The last several years have brought introductions to medical tests, procedures, surgeries, treatments, and hospitals I had not ever known before.
The tension between medical diagnoses and faith is a difficult one. How does one balance what one hears – the facts – with what one believes and hopes?
In his book, I’ve Seen the End of You, W. Lee Warren, MD., brings a gripping memoir of his own struggles with facts and faith as a practicing brain surgeon.
I found the book to be a hard one to put down, and so it came with me even to the hair salon. Each story of Dr. Warren’s patients pulled me in as I desired to know their outcome.
Dr. Warren presents each story with raw and authentic vulnerability. He shares the struggles and questions of his patients as they listen to him prepare them for the future.
But more so, he shares his own struggle as he fully knows the outcome as a neurosurgeon. Every conversation had with patients is full of compassion and hope, even as he himself struggles with finding light in what he knows will be their darkest days.
The book is divided into three parts:
- Before
- During
- After
The book is filled with conversations and quotes from many sources which make this a powerful and encouraging read for whatever one may be facing. Often our pain and struggles are the beginning, becoming the very source of discovering how little we truly know of the surpassing greatness of our God.
“We do not choose our belief systems because of the benefits they offer us, of course. We choose them because we believe them to be true. But faith in God has a way of proving itself over time, showing itself able to improve and steady us no matter what happens.”
(Dr. Warren)
This book is a compelling and challenging read. I suggest not reading it in a public place like the hair salon as you will find tears rolling. This book will also grow your faith as you discover it is okay to face your doubts.
“Faith allows us to see that it’s okay to have doubt, but we doubt the doubt more than the promise of the One who never breaks his word.”
(Dr. Warren)
*An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher, Waterbrook & Multnomah. My review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Today I am joining … Heart Encouragement and Let’s Have Coffee and Booknificent Thursday .
When the hallelujahs fade
and so, too, the praise-filled shouts,
the devil’s acolytes have stayed
to fill your soul with hard-edged doubts.
Sometimes the biggest holes are torn
by fellow-travellers in the faith
who won’t accept what Christ had borne,
and are forgetting what He saith.
The promise of prosperity
and health (if you’ll just pray this way!)
is nothing short of travesty
that ignores the road to Easter Day.
When taught, “No consequence for the Fall!”
it’s a marvel we believe at all.
This man sounds like the kind of doctor I would want to have – compassionate and human. Putting this book on my list to read this year. Thanks for the warning – I am a crier!
This sounds like one of the more interesting books I’ve read about in a while. Thanks for sharing. I like the quote about not choosing our belief system because of its benefits. But sadly, I fear that many do today.
This sounds like a powerful book and one that is more relevant to my own life the older I get. By our age we’ve seen so much and have heard so much and now are feeling so much, that it can get scary if we don’t keep ourselves centered on God’s love and truth. Thanks for sharing this resource, Joanne. I’ll be on the lookout for it.
This sounds so interesting.