Finding Grace – Donna VanLiere

© 2009, St. Martin’s Press, New York

You may remember the name Donna VanLiere. She brought to life the group NewSong’s The Christmas Shoes (book published by St. Martin’s Press, 2001), the syrupy song about a boy who wanted to buy his mother beautiful shoes for her last Christmas. She also penned sequels as well as The Angels of Morgan Hill.

In Finding Grace VanLiere takes us on an autobiographical journey. Taking us through the tragedy of childhood abuse, and hidden guilt we struggle with Donna and her husband as they learn they are unable to have children and their subsequent blessing in adoption.

The double meaning of the title is not lost on the reader as we discover the VanLieres’ journey to their first daughter Grace (adopted from China) and Donna’s own struggle to find God’s grace in her life.

VanLiere shows her acumen for the written word in stories that make you laugh with joy and cry with sympathy. This book is a must read for those who face inability to have children and consider adoption as “plan B” or for those who are in the process of adopting children.

Four and one-half reading glasses out of five.

—Benjamin Potter, July 11, 2009