Ricky Texada was living the dream. Called by God to the ministry, he was informed that he and his wife would both soon be ordained as pastors. Unfortunately his wife Debra was stolen from him by a tragic car crash. He felt the pain and searing loss and wondered why God did not spare his wife despite the number of people praying for them. Later he felt God reveal to him, that Debra had a choice and she chose to be with Jesus rather than tarry any longer.
Less than a year after the loss of his wife’s life, Texada felt led to another woman, Cyd. He had first met her in college. When his friend Keith met her at a concert, he told Texada and that he told Cyd that Ricky would talk to her. After a couple months’ delay, Texada calls and takes a few halting steps towards dating Cyd. It becomes increasingly clear, that God is leading Ricky and Cyd together.
My Breaking Point, God’s Turing Point tells the story of Texada’s courtship and marriage to Cyd, after his heartrending loss of Debra. He talks about the ways God led them together. His story is a testimony of how God gives us beauty for ashes, and restores us from our brokenness. While I do not belong to the same theological camp as Texada, I do respect his journey and the ways that our God has cared for him and brought him through a season of pain.
This book is designed to help people through their own journey of pain and seasons of loss. Texada hopes to impart hope to his readers. This makes his story read a little more like a ‘life lesson’ than a biography. At times I found his writing too didactic and heavy handed. The story has power on its own without always needing to draw a ‘life lesson’ out. I wished for a less packaged telling. But the sorrow and joy is all here.
This would be a good book for someone facing similar losses. I give this book three stars.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
thoughts, prayers & songs: 