Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

I just finished an amazing novel called Gilead written by Marilynne Robinson.

It is a winner of the pulitzer prize!

The novel is a beautiful picture of life as a minister.

So often there are novels written about ministers and ministerial families that shed the nasty side of ministry. The crooked minister who thinks too highly of him or her self and treats their family badly.

I get so sick of those depictions of my life.

It is far from that.

Though there are ministers out there that are slimly, I have found a good portion of them aren't.

In fact most of the ministers I know and love are far from slimy.

They are loving, gentle, compassionate people who see their profession through humble eyes.

The novel is narrated by an old man named, John Ames. He is writing a letter to his young son about his life as a minister, his father's life as a minister and his grandfather's life as a minister.  He begins the letter because he is not expected to live many more years and is determined to pass down his knowledge on life to his young son.

All three ministers are very different in their approach to ministry yet all three end up learning from one another.

In that respect, it is a novel about the history of knowledge that each of us carry from one generation to the next.

One of my favorite things about the novel is that it sheds light on the importance of conversation within the ministerial vocation. 

How often, relaxing front porch conversation can lead to life transformation.

I LOVE THAT!!!

Mainly because one of my FAVORITE things to do is to have people over for conversation!

You can learn so much about people just sittin' on the porch swing or huddled around a bon fire.

This novel took me 4 weeks to finish.  

It's not that it is long, just a little over 200 pages. But it is so THICK with content. Full of so MANY theological thoughts. I would read a section, sit it down, think about that section, look up the theologians mentioned in the section, chat to my husband about the section, read him a sentence or two, then sleep on the thought.

(plus i have a 5 year old and 3 year old)

I wrestled a lot with the conversations the characters had with one another.

They were very deep.

With that said, it is a very thought provoking book. 

The author must of reached deep down into someone's soul.

It will go down as one of the most enjoyable reads I have had.

A wonderful book!

One that you are proud to say "Hey, I read THAT!"