Saturday, January 25, 2014

Saturday Book Review




A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven by Chris Loehmer Kincaid




Chris Loehmer Kincaid writes about her Mission trip to Kenya, Africa. The goal of the trip was to educate the Kenyans about disease prevention and to share the word of Christ. What a found most compelling about the book was her quest to surrender her life to Christ and find the meaning of her visit, what God wanted to accomplish with the time she spent in Kenya.

The author tells us how mission trip was the last thing she had on mind. It was through many consequences and nudges from God that she finally understood God was calling her to visit Africa. Sometimes we can be quite hardheaded to understand what God is telling us, and I found Chris’s honesty compelling. The way how she tells about her own down comings and how she feels not able to fulfill God’s calling in her life is both raw and touching.

The story starts while the author is still in the States. We get to see how she prepares for the journey with her daughter Val, who travelled to Africa with her. And how her worries make her doubt her decision and calling.

Chris spends two weeks in Kenya, seeing the reality of a developing country, the beauty of the countryside, goodness of people, poverty and need of the slums and the hunger for God’s love that the people have. Even though the author gets to help orphans, commune with AIDS victims and to educate the Masai people about hygiene and disease prevention, she feels lost and alone. Chris keeps asking, why is she in Africa? What is the meaning of her visit? What kind of difference her two weeks can make to the people’s lives?

There are answers. As the representatives of the organization say, it is very impressive for the local people to see how far you have come to here to share the time and information with them. But as in all of our lives, some things are left unanswered when Chris returns to the States. Only after the trip she sees the differences that the visit to Africa made in her own life. But finally there is an answer, the author says, she discovered a God she never knew before.

In Chris’s own words “My first book, “A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven – One Woman’s Trip to Africa: My Story”, was published by Life Sentence Publishing in December 2012. This memoir tells the story of my mission trip to Kenya in 2006 and how it changed how I look at life and how I look at the God I love and serve. After the book was published, I was drawn to return to Kenya, where my daughter had already decided to start a nonprofit organization to help the people we had met there. We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can improve the world for many people.”

The Amazon tells about the author: Chris Kincaid has been writing since she was in the third grade, and though she has worked in the medical field for over 20 years, she has never lost the desire to put words to paper. However, her family and her faith have always come first, making some days a challenge as she continues to work fulltime, mentor a local Kinship kid, mentor her church’s college students and remain active as a member of the state society for her career in medical assisting. She lives in northern Wisconsin with her husband, four cats and one dog. Her two children, Nick and Val, are grown and living on their own. They both share their mother’s passion for Africa.

I found the book interesting and thought provoking. I enjoyed reading Chris's story, her struggle with the African culture and the difference with Western efficiency thinking. I also identified with her quest for meaning, the reason why God had chosen her to go to and what she was supposed to do. Her honesty spoke to my heart and her vivid descriptions of African culture, people and landscape made reading like participating in her story. I highly recomend the book for everyone and anyone.

Chris Loehmer Kincaid has an author page in Amazon.

You can also find Chris in Facebook.

LIFE SENTENCE Publishing has provided me a complimentary copy of the book but the opinions expressed here are solely mine.




41 comments:

  1. This sounds like a really interesting book. My brother in law is going to Haiti for a week on a similar type of trip and I can't wait to hear all about his experience.

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    1. I hope he will feel God's guiding, enjoys his stay and he will be safe while he's there. There is so much need in Haiti, it's wonderful he's going.

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  2. Our true mission always comes unexpectedly, when we think about it less. I found mine the moment I gave birth to my little angel :) Or at least I think that's my mission on Earth.

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    1. I think we have many missions, Petro. Being mom is one. Then there are others that might not bring us as much joy or be as close to our heart but are meaningful even though.

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    1. You are so right, Andi. And it's the theme in the book. There is time for everything :)

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  4. This sounds like a book I would really enjoy reading. I love how you brought out the message that we need to listen to what we are being nudged to do- that the act of doing it may be more for us (than the people we thought we were serving!) I have seen this happen time and time again in my own life. I'm definitely going to check this out.

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    1. I am sure you are going to love it! And you are so right. God has His reasons to call us. And usually it's reasons, not just one reason. And usually those reasons are more about us than the people around us.

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  5. Sounds like an interesting book. I need to start reading these types of books more.

    Michelle F.

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    1. I hope you read this one, Michelle. It is really good.

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    2. Thanks for sharing your book review! I wish I had more time to read. Hopefully in a few months once I'm finished with my masters!!

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  6. IT sounds like an amazing story! Lately I have been reading a lot of real life stories where the main character is coming to meet Jesus for the first time! Very inspiring!

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    1. It is inspiring read stories like that, Jennifer. Especially when they are true stories.

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  7. I actually spent some time in Honduras as a missionary and did some work with the people trying to help them improve their health by teaching about the importance of personal hygiene. It was a wonderful opportunity to come to love others through service and to see how richly my life has been blessed.

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    1. I also spend a month in Honduras, Leslee. Beautiful country but so under developed and dangerous. You are right, mission trip is wonderful because you can help to change life of others but at the same time your life is being changed.

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  8. This sounds like an interesting book. "We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can improve the world for many people." I like this quote, it's just so true. I'd def check this out!

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  9. I must say I always enjoy reading your posts:) This was such a great book review...it really made me want to look more into. Thank you for sharing:)

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  10. Sounds like a really great book. I would love to get back to reading again.

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    1. I'm glad I got you interested, Kat. Now you need to find the time ;)

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  11. I've wanted to go on one of these life changing trips for years and years now. This sounds like a great book, thank you so much for sharing about it.

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  12. Sounds like a great book! I admire people who are brave enough to follow their calling to go on missions. Thank you for sharing!

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  13. What a great review. Though I can't personally relate to the religious angle that doesn't matter. It sounds like a powerful and moving personal story. Just wish I had the time to read the book!

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    1. I'm glad you liked the review. After all it's my first one here in the blog :) And make some time to read, reading is like breathing, you need it live :)

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  14. That's nice that you got the book to read, it does sound great.

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    1. It is a very good book. I hope you got the time to read it.

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  15. Sounds like a great read, love inspiration reads - they are a blessing.

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  16. A truly inspiring post. I'll try to secure a copy of that book once I have my amazon credits.. :)

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  17. This books sounds great. I enjoy inspiration stories of people who run after what they feel is right.

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  18. Sounds like a good books. It's amazing what we do when we step out of our everyday.

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  19. Greetings from the author of "A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven". Thank you for the wonderful review and thank you to all your followers for their encouraging comments.

    As you mention towards the end of your review, my daughter and I returned to Kenya this past spring and have since started a nonprofit organization, Tumaini Volunteers, to continue working with the many people living in poverty. I think that my experiences all point to a loving God who has a plan for us all. We never know where we will end up, but God does.

    May He bless you all.

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    1. WOW! Thank you, Chris! I'm so excited that you took time to comment my blog :)

      I'm glad you liked the review. I really enjoyed your book and also bought your book 40 Day to Christmas for myself. I will check out your organization, and I'm glad you have continued the work in Africa.

      May God bless you and your work!

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