Christian Book Notes

Levasheff, Christina Adelseck.  Eyes that See: Judson’s Story of Hope in Suffering.  Mustang: Tate Publishing, 2010.  288 pp. $16.99.  Purchase at Amazon for $11.46 or less.

Introduction

There is much more information about Judson Levasheff and Krabbe Disease at the website, Story of Judson

Reaction

I am not going to review this book per se; rather, I am going to allow my wife to speak on her reaction to the book as a mother and wife and then share my reaction to the book as a father and husband.  These were written independent of one another.

Krista:

Only a few pages into this book, I was in tears.  I remained that way for the duration of the book.  As a mom, my heart ached for this family.  By the end of the book  I was heartbroken and felt that I knew the Levasheff’s and their precious little boy, Judson.

I would read these letters and journal entries as this family struggled to understand what was happening to their son and pleaded with God for his healing as I watched my own children playing at my feet.  It was certainly a stark contrast.  I found myself wondering what this would look like in my sons and how I would respond.  I was challenged by the faith of the Levasheff’s as they endured this trial.  I was full of questions.

Would I have enough faith to keep pleading with God to heal my child or would I, like so many, become resigned that God’s way of releasing my child would be through death? Would I continue to trust God through such a dificult situation?  Not only did I find myself praying that God would give me this kind of faith in the face of unimaginable difficulty but I found myself praying all the more fervently for my own children.

I was also struck by the relationship between Christina and Drake.  I can only imagine the strain such a situation must put on a marriage.  I was challenged to be sure I am praying for my husband as well and continuing to work and strengthen our marriage relationship so it also will be strong enough to endure hardship.

Ultimately, we are not guaranteed another hour, much less another day, and we must treasure the time we have with those who mean the most to us.  As a parent, I must be deliberate in teaching my children the things of God because there may be no other chance.  Have I taught my children so well that when faced with such a situation they would respond as Judson did with the story of Job from his children’s Bible?

Terry:

I did not get as emotional as my wife did; rather, I became very reflective as I read the daily entries. One day your son is playing like every other kid. He is growing and maturing and you think to yourself, I have a very talented son who is doing things beyond his supposed abilities. You thank God for blessing you so much with such a wonderful son.

The next day you realize your son, whom God has blessed you with, is slowly being taken from you. On one hand, you believe with all of your heart that God will heal him. On the other hand, you wrestle with doubt though you know that you serve a good and holy God.

I laughed at little Judson as he told his mommy he loved her 12! I cried when I read Drake’s emails and thoughts–especially where he wrestled with not being able to help his child or his wife. As a man, that hurts more than just about anything. It is what we do, it is who we are. Ultimately, we are all brought to a point of complete surrender to God. It is at that point that you realize that all the while you thought you were helping your family it was God helping them through you!

The entry that announced Judson’s death came as a shock to me. It was so sudden. I found myself crying out to God (even though this took place 2 1/2 years ago) asking why. I found myself praying for the family, again, even though this took place 2 1/2 years ago. Reading this book has reminded me that life is precious. We must value each day with our wives and our children and the people we love.

Recommendation

This book also comes with the option to download it as an audiobook. To be able to peer into the heart and mind of what I consider a mature Christian family (mature in their faith in Christ) and see the raw emotion as they experience God’s faithfulness during this tragedy. Ultimately, it is nice to know that others have had experiences similar (or worse) to ours.

I recommend this book to any mom or dad who calls on the name of Christ as Lord and Savior. In its pages you will find a Psalms-like emotional roller coaster. The story of Judson will certainly leave you a better parent for reading it.