Book Review: Any Minute

While searching for another audio book to listen to, I noticed this book, Any Minute, written by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford.  With Joyce Meyer's name on the cover, I knew this would be a Christian book since she is a leading Bible teacher in Christian circles.  I'm sometimes leery of attempting Christian fiction because I anticipate the story being overly-laden with overt messages rather than focused primarily on story.  This book had sufficient story line to carry it along and didn't hammer the reader over the head with its Christian message.

Sarah Harper's co-workers tease her about her fast-paced driving habits.  Her driving habits reflect her living habits.  She has places to go and no time to waste in getting there, even if it means short-changing her family on time.  She has her infant's nanny on surveillance and abandons her son over and over again when they try to make it to a Cubs game.  Her relationship with her husband is at a breaking point, but Sarah doesn't know how to slow life down or even trust others in her relationships.  She harbors bitterness over being her mother's "mistake" and struggles with establishing any kind of positive relationship with her mother.

In one minute, life can change.  For Sarah Harper, that one minute happened when she decided to race the bridge as it opened to allow a boat to pass.  She plunges off the bridge into the icy waters below.  While she is under she is given a Christmas-Carol-style-chance to review her life.  What she sees isn't pretty.

The story was interesting, although a bit cliche (Type A, driven person, begins to reflect and slow their pace of life).  I didn't find it too preachy.  The message was gently interwoven with the story.  I had a hard time swallowing the bit about the Lord providing an angel for the Cubs, but this is probably because I'm not a huge sports fan (although I suppose if ever there were a team that needed divine intervention, it might be the Cubs).  I'd say it was a worthwhile read and especially helpful if you're on the fast track and wanting to reflect and slow down.