A Grace Given

Life can change in the blink of an eye is an early lesson from “A Grace Given,” a searing and startlingly honest debut book by Kent Gilges. But the far more important set of lessons-- and there are many in this deeply thoughtful book-- have to do with the beauty and joy that can eventually come from suffering.It comes as a great surprise when one considers the subject matter of a child with a brain tumor, but “A Grace Given is a remarkably joyful book. It is wrenching. It deals with death, and sorrow, and suffering, but as the foreword states, it also deals with the “alchemy of sorrow” to joy. This is a true story that leaves the reader filled with hope, and because of that it is all the more remarkable.After a routine visit to the doctor, the author and his wife learn that their eight-month old, first-born child will die from an inoperable brain tumor.“A Grace Given” is the personal account of the impact that one life, however insignificant, can have on those around it. It explores how a child who never spoke, could not walk, and could not even smile, could still inspire and mobilize hundreds of people. Beyond that, it explores the meaning of faith, the growth and deepening of spirituality that comes from suffering and sorrow, and the gift that a severely handicapped child represents.But this is only partially a story about the child. It is at least as much a story about her father, the author. It is about his journey of faith, and the spiritual, intellectual and emotional bond that develops through love and the ever-present imperative of our transient existence.“A Grace Given” is for an audience of people dealing with the tragedy, loss, and grief that attends us at points in our lives. It is a story for people who believe in the dignity of human life, who harbor uncertainty within their faith, and who seek to grow their spiritual understanding of what it means to be human and to suffer.As the author states in the prologue, "This is a story about hope. And love. It is about sorrow, anguish, joy. It is about a dying child named Elie. Most of all, though, it is about hope." “A Grace Given” is marked by the clarity of its prose. It is a deeply religious book written by a non-religious author. It is a book about sorrow that leaves you feeling grateful and happy for the gift of life. It is a book that will surprise you, and the surprise will last, and mellow, and change slowly into something that feels a lot like wisdom.