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Hutcheson’s life has been filled with faith, service, medical obstacles, and a higher calling ever since she was a little girl. The author’s autobiography follows her upbringing in a ministerial family in Kansas all the way to her career spent as a nurse and a life as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. From pranking and hijinx in nursing school to an incredible and sometimes terrifying year spent with her family in turbulent areas like Syria, there are plenty of adventures in every situation and never a dull moment. Though her health repeatedly provides challenges for her to overcome, Hutcheson relays her resilience and insistence that she can take whatever comes her way and live to tell the tale.
The stories and journeys that take place in each chapter, including encounters with popular and well-known ministers and multiple former Presidents of the United States, are enough to keep the reader fascinated and hungry for more. However, there are a lot of unique touches that elevate this beyond a good story written by a strong storyteller. Sections are usually introduced by one of the author’s favorite hymns, which is appropriate given her background in music and the church. Occasionally, a memory will be italicized, indicating a dramatized, more narrative version of an event that provides plenty of color and character—a truly innovative idea not often seen in this genre. With plenty of photographs and memories spanning more than 80 years, Hutcheson’s memoir is something that will resonate with those who feel compelled to reach out, connect, and help others in their life, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually.