Out of the Depths

Title: Out of the Depths
Author: Rachael Lofgren
Major Themes: Russia, Ukraine, World War II
Synopsis: Ludmilla’s story is of a life of sorrow, redeemed by love.

On a recent visit to us, my sister brought Out of the Depths to loan to me. I really enjoyed reading this true account of a woman in Ukraine. She was born soon after World War II, and grew up in Stalin’s Soviet Union.

One tragedy after another…that was the description of Ludmilla’s life. Her life nearly ended in tragedy when she was very young, but an unlikely rescuer saved her life. Then, when she was 18 and about to be forced into a marriage she dreaded, her parents both died tragically the same night. Throughout her life, she faced one terrible loss after another until, finally, she learned about Jesus and yielded her life to Him. Even that yielding, however, took a lot of time and a lot of disappointments as she searched for the truth. When she did find peace with God, however, heaven came down and she was happy for the first time in her life.

I found this story to be very encouraging. Hard times are never pleasant to endure, but God uses them to work good in our lives, if we let Him. Ludmilla’s life was incredibly hard, but God brought blessing to her in the end. I also found the description of life in Ukraine under communism quite interesting. I hadn’t realized how much people could move around under communism; it seemed like they could decide for themselves where they wanted to live. Finding housing and a place to work seemed more challenging.

WARNING: Chapter 7 shows the brutal murder of Ludmilla’s mother by her father. In chapter 19 she fights with her live-in boyfriend and is nearly killed.

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