Book Review

The Faith of Ronald Reagan

By Mary Beth Brown

I have always had the deepest admiration for President Ronald Reagan. After reading this book, my admiration has turned into a simple, heart-felt prayer, “God, raise up another one.”

Ironically, the day of his birth sounded like a page out of a book of folk lore. It was right in the middle of one of the worst blizzards Tampico, Illinois had ever seen, February 6, 1911. His father, Jack, had to trudge through the snow to find a mid-wife to deliver him. The town doctor was already out on a call. When the hefty 10 pounder made his entrance into the world, his father remarked, “He looks like a fat little Dutchman. But, who knows, he might grow up to be president someday.”

As you read the book, you will find out that his father was no modern day prophet of God. But, what is made perfectly clear is that Ronald Reagan had a deep and abiding faith that God had a purpose for everyone. That faith had been taught to him by his mother, Nelle. By her example, he learned how to trust God and how to talk to Him as if he had a direct connection. The greatest testimonies to that fact are in the interviews with his children that the author recorded in this book. Faith in God can be faked around everyone but your children. What his children said about him was what touched my heart the most.

The book begins with the attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1983. As she re-tells the events of that day, you see the personal side of a great man that newspapers and reporters never tell you. I will share this one with you. White House Press Secretary Jim Brady had been hit in the head with a bullet meant for the President. As an unconscious Jim Brady was being wheeled into surgery, President Reagan prayed for him. However, this great man said that it was wrong for him to pray for Jim, the others and himself to be healed and have hatred for his attacker. So, he spent some time praying that God would help his attacker deal with the demons that caused him to attack them. What a man.

In this book, you get a chance to walk with him through the Great Depression, the death of his child, the war, the Challenger disaster and many other challenges to his faith. But, by the end of the book you will pray like I do, “God, raise up another one.”

A copy of this book was furnished to me in exchange for this review.