Tuesday, September 13, 2011

One Call Away - A Memoir - By Brenda Warner

Answering Life's Challenges with Unshakable Faith

Brenda Warner is the wife of NFL star Kurt Warner, the mother of 7 children, a registered nurse, a former marine, and Vice President of the First Things First Foundation, the organization she co-founded with her husband.  This is her story of facing life's challenges with faith.  Brenda shares candidly her struggles through divorce, betrayal, a deadly tornado, single motherhood, and parenting a child with disability. Her journey takes her from receiving food stamps, to being married to a wealthy football superstar.

After her first marriage fails, Brenda decides she wants a husband who shares her faith, but instead she ends up dating Kurt Warner, who was not a believer at the time.  Kurt eventually becomes a Christian, they get married, and he goes on to have a successful football career. I am not much of a football fan and wasn't a big fan of the book either.  Even though this story has a happy ending, it isn't a good idea to become seriously involved with someone who doesn't share your faith.

I liked that Brenda shares openly and honestly about what she has dealt with.  However, I felt that the book sends a mixed message. Brenda made some poor choices early on. She does not talk specifically about how God saw her through those difficult times.  In fact it seems like her faith is an after thought, and not her main focus.  But this book shows that God can still bless someone even after they have made mistakes and  God really is only one call away.

Disclosure: As a book reviewer I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.