Where the Waves Turn Back

Reviewed by:

Noah Sherrard from Las Vegas, NV, a Psychology and Professional Writing student at Taylor University in Upland, IN.

Title:

Where the Waves Turn Back: A Forty-Day Pilgrimage Along the California Coast

Author:

Tyson Motsenbocker

Publisher:

Worthy Publishing

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/imprint/worthy-books/

Publication Date:

April 2023

Format:

Print Book

Length:

251 pages

 Overview:

There is no amount of preparation or notice in advance that stops a loved one’s death from being a tragic event in your life. Tyson Motsenbocker knew that his mother was sick and prayed desperately for God to heal her. However, no amount of prayer would convince God to let his mother live.

Tyson was fascinated by the life of Father Serra, an eighteenth-century Franciscan monk who was known for building missions along the coast of California. After Tyson buries his mother, he begins to wrestle with the simple Christian faith that he once claimed. Dealing with the loss of his mother and his questions of the faith he once called his own, Tyson decides to travel along the California coast following the very footsteps of the Franciscan monk Father Serra’s 600-mile pilgrimage path.

Encountering a variety of settings from beaches to wealthy property, Tyson uses the time on this voyage to confront his faith and the messy questions of how God can create a situation where hope and tragedy are both found in the same place. His interactions with people along the path also inspire and challenge Tyson to improve his understanding of his faith and make his faith his own.

This book is a nonfiction that tells the story of how Tyson goes from a simple childlike faith to a mature complex faith in God. It is easy to believe in God when life is perfect. Yet this book acts as a journal, documenting the thought process of Tyson as he develops a faith in God that can’t be shaken by the trials of life and is not reliant on the simplicity of his circumstances. It is a true story of how a man learns to make his faith his own and fully understand why he chooses to believe what he believes by going on a journey follow the footsteps of an old saint after the passing of his mom.

Rating:

4/5

Suggested Audience:

Ages 15 and older who are maturing in their faith and interested in deep spiritual conversation. It is specifically for the person who is curious about the interaction between the Christian faith and tragedy.

Christian Impact:

This book deals with the mourning and grieving of a lost loved one and the way that this process kickstarts an inner conversation about one’s faith in God. It promotes to the reader that God can be good amidst the trials and that, although difficult to understand, God is orchestrating all things even though He allows tragedy to occur. This book hits a lot of complex theological questions about God’s character and how those influences what a personal faith with God looks like making the Christian impact of this book immense. The main topic of this book is the faith that Tyson has with God and how that grows and develops.

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