Before I proceed with the book review, I want to take some time to share a few thoughts about the book for my WordPress community, particularly for Wynne. I considered writing two separate posts, but I’ve settled on this approach: sharing my thoughts first and then the review.

Firstly, Wynne, I know that at some point you will read this post, so I want to say thank you for writing this book. I understand it’s a memoir about your father and a beautiful tribute to this faithful servant of God, but to me, it was more than that. Through your words, I was able to experience his love for family and community, his leadership and character, and his strong Christian faith.

I mentioned this to you, Wynne, already, but the introduction was so powerful and impactful that I had to pause a couple of times. Your words and imagery were so descriptive that they touched my heart and emotions deeply. Just thinking about it now is making me relive those six pages, so I’ll move on before I get emotional again because I want to proceed with the review.

I’m not sure if you intended it or not, but this book contains some profound theology. My bookshelves are half-filled with theological and religious books, and though I’m not an expert, I’ve read enough to discern good biblical exegesis. Because of that, I’m placing the book in that section of my shelf, right next to C.S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity”.

Secondly, your Dad’s devotionals were excellent, and my favorite was “Healing, If We Want It.” I highlighted the part where he said, “Jesus offers us wholeness and wellness. But we have to want it and accept all the joys, obligations, and responsibilities that come with being fit.” I’m still meditating on this line, or as I like to call it, “chewing on it,” and it’s going to take me a while. As a matter of fact, even though the book is about 183 pages, it took me about three weeks to read it. I’m a slow reader because I like to give myself time to digest when I read something of interest, and there were many such moments in this book.

Lastly, for the community, I highly recommend this book to all of you. If you approach it with an open mind and a desire to learn, you will find Wynne’s narrative extremely helpful. She covers a wide range of topics and themes in the book; of course, the primary focus is the memoir and tribute to Richard “Dick” Leon, but you will also learn a lot about good theology and how it relates to your daily life, coping with life struggles in a healthy way, leadership, meditation, family dynamics, and effective communication, among many other valuable insights.

Well, now let me continue with the book review.

“Finding My Father’s Faith” is a memoir about the life of Pastor Richard “Dick” Leon, written by his daughter Wynne Leon. It was a fascinating book, and Wynne is a great writer who knows how to connect the story with the audience. The introduction is a powerful example of this. On page 13, Wynne introduces Kaylee, a 17-year-old young woman who tried to help Dick Leon during his accident. About Dick Leon, Kaylee wrote the following: “Dear Mr. Leon, I met you at the end of your life but you have inspired me to continue mine.” With this powerful quote, Wynne sets the tone for a very inspirational memoir about a great man, husband, father, and community leader that will help you find your own faith or, in my case, validate your belief system.

The book is structured into 17 chapters where Wynne seamlessly weaves together Dick’s life with her own narrative as she embarks on a journey to discover her faith. Within each chapter, she skillfully incorporates glimpses of her personal journey, intertwining it with her father’s experiences and Christian beliefs. Additionally, Wynne thoughtfully includes devotional passages written by her father, meticulously chosen to complement the unfolding narrative.

In the opening chapters, Wynne describes the beginning of her journey into motherhood and reflects on her father’s ministry in the Philippines. As the narrative progresses, the focus shifts to her father’s spiritual journey, tracing his path through formal theological education and life as a pastor until his retirement. Concurrently, Wynne shares her own exploration of faith, weaving in themes of introspection and meditation throughout her personal narrative.

Here are some highlights from the book and favorite quotes:

“I didn’t think much about faith or spirituality until my path in life became messy and I stumbled into a spiritual practice of my own.” (P. 25)

The story starting on page 41 about how her father survived dysentery when he was a baby and the faith of his mother during that difficult time was excellent and worth meditating on the importance of that moment, especially the way Dick Leon responded when he heard the story, “He thought that the story was interesting but he was a firm believer in free will.” This last part, “free will,” has a lot of theological implications.

“He (Dick) approached situations, including parenting, with an intent to be useful, supportive and encouraging and the results most often matched his intent.” (P. 60)

Chapter nine describes how Dick Leon went to India to learn eastern philosophies, religions, and cultures to expand his understanding and learn how to relate with others was fascinating and illuminating.

Wynne includes a portion of her father’s devotional, “The Good, The Right, and the True,” in Chapter 9 that is very good. Describing Paul’s ministry, Dick Leon wrote, “Paul uses this imagery of being in the dark to describe what life was like for us before we came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And then he gives three great marks of what it is to live in the light of Jesus Christ: What is Good… the quality of doing kind and thoughtful things that build up others, family, friends, and even strangers. What is Right… the quality of having the wisdom and courage to serve the cause of justice in the inner world. What is True… the quality of speaking the truth at all times and always being true to our word.” (P. 81-82)

From the “Healing, If We Want it” devotional, “Jesus offers us wholeness and wellness. But we have to want it and all the joys, obligations, and responsibilities that come with being fit.” (P. 91)

Regarding an episode when Wynne was climbing Mt. Rainier, she wrote, “My dad made a joke of how surprising it must be to me that I had to report to my parents when I was in my 40’s. Then he said, “It’s okay, we forgive you.” That was it. He didn’t amplify the hurt, use it as an excuse not to watch the pets in the future or leverage it in any way. It was done. It felt like what forgiveness should really be, my true confession, no excuses, and my dad’s loving absolution.” (P. 123)

“I’ve thought this often about you and your world with all the disciplines that are so wonderfully therapeutic. It seems to me that Christ is equally as present and could be equally named and known to you. The disciplines in a sense are more along the horizontal level than perhaps the vertical level (reaching up to God) and Christ honors anything that makes us more what God wants us to be.” (P. 167-168)

The book is jam-packed with nuggets of knowledge that will satisfy any reader’s intellectual curiosity. It is well-written and is a great source for those who are struggling with the question of faith. It also touches on the topic of meditation and how this practice can improve your life. But the main objective of the book was to introduce the life of this great man and, in my opinion, Wynne did an excellent job. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

About the author: (From the book)

Wynne Leon is a business owner specializing in helping corporations collaborate through the use of web technologies. She holds a bachelor’s of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington.

You can learn more about Wynne in her blog, Surprised by Joy

If you are interested in the book and want to purchase, the book title is linked to Amazon.

• Book Reviews