Andrew Bergsma, My Life Story: Concerning God’s Goodness, Grace, and Guidance, Ed. Rhoda Griffin (2024), 163 pp.
Reviewed by Mitchell Taylor
My Life Story is a memoir tracing the life of Andrew Bergsma (1927–2013), our late beloved brother, from his childhood to the end of his service on earth. Brother Bergsma left his draft writings to his daughter, Rhoda, to edit and publish for his family and others interested.
The subtitle encapsulates the themes of this delightful book, which weaves a time capsule of historical details with plentiful anecdotes. Andrew Bergsma, raised Dutch Reformed, came into contact with the gospel and was later saved at the 1951 Vancouver Thanksgiving Conference under the preaching of Theodore Williams and Sidney Maxwell. He was clearly led by God, during his time in Newfoundland, Labrador and Holland, to commendation in the Lord’s work in northern British Columbia, and finally Manitoba. There he was used mightily to see large numbers of Hutterites saved and brought out of their colonies. His long period of singleness, followed by his love and devotion to his wife and children, stands out. The chapters close with photos that bring the reader to a fuller appreciation of the stories of his life. Whether or not you had the pleasure of knowing our brother and sitting under his convicting preaching and heartfelt admonishment, this is a valuable book for considering the life of a man who obeyed the direction of the Spirit of God.
My Life Story can be purchased on amazon.com.
