When looking for a book to read in a time when all hope feels lost, one of the best books to pick up is Unreasonable Hope by Chad Veach. He is an American preacher who started up one of the biggest churches in California, which has allowed him to meet many celebrities who visit his church, such as Justin Bieber, Chris Pratt and Selena Gomez. Yet through all of his success, he found himself in one of the darkest times of his life when his newborn daughter, Georgia, was diagnosed with lissencephaly, or “smooth brain,” a disorder that causes the folds of the brain to not develop. Unreasonable Hope is the story of how he and his wife dealt with the diagnosis of their young daughter.
The book starts at the very beginning of Georgia’s story, when her parents noticed their beautiful baby had multiple seizures every day. At its worst she had over 2 every hour. From the beginning Veach had been told that there was little hope for his daughter, but he held onto the belief that God would help his baby beat the odds. While he admits that some days were really hard for him, he kept pursuing the Lord and held fast to his faith that his daughter wouldn’t have the life the doctors predicted for her. God came through tenfold in answering the prayers and hope of Veach.
While Georgia may not be able to talk or run, she is victorious over the doctor’s idea that she wouldn’t be expressive, wouldn’t be able to open her eyes and wouldn’t have the ability to turn her head. She is seen in many pictures smiling, with her eyes wide open, taking in the scenes. Veach believes that God’s work isn’t finished yet in his daughter’s life. As more and more people show their support for her by getting “G” tattoos and spreading awareness of Georgia’s story, he believes people will be able to appreciate the hopeful life the Lord has given to those around Georgia through her love and light.
This book is one that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions between the raw pain written by Veach about his daughter’s diagnosis to the joy and little triumphs the family has felt since Georgia became a part of their family. It’s a must read for anyone going through a dark time or anyone who is sitting stuck in their homes at this time because of the coronavirus. That is why I give this book a 9.5/10, especially with everything that is happening in the world right now. Being unreasonably hopeful is one of the best ways to help yourself get through any struggle you may be facing.