The Encounter by Steven Arterburn

The Encounter by Steve Arterburn is a great book about a young man facing issues of his past that are hurting his future. It starts out with Jonathan Rush traveling to Alaska to uncover the secrets of his childhood and work through problems with his mom who abandoned him at the young and vulnerable age of four. After arriving in Fairbanks, he begins the journey of looking for his mom in order to seek out answers to all of the questions, hurt and anger that has been causing his life to crumble in front of his own eyes within the past few years. Physically this is an easy read: fairly short and well written, but when it comes to the heart, it really makes you examine issues of your own life, especially forgiveness. It is refreshing to read a fictional book that deals with serious but relatable issues like forgiving and anger. Arterburn has written this book in a way that as Jonathan works through the tough stuff in his life, the reader also has the opportunity to realize their own problems—hopefully inciting the healing process. Overall I have enjoyed reading this book and will recommend it to others and re-read it in the future.
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