Category: book review

A Book Review

Comfort in the Ashes written by Michelle K. Keener uses the book of Job to support trauma survivors. It begins by defining trauma and ends by describing a church of dust and ashes. Post trauma – there is nothing we can do about the past. However, we can use our experience of the past to help us heal in the present and be healed for our future. The book market is full of autobiographical account of childhood trauma. Two notable ones that I have read are The Child Called It and Hillbilly Elegy. Davel Pellman and J.D. Vance are the authors who have come out of the abusive childhoods and have written those narratives for people to read.

Trauma, Michelle says, is not sadness on steroids. There is something more to trauma than just experiencing a situation. Michelle then goes on to explain a little more about trauma unpacking it as she considers her own lived experience with it. She is at pains to explain that healing from trauma is a process, there will be good days and there will be bad days, there will be ups and downs.

Sometimes when somebody is in trauma, it can affect their behavior significantly. It can also affect them if they are in the process of recovering from trauma. I have heard more than once someone say about someone else – “they should be over that by now.” Keener helpfully explains that the process length is not the important factor and each person’s trauma is their own.

I remember when my son was going through his trauma experience, I read the book of Job to him. I suppose it was not helpful at the time. As he went through the healing process, he returned to Job’s story time and again. This book is vitally helpful to him today.

The bibliography, I am delighted to say, has a good amount of female academics. However, the sweetness of this book is not a gender thing at all. It is taking a book from the bible and applying it to everyday life. This book is for practitioners and those who come to a trauma-based practice.

The foreword by Scot McKnight will add weight to this volume. Although not inserted yet as this is a copy for reviewing purposes, I look forward to reading it. Using Job’s story, I believe, will help trauma survivors with the “Why me?” “How could they do that to me?” and “I want them to take responsibility for what they did.”

Ostensibly an academic read. It is based on research carried out as part of her PhD. I think this has a place on the bookshelves of those we help and ourselves. Wounded hearts – may they always find peace in the arms of Jesus.