The one real tragedy of life
Bold. The stories lovingly told in Not All Who Wander are Lost could be any Protestant convert’s story. Traci Rhoades takes the reader on a journey few would dare to go as a Catholic. Her love of the Catholicism shines bright through the pages, while daring to pose the concept that Jesus works among those who are not Catholic. She dares to intertwine that which many Catholics reject. She dares to say that Jesus is not confined to the walls of a Church with a specific name.
Her nostalgic approach to recalling her roots in faith, as well as the foundation for others who have shared their stories, challenges the reader to see with a broader scope than just a direct line of sight. Her stories, metaphors, and memories take the reader to the halls and services of multiple denominations and traditions. For a Protestant convert myself, it calls to mind those deep memories and nostalgic reflections from my childhood.
“All things work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The promise and hope contained within this one verse is certainly true throughout the stories, and especially Traci’s own journey, of redemption and love found in the Savior. Traci echoes the Lord’s lament in Matthew 23:37, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling!” It is the Lord’s desire for all those who love Him, follow Him, and serve Him to come together as one family. The division and strife contained within Christianity is heartbreaking to the Lord.
In Not All Who Wander are Lost, Traci invites the reader to curl up on the back porch and have a chat with those from different denominations. She urges the reader to open the mind and view the faith in Christ in a broader scope than what our limited vision on Sunday morning offers us. The Holy Spirit is not limited to a specific Church or denomination. Not All Who Wander are Lost opens the understanding for the reader that the Holy Spirit operates among different traditions and faith practices.
In her debut book, Traci dares to challenge the reader to see how the Lord works among various faiths. She tackles the divisive topic of denominational differences with love and understanding. If one is to understand a deeper level of the Lord and the workings of the Holy Spirit, then Not All Who Wander are Lost is a must read. Regardless of if you are settled and confident in the faith or if you are still exploring, don’t miss the gems that Traci gives you within this easy read.