74 THE FAITHFUL READER Alice struggles to accept the untimely decline of her health, which is a fear all readers can relate to. This crisis of identity that Alice experiences causes the reader to question: What gives a person value? Without accomplishments, talents, or contributions, what does a person have left? While the Lord seeks to use our abilities to glorify Himself, they are not what determines how much a person is worth. Our worth is found in the person of Christ, who values us based on who we are, not on what we are able to do (Gen 1:27-28). Relationships Throughout the course of the book, Alice’s relationships change substantially. Perhaps the most surprising change is between Alice and John. At the beginning of the book, Alice appears to view John as her strongest support. However, by the end of the book, John is the most withdrawn and the least involved of all family members. He is unable to cope with Alice’s physical decline and ultimately moves to Minnesota, accepting another job, and leaving Alice in the care of their daughter, Lydia. The most significant change in relationship occurs between Alice and Lydia. At the beginning of the book, the reader can quickly identify the tension between them, largely due to Lydia’s decision to delay her college education. As a college professor, Alice highly values continuing education and is not able to understand how a gap year would benefit Lydia. However, as Alice’s health declines, Alice’s primary support person withdraws by moving to Minnesota while Alice’s daughter, who was previously emotionally distant, moves in with Alice and becomes her primary caregiver. The reader is confronted with the question: “If we withdraw from someone, physically and emotionally, during a time of crisis, were we ever close to begin with?” Hope Like Alice, the reader is confronted with the question: “When something unexpected happens, how will I respond? What gives me hope?” Throughout the course of the book, the reader will discover a variety of messages about hope: hope in finding a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, hope in dis-
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