Where the River Goes

Reviewed by:

G. Connor Salter, Professional Writing alumnus from Taylor University, Upland, IN.

Title:

Where the River Goes: Meditations on the Return of Jesus Christ in Story and Song (Well Trilogy #3)

Author:

Edited by Matthew Clark

Publisher:

Panim Press

Publication Date:

April 17, 2025

Format:

Paperback

Length:

152 pages

OVERVIEW

What do we do when life disappoints us, and we feel we are beyond any chance of renewal? The Well Trilogy, three books with three accompanying albums by Matthew Clark, started with that hard question. Each album is written by him, with a collection of essays containing album lyrics and a few chapters in which he sets the theme, followed by essays in which various authors share their perspectives.

The first book, Only the Lover Sings, used the story of the Samaritan Woman at the Well to explore what it feels like to reach that place where it seems impossible to experience grace again… and then experience God’s invitation to find new life. The second book, A Tale of Two Trees, considered the trials that make us feel our faith has run out, what we are putting our hope in. In this final book, Where the River Goes, Clark and his contributors consider that moment when the promised renewal arrives. Their essays consider what kind of hope the Bible tells us to expect, how to talk about hope without making tragedy feel trite, and how to have a long view as we await the renewal of all things.

Clark’s chapters do an excellent job of directing the book, and giving context to a diverse array of perspectives. Some of his contributors offer personal stories, others offer reflections on classic Christian works that have helped them in dark times. Each writer finds ways to sidestep cliches and make the long process of waiting for hope to be fulfilled understandable without being sappy.

Although each chapter is different, that doesn’t make the book feel chaotic. Some entries are necessarily rawer than others (Ned Bustard talks about grief as a widower); yet the raw content never feels melodramatic. The more scholarly chapters (Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson talking about hope in the works of writers like George MacDonald) may not have the same intensity; yet the scholarly discussions never become too abstract. Everything fits together and what could have been a grab bag of ideas feels like a curated collection.

A wonderful culmination of the trilogy’s themes, directing readers from darkness to resurrection.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5 stars):

5 stars

Suggested Audience:

Readers seeking intelligent discussions about what it means to hope that one day, by God’s grace, all things will be made new.

Christian Impact:

The contributors offer different perspectives on what it means to have hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:5), often drawing on their lives to show how hard it is to hope in chaotic times. Some of these chapters directly discuss the hard fact that God will restore all things at the final resurrection, which means learning to have resilience and gratitude for the small blessings that point toward a more realized renewal in the future. Others discuss concrete ways they have seen hope become fulfilled today. In each case, the authors point toward the eternal source, Jesus Christ, that sustains where all other sanctuaries fail.

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