Helpful Score: 14
The author is a widow with four children, and after her husband's death, she became a Unitarian Universalist minister and chaplain to Maine wildlife officers. The book is a series of stories bound lightly by her understanding of God, which she explains with an alternate selection of the Greek work "logos" which is usually translated as "word." Her alternate version of John 1:1 is "In the beginning was the story, and the story was with God, and the story was God."
This isn't a preachy book; she is not pushing her agenda or her beliefs upon you. She simply answers, with honesty and not a little humor, two questions: What on earth would the wildlife officers of Maine need a chaplain for? Where is God in the midst of unbearable tragedy?
Where do we find God in these stories of tragedy? In the love. She asks you to find the love in the tragedy and to throw yourself into the arms of the love, for the love will surely catch you.
Highly recommended.
This isn't a preachy book; she is not pushing her agenda or her beliefs upon you. She simply answers, with honesty and not a little humor, two questions: What on earth would the wildlife officers of Maine need a chaplain for? Where is God in the midst of unbearable tragedy?
Where do we find God in these stories of tragedy? In the love. She asks you to find the love in the tragedy and to throw yourself into the arms of the love, for the love will surely catch you.
Highly recommended.
Helpful Score: 8
This book gripped me from the first page, and held me through the entire book. It reads more like a set of short stories, where in each one she remembers an incident she worked on and ties her personal faith into the discussion. The crux, where is God in the midst of human tragedy? Some stories will lift you up, others will bring tremendous sadness, but what you will feel is how she helps people, most of the time by simply being there.
Between her discussions of faith without being preachy and the fascinating look into the work of Game Wardens, it quickly became a favorite non-fiction read for me. I highly recommend this book.
Between her discussions of faith without being preachy and the fascinating look into the work of Game Wardens, it quickly became a favorite non-fiction read for me. I highly recommend this book.
Helpful Score: 7
Funny and sad. Braestrup is a woman I would like to know and have as a friend. A widow at a young age with children, she follows her late husband's dream of becoming a chaplain by actually becoming one herself. She heals her sorrow by helping others. A great book.
Helpful Score: 5
This was a really great read! Although not outwardly religious, I find it exciting to read about those who live their lives trying to follow God's plan. For Ms. Braestrup, that involves working as the chaplain for a group of Wildlife Search and Rescue Operatives.
This book isn't just about religion -- it's about the author's desire to both follow her heart and honor her deceased husband's dream, and about helping others in the only way she knew how.
Very encouraging and uplifting, this is basically just an all-around good read.
This book isn't just about religion -- it's about the author's desire to both follow her heart and honor her deceased husband's dream, and about helping others in the only way she knew how.
Very encouraging and uplifting, this is basically just an all-around good read.
Helpful Score: 1
Kate Braestrup grew up as a member of an athiest family, but started embracing religion and spirituality after she married. Her husband, a Maine trooper, frequently talked about going to seminary and becoming a minister. After her husband was killed in a car accident, Kate decided to go to the seminary instead. Kate's original intention (as had been her late husband's intention) was to become a chaplain working with the Maine police. But she ended up working as a chaplain to Maine's game wardens.
Like me, you may be asking why game wardens would need a chaplain. Were they just going to pray for the animals? But as it turns out, there is a real need for the chaplain. Like my home state (Minnesota), parts of Maine are heavily forested, with plenty of hikers, hunters, campers and fishermen - and even families just there for a picnic. If someone doesn't come home when expected, the game wardens get a call and a search is initiated. Kate gets a call also. She's there to be with the families and support the wardens and the searchers - whatever the outcome.
If you think this book is going to be preachy because it is written by a minister, you would be wrong. Kate is a Unitarian-Universalist minister, which is a liberal religion. This book is much more about spiruality than religion. I loved Kate's attitude toward life - and death.
Like me, you may be asking why game wardens would need a chaplain. Were they just going to pray for the animals? But as it turns out, there is a real need for the chaplain. Like my home state (Minnesota), parts of Maine are heavily forested, with plenty of hikers, hunters, campers and fishermen - and even families just there for a picnic. If someone doesn't come home when expected, the game wardens get a call and a search is initiated. Kate gets a call also. She's there to be with the families and support the wardens and the searchers - whatever the outcome.
If you think this book is going to be preachy because it is written by a minister, you would be wrong. Kate is a Unitarian-Universalist minister, which is a liberal religion. This book is much more about spiruality than religion. I loved Kate's attitude toward life - and death.
