Virtual Book Launch (Part 2): Memories of Grace

Review of Memories of Grace by Nor Gonzales on 27 November 2020.

There are three things that I like about the book. 

(continued from last post) 

Second, the emotions, the empathy, the excitement that each of the 180 devotional pieces evokes.  Grace has a gift of feelings.  On some pages, I felt vulnerable - I felt lonely, depressed, anxious, confused, angry, exhausted.  But there are more pages where I felt energized, entertained, hopeful, happy, thrilled, thankful, jubilant and joyful.  Sometimes the verses and the stories cited are cries for help -- a lament, while some verses are prayers of praise and thanksgiving. Reading through these made me feel that God sees through my heart and that all feelings are known to our God who has known us even while we were in our mother’s womb.  And I don’t have to mask these with anything. 

Third, the relevance to the times.  Covid 19 tops that list and she said it from the first page of her book. Perhaps, years from now, Memories of Grace could pass off as a “history book” that accurately portrays and documents the feelings that accompanied the invasion of Covid 19.  For through the stories and the reflections, one could feel the effects of Covid 19 on our psyche and emotions.  The book is also one that touches on political and social realities.  May sundot sa injustices, sa abuses, sa corruption, sa inefficiencies, how the poor and the marginalized may have felt throughout this pandemic.  She even tried to reflect on development issues, like poverty, functional illiteracy, and economic growth. How did she do it? Go and figure out for yourselves. Buy the book.

In doing so, I believe that Grace, as a Christian trying to live and love like Christ, has also exercised her prophetic role by using these daily reflections to denounce what is evil—all in the light of a world needing bountiful grace.  For to be a Christian does not mean waiting for the world to end because we are assured of a place in heaven. As a Christian, we are to bring heaven to where we are. That was a challenge to me, as a reader -- how to bring Shalom? Surely, that needs a lot of grace. 

And so I would like to end this review by quoting a part of the Prologue: 

“God’s mighty works through our once colorful life are memories of grace. Only by remembering can we move forward and realize: There need not be despair, because His grace has never left nor failed us- not then, not now.”  

Congratulations to Grace Chong, Jon de Vera, book cover designer and Marianne Ventura, page designer. 

Pahabol (P.S. in English): There is just one thing that I thought was missing. The book, with all 180 daily devotions seems to be bitin. It is good for only half a year, so perhaps, this should pave the way for a Part 2 of the devotional. 

* * * 

It is humbling to hear such praise from someone so accomplished in communications; thank you, Nor, for your kind words. I am grateful to OMF Lit for making this virtual book launch possible against all odds. 

I wrote a total of 365 devotions, but because of costs and circumstances caused by the pandemic, the Editorial Board reduced it to 180. The remaining unpublished devos will be uploaded here from time to time. 

For the success of this online event, I give back all the glory to God and God alone.  

“Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 115:1 NIV)