Book Review: The Encounter: Sometimes God Has to Intervene by Stephen Arterburn

The Encounter:

Sometimes God Has to Intervene

by:  Stephen Arterburn

About the Book:

A wealthy businessman travels to Fairbanks, Alaska, to learn why his mother abandoned him when he was a child, and in the process learns that not everything is as it appears to be.

The Encounter, the unique new book from best-selling author and counselor Stephen Arterburn, is a moving parable involving Jonathan Rush, a wealthy and famous entrepreneur, who is tortured by bitterness toward his mother who abandoned him when he was four. He travels to Alaska to find her but instead meets an enigmatic old woman known only as Mercy. Mercy has the information he needs but is strangely reluctant to talk to him. Somehow Jonathan must find a way to persuade a frightened woman to unlock the secrets of his past.

The book includes an invitation to the readers to verify the facts of their own stories, to accept the reality of their existence, especially the most painful ones, and to live in forgiveness. The end result is a healthy new way to look at life with an ability to share hope with others for the future. Healing is possible but requires truth, acceptance, and forgiveness, including of oneself.

My Review:
This is a great quick read.  I recommend getting a quiet area and a short block of time, because you will want to finish this book once you start it.  It is a fabulous short story of a man trying to come to terms with where he is in his life.  Abandoned by his mother as a child, Jonathon is lead on a search for answers about his mother.  Through his search, Jonathon faces realizations and truths.  I don't want to spoil it by saying too much but this is a great story, one that you will not forget. 

*I received this book compliments of BookSneeze for purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.