P.U.S.H.
Pray Until Something Happens: Based on a True Story
In the heartfelt novel P.U.S.H., a Christian woman recovers from injury, loss, and the failure of her business, exemplifying resilience and faith.
Based on a true story, Sahara Stafford’s encouraging Christian novel about recovery, P.U.S.H., involves a tragic accident, a heartrending divorce, and financial strain.
Hannah and her family are excited to travel back to her childhood home—a peaceful place set in beautiful countryside. There, they accept a ride home after an excursion to see a new bridge, but Hannah is thrown from the vehicle and trapped under its back wheel. While struggling to recover, she is confronted by another challenge: her husband’s infidelity. The later failure of her business further fuels her need to start over.
Hannah slides in and out of comatose states in the hospital, experiencing harrowing nightmares all the while. These are described in terrifying detail and become suspenseful predictors of future events: ferocious dogs in the ward foreshadow a dog attack; an organ-harvesting collaboration between her husband and a nurse predicts his betrayal; and the appearance of Hannah’s mother-in-law reassures Hannah that she will recover.
In between these experiences, Hannah pauses to reflect. She derives meaningful lessons from each challenge, choosing not to let negative experiences dictate her decisions. Her emotions are described with relatability and precision, from the emptiness and dread she feels upon being admitted to the hospital to the uncertainty that she expresses as she readies herself to return to her childhood home. Her feelings run the gamut: she experiences apprehension, tranquility, and bleakness at various points in the story.
Recurring secondary characters are present most to support Hannah during her healing process. Her older sister is present as a source of insight and protection; she helps Hannah to stand against her abusive husband. Her best friend nurses her through insecurities about her new scars and helps her to develop confidence, even to date again after her divorce.
The book’s chapters are long. Many contain several events, and Hannah’s experiences are interrupted by those of others. With so much going on, the plot becomes unwieldy. But Hannah’s growth undergirds it all, resulting in a sense of hope as she endures multiple tragedies. Despite having to start all over again, she is optimistic to the end, leaning on faith and the support of her family and friends.
In the heartfelt novel P.U.S.H., a Christian woman recovers from injury, loss, and the failure of her business, exemplifying resilience and faith.
Reviewed by
Edith Wairimu
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
