Of Stillness and Storm

Lauren, her husband, Sam, and their 13-year-old son, Ryan, have been living in Nepal as missionaries for two years. Sam has always had a desire to serve God in an unconventional fashion. After he perceived a call to forge his own way in Nepal, it took the family years to raise the support to make that dream a reality. But the dream that makes Sam feel so alive is turning into a nightmare for Lauren. Sam’s treks out to villages mean long physical and emotional separations, and Ryan is not adjusting well to the changes in his life. Lauren can’t get Sam to see the obstacles in their path.

Author Michèle Phoenix was a missionary kid herself, and then she spent 20 years teaching at the high school she attended. She has since dedicated her life to supporting the needs of the children of missionaries and other expatriates. She has a keen understanding of both the benefits of that kind of childhood and the ways that missionary children can suffer for the work their parents take on.

This melancholy and riveting novel is full of truth about the ways missionary zeal can go off track, especially without the support of a healthy sending organization and good colleagues. This is not your traditional inspirational fiction; it is a clear-eyed and at times painful view of the brokenness within us all and our need for grace. (Thomas Nelson)