I can’t remember how I came upon Resurrection Year by Sheridan Voysey in early 2014. It was not available in South Africa at the time, and I downloaded a sample onto my Kindle out of idle curiosity. I love to read and I love memoirs, so why not give it a try?
The blurb for the book said: “After ten years of tear-soaked prayers and repeatedly dashed hopes, Sheridan and his wife came to the heart-breaking conclusion that their dream of having a child was over. Empty and confused from a decade of disappointment, they left their jobs, packed their bags, and embarked on a journey in search of restoration.”
The subject of infertility had little interest for me and, to be honest, I wasn’t even sure that I would even want to read the book.
What gripped me from the beginning and made me download the whole book, was the fact that he writes a rattling good story. I wanted to know what happened next and found myself turning pages, totally immersed in his story. It was interesting!
Added to that was the fact that Sheridan didn’t shy away from the really hard questions that we all battle with:
- Does God answer prayer?
- Why doesn’t He answer my prayers?
- Does He know the longings of my heart?
- Does He even care?
- Is God good?
- Mean?
- Silent?
I was absolutely captivated by the honesty of his story and how he let the reader into the very private and hard places of his life. He is also so theologically sound, and his faith shone through, oddly enough, even when he was confused and doubting. Sheridan writes beautifully, but the story is not schmaltzy. It’s a story for anyone who has faced disappointment (and who hasn’t?) and has a universal appeal. I highly recommend this book!
What others say:
Some dreams come true, but others die a painful death. We can learn from both. In Resurrection Year, Sheridan Voysey writes from experience–there is life after the death of a dream. Your dream may be different, but the road to resurrection will be similar. I highly recommend it.
Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages
This is a gentle, beautiful, deeply touching story of one couple who faced heartbreak but then asked God, “What next?” The result is a journey proving that, with God, our darkest experiences really can lead to new beginnings. Resurrection Year is a gift that will breathe life and hope into many who have faced a broken dream.
Darlene Zschech
I love Sheridan Voysey’s honesty as he addresses the hard questions of faith. He lets us in on his pain to see how God works to stretch and grow him and his wife—and us. Sheridan offers no pat answers in Resurrection Year. His life illustrates the way God strengthens us in the struggle as we hold on to God even with our questions unanswered.
Ruth Graham, author of In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart
Aldyth organised the Beauty for Ashes women's conferences for 21 years since its inception in 1996. An ex history teacher, she and her husband ex-patted in Ghana, Zambia and Burkina Faso for 12 years before moving to Cape Town in 2017. She compiled the Beauty for Ashes Prayer Journal and co-authored the Beauty for Ashes Health Journal for Women with Sally-Ann Creed—a bestseller which was also translated into Dutch. She is a breast cancer survivor of 15 years.
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