4 out of 4 stars
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The book, Ironclad-Clay Part 2, is written by Mark Wright in a first and second person perspective. The title of this book refers to a spiritual armor worn to protect our bodies from spiritual battles. The word Clay refers to our bodies which were created from clay according to the Bible. This book is a real life experience of how Mark struggled to protect himself from turmoil that threatened his faith and well-being.
This book is a narrative of Mark’s life with his late wife, Melody, a lady he first met in high school. They married, got saved and joined ministry. Life became promising for them as their auto parts business flourished within the first 15 years. Unfortunately, this was short-lived and life started going down-hill. The business became a source of debt and Melody got addicted to alcohol. The addiction was a side effect of gastric bypass surgery which she underwent because she was uncomfortable with her weight. Mark rose to pastorate but the first lady of his church, Melody, let him down by failing to portray the good qualities of a first lady. Melody became suicidal and got locked up behind bars for drunk driving. His church members got to know about his wife’s predicament. Failed attempts at suicide got Melody admitted into a psychiatric hospital. Who will save Mark from the suicidal path his wife is dragging him to? Mark finds himself willingly traveling down this path with her and considers cutting the rope. Mark chose to separate from Melody, a move which is not a good example from a pastor. Should Mark resign as a pastor?
What I like about this book is that Mark shares with us the experiences in life that people take lightly without knowing what those who live with the victims go through. In his case, he narrates how his life was, living with an alcoholic and suicidal wife. This book is relatable as we either live or interact with addicts in one way or another. I learned that with God there is guidance for whatever situation. All we need to do is ask and listen for the answer. I also learned that our problem might seem big to us but when we get to know what other people are facing, we will realize that ours is small. I never imagined that a pastor could have problems of such magnitude with their spouse. I like the fact that the author admits that spouses of pastors need prayers from the church members. We should not assume that things are good for them. I commend the author, who is known in his church as Pastor Mark, for the stand he took in his spiritual battle.
What I did not like about this book was the feeling of abandonment during the last hours of Melody’s life. It tore through my heart. It is unfortunate that things turned out the way they did and it would only be fair that nobody is blamed for it. I will not reveal more than this so that you may read the book to find out what happened.
The mistakes in this book are so minor that they can be overlooked. The formatting of this book was well done with a flowing narration that made it an easy read. I cannot deny the author the highest rating of 4 out of 4 stars for this book. I have no reason to rate it lower. This is a very touching inspirational book that is meant to pass a message to the readers to help them in their day to day life.
I recommend this book to all adults. They will benefit a lot from it when it comes to matters of marriage, business, Bible ministry, faith in God, addiction and psychology. We need to know how not to give up in life, and share with others what we have learned.
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Ironclad Clay Part 2
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