Daring to Hope Book Review
I first learned about Katie Davis Majors from reading Ann Voskamp’s blog many years ago. In 2013, I read Kisses from Katie, and our family began to support her ministry in Uganda. I have read her blog and follow her ministry. When I learned that she was writing another book, a continuation of her life in Uganda, I earnestly desired that I could be on her book launch team so that I could have a small part in sharing about this beautiful person and her life’s work. Although I received this book for being a part of her book launch team, these are my honest opinions about her newest book Daring to Hope.
If there is one thing I believe about Katie Davis Majors, it is her authenticity. She lived a life of privilege in the United States, but she left home and country to follow the path that God set her on when she visited Uganda on a mission trip when she was still in high school. Not only did she move to Uganda to serve, she joyfully adopted 13 daughters to raise while she founded the Amazima ministry there and personally provided food, medical care, spiritual guidance, love, and friendship to her community. After reading her stories, I feel like she is the Mother Teresa of our time. She has genuine love and compassion for others and has opened her heart and her home to those who have needed it the most.
Above all, you absolutely cannot read Kisses from Katie or Daring to Hope without knowing about Jesus and her relationship with Him. I have never read another book (except the Bible) that speaks so intimately about a relationship with Jesus. She makes me want what she has. No matter the time or place or circumstance, Katie no only loves Jesus, she claims Him as her friend, her closest Confidant, her everlasting Savior, her Hope, and her Reward. I marked maybe a hundred passages that resonated deeply within me, and then I decided to conduct an experiment with her writing. I chose 5 random pages that I had not marked and counted the number of times on each of these pages that Katie spoke of God or Jesus. When I averaged the number, the count was over 16. Over 16 times on 5 random pages in this book, Katie had spoken of and pointed to God, Jesus, her Savior. This is a woman whose identity is so closely tied to God that she cannot help but speak of Him often. You cannot read this book without knowing about Jesus.
Daring to Hope is a beautiful book of Katie’s walk through life in Uganda. It is not an easy life. She has seen more death and sickness and poverty and pain than would seem possible, and yet she trusts wholeheartedly in the One who can redeem the circumstance and bring joy despite the heartache. The Lord has provided. He is her reward. He is more than enough. He is faithful. He is sufficient. He is trustworthy. He sees us where we are and He gives Himself. He is present. He is all we hope for, long for, and need.
I would unequivocally recommend this book. Kisses from Katie literally changed my life and my perspective, and Daring to Hope offers a continuation of this transformation when you are living your life in the palm of the Lord’s hand, learning daily from His Word, and leaning daily on His promises.