Lights Along the Way: Great Stories of American Faith

Rating:
Summary: Inspirational Stories from History
Review: LIGHTS ALONG THE WAY is a fascinating account of the behind-the-scenes struggle of famous and not so famous Americans as they make decisions that impact the history of the United States. Many of them had "crises of faith" that made them stop and re-evaluate their lives and their impact on the world. This book isn't necessarily about religion although God does figure in to many of the stories. This book explores the vulnerable side of people as they struggle to find meaning in their lives or as they find a way to retain their humanity while they assume positions of power. The book relates stories about John F. Kennedy, Bess Truman, Johnny Appleseed and others that the history books have somehow managed to exclude. For example, there is a story about the Cuban Missile Crisis and the difficult time President Kennedy had making a decision about what do with the nuclear bombs in Cuba. He listened to his advisors over several days before finally going to the quiet comfort of his church and praying. After just 10 minutes, he made his decision, called his family back to D.C. and prepared the country for the possiblity of war. But did you know that by calling his wife and children back to the White House, he was symbolically telling the nation that he would be the first to suffer any negative consequences from his plan? The White House would be the first target of any nuclear missile launched from Cuba. It is stories like this that melt your heart or send goosebumps up and down your arms. Some of the stories are poignant, some are courageous, but all of them are heartwarming. LIGHTS ALONG THE WAY might be stories about American heroes and their compassionate acts but the stories are for everyone, in any country, of any faith. When I finished this book, I felt proud to be a human being on a planet that has some amazing, incredible, people on it.