Book Review: Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed

I

received Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed about a week ago.  I was not sure if I’d get into it, as I am not very sports minded.  My 20 year old son picked it up and he and the book disappeared!  I kept telling him “I” have to read this to review ASAP.  A few days later he said it’s one of the best books he’s read in a long time.  Well, if it captivated my son, who is not much of a reader (but listens to a lot of audio books), I definitely wanted to read it NOW.  I read it in two days!

The foreword is by Chuck Colson, who said:

“ . . . hopefully, reading this book will help you see how God can use our greatest pains and defeats for our greatest gain, and that the life of the kingdom of God is liven in an entirely different dimension and on entirely different terms than life according to the values of the world.“

This is a wonderful story of an atheist who had “everything” and found God through the shattering of his elbow. It’s the life of Frank Pastore, the author and major league baseball player.  It showed me how important it is to keep showing Christ to others, even if they do not want to believe.  Four Christian baseball players offered to pray for him after he was severely hurt.  Frank thought of prayers just the same as saying the ABC’s or reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.  But when these men prayed for him, he heard a difference.  I think one of the most  profound sentences of the whole book is:

” The God-who-wasn’t-there
had my undivided attention. “

This is an amazing story of a man finding God after going through an abusive childhood and many rejections.  Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed is also a love story – with his wife and God.  It would be a great encouragement to those who are praying for a prodigal. This 240 paged book definitely a page turning book that will keep anyone captivated – yes, even those that are not sports-minded!

Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed was provided to me free of charge by Tyndale House Publishers, in exchange for my honest opinion of it.