Why would God call you to a life he refuses to give you—or worse, takes away?
From precocious childhood to PhD, Wendy Widder doggedly pursued God’s plan for her life. Her efforts took her off the beaten path, into dark caves, and through a series of switchbacks. Just when the destination seemed within reach, the road disappeared. Where the map stopped and dreams died, she stumbled for solid footing.
This is the story of that journey, discovering that every twist, turn, and toll road went somewhere that mattered—just not where she expected. And where she ended up is the best part of the story.
Readers navigating their own decisions with career and purpose will relate with comfort in the author’s strength, as Widder brings a comforting vulnerability to this memoir with disarmingly frank accounts of bouts with anxiety and extreme sadness. Career changes, and not always for the better, take Widder to the Pacific Northwest, then quickly back to the plains of Minnesota when company culture and management strategies prove to be unbearable. Widder’s purposeful prose draws readers in, especially with comparisons of the earthly world with God’s work in her life: during her time in the Twin Cities, local landmarks around the Great Lakes become, for Widder, signs of God’s compass, guiding her decisions.
At different points Widder shares comforting stories and small discoveries likely to be relatable even to non-believers, though her own path always turns to the Bible. Immersing herself in the text and beyond, Widder shares verses and parables to illuminate her reasoning and responses in situations in this hopeful memoir, reminding readers of the circuitous route it can take to find one’s way.
Takeaway: A believer’s memoir of finding her path, guided by faith even when life was circuitous.
Great for fans of: Rodger L. Huffman’s Following God’s Path, Angie Smith’s Mended.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
