“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.
Of Stillness and Storm is a tough but valuable read for anyone who’s married, a parent, or supporting a missionary. That grouping may sound random, but Phoenix does an fantastic job of penning a suspenseful and dramatic story that will appeal to readers on many levels.
As the mother of someone determined to go to do mission work in another country, it was hard to read about the deprivation this missionary family – even though some of that was by choice. I’m glad that my daughter, while just as determined, is more reasonable than Sam!
The submission and obedience that Lauren brings to her marriage is something that sounds incredibly controversial, and yet in each instance it seems reasonable when you’re reading about it – until suddenly it doesn’t. I love the opportunities that this book presents for deep discussions about marriage and parenting.
Phoenix is a gifted writer. As difficult as aspects of this story were to read, I didn’t want to put it down – and finished it in a single evening. She’s definitely a writer to follow.
To read other reviews in this bloggy hop, click here. To purchase your own copy now, click here.
{More About Michele Phoenix}
Born in France to a Canadian father and an American mother, Michèle Phoenix is a consultant, writer and speaker with a heart for Third Culture Kids. She taught for 20 years at Black Forest Academy (Germany) before launching her own advocacy venture under Global Outreach Mission. Michèle travels globally to consult and teach on topics related to this unique people group. She loves good conversations, mischievous students, Marvel movies and paths to healing.
Find out more about Michele at http://michelephoenix.com.
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I received a free copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity. The opinions are my own.
with a foam kit for making snowmen. We decided to turn them into Christmas cards, and the girls wrote messages of hope on them. Some were handwritten on the back, while others had foam-sticker messages right on the snowmen’s tummies.
