This following appeared recently in the Jamaica Gleaner, reviewed by Paul H. Williams
Every day a new book about keeping the faith pop ups, and invariably it is religiously based with a strong belief in God being the solution to all problems. Yvonne A. Irving’s Don’t Give Up: Your Breakthrough is Just Around the Corner is no different.
For example, Chapter One consists of a list of Bible verses, which have kept Yvonne going in her walk with God. She has listed them under the categories of: do not worry, faith, disappointment, tribulations and trials, persecutions, anxiety, courage and boldness, comfort, help, protection, strength, healing, Bible study, love for God, waiting for God, answer to prayer and blessings.
It also has a list of scripture verses of encouragement under the categories of forgiveness, temptation, the Holy Spirit, crying, day of worship, financial prosperity, Jesus as our friend, guidance, giving, humility, Jesus Christ, love, meat, needs, old age, prayer, rewards, sin, scripture, Satan, thanks, tears, warfare, wealth and wisdom.
The 159-page paperback has six chapters, an introduction, a prayer and nine appendices, which include guidelines for a friendship relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, a song of adoration, songs of honour and acknowledgement, an all-sufficient psalm, lists of favourite songs and artistes, favourite worship songs, letters to the editor and a list of humorous excerpts from insurance claims.
The longest chapter is Chapter Three, which is about Yvonne’s trials, tests and sufferings. Without any intention of lessening the importance of the events and happenings in her life to Yvonne, I think they are really what people go through on a daily basis, especially the ones which are work related. In essence, they could have been anybody’s problems and difficulties.
Religious meaning
What might be somewhat different though was how Yvonne dealt with them. She turned to God, her Bible and religious songs. Yet, while there is no doubt that she loves her God, and it’s her right to put a religious meaning to the events in her life, the messages in the book would have been more powerful if the “trials, tests and sufferings” were severer in nature and consequence. The most poignant moment was her coming to grips with her mother’s death from cancer.
She says, “In the night at 11:30 p.m. (sic) while I was asleep, Daddy called. He said that Mommy was extremely restless, and it seemed as though she was going to die. I had never been so scared and shocked in my entire life. I started to panic. Fifteen minutes later, he called to say Mom called for water, and after two spoonfuls, she breathed her last and died at 11:45 p.m. I cried bitterly and prayed. Immediately I experienced the peace and presence of the Lord.”
In Chapter Five, the things that people take for granted, Yvonne regards as blessings, so much so that she says, “Just a simple act of asking God to withhold the rain until my clothes dried would result in the sun coming out. I experienced this on numerous occasions. To date, Saturday, June 18, 2005, the rain has never fallen while my clothes were on the line. It has always held up until they were dry, and then fall afterwards if the clouds were overcast. This is truly amazing!”
She continues, “My neighbour has a huge pear tree. At times I would look up and see a particular pear about to ripe, hoping it would drop over my side, and sure it did!”
But, it is her “craving for” and her successful efforts to find/get a particular fruit that best sum up the title of her book, and her faith in God. She writes “There were times when I would get home just yearning for a mango and when I looked under the tree, I would see one or two lying there … It is these little things which mean a lot to me.”
Then, “One evening I went home and craved for a mango. In the night I heard a knock on my door. There was a friend who brought me a bag with 10 big mangoes. Isn’t this God?”
Still, “On April 20, 1998, I came home craving for a mango and went to the tree, and there I found a ripe Julie. I saw another which was ripe but too far up for me to reach. We did not have a long stick, so I trusted the Lord that the mango would fall overnight. In the morning my mind was still on the mango. After my devotion, the Lord told me to go outside. When I went, there were two ripe mangoes on the ground! I thanked the Lord.”
Julie mango
And, “A week later I found a ripe Julie mango under the tree. It was an indication that God cares for me and understood what I was going through. I love the Lord so much; so very, very much.”
The conclusion in parts reads, “God is God no matter what happens. When we face trials, tests and sufferings, it is not our place to question God. … When we show God that He is first and honour, love and serve Him, He appreciates it, and He in turn treats us special.”
Don’t Give Up may be obtained online at www.trafford.com/06-1833, and Source of Light bookstores - Hagley Park Plaza, Half-Way Tree, St Andrew. The DVD of the book launch is available at Liguanea Lane Pharmacy and Source of Light bookstores.
Please click book cover to view more information
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