On a direct line, into the face of the storm, we trudged on, chanting above the williwaw, “I will! I will! I will!” Three hours later, out of the icy blackness of the winter night, completely spent and leaning on one another for strength with Dad carrying the youngest, but still chanting, we fell into Mom’s warm kitchen.
Prodigal Father
We were exhausted, but elated.
We had overcome!
We had survived!
Prodigal Father is a testament to the fact that no one is outside of God’s grace. It tells the true story of a fighter pilot who was wholly self-centered, but was finally overcome by the Gospel and became a strong Christian.
A Life of Selfishness
Colonel Heath Bottomly, writing this autobiography, was once a rough and tumble fighter pilot through the Vietnam War. During his life, the colonel had been building his personal philosophy that, with enough determination, man can do anything. He highlights several points in his life where this was reinforced.
One story he tells is how he and his family hiked through a blinding snowstorm, exhausted and battered but alive. It only served to further his beliefs.
Eventually, though, he discovered the flaw in this thinking. After a disastrous mistake, the possibility of being expelled from the military presented itself.
Fortunately for him, his son had recently became a Christian. He shared with him the Truth of the Bible, and became yet another saved by God’s grace.
My Thoughts
The author writes this book in a unique way The book starts near the end, just before the climax. Colonel Bottomly tells the majority of the story in flashbacks.. Every few chapters a little more of the present plays out, then it returns to the past, until finally it catches up with the present and the climax begins.
The book’s title, Prodigal Father, I think is clever and attention grabbing. Using the well-known parable of the prodigal son, it catches your interest with the switching of roles.
There are a few instances of profanity and a handful of crude phrases in the book. I would think the author, having become a Christian, would leave those out of the conversations, but he didn’t.
Overall
Prodigal Father teaches that the human way is fragile and weak, and God’s way is best. It says that no one, not even a coarse military man, is beyond salvation. It might be an encouragement to you if you have unsaved family or friends.
I was only able to find used copies of the book being sold on Amazon, which you can see here.
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