Wherever You Go
A Conversation About Life, Faith and Courage
by Hannah Lau
Published by Graceworks
Available at SKS Books, retails at $22
When a vision of God first captures us, we are often caught up in excitement, confident that the journey ahead will be filled with wonder and glory. But the truth is that fulfilling our calling is not a bed of roses. There will be seasons when it gets exhausting and confusing, and that is when our faith is stretched and tested.
Author Hannah Lau tackles this very challenge in her debut novel Wherever You Go, a work of fiction based on her own experience. The tale unfolds through the email correspondence of two young women, and delves into what it means to follow your dreams with courage.
In the book, Corrie Lee and Keiko Suzuki are college graduates who make their way to China for different reasons. Corrie, a Chinese Canadian, is a ‘tentmaking’ missionary, while Japanese Kei is looking for work experience. Both are convinced of their callings.
But life in China is beyond expectations. Wherever they go or whatever they do, they are faced with the dichotomies of man vs. God, selfishness vs. selflessness, and disillusionment vs. hope. It’s difficult and can be downright crazy – so crazy that the incidents can only be based on real-life events.
Corrie and Kei start off as strangers. But tied by parallel journeys, the new friendship quickly becomes a place of solace to openly share matters of the heart. They discuss and pray through career moves, culture shock, relationships, loneliness and faith. Many times they feel like they have no idea what they are doing, but they persist in trusting and obeying God.
Wherever You Go is inspiring, colourful and refreshingly real. It doesn’t hide behind niceties and perfect characters, but works through problems honestly. And while the arc of personal triumph is stirring by itself, this book’s merit is in its take on purposeful living and the God behind it all. The narrative highlights that everything, even the things that seem random or chaotic, weaves into a beautiful tapestry of God’s sovereign plan. “God will never short-change you,” Corrie says to Kei.
Hannah did a commendable job of penning down her story in a relatable way. Her message will resonate with many, particularly young adults. Millennials shaped by an interconnected and postmodern landscape will glean within these covers a model for anchoring oneself amidst the storms of a fluid world.
The truth unveiled in Wherever You Go is this: Though it may not turn out as anticipated, a life pursuing God and the things of God is richer than anything imaginable. And that is a vision worth capturing.
Book cover graphic courtesy of Graceworks
Charmain Sim –
is a freelance writer and editor worshipping at Trinity Christian Centre. She and her husband Chester moved to Singapore from Malaysia a year ago. They are expecting their first child this year.