Review of “The Sojourner's Road Home” by Kelly Mack McCoy

Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)

The Sojourner's Road Home: A 40 Day Journey to the Heart of God is an outstanding, positive, uplifting, inspiring, and motivational Christian self-help book by Kelly Mack McCoy!

This is one of those books that really shattered all of our expectations. Despite its relatively short length (only about 100 pages) and source material (The Holy Bible) that goes back 2000+ years, this book still packs a punch and is surprisingly fresh!

We've read our share of Christian devotionals and inspirational books. Be a Giant Killer by Ed Norwood comes to mind. So does Are You Ready? by Dr. Kimberly Harms in this ongoing contest. Sometimes, after reading so many Christian books (or books in any one genre), you start to become jaded and maybe even a bit bored—like you've seen it all. You've been there and done that.

However, as we said before, this book still comes across as fresh, new, and exciting!

Why is that? Well, it might be because the author views God's purpose for your life sorta like a long journey or adventure. And who doesn't like journeys? Who doesn't like adventure?

Furthermore, the stories in this book resonate so much and so deeply with many readers including ourselves. If you're tired, a bit lost, feeling a bit directionless, or even feeling a bit old, you will really feel what the author is talking about. We've all been one (or more) of those things. We've all felt and experienced them from time to time. What's amazing is that this book is a reminder that no matter how tired or old we are, no matter how hopeless or directionless we feel, God is still there and still has a higher purpose for us.

The author likens this to a GPS's course direction. Similarly, the Holy Spirit will always find and guide you—a follower of Christ—to where you need to be. It might be uncomfortably. It might be painful. It might take a lot longer than you were originally expecting. The results might not be exactly what you were hoping for, or they could be entirely different. One thing is for sure: it's all in God's master plan for your life and the universe as a whole.

This book uses so many amazing, incredible examples from The Bible weaves/incorporates them into the narrative of this book in such a tactful and insightful way. We sure had our share of “AHA!” moments. These examples include Abraham, who wasn't called to fulfill his ultimate purpose (be the father of many nations and people) until the age of 75. Or take Moses for example. He fled into no man's land for decades after murdering an Egyptian, fleeing in guilt and fear. He met his future father-in-law, he got married, and he started an entirely new life. Moses could be forgiven for thinking that his life was winding down and that God was finished with him.Then, in his old age, he was finally called to action by God in the form of the burning bush—something that literally changed the course of not only his life but human history. That's not even mentioning the great movies that have been made about Moses and the Exodus, but that's beside the point.

But how inspiring is that for all us old and aging people? Maybe we still have something left in us. Perhaps God really isn't done using us.

The author also uses examples of historical figures outside The Bible whose lives, actions, and trajectories reflect the view that God is always working and always guiding the flow of history and events, often in mysterious and unpredictable ways. For example, Erik the Red discovered Greenland after being booted from his homeland after two murders. His son, Lief Erikson, returned to Norway and dedicated his life to Christ. He was even commissioned by King Olaf to build churches and spread the Christian faith!

He even discovered Newfoundland 400 years before Christopher Columbus!

If you rewound time and judged the family of Erik the Red only on his earlier evil actions, who would've guessed that his family would eventually change the world in a positive way? God is always working. The universe is always churning for his glory.

It is noteworthy that Erik the Red's family was dysfunctional. Can you relate? Well, God can use that dysfunction. He can take that tension and all those disagreements to further his purpose, the same way he did by confusing the languages at the Tower of Babel.

Another example is the life of Marco Polo and how he was able to peak Kublai Khan's interest in Christianity, so much so that Khan (the most powerful man on the planet at the time) asked him to send 100 missionaries to teach the faith. As fate would have it, Marco Polo had been captured during a battle. While in prison—a time which would crush the spirits of most men—he met an adventure writer who eventually wrote about Marco's many adventures, which we now know him for.

Similarly, God was able to use Saul (St. Paul) despite him previously being a persecutor. God was able to use many broken, flawed, and even wicked people toward his ultimate purpose, glory, and good. It's sobering to think. It's also inspiring and encouraging to think that no matter how bad our situations are or how hopeless they seem, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, if not in this life, then perhaps in the next. It is all working according to God's plan.

This book's positivity and optimism is infectious and contagious!

It also needs to briefly mentioned that this is still a devotional intended to be used over 40 days (an allusion to the 40 days in the wilderness endured by Jesus), however, it is still digestible enough to read on an airplane flight.

We appreciated that the author provided space for the reader to write a reflection and/or notes.

However, where this book really, truly shines is the power of its message:

You are under construction. You are a work in progress. And God is not done with you.

Check it out on Amazon!