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This religiously themed memoir from author Williams shines a light on a long path from sorrow to solace. Her life was one of notable contrasts. She was rejected by her mother, adopted by loving grandparents, helped in many ways by her mother as time passed, and happy in the security of a large, caring family. It seemed when she was young that ”whatever I wanted, I would get!” This false sense of personal power was gradually eroded by an abusive marriage and many physical ailments. Her trajectory seemed positive at times: she could support herself and her children, had a lovely home, and was a strong Christian. But at other times, she was bankrupt, threatened by violence, and faced the sadness of deaths, injuries, and injustice among her family members. Finally, God began to step in, noticeably helping and changing her circumstances and rewarding her endurance.
Williams has the gift of describing the many extreme changes in her life with humor and an underlying grounding in faith. She steps back from her chronicle to view it with the same amazement that others might feel in seeing how high she was able to go, only to be cast down again. She shares her conviction that sometimes we must endure hardships without any glimmer of comfort, even if we are sincere believers in God. She advises us to guard against the assumption that people suffer because they have “done something wrong” when, in fact, God puts adversity in our lives as part of his plan for us. And we should always remember that his promises will be fulfilled—but at a price. In her short but inspiring book, Williams transforms personal recollection into encouragement for others who face difficulties and who may benefit from the wisdom she has gained.