Faith Still Moves Mountains - Book Summary

Dive into the compelling accounts of prayer's true might

As a journalist, you are the silent spectator of the world's continuous drama, a witness to both humanity's darkest corners and its brightest triumphs. You document the chilling cry of heinous crimes and celebrate the warm whisper of selfless acts of kindness.

Throughout her career in journalism, Harris Faulkner has found herself amidst the turbulent vortex of human experiences. She has witnessed people rise like phoenixes from the ashes of despair, defeating insurmountable odds. On the flip side, she has seen the ruthless fist of random tragedy turn innocent lives upside down.

However, Faulkner staunchly believes that there’s an omnipresent thread weaving through this diverse tapestry of human stories — the divine presence of God. Sometimes, God chooses to reveal Himself to us in ways as clear as a summer's day. At other times, His presence might be as elusive as a whisper in the wind. Regardless, He remains perpetually accessible, merely a prayer away.

This narrative is dedicated to celebrating the potent power of prayer. Over time, Faulkner has curated a rich anthology of inspiring real-life instances that illuminate God's involvement in our lives. While every single story from this precious collection holds its own unique significance, we've cherry-picked two that deeply touched us and promise to bring light to your life as well.

Unveiling the powerful role of prayer in expressing empathy and support

The Book of Genesis unveils the poignant story of Joseph, a man who endures about twelve tumultuous years in an underground prison, trapped beneath the Egyptian royal court he once dutifully served.

In a desperate bid to hold onto some sense of normality, he attempts to track time's flow, tracing the journey of light across the cell ceiling, counting the seemingly endless hours. However, as days blur into months, and months morph into years, he gives up this futile pursuit. He sees fellow prisoners enter and leave, while he remains trapped within the cell's cold, unfeeling grasp. In the cloak of darkness, he dreams of simpler times — childhood days spent in expansive fields under the watchful gaze of a star-studded sky. As daylight breaks, he directs his thoughts heavenwards, questioning God's baffling silence during his tribulations.

It's easy to remember the triumphant end of Joseph's story — his redemption and ascension as one of Israel's twelve fathers. However, to overlook the grueling journey towards this grand finale would be to miss out on an essential lesson about faith. It is within those dark nights of hopelessness and isolation, within those moments when God seemed cruelly absent, that we can truly comprehend faith's profundity.

Depression echoes the torments of Joseph's imprisonment. It locks its victims within an invisible cell, a despair-ridden abyss that feels inescapable. Within this murky space, you feel deserted and alone, convinced that you've been forgotten.

Tina Zahn, a mother from Wisconsin, was all too familiar with this suffocating darkness. She had battled depression for most of her life, but postpartum depression presented a challenge that was more daunting than anything she'd ever encountered. Following the birth of her third child, the divine light that had previously comforted her during her struggles seemed to dim, plunging her into an even deeper pit of loneliness.

During this time, she moved in with her mother, but the latter was unable to pull Tina out of the consuming darkness. Time lost its meaning, and she found herself spending her days staring blankly into the void, unable to understand her numbing lack of emotion.

One day, her mother, unable to comprehend Tina's struggle, asked, "Why can't you snap out of this?"

This question, though simple, crashed into Tina's consciousness like a devastating comet. All at once, the gravity of her pain, the unending struggle against depression, came crashing down on her. A voice inside her urged her to escape, to run. And so, she did.

Driven by this internal voice, she found herself at the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge over the Fox River in Green Bay, Wisconsin. On July 19, 2004, she parked her car, walked towards the barrier, and jumped.

Just as God hadn't forgotten Joseph during his tribulations, He didn't abandon Tina. As she jumped, she didn't fall. She found herself suspended in the air, a daunting 200 feet above the river's hardened surface. Then, she felt a hand gripping her wrist.

Earlier, as Tina dashed towards her car, her mother had heard her mention the bridge. Powerless to stop her daughter, she turned to the police for help. State trooper Les Boldt was just finishing his shift when he received the call. Despite knowing the inherent danger of handling a potential suicide attempt alone, he raced to the location.

As he arrived at the bridge, he saw Tina heading towards the barrier. His pleas fell on deaf ears, forcing him to spring into action. The patrol car's dash-mounted camera captured the critical moment when Tina's feet caught the lip of the barrier just before she jumped. This slight pause gave Boldt enough time to reach out and grab her arm.

Boldt had called for backup on his way, but for 16 terrifying seconds, it was just him, his body braced against the barrier, in a desperate struggle against gravity. Then, two other officers arrived, grabbing onto Tina's free arm and legs. Together, they hauled her back over the barrier to safety.

A perfect alignment of events ensured Tina's survival that day. Her mother's quick thinking and Officer Boldt's brave decision to disregard protocol and risk his life played significant roles. However, in hindsight, Tina believes that this successful rescue was a direct result of the ceaseless prayers offered by her loved ones. Their prayers were an affirmation of their refusal to give up on her, echoing a divine sentiment — God also refused to abandon Tina.

This ordeal catalyzed significant changes in Tina's life. While she continues to grapple with depression, she has emerged stronger, not just as a woman but also as a believer. Today, she is a published author, church leader, and a staunch advocate for improved education regarding mental health issues, particularly postpartum depression.

Finding solace in prayer amidst heart-wrenching loss

The loss of a child — it's a heart-rending experience that leaves a devastating imprint on the soul. A wound so profound, it rarely, if ever, fully heals. Reverend David Shelton faced such a reality as pathos-ridden as this when his only son, Joshua, died in an automobile accident at the tender age of 20.

The young man who had been so full of promise was now gone — his dreams, his zest for life, extinguished in an instant. The reverend, coupled with his inconsolable wife Jenny, were swallowed up by a sea of grief and despair — their days darkened by the cruel, unyielding shroud of their loss.

The hurt was especially acute because of the circumstances surrounding Joshua’s departure; he had not been killed by a drunk driver or due to vehicular malfunction — he himself was driving recklessly when the accident occurred. The reverend and his wife were forced to grapple with the harrowing fact that their son’s life had been abruptly terminated due to his own reckless actions.

Wrapped up in his sorrow, shaky with grief, David found himself standing alone in Joshua's room, desperately hoping to grasp a shred of comfort from the faint vestiges of Joshua's presence. As he looked around the room, looking for solace in his son's childhood artifacts, a sudden realization hit him — Joshua was more alive now than he had ever been during his brief, earthly existence.

This radical perception didn’t neutralize the pain of their loss, but it did provide new perspective. Emboldened by a newfound resolve, the Sheltons threw themselves into prayer with renewed vigor, realizing that it was their only way of combating their despair and finding peace.

Drawing upon the teachings of Apostle Paul in the Book of Romans, the couple learned to take solace in the fact that death does not mark the end. Instead, it's a transition from one realm of existence to another — a life beyond. And the best part? Both realms are connected; the dead remain aware of the living. They think about them, feel for them, intercede for them before God. This awareness imbued Reverend David and Jenny with a fresh will to continue praying for Joshua, just as they had done when he was alive.

The couple understood that prayer not only allows us to converse with God but also to connect with the departed. Prayer was a lifeline, an invisible, ethereal thread that connected them to their lost son. In the throes of their grief, this divine link offered comfort. They could still talk to Joshua, express their love for him, even ask for forgiveness for the times they had wronged him.

And then, another miracle unfolded. In their darkest hour, in the drowning depths of their despair, Jenny conceived. The news was a beacon of hope, a sign from God that reaffirmed their faith in Him and His enduring love for them. Consultations with doctors revealed a fascinating fact — Jenny had become pregnant on the night of Joshua's death. It was as if God had chosen to compensate for Joshua's life with the birth of another.

Prayer provided the strength the Sheltons needed to navigate the tumultuous ocean of grief they had been ensnared in. Through their trials, they learned that prayer is our ultimate conduit to the transcendent, a weapon to combat despair, and a balm for mending gaping wounds. It connects us to the divine, to the dead, and to our inner selves — reinforcing our faith that life, in its entirety, moves in mysterious yet purposeful ways under the watchful gaze of a caring, omniscient God.

Wrapping up

At the end of the day, we're never truly alone. Even when life hits us with monumental challenges, when we feel that we're at a dead-end, there's always a source of supreme, unwavering support waiting for us — God. Prayer is our direct line to Him. It's a profound tool to reach out — not just for our own solace, but also for those we deeply care for, and for the endeavours we truly believe in.