Review of Journey to Safe Harbor

Post by **Christabel Uzoamaka** » 04 Jan 2022, 23:51

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Journey to Safe Harbor" by Elizabeth Jacks Scott.]

4 out of 4 stars

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To heal generational trauma, one has to go back to their roots. It is never an easy experience, but the results are always tremendous. This is what Elizabeth Jacks Scott (Betsy) did. Her grandparents, Hebron and Clara, chose the line of service over their children. Their work as missionaries in India caused a great deal of suffering for their family. Unknowingly, the author’s mother, Betty, followed in her mother’s footsteps and continued the cycle of hurt and abandonment. Even though Betsy’s experiences were unique from her ancestors’, she found herself living in pain, denial, and abandonment. She needed to search for truth to find healing. Journey to Safe Harbor details the author’s deep understanding of her family, their faith, and their pain, which all led to her healing.

The most striking aspect of this book was how the author did not just narrate the events of her life and her ancestry; she also bared her emotions. I appreciated the glimpse into the author’s heart that allowed me to understand exactly how she was feeling about everything her family went through. Reading Bob’s letter to her made me cry. The author’s honesty was another admirable thing. Betsy had many emotional struggles, and she was honest about everything. She even revealed when her daughter called her out for being fussy. She admitted that, though she was doing her best at the time, she did not get everything right.

I must say that it is a great feat to write about generations of families and still retain simplicity and ease of reading. Although there were many names to keep up with, my reading experience was much easier than one would expect. The author wrote about her grandparents and their lives in India, her parents in Chicago, and her own family’s life in New York. When she wrote about the fight for her land, I wondered how it was relevant, but she concluded it nicely and related it to the central theme of the book. I appreciated that she wrote in a coordinated manner. The result was a non-fiction book that read like a profound fiction novel.

An important part of the author’s life and, consequently, this book is her faith. So the book contains Bible verses that helped her get through the many difficult times. But she made it clear several times that she is not interested in converting people to Christianity and believes that love is the most important thing. Readers will also appreciate the beautiful quotes that the author used to begin most chapters and the photos that made everything more relatable. My favorite quote was, “You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.”

I found it upsetting that Betty promoted fear instead of racial unity among her children. And while I did not like the author’s occasional repetitiveness, it was often necessary. With only a few errors and perfect organization, I am sure the book received professional editing. Since I had no issues with the author’s writing, I rate this book 4 out of 4. Betsy's story is for anyone in search of inspiration to look inwards and find healing. If you are in a stormy period, this book can be your light to help you find a safe harbor. But if you just like heartfelt, good memoirs or genealogy, you’ll love this book.

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Journey to Safe Harbor
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Ghuddie · Post by **Ghuddie** » 16 Jan 2022, 05:13

Certainly, healing generational traumas takes a lot of work. This sound like a great resource for people seeking to drop baggages from the past and change their lives for the better. Great review.

QualityAndQuantity · Post by **QualityAndQuantity** » 16 Jan 2022, 05:47

The plot of the book seems pretty interesting to me, Betty's journey of healing will give hope to many people. Amazing review.

Hussein21 · Post by **Hussein21** » 16 Jan 2022, 06:51

I appreciate the author for sharing her emotions. This would be an interesting book filled with emotions

Amiczy Heaven · Post by **Amiczy Heaven** » 16 Jan 2022, 19:18

Pain going in a circle is something I always wish one person will break. I’ll love to read this book to get full knowledge of how things went.

Aisha Yakub · Post by **Aisha Yakub** » 17 Jan 2022, 05:21

Glad Elizabeth put in the work. No one deserves to have a share of something they didn't start, not when it's negative. Great review.

Andreea Otet · Post by **Andreea Otet** » 17 Jan 2022, 12:10

The personal healing is an important subject to this society. For me, this is a book that needs to be read, because an example of how to cope with everything from your family past, is useful. Everyone needs a safe harbor. Thanks for the great review.