inREVIEW:
Words by Tracy Knox
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THE VOW DISTRIBUTED BY: CHRISTIAN ART DISTRIBUTORS
When you make the commitment to marry someone, you take a vow to love and cherish your spouse through the good times and bad, for as long as you both shall live. But what if that commitment is tested by serious illness, and/ or financial difficulty? Would you stay together and would you know how to win your soul mate's heart back all over again? I've just finished reading one of those books that I couldn't put down. The Vow is a beautifully written, from the heart and soul, story about Kim and Krickitt Carpenter who never expected their commitment to each other to be tested so early. Just two months into their wedding, a terrible car accident leaves Kim with some serious injuries, but it is Krickitt who bears the brunt and suffers from a traumatic head injury, and goes into a coma - one that the medical professionals don't expect her to recover from. When she wakes up several weeks later, her long and tough road to rehabilitation begins, but Krickitt has no memory of her husband. The previous 18 months when they had met, fallen in love, and been married have been completely erased. Kim and Krickitt have to start all over again against enormous odds; the stress of physical rehabilitation, mounting medical bills and Krickitt's amnesia. The Vow is also a lovely account of commitment; God’s commitment to Kim and Krickitt, their commitment to God, their commitment to each other, and how it sustained them through their most difficult times. In this volume, you'll read about the true events that inspired the movie starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, which released in South Africa in May 2012, as well as see personal photos from Kim and Krickitt.
Although it is a short book, I found the messages carried within to be very powerful. I thought about Kim and Krickitt’s marriage – their incredible strength and perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. No marriage is easy, but the challenges they faced are hard to imagine. I was truly inspired by these amazing people, and hope that I have the same strength when facing challenges, no matter how big or small, in my own marriage. It also got me thinking about faith, because ultimately, The Vow is a powerful story about faith and the importance of it in our lives. One of the strengths of this book, in my opinion, is that although the Carpenters wrote this book to share the story of their faith, I didn’t find it preachy, and I don't think I would have it enjoyed it as much had it been. Instead, they wrote about their faith in a very straight forward manner and the huge role it played in overcoming their struggles. Their heart-warming story is well worth the read, and I certainly give it the thumbs up. •
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