In Search of Hope: A Personal Quaker Journey

By Joanna Godfrey Wood. Christian Alternative Books (Quaker Quicks), 2024. 104 pages. $9.95/paperback; $4.99/eBook.

The initial idea for Joanna Godfrey Wood’s latest Quaker Quick grew out of the author’s own personal journey in search of hope, as inspired and informed by the writings of early Friend Margaret Fell. That idea evolved into a book that would also be a guide to help others “witness hope and live it out, for the good of the self and for others.” Through queries, stories, and activities, Wood creatively explores the potential of hope and suggests ways we might experience its “continuing forward propulsion” in our lives today.

The book opens with a short biography of Fell, “one of the first Quakers and certainly the best-known female Friend from the era of early Quakerism.” After hearing George Fox preach at Swarthmoor Hall in Lancashire, England, Fell became a convinced Friend (and later married Fox). During her life, she contributed greatly to Quaker growth through her ministry and activism, as well as her numerous theological writings. “‘Witness a living Hope’ is a stand-out phrase in Fell’s writings,” says Wood in the foreword. The rest of the book examines the three key words of this phrase one at a time, giving each a short chapter. Wood earnestly wonders: What did Fell mean by “witness,” “living,” and “hope”? And does thinking about hope through these words help us better recognize something that can manifest itself in many and sometimes unrecognizable ways?

Several queries throughout each chapter present readers opportunities to pause and reflect. Some of my favorites include the following (emphasis added): “Can we witness by slowing down and savoring?” “Can we live in the flow more?” “Might letting go allow hope to return to us?” Allow some time for these questions while reading, and jot some notes down. The variety Wood offers helped me discover potential in unexpected places.

Stories complement and add depth to the queries. The author develops each vignette using a mode similar to stream of consciousness, possibly pouring from her own experiences or those of close friends. Don’t expect to find answers written here. Honoring the creative process, the stories act as a spark to facilitate connections with one’s own experience. A travel story connected with me, taking me back to my own travels with my young family many years ago in Europe. In Wood’s story called “The waitress,” a couple are in a foreign place, looking for a meal to eat. Their fear of the unknown in a rundown, sparsely populated area is relieved by a kindhearted host offering recommendations and positive energy. The moral: “Hope comes and goes of its own free will and so it’s important to notice it when it arrives.”

Finally, the author suggests an activity after each story as a way to evoke additional meaning through the senses but also to stress the link between hope and action: a living hope. Margaret Fell recognized that hope is stored and then used to propel us forward into action. Hope needs to be recharged or rediscovered again and again, as the challenges we face change and evolve. An activity titled “What is your ‘wild side’?” helped spur a spontaneous vacation with my wife and reinvigorated the crazy, hopeful ideations we enjoyed when we were younger.

I would recommend In Search of Hope to those seeking meaning and resilience in these challenging and divided times. Though it’s possible to read it in one sitting, the book is thoughtfully designed to be read in sections: contemplated, explored, and experienced. I think Wood’s book holds even more potential as a tool for group discussion, whether within your meeting or with your family. How do you “witness a living Hope”?

---

Steve Jenkins is an energy industry professional with interests in languages, cultures, and economic development. He is a member of Live Oak Meeting in Houston, Tex.