Booksneeze: Unveiling Grace

Unveiling Grace by Lynn K Wilder

(from the Booksneeze website)
A rare insider’s point of view into what it actually means to live as a Mormon--what the lifestyle is like, what its pressures are, and what its culture is like. This is the gripping story of the Michael and Lynn Wilder family - of how an entire family, deeply enmeshed in Mormonism for 30 years, found their way out and found faith in Jesus Christ.

For thirty years, Lynn Wilder and her family lived, loved, and promoted the Mormon Church. Then on a Mormon mission trip to Florida, their son Micah had a revelation: God knew him personally. God loved him. And the Mormon Church did not offer the true gospel.

Micah’s conversion to Christ put the family in a tailspin. They wondered: Have we believed the wrong thing for decades? If we leave Mormonism, what does this mean for our safety, jobs, and relationships? Is Christianity that different from Mormonism anyway?

As Lynn tells her own story of abandoning the deception of Mormonism to receive God’s grace, she gives a rare look into Mormon culture, what it means to grow up Mormon, and why the contrasts between Mormonism and Christianity make all the difference in the world.

Whether readers are in the Mormon Church, curious about Mormonism, or simply looking for a gripping story, Unveiling Grace will strengthen their faith in the true God who loves them no matter what.

My Thoughts

As soon as I read the description of this book I was incredibly interested in reading it.  I don't make a habit of reading about other religions and really didn't know much about the Mormon church except that they send out missionaries that like to go knocking on doors.  In fact that is how Lynn and Michael Wilder found out about the Mormon church.  They were converts as adults then dedicated 30 years to the church.

The first half of the book talks about their conversion into Mormonism, the works they did for their church, their move to Utah and their children's devotion to their chosen faith.  Lynn discusses early questions they had about Mormon doctrines as well as other practices that didn't seem logical to them.  But neither Lynn nor Michael truly questioned their religion until their son, Micah, discovered the true Jesus of the Bible.  While in Florida on his Mormon mission, Micah knocked on the door of a Baptist minister.  He challenged Micah to read the New Testament, something he had never done before.  While reading, Micah was blown away by the Jesus of the Bible, the one who wanted a personal relationship with him.

The second half of the book tells about the Wilders conversion to evangelical Christianity, one member at a time.  Micah's revelation led to his mother reading the New Testament and also meeting the Jesus of the Bible.  One by one Micah's mother, sister, brothers and father come to meet Jesus.

I found this to be a truly incredible story.  As with all memoirs, some of the events in the book aren't written chronologically which I sometimes find frustrating.  But it is a well-written book.  It's engaging and informative.  There are some very handy references at the back of the book including a chart of Mormon beliefs versus what the Bible says and a glossary of Mormon terms.  This book truly highlights the difference between being a Mormon and being a born-again Christian.

I give Unveiling Grace 5 out of 5 stars.

I was provided a complementary copy of Unveiling Grace by the Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  

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