Book Review: One Beautiful Dream Jennifer Fulwiler

One Beautiful Dream
Jennifer Fulwiler
Hardcover – $24.99; Kindle – $9.99
240 pages
Zondervan Publishing

In my early twenties I was a member of a young Mennonite church in a small town in Georgia. I remember thinking that one day I’d like to be a minister. I would dream of preaching, and caring for the needs – physical and spiritual – of those trusted to my care. I seriously considered going to Seminary somewhere however as often happens life didn’t quite go the way I expected. (Shhh it’s not now either, but don’t tell anyone I mentioned it.)

Fast forward a couple of years I’m working as a nanny, attending a small church that locked the doors once the sermon started, and dating this really hot guy. We’d attend Mass at the parish he was serving as a lay minister, and then it happened. After several months of tough conversations about faith, marriage, communion and our future something magnificent happened. About a year later I would enter into Full Communion in the Catholic faith.

Jennifer has a way of writing that has had me laughing so hard that my shoulders were shaking, mind you I was sitting in the Chapel after Mass at the time. She’s had me in tears, the message and the words rather comforting. I could see the Poopocalypse. More the sharing of daily life, the things that we as women think about – whether we have kids or not – as we work toward figuring out who we are, what we’re meant to do, and what that will look like.

The read is easy, however the underlying truths are incredibly beautiful, rich and deep. They are personal, with a feeling that we’re sitting in the room with Jennifer or listening to her on the radio sharing the bits of her life that tell the good stuff in a way that you might be able to see it. The passion with which she pursue a career in writing, that eventually led to a career in radio as well is amazing. She struggled, a lot. Her husband reminded her that everyone has to practice their craft. This reminder came after her literary agent read a manuscript she submitted and told her she needed to start from the beginning. As a quilter I know how this feels and initially it isn’t pleasant. I’d say it’s downright painful, because starting over can bite the big one.

Would I encourage you to purchase this book? Yep, you betcha. Totally worth it. It’s worth the laughter, the tears, and the reminders. I’m off to find my Beautiful Dream.

God bless,

Teri