The Hardest Thing to Do, by Penelope Wilcock

First of all I want to thank Crossway Books for sending me an advance copy of this book to read and review.  I am grateful to them for this and was profoundly blessed by Penelope Wilcock's latest novel.

The Hardest Thing to Do is the fourth book in "The Hawk and the Dove" series.  It follows one week after book three has left off.  The St. Alcuin monastery is awaiting their new Abbott, Father John who will be replacing the recently departed Abbott Peregrine.  So, this is a story of transition.  It is a time for the monastery to welcome a new leader, to have some new beginnings, to celebrate the previous ministry of a faithful Abbott and to ask God's blessing on the new ministry of the new Abbott.

St. Alcuin is know for it's grace, mercy and peace that it bestows on any visitor that happens to need a place to stay.  It is also a loving community that is faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and loves the people of the areas surrounding their monastery.  It is a vibrant place with a great new group of young men who have entered the monastery and are learning the ways of the Monks.

But not only is this going to be a time of transition for the monastery but it will be a time of learning for them as well.  While they have done a great job of growing in Christ they are still needing to learn.  This shows itself in that when they hear the news that St. Dunstan's has burned down many of the Monks are grateful that those at this spiteful monastery have died and will cause no more trouble.  This takes Abbott John by surprise.  They should not be joyful over the death of other Monks or the lost of a monastery.  But it is true that that community treated others very poorly and took advantage of the people who lived around the monastery.  Also their Abbot Prior William was no friend to Abbott Peregrine and actually abused him verbally on many occasions.  So, good riddance to him.

But then the news comes that there is a traveler at their door who is seeking assylum.  It turns out to be Abbott William, the man that many at St. Alcuin's dispise.  He is seeking refuge in their monastery as no other monastery or community will give him refuge.  His hands and arms are badly burned and need tending to and he just needs a quiet place to live.

The turmoil this request will invoke is amazing.  Immediately Abbott John finds himself at odds with the majority of Monks in his monastery.  He wants to be loving and provide a place for William to heal and to also grow.  But the others want nothing to do with him (almost all the others, there are three who agree with John).

This sets up the novel to weave the story of how a group of Monks will have to come to terms with their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and their belief in grace, mercy, peace and love.  How will it be lived out?  How will they respond?  How will the Lord reach each of them and help them on their journey?  Oh, and what will happen with the hated Abbott William?

Wilcock does a wonderful job of weaving the story, building each of the characters and addressing so many of the hurts that many of us carry with us.  She will show how forgiveness and love can overcome bitterness and hatred.  If you have ever thought of being involved in Peacemaking Ministry this book will give you a great example of what is involved and how it is a difficult ministry but highly rewarding.

I completely enjoyed this book and found myself underlining so many nuggets of truth that I forgot that I was reading a novel and not reading a true story about the loving work of Jesus Christ.  I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did and learn as much as I did about what our response to difficult circumstances ought to me.

Thank you Penelope for this wonderful work of love.