters that takes a little bit to warm up to. I really, really, really like Chad, and could relate to his struggle with having a relationship with God and making certain things in his life less important. Worth a read and I highly recommend.
December 30, 2015
I love this book! I can hardly tell how many times I've reread it. It's got parts that are very sad, as the main character has to learn some tough lessons in life; but it is so sweet. And the ending is beautiful!
January 27, 2014
One of my long time favorites, it is written a long time ago, but still holds lessons for us today!
March 3, 2024
It’s a simple, down-to-earth story about one woman’s journey to Christ and the surrendered life. I really enjoyed it! At first, Eleanor is not so likable, but as the story progresses, you’ll find yourself despairing in her sorrows and rejoicing in her triumphs.
April 23, 2011
Not My Will was a reread for me, though I didn't realize it until the end and I already knew how it ended. :P I thought I might have borrowed it from a friend a long time ago, and it turns out I did! I enjoyed this book just as much, if not more, as I did the first time around. The story that takes place in this book by Francena Arnold is one that will make you cry, laugh, and realize just how precious your life is and how blessed you are with what you have. Written from the sobering perspective of a girl who loses everything, Not My Will will most certainly make you step back and recognize your blessings. The lessons taught within these pages are astounding, and little do I find such a book that I agree with so much as this one. Eleanor must learn to surrender all she has to God; it makes one step back and wonder if we are submitting to God's will in our lives also...or are we running away from it?
Eleanor(Len) was such a lovable and sweet character. Though she made some bad choices, she was an excellent character whom I grew to love very quickly. The mistakes she made and the lessons she learns from them were great - I loved how real Eleanor was. With a lot of books I've read, I end feeling the character was fake or not very realistic - It was not that way with Len. Every moment of her sorrow, confusion, and despair, I felt that I was right there with her. Then when she embraced the joy that Christ offers, I felt myself erupting with hapiness as if I were there watching it.
While I enjoyed Phillip's character in the story as he helped bring joy back to Eleanor, I could not bring myself to cherish him as I cherished Chad. Chad was such an awesome guy - he was truly Eleanor's perfect match. I was so devastated with some of the happenings in the book, but in the end I was content. I still missed Chad, though. He was such a great example and he loved Eleanor SO much. Phillip was also sweet, but I just didn't feel the connection between him and Len. I was left wishing I had gotten to know them as a couple more. But, as I said before, I was content with the ending. :)
As for content, I've little to mention. Chad and Eleanor were married and shared a few tender moments, but nothing was explicit at all. Other than that, all I have to mention is that Eleanor keeps secrets from her husband, but in the end she realizes her error and repents.
All in all, this was an excellent story. I did have a hard time picking it back up around the half way point or so - it was all SO despairing! - but in the end, I was glad I persevered and got to the sweet ending. I highly recommend this book! Though it lacks action and adventure, it is brimming with forgiveness and redemption, and emphasizes the virtue of letting go...and surrendering to the plan God has chosen for you.
I received this free book in return for an honest review from Moody Publishers. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Eleanor(Len) was such a lovable and sweet character. Though she made some bad choices, she was an excellent character whom I grew to love very quickly. The mistakes she made and the lessons she learns from them were great - I loved how real Eleanor was. With a lot of books I've read, I end feeling the character was fake or not very realistic - It was not that way with Len. Every moment of her sorrow, confusion, and despair, I felt that I was right there with her. Then when she embraced the joy that Christ offers, I felt myself erupting with hapiness as if I were there watching it.
While I enjoyed Phillip's character in the story as he helped bring joy back to Eleanor, I could not bring myself to cherish him as I cherished Chad. Chad was such an awesome guy - he was truly Eleanor's perfect match. I was so devastated with some of the happenings in the book, but in the end I was content. I still missed Chad, though. He was such a great example and he loved Eleanor SO much. Phillip was also sweet, but I just didn't feel the connection between him and Len. I was left wishing I had gotten to know them as a couple more. But, as I said before, I was content with the ending. :)
As for content, I've little to mention. Chad and Eleanor were married and shared a few tender moments, but nothing was explicit at all. Other than that, all I have to mention is that Eleanor keeps secrets from her husband, but in the end she realizes her error and repents.
All in all, this was an excellent story. I did have a hard time picking it back up around the half way point or so - it was all SO despairing! - but in the end, I was glad I persevered and got to the sweet ending. I highly recommend this book! Though it lacks action and adventure, it is brimming with forgiveness and redemption, and emphasizes the virtue of letting go...and surrendering to the plan God has chosen for you.
I received this free book in return for an honest review from Moody Publishers. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
February 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this book!! I also learned a lot of important truths that I need to apply to my own life. This book came at just the right time!
August 31, 2024
This is such an underrated story. It should be up high on the Christian classics list! Review to Come.
October 11, 2020
This was a beautiful story!! I will say, it took me a good while to really get into the story but once I did, I was so glad I decided to keep reading.
I cried many times during this one. It was heartbreaking and so sad but also inspiring. It felt like my heart broke but was put back together. ❤️
Eleanor was a character I started out not liking that much. I had to warm up to her but in the end I ended up loving her. I loved Chad from the very beginning. He was an amazing character, and he and Eleanor’s relationship was beautiful. It just made me smile.
I love the Stewart family as well.
I liked Philip as well, just not as much as Chad.😊
I loved the old-fashioned charm of it but the ultimate message was far from old-fashioned. Surrendering our life to God isn’t easy but it’s worth it. ❤️
I really enjoyed this and the ending was beautiful!!
I cried many times during this one. It was heartbreaking and so sad but also inspiring. It felt like my heart broke but was put back together. ❤️
Eleanor was a character I started out not liking that much. I had to warm up to her but in the end I ended up loving her. I loved Chad from the very beginning. He was an amazing character, and he and Eleanor’s relationship was beautiful. It just made me smile.
I love the Stewart family as well.
I liked Philip as well, just not as much as Chad.😊
I loved the old-fashioned charm of it but the ultimate message was far from old-fashioned. Surrendering our life to God isn’t easy but it’s worth it. ❤️
I really enjoyed this and the ending was beautiful!!
March 17, 2011
This was a great book. My sisters told me about it, and I didn't think I would like it, but then I read it and loved it. It is really neat to see how Eleanor goes from a proud, worldly woman, to a genuine Christian. Her romance is very sweet, and the book goes far beyond her first love, it is really about her first few years as a Christian. Please read this book! It's to bad it's not a popular book anymore
September 23, 2011
This is a book that readers will both love and ate. The protagonist makes some impossible decisions with which she has to live. So much like real life that I threw the book across the room when I was little more than half way through. I did not pick it up to read again until years later. I laughed and cried, mostly cried but I still treasure this book more than most others. I guess sometimes we need to cry.
October 13, 2012
Francena Arnold has written an amazing and outstanding piece of work that makes one look at their inner soul and being. I have read this book several times and learn many new things each time I read this. Believe this is a book for all ages. I challenge everyone who reads this book to examine their own lives to be all the person you can be.
July 12, 2012
Eleanor Stewart was a head strong girl who had some definite ideas about her life. And God had some other. Which leads to the battle of wills. See how Eleanor's attitude changes to work, life and love and her journey to surrendering her life completely to the Lord of the Universe.
January 15, 2014
This is my absolute favorite Christian fiction book of all time! I first read it as a teen, then several more times as an adult. It tells the story of headstrong Eleanor Stewart, who learns through life's hard lessons to allow God to master her will. You will not regret reading this book!
May 3, 2016
This is one of my favorite books. I've read it several times. Such great life lessons about humility, surrender, and the blessings that come only when we allow God to be in control.
Such loveable characters in this treasure.
Such loveable characters in this treasure.
October 3, 2011
Old fashioned and sentimental, but it is a beloved story of a woman who learns to give all her will to God in spite of the loss of her inheritance, her husband and her child.
October 29, 2011
A sweet, old fashioned story of surrender.
March 5, 2012
I read this book years ago and and still remember it. It was pretty good, I suppose that's all I need to say.
Read
June 29, 2012I read all of Francena Arnold's books as a teenager and loved nearly all! This was one of the best.
July 6, 2012
This was probably the first book to get me into reading. I read it in high school and I have read it many times again. A good story about Love, Loss and Love again.
September 3, 2012
I read this book in 1978. It was a fabulous book. I reread in 2010. Just ask remembered.
April 8, 2013
Read several years ago. Very good book. Tear-jerker.
August 16, 2015
I cried the entire book. Crazy good book
Read
February 4, 2019I first read this book when I was in my preteens. It became my favorite book for a short period of time. The biggest impact the book had was to give me a love for Beautifully Sad stories in books; it was the first book I truly experience that and I am so glad I did. If one likes sad books, this is a golden book for you.
The beginning and middle of this book is super good, the feels I get when thinking about it is 4 to 5 stars. I loved the all characters (except Phil). I loved Eleanor and her Aunt's relationship. I loved the dilemma the Aunt makes for Eleanor. I loved the Aunt's salty bitterness towards men. I fell in love with Chad and Eleanor's love. I felt her pain each time it hit. And it was done so well. I still have the intense emotions from her giving the kid up and wanting him back. It was such a raw and beautifully sad moment, and I am in love with moments like that.
However, the ending was a one star ending. Possibly the worse ending I have ever read. I hate that she marries with Phil. I feel like it should have ended with her getting her boy and that is it. But the fact Phil was redeemed and quickly made the love interest was badly done and frankly offensive. I mean fine have him repent, but I feel like it was all done quickly and off page; and just so we would have this "perfect" ending where Little Chad can have both his birth mother and his adoptive father in a now complete family. The idea of them being a couple makes me cringe. There was no build up, and absolutely no romance. It was too soon, at least for me, after their previous spouses had died. The romance to me was between her and Chad, and yes it had a sad ending but that is why I love the book.
Phil was a jerk, and frankly she was too quick to accept his redemption to the point of marriage. It is good of her to forgive him, but seriously a flowery apology is not necessary an indicator that he had changed, I feel like she should have wanted more proof before accepting his offer of marriage. I hate him as a character, and the fact that he is the love interest really irritates me. It was too cliche and all the character growth is off page. And it was all because she helped him see his own flaws, which is cliche too and honestly not well done. I did not like it, it was a terrible ending.
I wish Phil had been less of main character and more of just a means to have her reunited with her son. If he had to be the end goal love interest, I wish there had been more character development of him in the actual book. More developement of their relationship. And he could have had a more subtle introduction back into their lives, rather than "I am going to be your Dad now". It could have had him and little Chad build a relationship, and her seeing how he had changed because of it and then them getting together. It would have been better that way; longer, yes, but better.
Because I enjoyed the beginning, but despise the ending and because it has been awhile since reading, I left it unrated. But wanted to leave this review as not many of the reviews were talking about the plot and I wanted to make sure at least one was.
The beginning and middle of this book is super good, the feels I get when thinking about it is 4 to 5 stars. I loved the all characters (except Phil). I loved Eleanor and her Aunt's relationship. I loved the dilemma the Aunt makes for Eleanor. I loved the Aunt's salty bitterness towards men. I fell in love with Chad and Eleanor's love. I felt her pain each time it hit. And it was done so well. I still have the intense emotions from her giving the kid up and wanting him back. It was such a raw and beautifully sad moment, and I am in love with moments like that.
However, the ending was a one star ending. Possibly the worse ending I have ever read. I hate that she marries with Phil. I feel like it should have ended with her getting her boy and that is it. But the fact Phil was redeemed and quickly made the love interest was badly done and frankly offensive. I mean fine have him repent, but I feel like it was all done quickly and off page; and just so we would have this "perfect" ending where Little Chad can have both his birth mother and his adoptive father in a now complete family. The idea of them being a couple makes me cringe. There was no build up, and absolutely no romance. It was too soon, at least for me, after their previous spouses had died. The romance to me was between her and Chad, and yes it had a sad ending but that is why I love the book.
Phil was a jerk, and frankly she was too quick to accept his redemption to the point of marriage. It is good of her to forgive him, but seriously a flowery apology is not necessary an indicator that he had changed, I feel like she should have wanted more proof before accepting his offer of marriage. I hate him as a character, and the fact that he is the love interest really irritates me. It was too cliche and all the character growth is off page. And it was all because she helped him see his own flaws, which is cliche too and honestly not well done. I did not like it, it was a terrible ending.
I wish Phil had been less of main character and more of just a means to have her reunited with her son. If he had to be the end goal love interest, I wish there had been more character development of him in the actual book. More developement of their relationship. And he could have had a more subtle introduction back into their lives, rather than "I am going to be your Dad now". It could have had him and little Chad build a relationship, and her seeing how he had changed because of it and then them getting together. It would have been better that way; longer, yes, but better.
Because I enjoyed the beginning, but despise the ending and because it has been awhile since reading, I left it unrated. But wanted to leave this review as not many of the reviews were talking about the plot and I wanted to make sure at least one was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2019
I remember my mom having this book on her shelf but it wasn't until a recent thrifted find that I finally had my own opportunity to see how wonderful this story was. It definitely has an old-fashion feeling in terms of language and style of writing. If you enjoy Louisa May Alcott or Grace Livingston Hill, then you will enjoy this book.
My favorite scene in this book was when Chad was struggling in his Christian walk and being "worldy," and his wise mother responded:
"'worldly' is an ambiguous term, Son. Mos folks think of it in connection with pleasures and amusement. But I've always thought that work and care and ambition can be just as worldly. Anything that ties us to the world rather than drawing us closer to God is worldly."
It was predictable at times, so if you read this expecting to solve some kind of mystery (which will be revealed within the story) then you will be disappointed. I do not believe the "mystery" is the idea of the story but rather the growth and maturity seen in Eleanor.
The story did feel very wrapped up at the end but it also seemed drawn out but it all worked out in the end. :)
My favorite scene in this book was when Chad was struggling in his Christian walk and being "worldy," and his wise mother responded:
"'worldly' is an ambiguous term, Son. Mos folks think of it in connection with pleasures and amusement. But I've always thought that work and care and ambition can be just as worldly. Anything that ties us to the world rather than drawing us closer to God is worldly."
It was predictable at times, so if you read this expecting to solve some kind of mystery (which will be revealed within the story) then you will be disappointed. I do not believe the "mystery" is the idea of the story but rather the growth and maturity seen in Eleanor.
The story did feel very wrapped up at the end but it also seemed drawn out but it all worked out in the end. :)
July 23, 2022
I started reading this for one reason…my best friend asked me to. It’s a story that has shaped her life and it was her choice for our She-Wolf Pack to read before our annual trip.
I’ll admit — I struggled with this book at the beginning! The formatting and timing throughout the book was a bit hard for me to follow. But Jenna told me to hold out until page 100, and then the story picks up. Man was that girl right!
While the timing and formatting never changed, I got used to them as the story progressed. (Had to keep reminding myself this book was written in the 40s)
But the story? The message? The faith? The greatness and grace of our Lord? That was…breathtaking!
At times it felt a little preachy and a little unrealistic, but overall it was a poignant, thought provoking story!
I can see how this book changed so many lives, and I am glad to have read it. Not just because I now know my friend’s heart better, but because I was touched by the message!
4.5/5 stars
I’ll admit — I struggled with this book at the beginning! The formatting and timing throughout the book was a bit hard for me to follow. But Jenna told me to hold out until page 100, and then the story picks up. Man was that girl right!
While the timing and formatting never changed, I got used to them as the story progressed. (Had to keep reminding myself this book was written in the 40s)
But the story? The message? The faith? The greatness and grace of our Lord? That was…breathtaking!
At times it felt a little preachy and a little unrealistic, but overall it was a poignant, thought provoking story!
I can see how this book changed so many lives, and I am glad to have read it. Not just because I now know my friend’s heart better, but because I was touched by the message!
4.5/5 stars
November 19, 2021
I've probably read this book 4-5 times since I first read it as a teen. Now, 2/3 daughters have read this book as well as the sequel, The Light in my Window.
Such a blessing again to read this as my book of choice for a reading challenge: "a book you read in highschool or college".
The tears and laughter have probably increased this time around, now that I have lived longer. Even now, I struggle sometimes with pride and wanting my own way. My God and I time is much sweeter when the weather is warmer and I can spend it on our back deck! :) When reading about Eleanor's cabin at the lake, though, I long for a similar place to refresh and rejuvenate! :)
Such a blessing again to read this as my book of choice for a reading challenge: "a book you read in highschool or college".
The tears and laughter have probably increased this time around, now that I have lived longer. Even now, I struggle sometimes with pride and wanting my own way. My God and I time is much sweeter when the weather is warmer and I can spend it on our back deck! :) When reading about Eleanor's cabin at the lake, though, I long for a similar place to refresh and rejuvenate! :)
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