Book #21: Real Lives by D.J. Carswell
Number of pages: 150
You are on a train; you look at the people around you. Someone hides behind a newspaper. Another dozes; a young man nods to the beat from his iPod. A baby cries further along the carriage and a table of football fans celebrate an away victory over a few cans of lager. Someone's mobile goes off; a student sits next to you sending a text message. Eavesdropping on the conversations you catch soundbites from those around you. Who exactly are they, you wonder?
This is the introductory text on the back of Dorothy Carswell's book, the second I have read by her now. Each chapter tells a story of how a different person became a Christian.
The most gripping chapter was the longest one, which tells of how a compulsive gambler struggled with changes in his life and eventually became a preacher. Other stories included an athlete from Jamaica who struggled with being a victim of racial abuse, and another person who was ready to commit suicide when they visited a church. I liked the fact that Carswell also included her own story.
Overall, a very enlightening book and it made me feel encouraged.
Next book: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis