Blog Tour: Parting the Waters

Jeanne Damoff's book, Parting the Waters, is a wonderful testimony to a family's journey of faith. I've known Jeanne through the Faith in Fiction community and her regular posting at The Master's Artist, so I knew a bit of the story of her son Jacob. But in her book, she tells of Jacob's near-drowning and long recovery in more detail. And what struck me as I read it the other night (yes, in one sitting) was that it was not a kind of movie-of-the-week story for Christians. It's a story of a family dealing with tragedy and asking the hard questions about how God could let such a thing happen and facing their own grief for the future that was forever altered. Jeanne doesn't gloss over their doubts and fears. But she also shows how they do come to see how God works in surprising and even miraculous ways and can give thanks for his goodness.

Jeanne weaves the story well. She uses the metaphor of ripples in the water to show the far-reaching consequences of Jacob's accident. The reader walks with the Damoff family as they deal with all the challenges and decisions after the accident. We meet the people of Marshall, Texas, and the doctors and nurses and physical therapists who cared for Jacob. By the end of the book, you feel you're a part of the community. And you rejoice with each step Jacob takes toward recovery. And, most important, you'll marvel at how God has brought beauty out of tragedy and give thanks for his goodness.

This is a good book for anyone -- whether you've experienced a similar tragedy or not. But it will be especially meaningful for people who are facing difficult times and wondering where God is. Jeanne also includes a section at the end that deals more directly with the theology of suffering, which is helpful.

Others are posting this week about Parting the Waters and you can find a list here. Be sure to visit some.

You can also visit Jeanne's Facebook page and share your thoughts about the book (and see what others are saying).