Relentless

by Dave Donaldson

Relentless takes an honest look at some of the tragic problems many people face who are struggling against the odds and fighting a losing battle. But bigger than all these problems are the hearts and desires of the relentless individuals who are joining forces with others and allowing God to do something great in and through them. Do you feel a movement of hope gaining force all around you, drawing you toward making the world a better, safer, healthier, and hope-filled place? Then you may be part of the people who never of helping the needy because they believe in, and live from, the apostle Paul's words. "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Genres: Christian

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m writing this in the season of Salvation Army Santa’s and stepped up food drives. It’s the season of renewed calls to action by every ministry, nonprofit and social service. It’s the season of year-end budgets, shortfalls and red ledgers. It’s the season we waffle between emotions of guilt due to over indulgence and smugness at our unprecedented charity. It’s a season when no one wants to hear another true story of need, or receive one more lecture about what we should do to help.

But, I actually picked up Relentless, by Dave Donaldson, completely unaware of its subject.

Relentless, begins with the transcript of a congressional address by Ron Paul, commending the author’s organization, Convoy of Hope. Before the first chapter, I was convinced that Relentless is unlike any other bleeding-heart story I’ve read. It is completely other than the typical description and advocacy of another charity. Without a celebrity spokesman or even a single heart-wrenching picture, Relentless, digs deep into the reader’s heart calling not only for awareness of the poor, asking not only for donations and volunteers, but equipping every Christ-follower with the energy, desire and resources to make difference.

I’ve read many similar books and found them frustrating. Between dramatic images and desperate prose, they seem to cultivate a condescending sympathy for the poor, rather than an empathy with those less fortunate realizing, but for the choice of the Sovereign God, I would be as destitute.

Some pleas for help seem to conjure up the same response as I might have to pictures of abused puppies and beached whales. Relentless is different. Maybe it stems from Donaldson’s own experience of poverty and charity; Donaldson does an excellent job of preserving the dignity of the poor, in fact establishing in the reader a new respect for those we can help.

There are a few distinctions that set Relentless apart from the crowd of other well-intentioned books.

First, as I mentioned, Donaldson experienced severe need and the generosity of fellow Christians. He was nine years old when his father was killed in a car wreck. Because the family had been living in a hotel while in the process of building a home, and his father had been the sole provider, overnight the remainder of their family became homeless and destitute.

Donaldson tells the story of a Christian family that took them in. The words of that father ring in his ears to this day and fuel his passion for outreach, “You are with family and this is now your home.” He tells of an incident years later when he uttered those very words to an orphan finding shelter in his home.

Relentless is filled with anecdotes that give the book a “meatier” feel than it might otherwise have. The stories are strategically placed to keep the reader engaged and to complement the dozens of statistics without drying-out the narrative.

Finally, the purpose of the book, to energize and equip “The Relentless” to impact their world, is overt. Donaldson does not merely tout his own organization, Convoy of Hope, but spends equal time pointing out the assets and successes of similar ministries.

Truthfully, I couldn’t put this book down. Far from feeling laden with guilt, Relentless left me feeling restless, empowered and determined to obey my Savior’s call, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
Psalm 82:3-4

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review.
I enjoyed the overall message of this book: As Christians, we need to reach out and help others. There were some things that really bothered me about this book. I felt like the book was relying on the guilt factor in order to get you to help others. I also felt like the book was a promotional for certain organizations, mainly Convoy for Hope which the author founded.

I really enjoyed some of the messages in this book. For instance, it showed how Jesus looked at others with compassion and how we should do the same.

I also enjoyed the personal testimonies and the other stories that were told in the book in order to evoke emotions from the reader and to show why the author was moved to serve.

Overall, I found the book depressing as it talked about all the people who are suffering around the world. It has always been one of my strongest desires to help others and it hurts to see others suffering. I do feel led to serve others, but I do not think that this book approached this topic in the best way. I feel like the book Thrive by Mark Hall approached this topic a lot better than this book did.

If you are looking for organizations that serve others and want to know more about these organizations, than I think this would be a good book for you. Personally, this book did not live up to my expectations.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Full Disclosure: This book was given to me by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. I am not a member of the Assembly of God denomination who published this book, but I am a member of another evangelical denomination.)

Donaldson is a founder of Convoy of Hope, which provides Christian humanitarian relief throughout the world. He speaks of his own background with his father dying early in his life and how church friends and the government helped his family until his mother was able to be trained for a job and eventually a career. Donaldson also speaks of non-profit and government programs. “In a perfect world, it would require the federal government to maintain its safety-net programs while churches and faith-based charities strengthened and expanded their efforts to care for the ‘least of these.’” (p.40) The Convoy of Hope seeks to give people a hand up, such as helping dig wells where there is unsafe water to help people take care of themselves and their villages. RELENTLESS was a very inspiring read about how a very small group of people can make changes in many lives.

Recommended for public libraries and small Bible study groups.

[Shannon Sonneveldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided a lot of reminders of the struggles many face across the world, shining a light on issues and how we can each be relentless in helping to meet the needs that exist across the world. We may each be one, be each one of us can have an impact in our communities and around the world. I read it with my son and it raised awareness for both of us and made for some great discussion.

[Steve Campise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very eye opening and inspiring!