After Paul Stutzman lost his wife of 36 years to cancer, he felt the call to embrace a great adventure. What he encountered was an experience that changed his relationship with God and brought healing and peace to his soul.
In "Hiking Through: One Man's Journey tp Peace and Freedom on the Appalachian Trail", the famous trail is described in all it's glory becoming a main character in this memoir. Paul's inner journey takes a back seat at times to the "trail magic" and the angels that take on the the trail with him. God spoke through each and every unique soul Paul encountered. They round out the cast of characters in this tremendously moving book.
I was so entranced reading Paul's memoir. He works through his grief by facing the fear of being alone with determination and grace. There is great humor and several deep soul searching moments as I followed Paul's path to healing. Not being a hiker, I appreciate his physical descriptions of the trail with it's breathtaking beauty and simplicity. He makes no bones about the treachery that the trail presents along the 2,176 miles of mountain and valley and there are moments I had no idea what would happen next.
This was a lovely read and I appreciate the message of healing and hope. God speaks to us in some very unique and wondrous ways. We all have "trail angels' in our lives to help us face our personal fears and the obstacles we must overcome. The trail of life is one fascinating hike.
Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.Labels: On My Bookshelf