by Jonathan Sandys & Wallace Henley, 2015
Jonathan Sandys is the great-grandson of Winston Churchill. Along with Wallace Henley, a Christian who has served in the White House and is a columnist for the Christian Post, he writes about Winston Churchill’s conversation with a fellow Harrow student named Murland de Grasse Evans, at age 16 (in 1891) that:
This country will be subjected somehow, to a tremendous invasion, by what means I do not know, but I tell you I shall be in command of the defences of London, and I shall save London and England from disaster.
Winston Churchill, Age 16
The book details Winston’s life, showing how our sovereign God saved him, groomed him, brought him up to save the world from Hitler. He was never paid attention to or loved by his parents, but he loved them deeply. He wrote them letters to which they never responded. But he remained an optimistic and happy boy. In his early childhood, he had a nanny named Elizabeth Everest, who taught him all about God.
He became a soldier, and in 1896, there was an accident when Winston was getting off a tender boat in India that dislocated his shoulder. He never had it looked at and it healed badly. He fought in North Africa in the battle of Omdurman (September 2, 1898). Because of his bum shoulder, he fought on horseback with a gun instead of a sword, and having a gun allowed him to kill two enemy soldiers that would have surely killed him if he’d only had a sword.
He went through adversity and had humbling experiences that helped to make him the great leader he was when he finally became Prime Minister (for the 2nd time) in 1940. He saved the world from Hitler.
The book was recommended on the library’s monthly biography email.
For me, this book showed me the danger of me being like Hitler: believing a person’s worth is measured by their usefulness–Utilitarianism and pragmatism. (For example, saying “We are living too long.”) God, save me from this idea. Wayne and I talked about this. Wayne says: “The Gospel – Christ died for EVERYONE – the Great Leveler. Jesus died for the most despicable person I can think of – same as He died for me.” He had me do an exercise: list the ‘Character Deficiencies’ of believing in Utilitarianism, Pragmatism: Judgmental, a great insecurity, pride, false humility. What are the outcomes of thinking like this: Endless to-do lists (nothing ever right), need to always have to prove herself, false humility. Then, What does God say about this? “You are valuable because I made you.”
The book was good, but I already believe and know that God is VERY active in the world’s affairs – He is constantly working and He is Sovereign and GOOD and our LORD and SAVIOR and KING of KINGS. It is no surprise to me that he raised up Churchill to save the world from Hitler.