Hannah Hurnard (1905–1990)

I’ve loved allegories since I was too young to understand them—merely enjoyed the stories they gave me—but I didn’t come across Hinds’ Feet until a bit later in life. What a wonderful book! I discovered I had a lot in common with Much-Afraid—more than I like to admit a lot of the time. And combined with some of the lessons she learned along the way, I’ve still got a lot of things to ponder. This stretched and encouraged me, and has stayed with me much longer than I thought it show more might. If you enjoy stories that pull you closer to Jesus, this is a good choice. This will definitely be a re-read for me! show less

Hinds' Feet on High Places is an allegory dramatizing the journey each of us must take before we can live in "high places" The emotions & struggles of our fleshly nature are personified. The journey to overcome these is led by the shepherd king (Jesus) who gently instructs & guides us through what seems terrible, impossible difficulties. As we trust Him & continue to follow Him we begin to change until we finally offer ourselves & everything about ourselves to death with fearless surrender. show more Only then can we experience true love with blissful abandonment by giving and giving and giving. show less

With Much-Afraid now transformed into Grace and Glory by the Shepherd in Hinds' Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard shows in this sequel the next step in the Christian walk--that of service down in the Valley of Humiliation. Grace and Glory finds that it is not easy to come down off the mountain where peace and joy reign and mix with the ordinary, problem-laden citizens of the Valley of Humiliation. Continuing in her allegorical style of writing, Hannah Hurnard shows us how Dismal show more Forebodings, Gloomy, Spiteful, Bitterness, Murmuring and Self-Pity are also transformed through Grace and Glory's love and service to a broken world. show less

I don't often read allegory and there were moments where I found this contrived; yet the sum of its story line was great. I liked the movement from the valley of humiliation through the desert to the high places. There is transformation along the way, but because the spiritual life is cruciform, there are things Much Afraid has to die to before she experiences fullness.

I also appreciated that this book isn't just a move up. The protagonist (a re-christened Much-Afraid) returns to the valley show more at the end with a new purpose and a new concern for her relatives. show less