Book Review

Change of ministry, moving the family, being in the public eye, physical illness—any one of these could be stretching experiences for most of us. Gwen Wilkerson faced them all. She candidly shares her journey in her book, The Cross and the Scalpel.

We know David Wilkerson, Gwen’s husband, whose ministry became prominent in the book and movie, The Cross and the Switchblade. What we have not known is Gwen’s story of adjusting to city living with small children. She candidly shares her struggles with change but the real challenge began when she was diagnosed with cancer at age 32. Her two daughters also faced cancer while quite young.

Behind the scenes of a prominent ministry, Gwen and her daughters endured 16 surgeries and 9 cancers. Gwen’s candid sharing of the emotional and physical challenges during these illnesses should help any woman experiencing similar problems.

This is not just another story of a family already in the limelight. It is the story of a real, down-to-earth woman whose living faith in Jesus carried her through very difficult times.

When life brought stretching circumstances, Gwen’s faith in Christ met the challenge.