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Of Stillness and Storm
“I felt torn between two worlds. Each with its own mystery. One more captivating than the other, but the other more real and breathing.”
It took Lauren and her husband ten years to achieve their dream—reaching primitive tribes in remote regions of Nepal. But while Sam treks into the Himalayas for weeks at a time, finding passion and purpose in his work among the needy, Lauren and Ryan stay behind, their daily reality more taxing than inspiring. For them, what started as a calling begins to feel like the family’s undoing.
At the peak of her isolation and disillusion, a friend from Lauren’s past enters her life again. But as her communication with Aidan intensifies, so does the tension of coping with the present while reengaging with the past. It’s thirteen-year-old Ryan who most keenly bears the brunt of her distraction.
Intimate and bold, Of Stillness and Storm weaves profound dilemmas into a tale of troubled love and honorable intentions gone awry.
It took Lauren and her husband ten years to achieve their dream—reaching primitive tribes in remote regions of Nepal. But while Sam treks into the Himalayas for weeks at a time, finding passion and purpose in his work among the needy, Lauren and Ryan stay behind, their daily reality more taxing than inspiring. For them, what started as a calling begins to feel like the family’s undoing.
At the peak of her isolation and disillusion, a friend from Lauren’s past enters her life again. But as her communication with Aidan intensifies, so does the tension of coping with the present while reengaging with the past. It’s thirteen-year-old Ryan who most keenly bears the brunt of her distraction.
Intimate and bold, Of Stillness and Storm weaves profound dilemmas into a tale of troubled love and honorable intentions gone awry.
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2016
About the author
Michèle Phoenix
9 books288 followersRaised in France by a Canadian father and an American mother, Michèle is a mentor, writer, and speaker with a heart for Missionaries’ Kids. She taught for twenty years at Black Forest Academy (Germany) before launching her own ministry advocating for MKs and TCKs in 2011. She now travels globally to teach on topics related to this unique people group, consults with international families and organizations, writes articles about TCK joys and challenges for her blog, and hosts the Pondering Purple podcast. Michèle has written five traditionally published novels, as well as Flecks of Gold, a reflection on God and suffering that stems from her journeys through cancer. It is available only through her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
February 13, 2019
Did I miss the memo? The one where it became "ok" to curse and use blasphemy in a Christian book? Well, it seems I did. But this author apparently did not.
You know, I’m astonished that Thomas Nelson printed this book. I’m disappointed, too. Because this disregards the basic, so very basic, principle of what Christian books are set to do.
I have never strayed from my original viewpoint – If a book is marked as “Christian” it should have one goal, above everything: to inspire you to be more like Christ. Far too rarely have I found a book to meet that criterion (which should be very simple to accomplish).
We’ve come to expect this type of verbiage and immorality from secular books. But I feel as if the safe house that used to be the Christian genre is quickly disintegrating.
/////////////
This novel is focused on an offbeat woman who spends 90% of the book with a vendetta against God and is consistently cursing Him (especially prevalent in the last fourth of the book)– yet still, when she finds herself in trouble, she revives her faith enough to pray “Please, God. Please.”
It reminds me of a song. I long ago stopped listening to this artist, but his words ring true, even still.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0NOx...)
“It's easy to blame God but harder to fix things
We look in the sky like, "Why ain't You listening?"
You see the same God that you saying might not even exist
Becomes real to us, but only when we dying in bed
When ya healthy it's like, we don't really care for Him then
Leave me alone God, I'll call you when I need you again
Which is funny, everyone will sleep in the pews
Then blame God for our problems like He sleeping on you
We turn our backs on Him, what do you expect Him to do?
It's hard to answer prayers when nobody's praying to you.”
-NF, Oh Lord
Everything about her mindset was wrong. Everything about the marriage was wrong. Everything about the relationship with the child was wrong. And none of it was ever resolved. “I’m sorry” doesn’t fix it all, but that was the moral of the story. Telling your son that he “didn’t do anything wrong” after he attempted to commit suicide… I’m dumbfounded. I honestly don’t get it. How could a book with such a potent message about the trials of a missionary life stoop so far. So utterly far.
On another note, let’s discuss one of the most disgusting aspects of this book. The main character, Lauren, believes it is perfectly fine and acceptable to have a relationship with another grown man and tell him that she loves him (we’re not talking “I love you as my brother in Christ.” – we’re talking about a former boyfriend). She denies she was having an “illicit relationship” but, by all accounts, it pretty much was, by the very definition of the word “illicit” (she didn’t even tell her husband she was communicating with him!) In other words, she was loving another man besides her husband. And she thought it was ok. And there was never any remorse. Or condemnation. She was never apologetic. Can you even imagine? Finding your spouse telling another man or woman that they love them? I’m cannot even comprehend that. Why is this projected as acceptable?
I’ve said this before, but I’ve received an incredible amount of backlash from it – so let me attempt to explain myself. I don’t read books with cursing, and I don’t believe in general that Christians should make a habit of it. (note: I am not, in the slightest, judging or condemning anyone, in any way.)
You might think – one, two, three curse words. It’s not a big deal. To be perfectly frank, I used to believe that as well. Then it dawned on me that this is about so much more than cursing. It’s the mindset, it’s the heart. If an author (not specifically this one) has fallen to accept that the use of profanity is moral, where else have they compromised their standards, and what worldview will they be projecting in their books? In the case of this book, it was numerous sexual innuendoes and a mindset of God that is woefully inaccurate.
///////
I will acknowledge this. It was well written, it was intriguing, and yes, I did finish it. Why? Because there was some sliver of hope in me that thought in the last chapter Lauren would repent, that thought in the epilogue something would tie together and everything would come back to glorify Christ. It didn’t. And I hope I’ve spared you from having to find that out for yourself.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.*
*I do not intend for this to be a personal attack against the author.*
Find the full review, with a complete content breakdown, on my blog, here: http://literarycafe.weebly.com/review...
You know, I’m astonished that Thomas Nelson printed this book. I’m disappointed, too. Because this disregards the basic, so very basic, principle of what Christian books are set to do.
I have never strayed from my original viewpoint – If a book is marked as “Christian” it should have one goal, above everything: to inspire you to be more like Christ. Far too rarely have I found a book to meet that criterion (which should be very simple to accomplish).
We’ve come to expect this type of verbiage and immorality from secular books. But I feel as if the safe house that used to be the Christian genre is quickly disintegrating.
/////////////
This novel is focused on an offbeat woman who spends 90% of the book with a vendetta against God and is consistently cursing Him (especially prevalent in the last fourth of the book)– yet still, when she finds herself in trouble, she revives her faith enough to pray “Please, God. Please.”
It reminds me of a song. I long ago stopped listening to this artist, but his words ring true, even still.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0NOx...)
“It's easy to blame God but harder to fix things
We look in the sky like, "Why ain't You listening?"
You see the same God that you saying might not even exist
Becomes real to us, but only when we dying in bed
When ya healthy it's like, we don't really care for Him then
Leave me alone God, I'll call you when I need you again
Which is funny, everyone will sleep in the pews
Then blame God for our problems like He sleeping on you
We turn our backs on Him, what do you expect Him to do?
It's hard to answer prayers when nobody's praying to you.”
-NF, Oh Lord
Everything about her mindset was wrong. Everything about the marriage was wrong. Everything about the relationship with the child was wrong. And none of it was ever resolved. “I’m sorry” doesn’t fix it all, but that was the moral of the story. Telling your son that he “didn’t do anything wrong” after he attempted to commit suicide… I’m dumbfounded. I honestly don’t get it. How could a book with such a potent message about the trials of a missionary life stoop so far. So utterly far.
On another note, let’s discuss one of the most disgusting aspects of this book. The main character, Lauren, believes it is perfectly fine and acceptable to have a relationship with another grown man and tell him that she loves him (we’re not talking “I love you as my brother in Christ.” – we’re talking about a former boyfriend). She denies she was having an “illicit relationship” but, by all accounts, it pretty much was, by the very definition of the word “illicit” (she didn’t even tell her husband she was communicating with him!) In other words, she was loving another man besides her husband. And she thought it was ok. And there was never any remorse. Or condemnation. She was never apologetic. Can you even imagine? Finding your spouse telling another man or woman that they love them? I’m cannot even comprehend that. Why is this projected as acceptable?
I’ve said this before, but I’ve received an incredible amount of backlash from it – so let me attempt to explain myself. I don’t read books with cursing, and I don’t believe in general that Christians should make a habit of it. (note: I am not, in the slightest, judging or condemning anyone, in any way.)
You might think – one, two, three curse words. It’s not a big deal. To be perfectly frank, I used to believe that as well. Then it dawned on me that this is about so much more than cursing. It’s the mindset, it’s the heart. If an author (not specifically this one) has fallen to accept that the use of profanity is moral, where else have they compromised their standards, and what worldview will they be projecting in their books? In the case of this book, it was numerous sexual innuendoes and a mindset of God that is woefully inaccurate.
///////
I will acknowledge this. It was well written, it was intriguing, and yes, I did finish it. Why? Because there was some sliver of hope in me that thought in the last chapter Lauren would repent, that thought in the epilogue something would tie together and everything would come back to glorify Christ. It didn’t. And I hope I’ve spared you from having to find that out for yourself.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.*
*I do not intend for this to be a personal attack against the author.*
Find the full review, with a complete content breakdown, on my blog, here: http://literarycafe.weebly.com/review...
August 3, 2016
“Back in our lives. Back in my bed. I tried to muster up the swells of anticipation that had preceded his returns in the early stages of our life in Nepal. But I couldn’t manufacture the longings, not anymore.”
Lauren and Sam find themselves in Nepal with son Ryan, in support of Sam’s Christian trailblazing among the poverty stricken tribes. Ideally, it seemed like the right path to take despite the sacrifices. Sure, there are power outages and frugal living- things as simple as showering are a production in effort. While Sam is off living his dream, Lauren and Ryan are left isolated, with increasing strain within their small family unit. Ryan is slipping, and in sore need of his father’s attention the reader knows something bad is about to happen. Sometimes, the most gracious, christian people lose sight of their own children while on a mission to save the world. Lauren herself is a woman with needs, God-faring or not, and when a man from her past, Aidan, returns to her life through social media it fills a void she had been trying to ignore. Is she betraying her husband Sam? What constitutes betrayal? Is Sam betraying his family with his Christian Enthusiasm , his calling from God? Just how much hurt can such a calling excuse? And what of his son? How can a man who is selfless with strangers neglect the growing needs of his own boy?
This isn’t my usual read, but I enjoy the other-side of the story when thinking about the children of missionaries. Asking kids to be selfless, to make mature decisions, expecting them to ignore their own needs because ‘it’s God’s will’ and ‘even terrible things that occur are destined’ just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Religious fervor can do as much harm as good, and how much of a voice do children have when adults call all the shots. From the start the reader knows Ryan didn’t want to go to Nepal. Lauren herself is torn between two worlds, and she is waking up to her son’s dangerous spiral into depression. I was surprised by what happens more between mother and son than by Lauren’s interactions and return of Aidan. It isn’t going to turn out as you would imagine from the blurbs. This isn’t some seedy novel, it’s actually more painful than I thought it would be. Destiny is a strange companion. I enjoyed the story- sometimes the Ideal is far more enchanting than the reality of someone’s dream. Just how much would you risk, and how beholden are you to a decision you made for your spouse’s benefit when you know in your heart something is off?
Publication Date December 6, 2016
Lauren and Sam find themselves in Nepal with son Ryan, in support of Sam’s Christian trailblazing among the poverty stricken tribes. Ideally, it seemed like the right path to take despite the sacrifices. Sure, there are power outages and frugal living- things as simple as showering are a production in effort. While Sam is off living his dream, Lauren and Ryan are left isolated, with increasing strain within their small family unit. Ryan is slipping, and in sore need of his father’s attention the reader knows something bad is about to happen. Sometimes, the most gracious, christian people lose sight of their own children while on a mission to save the world. Lauren herself is a woman with needs, God-faring or not, and when a man from her past, Aidan, returns to her life through social media it fills a void she had been trying to ignore. Is she betraying her husband Sam? What constitutes betrayal? Is Sam betraying his family with his Christian Enthusiasm , his calling from God? Just how much hurt can such a calling excuse? And what of his son? How can a man who is selfless with strangers neglect the growing needs of his own boy?
This isn’t my usual read, but I enjoy the other-side of the story when thinking about the children of missionaries. Asking kids to be selfless, to make mature decisions, expecting them to ignore their own needs because ‘it’s God’s will’ and ‘even terrible things that occur are destined’ just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Religious fervor can do as much harm as good, and how much of a voice do children have when adults call all the shots. From the start the reader knows Ryan didn’t want to go to Nepal. Lauren herself is torn between two worlds, and she is waking up to her son’s dangerous spiral into depression. I was surprised by what happens more between mother and son than by Lauren’s interactions and return of Aidan. It isn’t going to turn out as you would imagine from the blurbs. This isn’t some seedy novel, it’s actually more painful than I thought it would be. Destiny is a strange companion. I enjoyed the story- sometimes the Ideal is far more enchanting than the reality of someone’s dream. Just how much would you risk, and how beholden are you to a decision you made for your spouse’s benefit when you know in your heart something is off?
Publication Date December 6, 2016
Read
May 21, 2017This book was just odd...I almost didn't finish due to the language itself. YES, warning on swear words! One of my soap boxes, I hear trashy language enough without the words in a Christian book. It's one of the reasons I read this genre!!!
The ending was completely flat. I know many MK's and I am a PK. Both can be difficult. At times it's hard to understand why your family is different, but my daddy made us part of his ministry. It's not just one person...it's the family.
I'm sure there are families like this one, but it's hard to connect when you grew up with a lot...and I'm talking some families with 12 children, seven, etc...of MK's and none of them had parents like this or tried to commit suicide.
I've never known a missionary like the one in this book...or a wife like that either, for that matter. I've known so many MK's...most of whom became missionaries or pastors themselves.
So, with no remorse shown on anyone's part, the hope, forgiveness, and grace that one usually sees ( and which could have been worked into this story) in Christian reads...I find it highly disappointing. Perhaps the author feels it's there somewhere?? I don't know, but I didn't see it from any in the family.
The one reason I finished is because I help out hope that a terrific redemption ending was in the works...had I any idea it wasn't, I'd never had finished it.
It's depressing, has bad language, and doesn't have much hope. There never really is a scene where the mother admits the adultery in her heart and pours her heart out to a merciful and gracious God. Not ones typical Christian read. I honestly don't know what to do for a star rating, but I won't be keeping this read.
The ending was completely flat. I know many MK's and I am a PK. Both can be difficult. At times it's hard to understand why your family is different, but my daddy made us part of his ministry. It's not just one person...it's the family.
I'm sure there are families like this one, but it's hard to connect when you grew up with a lot...and I'm talking some families with 12 children, seven, etc...of MK's and none of them had parents like this or tried to commit suicide.
I've never known a missionary like the one in this book...or a wife like that either, for that matter. I've known so many MK's...most of whom became missionaries or pastors themselves.
So, with no remorse shown on anyone's part, the hope, forgiveness, and grace that one usually sees ( and which could have been worked into this story) in Christian reads...I find it highly disappointing. Perhaps the author feels it's there somewhere?? I don't know, but I didn't see it from any in the family.
The one reason I finished is because I help out hope that a terrific redemption ending was in the works...had I any idea it wasn't, I'd never had finished it.
It's depressing, has bad language, and doesn't have much hope. There never really is a scene where the mother admits the adultery in her heart and pours her heart out to a merciful and gracious God. Not ones typical Christian read. I honestly don't know what to do for a star rating, but I won't be keeping this read.
May 13, 2017
Of Stillness and Storm is the story of Lauren and Sam and their dream to achieve something of purpose. Sam’s dream has always been to be a missionary. He was waiting for a sense of calling to know his purpose. Finally he finds this in Nepal. Together, Lauren, Sam and their teenage son Ryan go to Nepal to fulfill the dream. However, what looks like purpose for Sam is nothing but being stranded in nowhere for Lauren and Ryan. Sam enjoys every agony of his mission, while Lauren and Ryan suffer the inadequate living style.
This is the first book I read for Michele Phoenix. The book didn’t turn out to be what I thought it was. I was frustrated by the characters. I mean, are those people for real?! I had a problem with the way they made their decisions. It’s not whether I agreed to it or not. It’s a matter of being logical and realistic so that you can feel immersed and connected to the story line. I couldn’t imagine such passiveness on Lauren’s side. Also the dialogue wasn’t that good. The discussions were so “unreal”. I remember staring at the pages in the middle of the night open eyed and thinking “Oh ... really!!”
Too many times I felt like leaving the book. However, I didn’t. I struggled through the pages of the book till the end.
Finally, this is was not my cup of tea I guess.
** Special thanks to BookLook Bloggers & Thomas Nelson for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review **
For all my reviews please visit http://www.meshascorner.net
This is the first book I read for Michele Phoenix. The book didn’t turn out to be what I thought it was. I was frustrated by the characters. I mean, are those people for real?! I had a problem with the way they made their decisions. It’s not whether I agreed to it or not. It’s a matter of being logical and realistic so that you can feel immersed and connected to the story line. I couldn’t imagine such passiveness on Lauren’s side. Also the dialogue wasn’t that good. The discussions were so “unreal”. I remember staring at the pages in the middle of the night open eyed and thinking “Oh ... really!!”
Too many times I felt like leaving the book. However, I didn’t. I struggled through the pages of the book till the end.
Finally, this is was not my cup of tea I guess.
** Special thanks to BookLook Bloggers & Thomas Nelson for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review **
For all my reviews please visit http://www.meshascorner.net
December 9, 2016
The heroine of this story is Lauren, who unwillingly lives a spartan lifestyle in Kathmandu, Nepal, teaching English as a second language. Her 13-year-old son Ryan also hates the lifestyle to the point of sinking into such deep depression she can't reach him. They are there because of Sam, their husband and dad, whose missionary zeal is the driving force.
It's all about warning us to take care before getting attached to zealots whose passion far exceeds our own. Sam is like a modern St John Rivers from Jane Eyre. Deprivation is a badge of honour to him, but a pain in the neck to his family. He keeps his conscience clear because he doesn't expect anything from his wife and son that he's not prepared to give himself, but never stops to consider that few people are designed with his tireless ardour. He even worded his marriage proposal like an exam, telling her he didn't want to be the sort of guy who'd lose track of his goals because of his family. Sadly, Lauren didn't recognise the warning and duck out like Jane Eyre, but got attached to him anyway.
Her attitudes and motivations are easy to understand. She grapples with guilt because she knows that compared to him, she's just going through the motions. She finds herself eagerly catching up with her old friend Aidan on Facebook. He offers something she's not getting from Sam, being a free-spirited artist who even disregards the conventions of the English language.
The person I felt for most was Ryan, since kids don't get to choose their parents, then get dragged from pillar to post. The story raises so many questions. Should those with such strong standards for the way they approach mission work even have families, since it's clear they'll be pushed into second place and forced into molds which don't fit them? Maybe people like Sam should follow the example of St Paul, who probably didn't for that very reason. Can we ever force ourselves to take on the burdens of someone else's heart, no matter how much we love them, and should we even be expected to? Can decisions which we make with the shortsighted, rose coloured glasses of youth cast shadows over us for the rest of our lives? In my past, I've come across a few deep and meaningful Sams who I greatly admired, but as I read this novel, I felt grateful that I married my husband instead :)
It wasn't the style of book I usually go for. I'm not a fan of gut-wrenching heartache (of which this book has its share), but sometimes when you're making requests for ARCs based on brief blurbs, you have to accept the risk. I'm a highly sensitive person and also a bit on an empath, which makes it easy to take others' grief on myself. When an author's writing makes me fond of characters, it sticks with me for ages when horrible things happen to them. That's why I'm not giving it full marks, but I know this is a personal thing. Michele Phoenix's writing certainly deserves five stars, and she does warn us herself in the notes at the back of the book that this is a cautionary tale.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my review copy.
For more reviews and book talk, visit my blog, http://vincereview.blogspot.com.au/
It's all about warning us to take care before getting attached to zealots whose passion far exceeds our own. Sam is like a modern St John Rivers from Jane Eyre. Deprivation is a badge of honour to him, but a pain in the neck to his family. He keeps his conscience clear because he doesn't expect anything from his wife and son that he's not prepared to give himself, but never stops to consider that few people are designed with his tireless ardour. He even worded his marriage proposal like an exam, telling her he didn't want to be the sort of guy who'd lose track of his goals because of his family. Sadly, Lauren didn't recognise the warning and duck out like Jane Eyre, but got attached to him anyway.
Her attitudes and motivations are easy to understand. She grapples with guilt because she knows that compared to him, she's just going through the motions. She finds herself eagerly catching up with her old friend Aidan on Facebook. He offers something she's not getting from Sam, being a free-spirited artist who even disregards the conventions of the English language.
The person I felt for most was Ryan, since kids don't get to choose their parents, then get dragged from pillar to post. The story raises so many questions. Should those with such strong standards for the way they approach mission work even have families, since it's clear they'll be pushed into second place and forced into molds which don't fit them? Maybe people like Sam should follow the example of St Paul, who probably didn't for that very reason. Can we ever force ourselves to take on the burdens of someone else's heart, no matter how much we love them, and should we even be expected to? Can decisions which we make with the shortsighted, rose coloured glasses of youth cast shadows over us for the rest of our lives? In my past, I've come across a few deep and meaningful Sams who I greatly admired, but as I read this novel, I felt grateful that I married my husband instead :)
It wasn't the style of book I usually go for. I'm not a fan of gut-wrenching heartache (of which this book has its share), but sometimes when you're making requests for ARCs based on brief blurbs, you have to accept the risk. I'm a highly sensitive person and also a bit on an empath, which makes it easy to take others' grief on myself. When an author's writing makes me fond of characters, it sticks with me for ages when horrible things happen to them. That's why I'm not giving it full marks, but I know this is a personal thing. Michele Phoenix's writing certainly deserves five stars, and she does warn us herself in the notes at the back of the book that this is a cautionary tale.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my review copy.
For more reviews and book talk, visit my blog, http://vincereview.blogspot.com.au/
December 31, 2016
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://bit.ly/2hDj0Ez
If I had a complaint, it would be that the time span between one Michèle Phoenix story and the next is too long by far. But I guess that’s really a compliment, in a roundabout way. Michèle’s previous novel, In Broken Places, is one of my all-time favorites.
Of Stillness and Storm is a story that continues to linger in my mind. It’s about relationships, physical and spiritual. It is beautifully crafted in a style that skillfully blends exquisite narrative, literary quality, candid themes, and emotional depth. With rawness and honesty, it plumbs the depths of commitment to family and God. This is not a light or easy read – but it’s a haunting and thought-provoking one.
Of Stillness and Storm is the story of Sam, Lauren, and 13-year old Ryan, a missionary family dedicated to reaching the distant villages and tribes of Nepal – and of Aiden, a friend from Lauren’s past that she reconnects with online. Backstory passages make us privy to all that has led them to this place in time.
I loved the complexity of these characters. Sam had always had a vision of global impact and to him, deprivations were a badge of honor. I understood Sam’s passion and admired his drive to reach the Nepali people, yet I struggled to like him. I so badly wanted to reach out and shake some sense into him, yet I knew such effort would result in failure. Lauren’s heart is for her son, but she is bewildered and at a loss by the changes she sees in Ryan, and it’s not long before we see a family in crisis.
There’s so much upon which to reflect in this story – for instance, God’s will or man’s desire, blurred lines between ministry and marriage, submission, the unwitting effect of parents’ decisions on children. I loved this quote by Lauren during a conversation with Sam: “I tend to think that who we become because of our faith is more important than what we do to prove it.” I was kind of taken aback by the ending, yet it reflected the gritty realness of this story, and I actually saw it coming.
Of Stillness and Storm speaks of something that Lauren discovered and that I take joy in every day … that out of darkness and loss emerges a “relentless, demanding, trustworthy, benevolent, and healing God.” Oh, for more stories like this in Christian fiction!
Highly recommended.
I was provided a free copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
If I had a complaint, it would be that the time span between one Michèle Phoenix story and the next is too long by far. But I guess that’s really a compliment, in a roundabout way. Michèle’s previous novel, In Broken Places, is one of my all-time favorites.
Of Stillness and Storm is a story that continues to linger in my mind. It’s about relationships, physical and spiritual. It is beautifully crafted in a style that skillfully blends exquisite narrative, literary quality, candid themes, and emotional depth. With rawness and honesty, it plumbs the depths of commitment to family and God. This is not a light or easy read – but it’s a haunting and thought-provoking one.
Of Stillness and Storm is the story of Sam, Lauren, and 13-year old Ryan, a missionary family dedicated to reaching the distant villages and tribes of Nepal – and of Aiden, a friend from Lauren’s past that she reconnects with online. Backstory passages make us privy to all that has led them to this place in time.
I loved the complexity of these characters. Sam had always had a vision of global impact and to him, deprivations were a badge of honor. I understood Sam’s passion and admired his drive to reach the Nepali people, yet I struggled to like him. I so badly wanted to reach out and shake some sense into him, yet I knew such effort would result in failure. Lauren’s heart is for her son, but she is bewildered and at a loss by the changes she sees in Ryan, and it’s not long before we see a family in crisis.
There’s so much upon which to reflect in this story – for instance, God’s will or man’s desire, blurred lines between ministry and marriage, submission, the unwitting effect of parents’ decisions on children. I loved this quote by Lauren during a conversation with Sam: “I tend to think that who we become because of our faith is more important than what we do to prove it.” I was kind of taken aback by the ending, yet it reflected the gritty realness of this story, and I actually saw it coming.
Of Stillness and Storm speaks of something that Lauren discovered and that I take joy in every day … that out of darkness and loss emerges a “relentless, demanding, trustworthy, benevolent, and healing God.” Oh, for more stories like this in Christian fiction!
Highly recommended.
I was provided a free copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
January 11, 2018
This book was very disappointing to me. I've read two other books by Michele and loved them. This one...too much language and even taking God's name in vain to really be considered a Christian book. And the ending? Life is rarely easy or even pretty, but there is always hope. This book ends without any hope. I've been there--dark tunnels without a light at the end--but I didn't write a book about it in the middle of that season and leave it hanging there. I get that Michele has probably seen her share of the good, bad and the ugly as she has worked with MKs and been one herself. I get that she wanted to make a statement. This book, however, stops short of providing the hope so needed to hurting people--that God can be trusted and He is a Healer and a Restorer (even if it doesn't happen on our timetables). I doubt I'll try another Michele Phoenix book, even though I previously have loved her characters and writing style. Even knowing she was tackling a tough subject matter, I expected a lot more from this book.
April 5, 2017
2/5 stars
So I just finished this book, and I'm sitting here with my mind whirling, trying to decide how to describe it. I'm torn between knowing what the author's aim was and thinking she accomplished her goal really well, and also thinking that I am not completely thrilled with the final tone of this book.
I was going to try to keep this spoiler-free, but then I realized that if it were me reading this review, I would want enough spoilers to decide if it was going to be a book that was worth reading to me personally. So there are some slight spoilers below. You've been warned.
What I Liked
The best way to describe this book is a cautionary tale, on three fronts, and I guess what I liked about the book was that the author got her points across in a really powerful way.
1. The first is a cautionary tale about what can happen when Christians put a supposed call to ministry ahead of their families. This book follows Lauren and Sam as they meet, fall in love, and have a baby...then as they proceed onto the mission field. However, it becomes clear pretty early on that "the call" is really Sam's exhaustive drive to bring about his own vision of what he wants to do with his life - and to bring his family along without regard to whether they are also feeling the same "call". The results are disastrous and heartbreaking. We watch Ryan, a happy six year old, slowly descend into a sullen teenager who feels rejected by his father in favor of Nepali villagers, and consequently rejected by God. This brings him to a very dark place, and he attempts suicide. This was especially hard for me to read, since I currently have a happy six year old. However, I thought this is where the author made her point so well. The first ministry that we are given by God is to our own family, and any other ministry comes second to that...and mixing up the order can destroy lives and even faith. This book is a sobering story, even chilling.
2. The second cautionary tale was about how easily one can slip into an emotional affair if they aren't careful. In the process of the story, Lauren starts communicating with a childhood friend, and eventually becomes so infatuated or in love with him that it has negative effects on her marriage and family.
3. The third caution seems to be about submission, and how a wrong understanding of it can lead wives to submit to things that they know in their hearts go against God's plan. This happened when Lauren kept submitting to Sam's missionary plans instead of listening to the Holy Spirit's still small voice that told her this wasn't right. Unfortunately, Sam's character in this book is pretty single-minded in the worst way when it comes to the getting on the mission field (and though the book doesn't say it, I think it's for his own glory, not God's), and if Lauren stood up to him he would have gone without her.
What I Didn't Like
Appropriately, what I didn't like about this book can also be separated under those three points the author was trying to make.
1. First, with regards to priorities in ministry - I felt that in the process of making this point, the author didn't do a satisfactory enough job (to me) in clarifying that God does not call us to sacrifice our families for the sake of ministry. The book talked about how Lauren and Sam neglected Ryan, but I thought the author could have done a better job explaining how Sam's "call" really wasn't from God if Sam was willing to sacrifice his family for his own idea of what mission work should look like. Phoenix attempts to show this in the end when she writes about how Lauren turns back to "her God", the God who loves His children and is grieved by all they excused in His name, as opposed to "Sam's God". But it wasn't quite good enough for me, because it wasn't God at all who "called" Sam to abandon his family, and I wish that was shown more clearly.
2. Second, on emotional affairs - I felt that what Lauren did was never really presented as wrong. Sure, Sam was totally neglecting and disregarding his family for his own glory, but I still think Lauren should have been more on guard, and at least recognized what she did wrong with regards to getting so involved with Aidan. I don't feel like she ever did. We as the reader are just left to our own devices on the morality of her emotional affair (note: it's not okay). The consequences are seen, but the repentance is not.
3. Third, I kind of hate how this book threw in phrases like "the tyranny of submission", without really explaining more about biblical submission. It makes submission the bad guy, when really I think it was a misapplication of submission. I don't think the command for wives to submit to their husbands involves standing by and doing nothing while your child is neglected and goes down a dangerous path because of his parents' poor choices. Lauren's character acted like she was helpless because of "submission", when really she just didn't want the conflict that would result if she stood up for what God was showing her about the effects of Sam's plan on their family. And instead of seeking God about her struggle, she just distracts herself with her emotional affair (see above). Not a great example of biblical submission at all, and maybe that was the point, but again, I wish it was clarified more.
Conclusions
I'd also just like to note that while there was a lot of talk of "reaching" people, there wasn't a lot of talk about what the characters were trying to reach them with. Only passing references to the Gospel and Christ, but the characters themselves didn't seem to personally recognize what Christ did in dying to take away our sins and rising again, not in a way that impacted their lives - they were just going through the motions of "ministry", either to keep the peace (Lauren) or to do something "great" (Sam).
Once again, maybe that was the point, but the bottom line is, I wouldn't recommend this to someone who didn't already know what it means to believe in Jesus to take away our sins, or have a strong foundation in their knowledge of what it means to be saved. I appreciated what the author was trying to do here in presenting us with the perils of jumping recklessly into missions, but only because I am grounded in my faith. For someone who doesn't really know what Christianity is about, this book presents a very negative view of "Christian" intentions gone amuck.
I wish the salvation message had been presented more clearly through the ending in this story in case any non-believers pick it up, because without that this book lacked a shot of the Truth that I felt it desperately needed. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it because of that. I would recommend it with caution to believers in Jesus if they want a book that gets them thinking about the kind of struggles missionaries may face, and a book that gives a good shot in the arm about the importance of ministering to your own family - but don't expect to leave this book feeling encouraged, because you will be disappointed.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
December 9, 2016
This is a very well written book though a hard-on-the-heart story to delve into.
The author takes us through the courtship and into the throes of a marriage giving the reader word pictures of the manipulation of the husband over the wife in things secular and spiritual. The husband feels and intensely believes he is called of God to serve in some vastly important way and a perchance meeting with a business acquaintance leads his heart to Nepal.
He begins to maneuver his life and that of his wife and young son in that direction against the desire of his wife and strong discouragement of the church elders. Being discouraged by the elders and seeing no support in that camp, they leave the church and the husband seeks support elsewhere.
They do go to Nepal. The wife and son are left for weeks in this strange land while the husband treks into the world he feels compelled to serve.
This story brings to bear the harshness of life for those serving in foreign fields. Fiction? Yes, but so revealing in its reality. Life is not easy or always benign for this missionary. This is the modern age, but even that does not ease the life of the families serving in countries other then their homeland - especially when it is forced on them by a husband unfeeling for the family needs.
A story such as this should compel husbands, wives, churches, mission boards, etc. to fully vet candidates who seek to minister afar. Not all are called. Not all are to serve afar. It behooves all to be diligent to determine the true call of God on their lives.
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review of my honest opinions which are freely given.
The author takes us through the courtship and into the throes of a marriage giving the reader word pictures of the manipulation of the husband over the wife in things secular and spiritual. The husband feels and intensely believes he is called of God to serve in some vastly important way and a perchance meeting with a business acquaintance leads his heart to Nepal.
He begins to maneuver his life and that of his wife and young son in that direction against the desire of his wife and strong discouragement of the church elders. Being discouraged by the elders and seeing no support in that camp, they leave the church and the husband seeks support elsewhere.
They do go to Nepal. The wife and son are left for weeks in this strange land while the husband treks into the world he feels compelled to serve.
This story brings to bear the harshness of life for those serving in foreign fields. Fiction? Yes, but so revealing in its reality. Life is not easy or always benign for this missionary. This is the modern age, but even that does not ease the life of the families serving in countries other then their homeland - especially when it is forced on them by a husband unfeeling for the family needs.
A story such as this should compel husbands, wives, churches, mission boards, etc. to fully vet candidates who seek to minister afar. Not all are called. Not all are to serve afar. It behooves all to be diligent to determine the true call of God on their lives.
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review of my honest opinions which are freely given.
October 5, 2017
I think I should preface this review; I am not a Christian of any denomination and I can't understand the mindset of feeling it necessary to offset much needed humanitarian efforts with religious conversion.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book.I enjoyed the glimpse into this type of mindset, even if it wasn't the healthiest example. I have to admit I wanted to throttle Sam most of the book, well actually I wanted to throttle both him and Lauren. To me, it highlighted the dangers of blind faith and the submissive helpmate mentality which given the author's note, I think was the purpose behind this book.
All in all, I think this was a well written book that kept me interested despite being so far outside my normal genre. The cast of characters are believable, and cause the reader to connect with them, even if it is in the desire to wring their necks and shake them til they see sense lol.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book.I enjoyed the glimpse into this type of mindset, even if it wasn't the healthiest example. I have to admit I wanted to throttle Sam most of the book, well actually I wanted to throttle both him and Lauren. To me, it highlighted the dangers of blind faith and the submissive helpmate mentality which given the author's note, I think was the purpose behind this book.
All in all, I think this was a well written book that kept me interested despite being so far outside my normal genre. The cast of characters are believable, and cause the reader to connect with them, even if it is in the desire to wring their necks and shake them til they see sense lol.
December 4, 2016
I didn't particularly like this book. It was kind of depressing and I spent most of the book being frustrated with the characters. Their choices made me frustrated and angry and wondering how they could be so dense. I know the main point of the book was to show how parents' choices in ministry can affect their children negatively, but it left me with a bad taste in my mouth because I felt like nothing really was resolved by the end.
August 21, 2020
It was a good story. I enjoyed the format and development of the story. I found myself frustrated at times but part of that may have been my recollections of being a missionary parent. This would be a good book for people (especially for those with families) to read who are planning on going to the mission field or are already there. The author was a "missionary kid" who grew up on the mission field with her parents and therefore knows of what she speaks.
April 15, 2017
Why I Choose this Book:
It's a contemporary about missionaries - specifically struggling missionaries. It sounded intriguing.
What I Thought about this Book:
WARNING: This review contains spoilers!
I literally had no clue what I was getting into. Of Stillness and Storms was gloriously beautiful. Heartbreakingly honest. Terrifyingly real. Horrible, amazing, gripping, totally wrong, and completely spot-on all at once. Each page was one more waving red flag, screaming about the train wreck that was taking place, slowly, one word at a time.
The writing, the storyline, the whole concept, was exceptional. The tension between the main character (Lauren) and her husband's (Sam) understandings of how God works and the compound effect of those views was expertly told.
Sam. Ugh. He changed so little throughout the book. His idealism at the beginning is basically the same at the end. Only the settings changed. His fierce desire to live largely and his devotion to his own convictions ironically make him appear predictable and stagnant by the end. You just know he isn't going to change, and Lauren's palpable frustration is shared. In spite of - perhaps because of - her mistakes, she seems like the most living character in the book, because she's acting like a real human. Sam's single-mindedness glazed his vision, and his undoing was when he stopped taking Lauren's input into whatever equation he was using to find God's will. He ended up being an absentee control freak - which sounds like an oxymoron, but is so true.
It was intriguing because it's not easy to tell exactly where everything fell apart. You can see the seeds early on (the book contained large portions of flashbacks), but the only real barometer we have is Lauren's response. If Lauren and Sam were completely united in their mission, the story would look completely different. What's disconcerting is that Sam could still be a stubborn control freak and no one might ever know. He would probably look like a great missionary and person to most people, and Lauren's support would validate that. As it is, our sympathy with Lauren's humanity cues us that something is off with Sam, and by the end of the book, it is tragically obvious.
Conclusion
This book is by far the best one I've ever read in regards to TCKs (Third Culture Kids) and the challenges they go through. I've grown up around TCKs, and many of my closest friends are TCKs. Sometimes I feel like one myself. It came to my attention a few years ago (when visiting some missionary friends), how there are so many misunderstandings when it comes to TCKs, and that can be a huge problem.
With my job I have the privilege of hanging out with missionaries a lot. I've heard stories that are comparable to this one, but with incredibly beautiful grace and mercy filled endings. I've seen how real the issues this book dealt with can be, and how much heartache can spring forth when miscommunications take over. This book handled the topic so vividly that it made me want to recommend it to everyone.
Unfortunately there were some borderline issues in this book - a couple scenes that I'm not comfortable recommending, as well as several words. There were also a couple of places that I couldn't tell if they were using God's name in vain or not (you'd have to see the writing style to know why it was confusing), so that was a disappointment. Also, the whole premise is rather disturbing (but, in like a really honest, needed type of way). Therefore I can't exactly recommend it to everyone. But! Depending on your personal guidelines, you might want to check the book out.
Rating
I’m giving Of Stillness and Storms 4 out of 5 stars, and 8 out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse*
It's a contemporary about missionaries - specifically struggling missionaries. It sounded intriguing.
What I Thought about this Book:
WARNING: This review contains spoilers!
I literally had no clue what I was getting into. Of Stillness and Storms was gloriously beautiful. Heartbreakingly honest. Terrifyingly real. Horrible, amazing, gripping, totally wrong, and completely spot-on all at once. Each page was one more waving red flag, screaming about the train wreck that was taking place, slowly, one word at a time.
The writing, the storyline, the whole concept, was exceptional. The tension between the main character (Lauren) and her husband's (Sam) understandings of how God works and the compound effect of those views was expertly told.
Sam. Ugh. He changed so little throughout the book. His idealism at the beginning is basically the same at the end. Only the settings changed. His fierce desire to live largely and his devotion to his own convictions ironically make him appear predictable and stagnant by the end. You just know he isn't going to change, and Lauren's palpable frustration is shared. In spite of - perhaps because of - her mistakes, she seems like the most living character in the book, because she's acting like a real human. Sam's single-mindedness glazed his vision, and his undoing was when he stopped taking Lauren's input into whatever equation he was using to find God's will. He ended up being an absentee control freak - which sounds like an oxymoron, but is so true.
It was intriguing because it's not easy to tell exactly where everything fell apart. You can see the seeds early on (the book contained large portions of flashbacks), but the only real barometer we have is Lauren's response. If Lauren and Sam were completely united in their mission, the story would look completely different. What's disconcerting is that Sam could still be a stubborn control freak and no one might ever know. He would probably look like a great missionary and person to most people, and Lauren's support would validate that. As it is, our sympathy with Lauren's humanity cues us that something is off with Sam, and by the end of the book, it is tragically obvious.
Conclusion
This book is by far the best one I've ever read in regards to TCKs (Third Culture Kids) and the challenges they go through. I've grown up around TCKs, and many of my closest friends are TCKs. Sometimes I feel like one myself. It came to my attention a few years ago (when visiting some missionary friends), how there are so many misunderstandings when it comes to TCKs, and that can be a huge problem.
With my job I have the privilege of hanging out with missionaries a lot. I've heard stories that are comparable to this one, but with incredibly beautiful grace and mercy filled endings. I've seen how real the issues this book dealt with can be, and how much heartache can spring forth when miscommunications take over. This book handled the topic so vividly that it made me want to recommend it to everyone.
Unfortunately there were some borderline issues in this book - a couple scenes that I'm not comfortable recommending, as well as several words. There were also a couple of places that I couldn't tell if they were using God's name in vain or not (you'd have to see the writing style to know why it was confusing), so that was a disappointment. Also, the whole premise is rather disturbing (but, in like a really honest, needed type of way). Therefore I can't exactly recommend it to everyone. But! Depending on your personal guidelines, you might want to check the book out.
Rating
I’m giving Of Stillness and Storms 4 out of 5 stars, and 8 out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2016
Of Stillness and Storm is one of those books that embeds itself deep in your soul, the kind of story that rolls around in your heart long after you’ve finished reading it. It’s sobering and raw and heartbreaking, yet even in the despair there is hope and goodness.
Michèle Phoenix has created characters and settings and situations so vivid that you feel as though you are there in Kathmandu with them. You experience Lauren’s anger, Aiden’s desperation, and Ryan’s angry desperation. You also want to step through the pages of the book and shake some sense into Sam who proves to be a piety doppelganger to St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre. There are moments where you will grit your teeth in frustration, others where you will wince in disbelief. Still other moments will leave you gasping in stunned horror and groping for that box of tissues you should have kept handy!
And yet … in the midst of those storms, comes a stillness. The peace that ushers in is palpable, the difference noticeable. Interestingly – poignantly, poetically – the stillness brings its own set of storms. And though there are dangers to be carefully navigated within the stillness, and though mistakes are made, it’s here in the stillness that we see a life redeemed from the pit. Not on the mission field where a father’s “calling” threatens to destroy every last fiber of his family’s faith, hope, and love. But in online messages sent to a hurting friend from a hurting friend.
I’m still not completely sure how I feel about the storyline between Lauren and Aiden (in many ways it reminded me of Ethan Frome) but I said at the outset of this review that Of Stillness and Storm is a book that rolls around in your heart for awhile. And I can say this with certainty – After reading this beautifully penned novel, you will (hopefully) never see missionary families the same way again. Especially missionary kids who are so often overlooked in the shuffle. Maybe that means your prayers for them will be different. Maybe you’ll think about these families, these kids, more often and petition God on their behalf when you do. Maybe you’ll ask if there’s anything they need and you won’t mean just the peanut butter they can’t get there.
Bottom Line: Of Stillness and Storm by Michèle Phoenix is haunting and poetic and not a book you can easily walk away from. It’s a cautionary tale and a riveting story, all at once. I’m still reacting to a lot of it, to be honest. In my spirit. In my gut. In my heart. Wanting to hug some characters close. Wanting to shake some sense into others. This is not a book to be read lightly but it’s one with the power to heal and the power to prevent. Which, really, is the best kind of fiction.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
Michèle Phoenix has created characters and settings and situations so vivid that you feel as though you are there in Kathmandu with them. You experience Lauren’s anger, Aiden’s desperation, and Ryan’s angry desperation. You also want to step through the pages of the book and shake some sense into Sam who proves to be a piety doppelganger to St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre. There are moments where you will grit your teeth in frustration, others where you will wince in disbelief. Still other moments will leave you gasping in stunned horror and groping for that box of tissues you should have kept handy!
And yet … in the midst of those storms, comes a stillness. The peace that ushers in is palpable, the difference noticeable. Interestingly – poignantly, poetically – the stillness brings its own set of storms. And though there are dangers to be carefully navigated within the stillness, and though mistakes are made, it’s here in the stillness that we see a life redeemed from the pit. Not on the mission field where a father’s “calling” threatens to destroy every last fiber of his family’s faith, hope, and love. But in online messages sent to a hurting friend from a hurting friend.
I’m still not completely sure how I feel about the storyline between Lauren and Aiden (in many ways it reminded me of Ethan Frome) but I said at the outset of this review that Of Stillness and Storm is a book that rolls around in your heart for awhile. And I can say this with certainty – After reading this beautifully penned novel, you will (hopefully) never see missionary families the same way again. Especially missionary kids who are so often overlooked in the shuffle. Maybe that means your prayers for them will be different. Maybe you’ll think about these families, these kids, more often and petition God on their behalf when you do. Maybe you’ll ask if there’s anything they need and you won’t mean just the peanut butter they can’t get there.
Bottom Line: Of Stillness and Storm by Michèle Phoenix is haunting and poetic and not a book you can easily walk away from. It’s a cautionary tale and a riveting story, all at once. I’m still reacting to a lot of it, to be honest. In my spirit. In my gut. In my heart. Wanting to hug some characters close. Wanting to shake some sense into others. This is not a book to be read lightly but it’s one with the power to heal and the power to prevent. Which, really, is the best kind of fiction.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
December 8, 2016
When Lauren’s husband becomes convinced that God is calling them to minister to remote tribes in Nepal, Lauren finds it difficult to argue against both “God’s will” and her marriage vows. But two years in, Lauren is feeling trapped and their thirteen-year-old son Ryan has yet to adjust. Getting back in touch with a childhood friend awakens her desire to fight for her son – and for the woman and writer she used to be. This is a raw, intimate look at the toll the missionary life can take on a family. It brings up hard questions about discerning God’s will and deciding where your priorities lie. Lauren is a very human, very relatable character whose struggles will be familiar to many Christians, and her story, though fictional, should be required reading for anyone involved in full-time ministry. This is an absorbing and important read.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It's due to be published on my birthday, so I'm considering it an early present. :)
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It's due to be published on my birthday, so I'm considering it an early present. :)
February 6, 2017
4 1/2 stars. This novel, although published by a Christian publisher, reads more like mainstream women's fiction, which I really enjoyed (which means there is some language, not a tidy Happy Ever After, etc.). But this is an important story, because it charges into a realm generally left untouched in Christian literature--the lives of missionary kids and families and the unique stresses they face. It also delves into the calling of God and a couple as they struggle to determine what that is for them and their son. While at times I felt there were too many flashbacks, I understand how they wove together to lay the background of the rather precarious foundation of this marriage. I'm not quite sure how I felt about the ending, but in the end, the book took me to another place and illustrated a fact I believe strongly--namely, that one's family needs to come before one's ministry, or the entire ministry will eventually fall to ruin in terms of its effectiveness for the Kingdom.
August 16, 2024
Full disclosure: I have followed Michèle’s work online for several years and receive her newsletters. My knowledge of her work and her person impact how I read and processed this foray into her fiction. Cool? Cool.
First of all, I think I might be allergic to cheesy Christian fiction. (Yes, I did go to Bible college for an English degree; yes, I miss reading good Christian novels). I was grateful to discover that, though perhaps not earth shattering in its plot or conclusions, this novel was not of the cheesy, formulaic sort I’d feared.
There is a real urgency to Phoenix’s pleading, through the lives of one messy and real missionary family, not to sacrifice children on the altars of their parents’ ministry. Or, come to think of it, not to sacrifice one spouse on the altar of the others’ calling (perceived or otherwise). As heartbreaking as it is to watch these characters’ minds and hearts unravel, it is also artistically, spiritually . . . refreshing? to see earnest believers get things really wrong even when they’re trying hard not to, and for God’s grace to show up anyway even as (spoiler alert) some things still really suck for this family by the novel’s conclusion. And though she clearly wrote this book as a cautionary tale, Phoenix does us all the service of not bludgeoning us over the head with pedantry, which is more than I can say of some secular novels with clear moral takeaways.
A surprising moment of readerly appreciation, here: there is a pivotal scene where, no joke, the main character gets diarrhea in the middle of a monsoon. It’s heartbreaking, but also so refreshingly realistic? I am pro more Christian fiction (but especially about the missions/cross-cultural world) talking about life as it really is. Cross cultures and you will be changed in ways both formative and deeply unglamorous (and you will have a memorable diarrhea story or ten).
Another spoiler alert — brownie points to the author for the missionary family having a wealthy, well-connected, and loving friend who arranged everything for their medical evacuation out of their country of service (can I please get one of those to handle my overseas admin for me? If you’re my friend in real life and you’re reading this, feel free to present your candidacy).
I also really loved the descriptions early in the book of the little insular community at a tiny Bible school in the Swiss Alps. Anyone reading this who knows other books to recommend about little Christian communities (preferably Alpine in nature), please contact me post haste.
First of all, I think I might be allergic to cheesy Christian fiction. (Yes, I did go to Bible college for an English degree; yes, I miss reading good Christian novels). I was grateful to discover that, though perhaps not earth shattering in its plot or conclusions, this novel was not of the cheesy, formulaic sort I’d feared.
There is a real urgency to Phoenix’s pleading, through the lives of one messy and real missionary family, not to sacrifice children on the altars of their parents’ ministry. Or, come to think of it, not to sacrifice one spouse on the altar of the others’ calling (perceived or otherwise). As heartbreaking as it is to watch these characters’ minds and hearts unravel, it is also artistically, spiritually . . . refreshing? to see earnest believers get things really wrong even when they’re trying hard not to, and for God’s grace to show up anyway even as (spoiler alert) some things still really suck for this family by the novel’s conclusion. And though she clearly wrote this book as a cautionary tale, Phoenix does us all the service of not bludgeoning us over the head with pedantry, which is more than I can say of some secular novels with clear moral takeaways.
A surprising moment of readerly appreciation, here: there is a pivotal scene where, no joke, the main character gets diarrhea in the middle of a monsoon. It’s heartbreaking, but also so refreshingly realistic? I am pro more Christian fiction (but especially about the missions/cross-cultural world) talking about life as it really is. Cross cultures and you will be changed in ways both formative and deeply unglamorous (and you will have a memorable diarrhea story or ten).
Another spoiler alert — brownie points to the author for the missionary family having a wealthy, well-connected, and loving friend who arranged everything for their medical evacuation out of their country of service (can I please get one of those to handle my overseas admin for me? If you’re my friend in real life and you’re reading this, feel free to present your candidacy).
I also really loved the descriptions early in the book of the little insular community at a tiny Bible school in the Swiss Alps. Anyone reading this who knows other books to recommend about little Christian communities (preferably Alpine in nature), please contact me post haste.
April 13, 2024
I really thought this was a biography when I bought it ages ago. I picked it up and realised it is a novel. Really reminds one of The Poisonwood Bible. I thought it was really good and couldn't put it down. Covers some of the possible tensions of family and missions. The author was a MK (missionary kid), and works with missionary kids. Set in Nepal and what a sense of place, wow.
July 28, 2023
Wow. Hard words and thought provoking... Michele writes this book of missionaries sold out to their calling at all costs.. even the cost of their closest and dearest relationships. I was skeptical most of the way thru this book but love the way it ends. And it haunts me...
December 14, 2016
Of Stillness and Storm is the story of a man and woman who meet, fall in love, marry, and go into the mission field. At first, I thought that it was the story of their relationship but by the end of the book, I saw that it really was the story of a family.
The story is told from Lauren's point of view. It starts in present time with Lauren in Nepal while her husband Sam is away in the remotest areas witnessing to the people. For three weeks a month she is a single mother to the13-year-old son Ryan. Their family lives a third-world life without any comforts that the other non-Nepalese families have.
Lauren shares memories of the time when she and Sam meet and become friends while studying abroad. Sam never strays from his desire to reach the unsaved in the world from the first day that they meet.
When they do finally get married they work hard towards the goal of going into the mission field. After ten very long and arduous years, Sam gets the mission field of his dreams. Of Stillness and Storm is really more about how that mission field affects the family.
Lauren stays in touch with her friends via Skype but when she's asked to join social media to keep in touch with friends she finds an old friend. One whom she becomes emotionally entangled with due to her feelings of isolation from family, friends, clean running water, plumbing, reliable electricity, and the internet.
More than Sam's wanderings and Lauren's feelings of loneliness is Ryan's behavior and attitude. He's quickly moving farther and farther away from his parents emotionally. He didn't want to go to Nepal when his parents told him about it nearly a year before they left. He doesn't want to be there now. When Ryan has a terrible accident things change drastically.
To see the life, love, and tragedy of a missionary family you really need to get Of Stillness and Storm.
The story is told from Lauren's point of view. It starts in present time with Lauren in Nepal while her husband Sam is away in the remotest areas witnessing to the people. For three weeks a month she is a single mother to the13-year-old son Ryan. Their family lives a third-world life without any comforts that the other non-Nepalese families have.
Lauren shares memories of the time when she and Sam meet and become friends while studying abroad. Sam never strays from his desire to reach the unsaved in the world from the first day that they meet.
When they do finally get married they work hard towards the goal of going into the mission field. After ten very long and arduous years, Sam gets the mission field of his dreams. Of Stillness and Storm is really more about how that mission field affects the family.
Lauren stays in touch with her friends via Skype but when she's asked to join social media to keep in touch with friends she finds an old friend. One whom she becomes emotionally entangled with due to her feelings of isolation from family, friends, clean running water, plumbing, reliable electricity, and the internet.
More than Sam's wanderings and Lauren's feelings of loneliness is Ryan's behavior and attitude. He's quickly moving farther and farther away from his parents emotionally. He didn't want to go to Nepal when his parents told him about it nearly a year before they left. He doesn't want to be there now. When Ryan has a terrible accident things change drastically.
To see the life, love, and tragedy of a missionary family you really need to get Of Stillness and Storm.
December 8, 2016
This book wasn't anything like I thought it would be. I was expecting a story about a woman struggling with infidelity, but instead it was about the unraveling of a missionary family. I felt a lot of sympathy for the main character, Lauren. She really wanted her marriage to work. The struggles she was having broke my heart. There were so many red flags she chose to ignore about the man she was married to. I also felt badly for her son who never really wanted to go to the mission field in the first place.
I think it's important to say that this isn't a normal missionary situation. Lauren and her family are very isolated, and she and her son are not included in any of the work her husband is doing. They also aren't supported by any kind of organization, so there's no one watching out for them and helping them succeed.
I was frustrated through much of the story with Lauren's husband, Sam. I really wanted to root for this marriage, but Sam's actions made that virtually impossible. He is very manipulative and arrogant. The story is told entirely from Lauren's POV, so I really don't know what Sam was doing all those weeks he was gone. I wish his character was a little more developed.
I want to say I enjoyed this book, but it was such a hard story to read. These people's struggles were very real. Ministry is hard wherever you are, and you need people around that will help and support you. There is redemption and hope at the end, but things don't really resolve completely. I would recommend this book to people who are ok with books that aren't wrapped up with a bow at the end.
Litfuse is hosting an awesome give away for this book here.
I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse for the purpose of review.
Posted by Jill Hoke at 6:4
February 6, 2017
Of Stillness and Storm takes an unflinching look at the reality of life for those and their families called to the mission field - especially when that calling isn’t shared equally by the entire family.
Lauren and her husband Sam have been preparing to leave all they know in the USA and travel half a world away to serve remote villages in Nepal. Sam feels this is God’s call and while Lauren isn’t completely convinced on her side - she feels it is her place to fall into line and support her husband. Their teenage son Ryan is even more uncomfortable and unhappy with their new living arrangements and grows ever more distant with his father as a result.
Lauren is faced with long periods of isolation as Sam treks deep into the Himalayan jungles - and then a man from her past makes unexpected contact via social media. What starts as a innocent reconnection with a past associate soon becomes deeper and more intimate and something she feels she must hide from Sam.
The story as a whole is a fascinating take on missionary life and the benefits and potential pitfalls that can be a result. I found the characters’s engaging and interesting and the while part of me felt the ending was a left a little hanging up in the air - I can also appreciate how that may actually have been intentional to drive home the point that their are no ‘fairy tale’ endings.
I can highly recommend Of Stillness and Storm as a thoughtful and engaging read.
Lauren and her husband Sam have been preparing to leave all they know in the USA and travel half a world away to serve remote villages in Nepal. Sam feels this is God’s call and while Lauren isn’t completely convinced on her side - she feels it is her place to fall into line and support her husband. Their teenage son Ryan is even more uncomfortable and unhappy with their new living arrangements and grows ever more distant with his father as a result.
Lauren is faced with long periods of isolation as Sam treks deep into the Himalayan jungles - and then a man from her past makes unexpected contact via social media. What starts as a innocent reconnection with a past associate soon becomes deeper and more intimate and something she feels she must hide from Sam.
The story as a whole is a fascinating take on missionary life and the benefits and potential pitfalls that can be a result. I found the characters’s engaging and interesting and the while part of me felt the ending was a left a little hanging up in the air - I can also appreciate how that may actually have been intentional to drive home the point that their are no ‘fairy tale’ endings.
I can highly recommend Of Stillness and Storm as a thoughtful and engaging read.
May 2, 2024
3.5 stars. I appreciate the author’s willingness to explore messy & hard Christian topics without sugar-coating things. It was hard to get through the conversations between Lauren & Aiden. Way too melodramatic for me. Perhaps that was done on purpose? I also appreciated the secondary characters Sullivan and Evaline. They each brought breaths of fresh air within a heavy story.
January 17, 2019
Of Stillness and Storm tells the story of Lauren, a missionary's wife in Nepal who struggles to hold her family together while her husband, Sam, fulfills his calling. Even when her life and the life of her son are falling apart, how can she argue against God's call to save the lost?
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The writing is beautiful, creative, literary in style. The characters stand out and are unique. I can visualize everything she describes. Yet I am troubled. It's a hard book to like because we don't want to admit this kind of problem exists. There is no easy solution to the problem she gives. I wish there was one. I wish her book had ended with more hope and that one of the characters could have changed. Yet maybe the point she makes would have not stood out in such stark relief if there had been a more happy ending
Finally, while I understand certain words will flow from the mouths of the frustrated, angry, and unredeemed, I still look at a book from a Christian publishing house as a promise to readers that there won't be crude language. I understand the author probably wanted to be real and authentic, but I believe this could have been accomplished without specific words.
But the writing is beautiful, descriptive, and powerful. Read with caution and an open but discerning spirit.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The writing is beautiful, creative, literary in style. The characters stand out and are unique. I can visualize everything she describes. Yet I am troubled. It's a hard book to like because we don't want to admit this kind of problem exists. There is no easy solution to the problem she gives. I wish there was one. I wish her book had ended with more hope and that one of the characters could have changed. Yet maybe the point she makes would have not stood out in such stark relief if there had been a more happy ending
Finally, while I understand certain words will flow from the mouths of the frustrated, angry, and unredeemed, I still look at a book from a Christian publishing house as a promise to readers that there won't be crude language. I understand the author probably wanted to be real and authentic, but I believe this could have been accomplished without specific words.
But the writing is beautiful, descriptive, and powerful. Read with caution and an open but discerning spirit.
January 2, 2017
I was unsure of what to expect from this novel when I began the story. So, for those of you that are unsure of what this story is about, I will share a little.
This is the story of the raw and real side of some missionary living. There are good times and bad times, but through it all, it is the stark reminder that when ministering to others, our families must come first.
It is not really anything you could finish and think it was a "HEA" story, or think, "Yay, that was sweet." More so, you will be left with the desire to reach out and touch some of the out of the country missionaries, people serving others in other lands in a tangible way.
I think every person that works with ministry and missions should read this book. It can help us to realize how we can minister to those that are in ministry. We often focus on the excitement aspect of it and no one really wants to hear about diarrhea or children that are struggling with the adjustment.
This story takes one of the reality of mission life, and brings it to life.
This is the story of the raw and real side of some missionary living. There are good times and bad times, but through it all, it is the stark reminder that when ministering to others, our families must come first.
It is not really anything you could finish and think it was a "HEA" story, or think, "Yay, that was sweet." More so, you will be left with the desire to reach out and touch some of the out of the country missionaries, people serving others in other lands in a tangible way.
I think every person that works with ministry and missions should read this book. It can help us to realize how we can minister to those that are in ministry. We often focus on the excitement aspect of it and no one really wants to hear about diarrhea or children that are struggling with the adjustment.
This story takes one of the reality of mission life, and brings it to life.
March 31, 2025
I’m struggling with a review. There was a raw reality and knowing Ms Phoenix works with missionary kids, I’m sure she wanted to get the story across that missionaries aren’t perfect and parents can ignore the needs of their children while serving others. It wasn’t the language that bothered me, it wasn’t seeing behind the curtain of missionaries private lives—maybe it felt too generalized and too bad or unrealistic. All missionaries are human. All missionaries have the same weaknesses and failing that other Christians do, but they are not all like this family. It seemed that the fundamental problem was the heart of the husband who wanted to do mission work when his wife and son weren’t on board—and felt himself so useful to the Lord he was willing to sacrifice his family. This was a tragic story. It was unsettling. It was well-written. I’d be interested to see what missionary responses are to it. I’m not fully aware of why this bothered me so much (as a retired pastor’s wife), but I will say it’s stuck with me.
October 4, 2020
This book has haunted me since I finished it a few days after I started it. Just yesterday I logged on to Goodreads, and saw some of the scathing reviews. So, I returned to the book to search for the curse words, the unrepentant heart of the main character, and the blasphemy. I found none of it. What I did find was an authentic story of a woman who was convinced that biblical womanhood meant following her husband without questioning his call, until she discovers that the God of her childhood was there all along. This is a messy book, and the characters' lives are messy. The plot doesn't end tied neatly in a bow, but there is hope at the end, and a measure of healing. This is not formula-driven Christina fiction, and if that's what you're looking for, search elsewhere. But if you want a well-told story of the hazards of ambition being mixed with ministry, and a true portrayal of how God can heal even the messiest lives, this one delivers.
December 10, 2016
Of Stillness and Storm is by a new-to-me author- Michele Phoenix. It was poignant and moving. I was immediately drawn in to the life of Lauren who is an excellent character, very well developed. I found myself thinking of her and wondering about the book when I wasn't reading it- the true sign of an excellent book and compelling characters.
The topic of the book is one that I've rarely heard discussed, much less found as the theme of a novel. It's an important topic, though. What happens when one parent- or spouse- feels sure of God's call, but the call affects the rest of the family negatively? Where is the line between following God sacrificially and protecting spouse and children? I don't know the answers to these questions, but Michele Phoenix- who grew up a missionary kid- does a wonderful job making the readers think about them.
The topic of the book is one that I've rarely heard discussed, much less found as the theme of a novel. It's an important topic, though. What happens when one parent- or spouse- feels sure of God's call, but the call affects the rest of the family negatively? Where is the line between following God sacrificially and protecting spouse and children? I don't know the answers to these questions, but Michele Phoenix- who grew up a missionary kid- does a wonderful job making the readers think about them.
February 2, 2017
From the haunting and poetic prologue, to the gorgeous language and melancholy mood of the epilogue, Of Stillness and Storm held me in its grip. Written in first person, this is an immersive and thought-provoking story of a missionary family in Nepal.
The language and voice kept me enthralled while devastating me with events as they unfolded. It lends itself to questions of where devotion ends and zealotry begins, where is the line between worship and idolatry, and what are the consequences of visiting the latter of either on children.
Quite likely to be one of the most powerful works of fiction I read this year, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
This review refers to a free copy received from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan's Fiction Guild, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Full review at bookworlder.wordpress.com
The language and voice kept me enthralled while devastating me with events as they unfolded. It lends itself to questions of where devotion ends and zealotry begins, where is the line between worship and idolatry, and what are the consequences of visiting the latter of either on children.
Quite likely to be one of the most powerful works of fiction I read this year, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
This review refers to a free copy received from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan's Fiction Guild, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Full review at bookworlder.wordpress.com
October 14, 2016
Do you know any missionaries? Christians who have left their home countries to go to another country to bring the Word of God? What do you think about them? Are they human beings like you and me? Or does one need to be of a ‘special’ breed to be a missionary?
I was a MK (Missionary Kid) and a missionary myself for 20 years and I read this book with delight! Yes, it’s a novel and fiction but ….. it reflects the struggles and true emotions of ‘real’ missionaries!
Michele Phoenix knows what it’s like to be a 'missionary kid' and a missionary and has written an honest look at missionary life through this story.
So, I challenge you: READ this book and, pray for the missionaries you know. They are REAL people!
I was a MK (Missionary Kid) and a missionary myself for 20 years and I read this book with delight! Yes, it’s a novel and fiction but ….. it reflects the struggles and true emotions of ‘real’ missionaries!
Michele Phoenix knows what it’s like to be a 'missionary kid' and a missionary and has written an honest look at missionary life through this story.
So, I challenge you: READ this book and, pray for the missionaries you know. They are REAL people!
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