Book Review: Walking to Listen

"Take the time to walk a mile in his moccasins." From “Judge Softly”* by Mary T. Lathrap, 1895.

In Walking to Listen Andrew Forsthoefel lets us walk in his shoes for over 4000 miles. Along the way we get to know him as he gets to know himself. We also get to know a country as Mr. Forsthoefel describes a number of interactions and interviews conducted during his journey: conversations with ordinary Americans who took him up on his offer to listen.

Forsthoefel gives an honest and raw account of his journey, describing his inner conflict while staying out of the way of the story. As a result this becomes an entertaining twist on a coming of age narrative, filled with real life characters who challenge the reader to embrace the diversity of the melting pot that is the United States. At the same time we are challenged to examine how the past impacts our view of the present as Forsthoefel describes his own struggle with the event by which he defined his own existence.

Forsthoefel's writing is not as polished as normally found in the publishing world. He seems to dwell on certain events longer than necessary. And because he relates real life events, the language is at times very colorful (a warning to those who are offended by foul language or by negative statements about race). By no means is this a masterpiece but it is an entertaining walk. I applaud Forsthoefel's courage in sharing his story. I give this book three out of four stars, recommending ir for readers who are interested in learning about culture from the real people who make this country what it is.

*The poem “Judge Softly” also known as “Walk A Mile in His Moccasins,” can be found at aaanativearts.com.

When God Stood With Me in Line

Standing in a long line in the hot sun is not my idea of a fun afternoon. Standing in line in the sun just for the privilege of standing in two more lines is cruel and unusual punishment. And yet, it was not the standing nor the heat that made me uncomfortable. The weight on my shoulders as I stood outside the passport office was the weight of not knowing what was going to happen. We needed a quick response from a government agency, something government agencies are not known for. A delay or a rejection would have upended our plans, leaving me unable to fulfill my promise to my family. It was there, with the results resting well beyond my reach, that I was blessed to see how God handles things as He stood with me in line on a hot summer’s day.

My saga began with a planned trip to my wife's home country of Jamaica. Everything ran smoothly up until we submitted our passport applications. The State Department sent three of the four passports in very short order but my wife's application was held on a technicality. As it turns out, when she took the oath to become a U.S. citizen, the judge forgot to write the date on her naturalization certificate. This clerical mistake, though seemingly small, was big enough to derail the entire passport application as the State Department sent us off to get a replacement certificate.

We submitted the application for a replacement without realizing how long it can take for the government to write a date on a piece of paper. We soon found ourselves within a few weeks of our scheduled departure date with nothing more than a letter acknowledging receipt of the application. Facing the possibility of not receiving the new certificate in time we looked into the process of getting a conditional passport, hoping to have something in hand that would allow us to travel as scheduled.

At first we only encountered road blocks, crossing paths with two phone agents who either did not know how or did not want to help. While frustrated we refused to quit, knowing our Advocate was greater than anything or anyone standing in our way. Continuing in prayer, we made a  third call which was answered by a very helpful agent who explained what we needed to do. This was the very person we needed to speak with, the one God chose to help us move forward. I am convinced God made sure we would call at the right time, having this agent ready to help and not hinder as the previous operators had done.

The next day I carried a sealed envelope to the Philadelphia passport office, praying God would put the papers in the hands of the "right" person. I arrived only to find two lines of people standing outside the building, one line for people with appointments and the other longer line for walk-ins. As I stood in the longer line, praying and worshipping, I was approached by a "Passport Greater" whose last name was also Coleman. After laughing about the coincidence, Mr. Coleman moved me into the shorter line. This line (and the two lines that followed) eventually lead me to two passport experts who promised to help move things along. By the end of the week the passport was in our mailbox, not a limited but a full fledged passport. And with passports in hand we left on schedule, enjoying a terrific week visiting with family.

God was in line with me that day at the passport office. He was also at work ahead of me, making sure our paperwork wound up in the right hands. What started off as a difficult situation, filled with obstacles and times of being unsure, lead to an opportunity to see God at work. Of course I could not see what He was going to do as I joined the line. What I could see were His promises, like the one in Romans 8:28: a powerful promise at work in every aspect of the life of a Christian.

If you are a Christian, remember this promise during your next trial. Let it be the starting point of your prayer, the truth that drives you to seek His best. Then watch as the Lord goes to work on your behalf. He is there with You, even when you feel stuck standing in place. Enjoy His presence and rest in Him knowing He will work all for your good.