5David Pond may not be a name readily known to readers, but if Blindsided by Victory is any indication, I'm guessing his anonymity will be changing very quickly. Rarely does a first-time work pack so many relatable punches! From the opening line to the final paragraph, this powerfully-crafted narrative of Pond's roller-coaster life is a much-needed reminder to our "me-centric" world that we live by God's surprises. Our Creator's ways are most certainly not our ways, and His life directions may not exactly fit our life's expectations. As Pond repeatedly puts it when recounting his real-life odyssey, "I didn't see that coming!" A refrain that each of us - if we are humble enough to do so - would add our own hearty "Amen" to. Candidly recounting a series of unforeseen highs and devastating lows, Pond details how his eyes were slowly opened to see that God and God alone is working His will and way through each unexpected and, at times, jolting experience. And with each opportunity and challenge comes a growing trust that the One who set David's circular life in motion really does have a specific purpose in mind, one designed to help the author walk more and more by faith and less and less by sight. So prepare yourself to be equally challenged and encouraged by this fast-paced read. While the specifics of David's story are uniquely his own, its message and meaning speak to all who would risk to acknowledge that their lives are truly not their own. Harold B. Smith President Emeritus Christianity Today International DAVID W. POND is an Air Force Veteran who worked in commercial and country club development for over thirty years. He serves on the Men's Ministry leadership board at his local church and, along with his wife Jean, leads a home Bible study and is active in children's ministries. They have been married for thirty-five years and have four children and nine grandchildren.