Refined in the Furnace of Affliction [Paperback]

Refined in the Furnace of Affliction by John McCulloch is the story of the McCulloch family's rising above adversity and tragedy in their lives. John McCulloch fell in love with a nurse and the two married while he was still in the Navy. Upon the birth of their first child Johnny, John received a telegram where he was stationed in Guam with word that the baby had been injured during the delivery and might not survive. This is just the first of many troubles the McCulloch family faces. John works as a forest ranger in different areas throughout the West as they raise their four children, and faith is the foundation of every aspect of their lives, giving them the strength to face whatever came their way. McCulloch is not a professional writer, so it's not fair to judge his writing style the way I would other authors, but his writing is very conversational and his faith overflows on every page. This is the kind of book that everyone wishes that their grandfather would write. It's the story of his life, how he fell in love with his wife, funny stories about friends and family, the life-changing events that make up the history of the McCulloch family. I'm sure it will be treasured by his friends and family, but it also has a message of hope and trusting in God for everyone.

This book is a memoir of John Mc Culloch that focuses on his son who was born with a rare condition called hydrocephalus. The book gives background information on his tour with the Navy during this time period. All the while, his son became sicker and sicker. His son Johnny had to have surgery and it would last for a little while and then he would become sicker again. One of the surgeries, they had to put a shunt into his sons kidney cavity. The hydrocephalus problem went away but blindness took over.
The book follows John from his "release from active duty" and into the U.S. Forest Service. During this time, John went back to school. John and his wife Sylvia had three other children after the birth of Johnny. He and his wife become active with other people of the community. Some of the people helped John and introduced him to Jesus Christ. This is carried over to the rest of the family and John further expanded his relationship with God.
I like that the author gets more involved with the church and how it helps him to deal with the trials and tribulations in dealing with his son. I can see how the other children were affected by this and how his son Bruce took it hardest. I am pleased that Bruce was able to get thru that time period and turn out o.k. I can only imagine going thru what John and his family endured. This book is not a quick read and I found myself having to set it down for a bit. It is hard to digest what he went thru and as a 911 Operator, I have heard my share of horror stories and sometimes it is hard to hear when bad things happen to people .This book really makes you consider to think twice if you are having a bad day. In spite all this, I am glad that it seemed to make John stronger.
After reading about Johnny's accident, it really made me value life and how precious it is. For the Author to go through what he and his family went thru is amazing. In spite of it all, John does not hold any bad feelings and does not lose sight of his faith and religion. The power of prayer is so great and I am grateful that John and his family were able to get thru this.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent Religious biography and is well written. I urge all people young and old to read this book. Thank you for letting me be a part of this!

John's emotions jumped to joyous excitement as he read the telegram, "You are the father of a baby boy..." his heart skipped a beat as he continued "...however, there is something wrong and he is not expected to live. Please come home immediately."

John McCulloch has written "Refined in the Furnace of Affliction" to encourage readers who are going through trials to put their trust in God. The book is an autobiographical memoir demonstrating how devastating heart breaking afflictions can be turned around to produce positive character and faith building experiences.

Baby Johnny sustained a head injury at birth. Within months it was discovered that he had hydrocephalus. Johnny was taken to the University of California Medical School in San Francisco, where Dr. John Adams, neurosurgeon, performed surgery to absorb the pressure causing the problem.

A few months later Johnny was sick again. After two more surgeries the Hydrocephalus problem was resolved, however, the pressure had damaged his optic nerve. Johnny was legally blind before he was two years old.

I found John's story particularly interesting as I identified with parallels in my own life as John relates his family experiences and service in the Navy in the 1950s. He tells of his college years at the University of Montana with a major in foresting, of summer jobs in the forestry service, and details of the arrival of each the four children, Johnny, Bryan, Bruce, and Beverly. I also enjoyed the family photo album included at the end of the book.

John shares stories of his spiritual journey as he relates the trials of Johnny's early schooling and of his successes in high school. He relates the interaction of the other siblings and the impact Johnny's blindness had on their emotional and spiritual development.

As Bryan, Bruce, and Beverly moved into their early adult years, Johnny, at age 28, was stuck by a car and thrown 60 feet. This resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Johnny has been confined to nursing care facilities since his accident.

In early March of 2000, it was discovered that Sylvia was a victim of Lou Gehrig's disease. Church and family members rallied around, John, and Sylvia offering comfort and support. In April the following year Sylvia went to be with the Lord.

McCulloch writes with conviction and openness, conveys a love for his family, with a positive message of a living Christ, sustaining and strengthening us in our every need.

"Refined in the Furnace of Affliction" is the story of how one family met and faced their suffering, difficulty, and hardships. It is a story of faith being tested, perseverance being developed, and trust being strengthened.