Baptism By Fire: The True Story of a Mother Who Finds Faith During Her Daughter's Darkest Hour [Paperback]

Heather Choate Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 1999

Written with the high energy and taut focus of an episode of ER and the humor and grace of a master storyteller, this is the riveting true story of a young mother transformed by faith.

Heather Davis and her husband, Lon, are blessed. They have a strong and loving marriage, a terrific four-year-old son, and a gorgeous new baby daughter named Remy. But one day, without warning, something goes terribly wrong. A seizure sends Remy to the emergency room, and from that moment, life as Heather knows it will never be the same--it will be better.

As agonizing days of uncertainty pass, Heather learns a number of powerful lessons. She comes to know the insight, grace, and compassion that strangers can offer; she discovers the depths of strength and courage within herself, her husband, and her son; and she learns what happens within us when we surrender and open ourselves to hope--and the very real and benevolent effects of faith and prayer.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Davis did not believe in God. She attended church as a child, but she and her husband, Lon, could not reconcile the hard-line teachings of their youth with their personal beliefs as adults. They had a strong marriage of 10 years, a healthy 4-year-old son, Graham, and a beautiful 9-month-old baby girl, Remy. One morning they found Remy in her crib having a seizure. The days and weeks following were filled with tests leading to one conclusion: Remy would have to have brain surgery. Why? Heather raged against the world. Throughout the harrowing ordeal, Heather and Lon received support from the local church they attended sporadically and the young pastor who helped them reconsider their views of the church. Davis' powerful stream-of-consciousness style plummets the reader to the depths of her despair and lifts them to the heights of her rapture. As the subtitle states, this is the true story of a mother who finds faith during her daughter's darkest hour, but it is so much more. Melanie Duncan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"This beautifully written book reminds us that--God is waiting for us to let Him help and love us."
--Marian Wright Edelman, President, The Children's Defense Fund

"It's an amazing story--one that everyone can be inspired by."
--Dr. Robert A. Schuller, The Hour of Power

"This is the true story of a mother who finds faith during her daughter's darkest hour, but it is so much more."
--Booklist

"A narrative that dares to be a psalm in anguish, candor and faith."
--Pastor Gerald Swanson, California Lutheran University

"Impossible to put down, a detective story for the soul, a searing meditation on a mother's love, and utterly unforgettable."
--James Dodson, author of Final Rounds and Faithful Travelers

"An inspiring tale of faith and love."
--New Orleans-Times Picayune

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (February 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553379917
• ISBN-13: 978-0553379914
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,258,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A blessing!, October 31, 1999

By 

a reader from illinois - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baptism by Fire: The True Story of a Mother Who Finds Faith During Her Daughter's Darkest Hour (Hardcover)

I read this book in one sitting - could not put it down. It is beautifully written with a message for all of us about the power of love - the love of parent for child as well as the love of God for us. It proves again that when we "let go and let God" that He never fails us. Like the author, I, too, finally "got it" as an adult and am still finding grace in everyday life. God really is "out there" waiting for us - more willing to help us than we are to ask of Him. I pray that her continued journey of faith will sustain her and her family. This is a lovely, inspiring book. I highly recommend it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!, May 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Baptism By Fire: The True Story of a Mother Who Finds Faith During Her Daughter's Darkest Hour (Paperback)

I picked this book up during a layover in the Houston airport. By the time I got home to Salt Lake City, I had read all 262 pages of it--even though it was 2 a.m.!

Heather--thank you SO MUCH for sharing your journey into faith with me. This is a book I will loan to non-Christian friends in the hopes of introducing them to the wonderful Peace they will find in Christ.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Davis defines grace for our time, August 22, 1998

By 

Lori L. Evans "Book Worm" (Lafayette, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baptism by Fire: The True Story of a Mother Who Finds Faith During Her Daughter's Darkest Hour (Hardcover)

I read Heather's book the night before last. I got it from Amazon.com. I opened the package at 8:00pm and started reading and put the book down, finished, at 1:00 am. What a phenomenal story...she is a remarkable writer. She has an uncanny ability to put on paper exactly what was going on in her soul through the whole crisis. Unflinchingly, painfully, gracefully candid. I can't even put my feelings into words, except that her book spoke volumes to me about faith and God's love. When's the next book?