Reckless Abandon: A Modern-Day Gospel Pioneer's Exploits Among the Most Difficult to Reach Peoples. By David Sitton. Greenville: Ambassador International, 2011.

Ever heard stories about missionaries throughout history and up to the present day who faced dire hardships and constant persecution yet remained faithful and was able to see the Gospel transform lives? This is your opportunity to read a firsthand, present-day account of the trials and blessings of taking the Gospel to difficult places. It's a thrilling, humbling tale of God's sufficient, sustaining, and saving grace.

David Sitton arrived in Papua New Guinea with long hair, a surfboard, a love for Jesus, and not much more. By God's grace, he endured the constant bouts of malaria and other sicknesses, along with the agonizing task of trekking through the jungle. By God's grace, he was steadfast in the face of direct and often physical opposition. By God's grace, his 34 years of service in hard to reach places and hard to reach peoples has resulted in the planting of many churches in remote areas and the training of many more like-minded, risk-taking missionaries. This is truly an amazing story of how God sends His people to gather His people in all places, to the ends of the earth.

It has left an impact upon me in several ways. First, it was entirely convicting. Just reading how David would be attacked in the jungle by hundreds of relentless mosquitoes was enough for me to admit how much I am lacking in terms of endurance and perseverance for the cause of Christ. Not to mention the threats and physical assaults he faced! Second, it was entirely thrilling. Reading this present-day account of the advance of the gospel enables the reader to see the Bible alive and history reaching its final goal and destination. God will surely redeem His people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. It's going to happen. It is happening. And it happens through the message of the Gospel, carried by His people, presenting Christ as our only Savior! Third, I was very surprised by one element of this story. I'm used to reading about hardships and the victory of the Gospel, so while those things still impact me, they didn't surprise me. What did surprise me is that David would often end up in shouting matches with the village elders who were opposing him and chasing him away. That really surprised me. It didn't come off though as sounding unChristlike or unloving or without humility. It sounded like times of spiritual warfare! There comes times on the front lines when one has to stare down the enemy and the darkness, stand firm, and declare truth!