WATER INTO WINE: Hope for the Miraculous in the Struggle of the Mundane

This book is not an in-depth study of Jesus' water-into-wine miracle, as the title may imply, but rather a series of personal reflections based on Minter's search for spiritual transformation. Minter's struggle to establish her career as a Christian singer/songwriter provoked much of the spiritual struggle described in the book. Early chapters are closely tied to the title story (i.e., in a chapter on obedience, she cites the New Testament servants who obediently filled the jars "to the brim" with the water that would become wine), but Minter wanders from this theme as she gets further into the book. Later chapters on the networking (or "glass-clinking") culture in Nashville, remembrance and perseverance are only tangentially related to the miracle story. Minter's writing occasionally shines, especially in her deeply honest revelations, such as a confession that her own failures have caused her to question whether or not Christianity works at all: "God must not work. At least not for me. No matter how well-intentioned my efforts, I wasn't getting things right." Minter strives to be fully obedient, to remember God's work in her life and to focus more on the value of what she gives others than her own name recognition. Her insights are not new or fresh, but they are certainly genuine. While fans of Minter's music will enjoy this glimpse into her devotional life, others may tire of her self-focus. (June 15)