Treha (Tray-uh) Langsam has no recollection of her past. She takes stories from other people, people she works with at a nursing home, Desert Gardens of Tucson, Arizona. Miriam Howard is the director and she’s the one who hired Treha to work there as a janitor. But when she began to see how she interacted with the patients, she pretty much gave her free reign on letting her work with the patients. She could bring them out of a mad rage, or out of a spell of complete silence. Treha had talent. She just had no confidence in herself and she had no past.

Then a couple of men, Devin Hills and Jonah Verwer, come by wanting to do a documentary on the older generation, to hear their stories and to put it all on film. They new the importance of what the older generation had gone through and all the knowledge they had accumulated over the many years they had been on this earth.

When they first saw Treha in action they knew they had stumbled on something special. So special they wanted to get in on video and then they, along with the director, Miriam, start trying to find out information on Treha and where she came from. But before they could get to far, things changed at Desert Gardens and the changes were not good.

This is all you’re getting from me. This book is so special, I can’t tell you anymore, you just have to read it, absorb it, live it, and let it soak in. One very special scene will stick with me for life and I think sharing this quote will not hinder anything or spoil you reading the book. Here goes: “That verse going over and over in my head-the one people use to say God won’t five us more than we can handle. 1 Corinthians 10:13. They think temptation and the hard stuff of life are the same. I don’t believe that for a minute. He does give us more than we can handle. He lets us go through deeper waters so that we ling to him; that’s the whole point of having faith. If we could handle everything, there would be no reason for us to need God.” So, so true.

You have to read this book, it’s pretty different than anything I’ve read before and there are twists and turns all the way to the end. ( )

Good story. ( )

DNF
Skipped to the end but wasn't compelled to go back and finish it. Seemed unreal to me.

This is the first time that I have read a book by Chris Fabry. Even though it kept my interest through the whole story, I am puzzled by it. Sometimes it seems like there were two many characters and I wanted main character to speak more so that we knew more of what she was thinking or feeling.

One character, Miriam Howard is sort of a guide for us in this book. She is the director of the Desert Gardens is preparing for retirement soon but something is holding her back. She loves the people at the residential center and loves helping the people there who have dementia. She is not ready to join her husband who never seems to understand what is important to her.

One of the workers there is a girl, Treha, with a mysterious background. She has no memory of her childhood. She applied for a janitorial type job at Desert Gardens and was doing that until one day, she was drawn to one of the residents who had not spoken for a long time. Maybe she could read that person's emotions locked away in a dementia bound cage, I am not sure. Treha is able to sense what the resident is feeling deep inside. She recognized and reflects back to them what they are hiding inside. By those actions, she sort of makes a break through to those lost in the depths of dementia.

But she does not know why she has no early memories and is locked into her own self with many questions. Why was she the way she was? Why she have no friends or family?

This book is part mystery, part recognition of what people with dementia need, part religious inquiry. The only thing that I would have like more is to have Treha talk or even an insight into what she was thinking. ( )

Every Waking Moment was a heart wrenching, but inspirational book. Chris Fabry pulls you not only into the book, but into the life of Treha Langsam. You literally feel everything that this woman goes through in her life. Despite the many things that happen to her, the message of God's love always envelops her. The author did a wonderful job of not only capturing my attention, but keeping it throughout the book. This was a book that was hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading other books by Chris Fabry.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a great read. This book will not only entertain you, but it will leave you with an important lesson as well. ( )