An Inspiring Read for Your New Year

By far one of the best books I’ve ever read tells a story I thought I already knew. Like most people, I grew up watching The Sound of Music and I loved it. But it wasn’t until a few years ago that I read the real story of Maria von Trapp written by Maria herself: The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. The book made me laugh, brought me to tears, and astonished me time after time. At the core of the book and of the remarkable story itself is FAMILY.

Much of the movie is cradled in absolute truth, like this exchange between the Reverend Mother and Maria recounted in her book:

“Tell me, Maria, which is the most important lesson our old [abbey] has taught you?”

Maria responded, “The only important thing on earth for us is to find out what is the Will of God and to do it…and wholeheartedly, too.”

And off she went—against her will but on the side of God’s will—away from the abbey and to the grand home of Captain von Trapp.

In some cases, the movie (as with any movie “inspired by a true story”) bears little similarity to the way things actually transpired. (For example, Captain von Trapp did not have a daughter named Liesel. Too bad! What about Leisel dancing in the rain with Rolfe in the gazebo?!). But in my estimation, the movie retained the integrity of the true story. And it is a story not to be missed.

One of the surprises the book held for me was not only that Maria bore children with Captain von Trapp after they married (her insights on childbirth are remarkable) but how much of their story occurred after the von Trapp family fled Austria with the Nazis nipping at their heels. They eventually made their way to America and had a host of adventures here, including Maria’s hilarious first encounter with an escalator.

But the thing that beautifully undergirds the entire tale is Maria von Trapp’s indomitable faith and her willingness to work to bring about the will of God and to raise the family God gave her.

It’s hard to put into words exactly what this book did for me, but after reading it I knew I could be a better mom, a better wife, a more joyful traveler on this earth, and a better disciple of Jesus, and I deeply wanted to be all of those things.

Reading Maria’s story buoyed me beyond anything I expected and showed me just how much one of his children can do when they believe in Him.

I won’t spoil the rest of the remarkable story for you, but if you’re amassing a reading list for 2024, I heartily recommend The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.

It may very well spark a beautiful transformation in your own family.

There are some troubling things on the horizon for 2024 that I’ll be writing about soon, but I wanted to start the year with an inspiring reminder that our families—like Maria von Trapp’s—can be joyful sanctuaries amid any storm, that there is an escape from evil prepared for us if we look (and work!) for it, and that God is with us through everything.