Book Review: The Lucky Few: Finding God’s Best in the Most Unlikely Places
The Lucky Few: Finding God’s Best in the Most Unlikely Places by Heather Avis
Published by Zondervan (March 21, 2017)
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook
Source: Buy on Amazon
About the Book: (Amazon)
These are the faces that call me “mom,” the three children who made me a mother.
When I started my journey into parenthood I never thought it would look like this. I never planned on having three adopted children, and I certainly never imagined that two of them would have Down syndrome. But like most of the things God does, once we stepped into the craziness and confusion of the unknown and unplanned, we quickly realized that we were indeed among the lucky few.
When my husband and I decided to grow our family ten years ago, we were surprised to find that getting pregnant was not as easy as we had thought it would be. And as we navigated the ups and downs of infertility, God led us down the path of adoption. Of course, we would adopt! Not what we had originally planned, but certainly a wonderful option.
But just as we began to get a comfortable grasp on growing our family through adoption, God introduced us to Macyn Hope, a very sick little girl with Down syndrome who desperately needed a family. As we continued to follow God’s calling, first with Macyn, and later with Truly and then August, we found ourselves further and further from the comfortable paths we thought our lives would take, and instead moving down some very scary, and often painful roads.
Even though at times His plan seemed terrifying and even downright foolish, little could we have known how much goodness, blessing, and joy would flow out of loving these three little people He’s put into our lives. No, it’s not been easy: not the open-heart surgeries or the challenges of raising two children with Down syndrome or the complexities of dealing with birth-families or the struggles we’ve had with the public education system. But through it all, every new and uncomfortable situation has only proven to be another chance to see how very good God’s plan is for our lives and how downright lucky we are to be able to live it out.
It’s only the lucky few that recognize that the most beautiful things in this life are often found in the differences. What some would see as misfortune, I’ve learned to see as nothing more than pure luck.
MY THOUGHTS:
I don’t typically write book reviews, but this book really changed my way of thinking when it comes to motherhood, disabilities, parenting and faith.
As a mother who has experienced infertility, child loss and having a child with a disability, this book struck me in ways I could never have imagined. It was both heart-wrenching and inspiring. Heather Avis shares her story of infertility and adoption in a Godly way and has the reader drawn into her every decision as she shares her personal path to parenthood. I was constantly on the edge of my seat with anticipation of her next move. Her raw story had me in tears, and it allowed me to accept that the feelings I feel are completely normal when it comes to motherhood, faith and raising a child with a disability, albeit not down syndrome.
I’m not sure if the reason this book resonated so well with me was because of my eerily similar path to parenthood, or if it’s just the type of book that pulls on mother’s heart strings, but it’s easily one of my favorite books to date.
I think this is a must-read for those who are struggling to become parents, considering adoption or those who have a child with a disability. All those things test your faith, your marriage and your sanity. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
What others are saying about The Lucky Few: Finding God’s Best in the Most Unlikely Places
“The Lucky Few is drenched in love and grace and massive amounts of relatable spiritual encouragement. This book is about Down syndrome, infertility, adoption, the birth of a family, and having “a front seat to the goodness of God” in the midst of trying times. Wow! 😍 Each word was exquisitely chosen and I frequently found myself quite moved, wiping away buckets of tears that somehow just kept appearing. Flooded with memories of Addison’s heart surgeries and issues with pulmonary hypertension, I nodded along with every beautiful word and appreciated learning from her perspective on it all.” Deanne Smith (Amazon Customer Review)
“I read this book in one sitting (very rare for me). It felt like Heather was sitting across from me and just sharing her heart. Her writing style is easy to follow and the pace of the book was just perfect. I sobbed through parts of it because her story is similar to mine. She is real and raw. Her story reminded me that God has got this (whatever your THIS is)! I am thankful she chose to share her heart on paper.” -Amazon Customer
“A friend recommended this book to me, and I am glad that she did. I do not have a child with Down’s Syndrome, not have I adopted a child. Although I have given birth to a child, I also have experienced, and/or witnessed, infertility struggles, adoption procedures, and the blessings that they eventually bring. As I get older, I am in constant search for testimonies and experiences that will make me a more empathetic family member, friend, and educator. Heather Avis’ raw honesty in her words allowed me to feel her emotions. I felt her pain, disappointment, anxiety, joy, contentment, and gratitude. She also reminded me that God’s plan for our lives is always better than our own.” -Diana GP (Amazon Customer Review)
