Pivoting upon her ten-year stay as a missionary in Rwanda, in this memoir McAllister reflects deeply on her experiences of redemption and transformation. A Given Life: The Encouragement of Grace is intensely personal, incorporating the author's insights about cross-cultural Christian service, and how God brought inner healing while strengthening and stretching her faith. With the stated purpose of encouraging readers, the author shares hard-won wisdom gained over eighty years, emphasizing God's role in rescuing her and giving her a new life, ""a given life."" ""A Given Life is invigorating, inspiring, and refreshingly honest. It shows the real hardships, but also the tangible joys of following Jesus wherever he leads. It will energize your faith, inspire you to action, comfort you in your own trials, and help you know that whatever challenges you face, you are not alone. It will bring hope and joy to your soul."" --Scott Dudley, Senior Pastor, Bellevue Presbyterian Church ""This rich and insightful reflection, humbly recounted, sets forth the journey that led to McAllister's surprising conviction that God was calling her in retirement to leave Seattle for Rwanda. With great spiritual and psychological insight, as well as vulnerability, she shows how God sustained and healed her in this hard assignment. This book serves as a vital corrective to complacent, self-serving religiosity--an invaluable gift in its story of transformation, renewal, and encouragement."" --Randal Working, Lompoc Presbyterian Church At age 68, Jean McAllister responded to an invitation from God to go live in Rwanda. She stayed there on her own from 2005 to 2015, providing leadership support to local ministries, street children, and prostitutes. She seeks to understand the workings of God's grace in her life and continuing service. She is currently participating in a new worshipping community for expatriate Rwandans in the Seattle area. A Given Life: The Encouragement of Grace is her first book.