It should be acknowledged from the start that this plainly written spiritual memoir, The Faithful Five, contains numerous typographical and grammatical errors. Yet, if you look past the surface of this intriguing little book, you will experience firsthand what the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus meant when he said that “the language of truth is unadorned and always simple.” While many authors over the years have tried to write in such austere language, H. Murphy’s book is the real deal–written in common-speak but brimming with genuine spirit.
The Faithful Five opens with the author, a wife and mother battling a severe throat infection: “As soon as I reach home I went to bed, my neighbor went to the drug store to have my prescription fill. I stayed in the bed from that Monday afternoon until that Wednesday morning. I did not eat food. I prayed my self to sleep, wake up and pray my self to sleep again…My body was very weak. But I felt like I could fly …Then I heard a loud voice from Heaven.”
This supernatural voice tells her to preach in the name of Jesus. A humble woman, she keeps this vision to herself but over time feels drawn to ministry. Soon she finds herself working with inmates in a local prison and later serves at an area hospital. Throughout the difficult work, Murphy’s faith increases and she affects the lives of many–feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, bailing people out of jail, even assisting a woman possessed by an evil spirit–all in the name of God.
Murphy’s sparse recounting of her personal story, while presenting some reading challenges, is a sincere example of faith in action. Her story about the power of prayer and service to others should resonate with church groups and ministers looking for a burst of inspiration.
