Book Review: Mother of Prevention

I've noticed that many people have been posting book reviews on their blogs and I thought I'd be a copy cat and put one on ours too.

I've read several books lately by Christian author, Lori Copeland. She started out her career by writing romance novels. She later decided to that she really wanted to do was to write books that would uplift, edify and glorify God. Her books focus on everyday people and their struggle to find and keep faith alive in their lives.

This book, Mother of Prevention, is about a woman whose husband is killed fighting a fire. His death causes her to fall into a deep depression. The book is about her struggle with the anguish and sorrow of her loss as well as the challenge she faces in raising her two daughters on her own.

I know that it doesn't sound very happy, but it is not all sad and depressing. There are some very funny parts.

There are several things that stood out to me as a read this book. First, I loved the way the main character, Kate, talks about her relationship with her husband. As she mourns his death, she comes to realize all that she had taken for granted. They were truly one. The areas that she was the weakest, he was the strongest. They complimented and completed each other. She comes to appreciate the time they had together.

His death, however, forces her to step out of her own comfort zone and work on those areas where she was the weakest. She is driven by the need to instill in her daughters those qualities their father would have taught them if he was still alive.

Another thing that I loved about this book was the honest struggle that Kate had with her faith. She had always believed that her faith was very strong, but when Neil dies her faith is shattered. She becomes angry with God. She completely stops praying and going to church. She later realizes that by doing so God is unable to comfort and give her the peace that she do desperately needs.

Kate goes through a long series of trials. Her motto becomes, "What next?" With each new trial she becomes more angry with God for allowing these things to happen to her. In the end, however, she realizes that because of those trials she has become a stronger person and better able to raise her girls. She also realized that because of the changes these trials forced her to make in her life, God was able to bless her in ways he couldn't have otherwise.

Kate slowly begins to realize that God has not abandoned her. He is always there. She had been the one to shut Him out. As she begins to soften her heart, God is able to love her and give her the peace that she needs. She begins to see His hand in her life. He was always there blessing her she just refused to acknowledge it.

As this happens, Kate begins to realize that she has been so wrapped up in her life and problems that she fails to see those around her that need her help. She learns to forget herself and focus on others.

I really enjoyed this book. It is not a book that will be a best seller or anything, but it's message really touched me. God is always there for us! His hand is constantly working in our lives. It was a good reminder to me that we need to acknowledge and show gratitude for the blessings that he gives to us.