Journey of Hope

Journey of Hope:

Inspirational Stories of Prophets Through the Ages

By Clifford Stevens

Finding a book illustrating the power of sin is easy and there are plenty of books on God’s forgiveness and grace. But, finding one that incorporates secular and Christian literature to impress the reader on the individual responsibility of being a prophet is exceptional. Journey of Hope is a unique text.

The treasures in Clifford Stevens’ book are the excerpts from a variety of literary works coupled with the warnings from the prophets. Readers may recognize some of the selections from studying history between the 1600’s and the twentieth century. Some chapters present prayers, poems or quotes. Rereading a passage and identifying how the main character fulfilled the role of a prophet sparked my interest in the original story and sharpened my comprehension of the prophet’s assignment.

The speeches of the Old Testament prophets did not foretell the future as mystics or spiritualists. They actually spoke as the voices of God clarifying His messages. Prophets were imparted with a deep sense of the human conscience. Issues of greed and injustice were challenged and fingers were pointed to human responsibility. Consequences would ensue but would lead to conversion by attesting to God’s grace.

The pieces of writing pulled for this collection are about bitter hardships and the journey to sweet hope. The reader can randomly select a section but the flow of the theme can be more valuable by reading the chapters in order. The course begins with pain and continues to confirmation of God’s promises, the responsibility each person has to attest to the truth, the trials in consequences for allowing sin to destroy and finally it curves toward the allure of hope and experiencing the compassion of the Father.

Stevens states and reiterates that all individuals are designated prophets. He prods us with questions to spurn our intentions to merit actions. No matter how we perceive our worth to speak for God, He provides the opportunity for our testimonies to be effective. The credence is for all of us to declare God’s word for here and now. It is relevant to every generation. We are prophets harvesting our own situations and circumstances as corroboration. The only prerequisite for this duty is to be willing and obey.

Research for this book was extensive as shown by the long list of acknowledgements. Clifford Stevens compiled a beautiful collection of inspirational copy. I would recommend Journey of Hope to church supported study groups large and small and to individuals for self study and reading pleasure.

Reviewed by: Scarlett Smith. She is a member of Mount Paran North Church of God and the Christian Authors Guild of Atlanta, Georgia. Scarlett received an Amy Foundation Award in 2001.