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Guest contributor, Michelle, shares her experience with a new book available in print and ebook form, Sons of Grace…
I have always been a reader, which has benefited me in so many ways. I remember a series of books I read as a tween and early teen that told the stories of women who’d gone astray. It took the reader through their lives as they went from “standard” lives downward into spirals through drugs and alcohol and, often, prostitution. Fortunately, all the stories ended with the women healing themselves and finding God, which provided hope. At the time, I saw the stories as warnings to myself to be careful what I did and with whom I associated, and I took heed of those stories.
I recently downloaded a book entitled Sons of Grace by Mark Hughes – and ten other men. This collection of stories reminds me of these books from my teens.
Mark Hughes gathered the stories of ten “manly men” who faced a variety of difficulties in their lives from losing a son in a senseless accident to getting involved with the mafia to miserable lives that led to drugs and alcohol and attempted suicide. All the men have gone from the depths of misery to survival and hope and happiness (although honestly, the man with stage four cancer has limited happiness – but he’s still content).
Reading their stories is fascinating, both to see what brought them to their own personal hells and what were the triggers that removed them. All of them are tough men – a Marine sniper, an enforcer for a biker gang, and the like – but they put down their walls to share their stories and show how God has played a part in their lives now, sometimes in bringing about their healing but frequently not truly until after they’ve begun healing do they find this peace.
This book would make a wonderful gift for Valentine’s day for the man in your life. What an awesome and powerful way that you can inspire him to be all that he can be. Who knows — he may be dealing with some of these issues that you don’t even know about! Reading that other men are going through these problems might be the inspiration he needs to get help and get better.
The book is available as an ebook for $2.99 for Kindle from Amazon or $7.99 for a paperback copy.
Each of the chapters is a stand alone story. I really like this, as it allows me to pick it up and read even though I may not have the time – or mental energy – to read the book in a single sitting. The chapters all have their own voice, as each of the men wrote their own chapters, sharing as much of their lives as they were able. The honesty in them is compelling, and I was pulled into the book far more than I had expected I would be.
I love that this book is written by men and tells their stories. This is something that really isn’t talked about or discussed often. It’s something to give hope to those who feel like they or those they love are stuck in a place from which they can’t escape. I hope never to have to pick up this book to give myself hope about a child of mine, but I appreciate that it’s here.
This book does offer hope and shows that manly men can still break down and turn themselves to God as their guiding light. That in itself is a reason to get this book for that special man in your life.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of the “Sons of Grace” ebook for review purposes only. I was also compensated for writing this post, although all opinions remain my own.
Michelle is currently engrossed in yet another book and busy encouraging a love of reading in her wee ones, as well. If she isn’t writing a review or blog post at Honest & Truly! you can hazard a guess that there’s a book – or ebook – in her hands. Or maybe she’s hanging out on Twitter where you can find her as @honestandtruly.
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