"AN OPPORTUNITY FOR JOY"

Award Winning Author Robin Lee Hatcher has done it again with a very special story that tackles a very difficult subject matter -- alcoholism. It is also a story about forgiveness and trust.

The time is 1955 and Deborah Haskin is sitting at the grave of her husband wondering why her life has turned out this way. Her and Andy had a perfect marriage, a small farm that was able to support them comfortably and a relationship with Christ that many of their friends and neighbors envied I'm sure. Before she can pry herself away from Andy's resting spot, she notices a man standing nearby.

She soon finds out that man is an old war buddy of her husband's named Gideon. She finds out that during their wartime together Andy was the one that helped Gideon give his heart to Jesus and become a Christian. When Gideon reveals that he is a handy man of sorts and offers to come out to the farm to do some much needed repairs, she doesn't know how to refuse him.

Over a period of a few months, Gideon works his way into Deborah's empty life and slowly she begins to realize that although Andy's life is over, hers is not. Her family and friends may be a bit alarmed when the two decide to run off and get married but over time they are all charmed by Gideon and over a year later, when Deborah gets pregnant, everyone is thrilled. The only concern that seems to arise at this point is the fact that Deborah seems to have pulled away from her church that her and Andy were always so active in.

As this progress, very slowly we begin to see a side of Gideon that he had so carefully hidden. After all he's not a good for nothing drunk or a violent drunk but nonetheless he has a problem with the bottle that slowly begins to affect everyone around him. The years go on and we want to weep for Deborah as we see how being married to an alcoholic slowly destroys not only the person doing the drinking but also everyone that loves him. It is only when Gideon almost kills their son Peter that Deborah says ENOUGH and sends him away.

The remainder of the book is a learning time for both main characters as Gideon tries to turn his own life around by not only drying out but by remodeling the very way he thinks and Deborah contemplates whether she is able to forgive and give this marriage another chance.

I think anyone who has ever known someone who drinks will be able to sympathize with every character in this book because as you will see as you turn the pages, this disease affects not only you and your wife but your children, your neighbors, your family and anyone that your life touches.

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." James 1: 2- 4

Reviewed by Shelby Bagby
Posted May 27, 2004

Summary

When Deborah Haskin's husband dies, her world is torn apart. She finds hope and healing when an old war buddy of her husband's shows up on her doorstep. But as she begins to open up to Gideon Clermont, Deborah comes to some terrible realizations--Gideon suffers from alcoholism, and sometimes the people who bring healing bring hurt as well. Deborah learns to cling to Jesus as her only true hope. A poignant tale of pain and redemption.