Turnaround by Robert Frohlich

There’s an account of a meeting between Elijah the prophet and God , where the prophet is hiding in a cave, worn out and defeated. When God confronts him saying, “What are you doing here Elijah?”, he replies with a tale of woe and discouragement, asking the Lord to end his life.

While I haven’t been exactly hiding in a cave, I have been doing some end of life thinking in the recent past, especially after major heart surgery last fall. Specifically, I took my book off the market so that no print copies would be on the market, and later took it out of the digital market as well. I stopped blogging regularly, and even considered getting off WordPress entirely. The only thing that prevented me from taking that step was the loss of some good friends and followers (and those I follow).

But then I got to thinking about why God saved me through heart surgery. It was like, “So now what Lord?” Then, our church library in a routine change of featured books on display, put my book right there in plain view.  The librarian and another woman talked to me, saying that they wondered if most of the  people in the congregation even knew I’d written a book. One even suggested that I should offer to do a study using the book. I responded that the book was no longer in print.

When Elijah finished his whining, God told him to get up and, “Go, return on your way…” He gave the prophet a whole list of things to do because the Lord was not finished with him yet.

The back cover of my book, “Aimless Life, Awesome God” shows a recent photo of me and begins with the question, “Why am I still alive?” It’s one of the reasons I wrote in the first place, because I couldn’t figure out why God had intervened in my life so many times. I wanted to document how the Lord kept me alive, and fenced me repeatedly, when I had no clue as a very ordinary, undistinguished, and somewhat “aimless” kind of guy.

So, the book is back, and it’s available in both Kindle and paperback versions here with spiffy new covers. (And no, I-m not asking my friends to buy another copy, although I’m trying to come up with a way to make autographed copies available.) However, if you have found the book interesting, I’d appreciate a review, and your recommendation to your friends and audiences.

And I will try to post more often. And I’ve been mulling over another book. ‘Cause I guess God is not done with me yet.

Peace

1 Kings 19:9-19

Back Cover

“Why am I still alive?” That question was in the back of his mind when in 1965, Robert Frohlich was headed out towards Arizona to look for a job after serving in the army for three years. Escaping a splintered family and a troubled past, his car broke down in Wisconsin. Through a series of events that involved finding life-long friends, stable work, and the love of his life, he never left, finally finding a place to stay after wandering for most of his life. However, that was not the first time God caused Robert’s life to change direction, nor will it be the last. By learning to trust in the Lord and let things come as they may, Robert has led a fulfilling life serving God, his family, and his community. Aimless Life, Awesome God is the story of Robert Frohlich, but it is also the story of anyone willing to let God redirect their lives according to His awesome plan.

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My thoughts: What an amazing life, an amazing story of God’s hand on one man’s life, in spite of a broken childhood and even poor choices. His early life was marked by instability and even rejection. a “childhood to endure.” God bless the family who gifted him a key to their home, “Just in case,” an invitation to shelter and family and love when Bob was most in need.

Bob received God’s gift of salvation in Christ Jesus at a Billy Graham crusade in Madison Square Garden, one of many times God saved his life. He still struggled with aimlessness, using wheels as a means of escape for much of his life.

On his way to Arizona from his home in New York, he took a detour to Wisconsin for help with a car. There he found a job, even a wife, made a life, with so many jobs, many creative ones with the Natural Gas Industry. Bob became a lay speaker through his church, led Bible studies, and even youth home repair ministry as an Appalachia Service Project.

This father of two daughters became a Girl Scout Dad, with girls in their group years later asking Bob to play his guitar and lead them in singing “Goober Peas” once more. I love stories that show God’s surprising nudges in a life through the decades, and the influence of that life on those around him.

You might enjoy connecting with Robert Frohlich through his website.