Mindful of Him by Hollis Hughes ~ Litfuse Blog Tour with review

About the book: Existentialism, humanism, chance. These have defined Rob McLain’s worldview. As he watches his parents’ caskets descend into their graves, he wonders about his decision to discard God for “enlightenment.” Without God, whom can he blame?  Suddenly, Rob is stripped of everything he holds dear: marriage, friendship, school. Embittered and empty, he embarks on a wilderness journey to the beginnings of the Canoba River. At the end of his quest, Rob discovers the source of the river and something unexpected—the Source of truth. Mindful of Him is a tale of heartbreak and triumph set in the 1950s. Separated from his young wife, and with both of his parents recently deceased, Rob McLain sets off on an adventure for which he has longed since childhood. Travel with Rob as his journey not only takes him to beautiful places, but also crosses his path with influential men who help him through his loneliness. Five months into the trip, Rob has a moonlight encounter that changes his life forever and overwhelmingly convinces this young skeptic that God is indeed mindful of him! Through it all, he receives answers to life's deepest questions. What does he learn? What happens to his wife? Do they get back together? Does he make it back safely?

Find the answers to these questions and others dealing with faith, creation, nature, and more in Mindful of Him, which will keep you reading long after you had planned to turn out the lights. Mindful of Him was inspired by the writings of Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer, the giant of 20th Century Christian philosophers. 

My take on this book:

As much as he could be Rob McLain was prepared for the death of his father Al, whose body at the age of seventy had been ravaged by cancer. What sent him for a tailspin and questioning his faith in God was the fact that his mother Kate died but a few hours later after taking care of her beloved husband till the very end.  A few years later he marries the woman of his dreams but something comes between them and they separate. As Rob loses his faith in God he decides to embark on a trek to follow the local river, little does he know that the journey will be a spiritual reawakening.

What an engaging story. The author's easy style of storytelling pulled me right into the story. As a fan of historical fiction the author easily reeled me in with this story. I found the spiritual turmoil that Rob found himself in after a series of life changing events seemed very realistic, and very relate able. I found myself enjoying the characters that Rob meets as he travels along the river, and the little lessons he learned as he traveled along. Overall a well written story that shares the message of who is really in control. It's one of those stories that had me hating to see it end but feeling satisfied when it did!

Follow along on the Litfuse Blog tour here to read what other reviewers are saying about this story.

About the author Hollis Hughes:

On a cold February day in 1928, Hollis Hughes was born in a ramshackle house  with no insulation, plumbing, or electricity. Growing up on a farm during the Great Depression, Hollis spent his youth chopping wood, tending the family farm, milking cows, and tending to livestock. Following college graduation, Hollis worked as a high school teacher and counselor for 38 years, and operated a successful rhododendron nursery.

When Hollis’ wife developed Alzheimer’s disease in 1988, he spent the next twelve years taking care of her. Today, Hollis is retired from education. He is a fly fisherman, hiker, and gardener. He is a member of the American Camellia Society,  and a lifetime member of the Birmingham Botanical Society. Hollis and his wife, Lera, make their home in Alabama. Click here for more about Hollis.