Remember God by Annie Downs (book review)
I can't remember if I first read or heard Annie Downs. I know she is a frequent speaker at the annual IF:gathering (ifgathering.com) but I've also read Let's All Be Brave (perhaps a devotional based on that?) and Looking for Lovely (which I enjoyed). That to say that I enjoy her. I haven't listened to her podcast but I know that we would be fast friends. I knew right away I wanted to read "Remember God" by Annie F. Downs because I've been through some things in the past few years that make me wonder "if He is really kind - really deeply always kind" as she writes on the back cover. Watching my son have seizures and brain surgeries that affect our whole family (another son dealt with anxiety and still does to some extent...just today my daughter who is three was pretending she was having a seizure...oh dear...it affects us), makes you not doubt but just wonder about God and His character and what you know to be true and how it doesn't seem to be matching up to your story. I think Annie does a wonderful job reflecting these questions in this book. I wanted to share a little more about my thoughts below.
What I liked: Annie seems like she could be your best friend! She's very vulnerable and shares a lot of vulnerable things. Her book really reads more like a story and I appreciate that. I read a lot of non-fiction and can get tired of how those are written. This was a very nice change in scenery.
The cathedrals she wrote about sound lovely. I've never been inside an actual cathedral (are there those in the Midwest?) so I enjoy reading about that. Her ability to describe is wonderful and actually can make pictures in your head. I don't think as many people are as talented at that as they think. haha.
I don't know if I necessarily liked this but her description of depression was so close to how I felt. Dark, dreary, heavy. Mine differed in that it felt like spiritual warfare in my head and body. But I've not read anything that comes so close - so close, I felt it. I felt the wisps of it wrap around me and had to take a little break from that chapter before continuing on. Gives me goosebumps just to think about. I guess that may be a trigger thing so if you deal with depression, that's something to be aware of as you read this.
What I didn't like: I had a hard time relating to her relationship woes. I've been married since I was 20 (although I hadn't ever had a steady boyfriend until then). I'm used to reading mom books or marriage books so this is slightly out of my genre norm; that doesn't make it bad, just different. A little refreshing.
I really dislike the ending. Not that it wasn't well-written - it was. I just don't like how it ended for her. I've followed Annie for a few years now (probably 2015) so I keep my fingers crossed for her that her Bethlehem is out there (which is from the book, so read it so you get it).
Why I think you should read this: It's nice to sit and chat with a girlfriend about hard life issues and big questions about God. That's what "Remember God" feels like. It's hard to be brutally honest with our doubts and the mysteries of God; Annie takes some of that leg work out for us. This could be an open door to talking to anyone - believers or pre-believers - about these things!
Disclaimer: I received this book in order to write an honest review. I'm so thankful I get to do that! All opinions are my own and may differ from others' opinions; that's ok. I also use links that link to AmazonSmile which gives a very small donation to Emmaus University in Haiti, so if you purchase things through these links, you'll be supporting this wonderful ministry.
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| image via Barnes & Nobles |
What I liked: Annie seems like she could be your best friend! She's very vulnerable and shares a lot of vulnerable things. Her book really reads more like a story and I appreciate that. I read a lot of non-fiction and can get tired of how those are written. This was a very nice change in scenery.
The cathedrals she wrote about sound lovely. I've never been inside an actual cathedral (are there those in the Midwest?) so I enjoy reading about that. Her ability to describe is wonderful and actually can make pictures in your head. I don't think as many people are as talented at that as they think. haha.
I don't know if I necessarily liked this but her description of depression was so close to how I felt. Dark, dreary, heavy. Mine differed in that it felt like spiritual warfare in my head and body. But I've not read anything that comes so close - so close, I felt it. I felt the wisps of it wrap around me and had to take a little break from that chapter before continuing on. Gives me goosebumps just to think about. I guess that may be a trigger thing so if you deal with depression, that's something to be aware of as you read this.
What I didn't like: I had a hard time relating to her relationship woes. I've been married since I was 20 (although I hadn't ever had a steady boyfriend until then). I'm used to reading mom books or marriage books so this is slightly out of my genre norm; that doesn't make it bad, just different. A little refreshing.
I really dislike the ending. Not that it wasn't well-written - it was. I just don't like how it ended for her. I've followed Annie for a few years now (probably 2015) so I keep my fingers crossed for her that her Bethlehem is out there (which is from the book, so read it so you get it).
Why I think you should read this: It's nice to sit and chat with a girlfriend about hard life issues and big questions about God. That's what "Remember God" feels like. It's hard to be brutally honest with our doubts and the mysteries of God; Annie takes some of that leg work out for us. This could be an open door to talking to anyone - believers or pre-believers - about these things!
Disclaimer: I received this book in order to write an honest review. I'm so thankful I get to do that! All opinions are my own and may differ from others' opinions; that's ok. I also use links that link to AmazonSmile which gives a very small donation to Emmaus University in Haiti, so if you purchase things through these links, you'll be supporting this wonderful ministry.
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