Eyes for My Heart—Book Review
Do you enjoy a story where the main character’s adversities and triumphs are so true to life that you feel with them?
Do you identify with the struggle to accept new realities that are so far removed from the life you once had and wanted to keep?
If you do, then Eyes for My Heart, by Rebecca Martin is a story you will likely enjoy. I remember loving this book when I first read it as a teenager. Ida’s struggles were so real to me that I felt guilt over her mistakes—and their consequences.
But beyond the reality of Ida’s struggles is the reality of the ultimate solution: Accepting God’s will for our lives and opening the eyes of our hearts to see Him in whatever we face, is the way to true peace and happiness.
Eyes for My Heart is not a story of perfect people. Ida Weaver has her share of mistakes, regrets and disappointment. But what I like about the story is that it doesn’t end there. It gives us hope that as we too accept and submit to the will of God, we will find freedom and true sight for the eyes of our hearts.
Book Details
- Title: Eyes for My Heart
- Author: Rebecca Martin
- Publisher: Rod and Staff
- Genre: Medical fiction
- Number of Pages: 269
- Theme: Spiritual eyesight
- Age Range: 12-15
- Source: Milestone Books
Summary
Fourteen-year-old Ida Weaver is happy with her life on an Indiana farm, and only wants things to continue as they are. But as her diabetic mother faces more and more challenges, and her father’s health issues materialize into a scary-sounding respiratory condition, Ida is faced with changes she never dreamt of.
Fearful of the future and clinging to the past, Ida struggles to accept the implications of her new reality. Will Mother’s eyesight get worse? Will life ever feel normal and safe again? Most of all, will Ida finally discover the joy and peace of having the eyes of her heart opened?
Eyes for My Heart is a story we can all relate to in some way. Each one of us faces changes and challenges that we wouldn’t have chosen for ourselves and struggle to accept. Like Ida we have a choice—either we can close our hearts to reality and fight against the way things are, or we can open the eyes of our heart to the only One who can give us peace.
Written simply but with colour and interest, the book draws you into the midst of Ida’s struggles, and lets you experience with her the challenges, disappointments and ultimate victories of a teenage girl facing the big questions of life.
SAW Rating System
We have recently altered our reviewing system using the model of our poetry grading worksheet. For an explanation of the new system, see our introductory post.
Total Score—69/100
Great Qualities—32/50
Plot development—7/10
Character development—6/10
Command of language—7/10
Impact of the book—6/10
Originality—6/10
Good Qualities—37/50
Innocence regarding evil—7/10
Active promotion of good—7/10
Level of spiritual challenge—7/10
Healthy view of life—8/10
Honouring God—8/10
Red Flags
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Romance and morality
No issues.
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Disturbing content
Early diabetic starvation diets are briefly discussed. Invention of insulin, including experimentation on dogs may be unpleasant for sensitive readers.
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Language
No issues
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Alcohol and drug use (includes tobacco)
One scene includes ungodly teenagers smoking and drinking.
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Spiritual content
In several places the main character evades her real reasons by partial truths, and this is not addressed. The main character tries to make a bargain with God, but later realizes her mistake.
This book is written from an Old Order Mennonite perspective, but would be very appropriate reading for a wide range of Christian denominations.
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Family roles and behavior
The main character quarrels with her sister and struggles to obey and honour her parents prior to conversion. She is later portrayed as overcoming these attitudes through Christ.
The main character makes some wrong choices before conversion, such as disobeying her parents, reading an ungodly magazine, going somewhere without permission. These instances are addressed and repented of.
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Mature subject matter
No issues.
Eyes for My Heart—A Timely Reminder
Accepting life’s disappointments isn’t easy. If you are anything like me, you can probably think of dozens of disappointments in this past year alone that you struggled to accept. Cancelled plans, dreams that never materialized, things that you counted on that were suddenly taken away.
We all need a reminder to look beyond these things, to see—not only with our natural eyes—but with the eyes of our hearts, and remember that God is still on the throne, still working in our lives and in our world, even when it doesn’t much look like it.
Eyes for My Heart is one such reminder. A reminder that sometimes there are hidden blessings in the things we shrink from most, and that accepting that reality will bring us peace and joy.
Will you join me in embracing that attitude?
Looking for other good and great books? Check out our book review of Lily Gordon:
