Pursued | Book Review

Back Cover

Pursued is a powerful and transparent testimony of Felisa Jack's experience living in a domestic violence relationship that put both her and her son's life in grave danger. She shares how God was pursuing her during this difficult time; strengthening and encouraging her to walk out of that destructive relationship. Walking with her through her story will restore hope and faith in your life as well as open your eyes to see the ways God is pursuing you with His relentless love.

My Thoughts

This was a very short but compelling read - I finished it in one evening. The issue of domestic abuse and violence is one that is very near to my heart, and I am so glad to see a survivor having the courage to share her story with such honesty. I would classify this as an adult or mature teen book because of the possibly disturbing nature of the content, although Felisa handles the issues in a very discreet way. And while the ultimate message of Pursued is hope, it could be a trigger of traumatic memories for someone who has experienced abuse in the past.

Felisa shares how when she met Michael as a single mom, she didn't notice the warning signs that would later turn into a dangerous nightmare. (She includes a specific list of signs of abusive relationships based on her experience.) I found it interesting how many times she reiterates that the mind game - believing she was doing the best thing by staying and being convinced that the problems were her fault - is what kept her trapped for so long, not the violence itself. She is bluntly honest about her own mistakes, emotions, and the challenges she faced. But the focus of her narrative is on God's protection and work in her life to draw her to Himself and give her the courage to break free.

At the end of the book I found myself wanting to meet the author and give her a thank-you-for-sharing hug. Her love for God is evident throughout her testimony. I appreciated her clearly-stated goals of spreading the word about domestic violence and seeking to use her experiences to help other women in the same situation. There is a need for survivors to talk about these things. The message I took away from Pursued was that of hope and healing. It was a reminder that we serve a sovereign God Who loves us with an everlasting love and will never leave us or forsake us, even in our darkest times.

*I received a PDF version of this book from Kingdom Publishing in exchange for my honest review*