by Warren Edwards

Book Review:

Demon Chased, Angel Watched
By Terry R. Matthews with Lynne P. Woodfork-Matthews

I

n this honest and compelling biography, Terry Matthews chronicles his experiences with the spiritual forces that brought him first to the brink of death, and ultimately, to a life of purpose and joy.

Part 1 of the book, Demon Chased – Living a Life of Fear, takes us through his childhood where he suffered sexual abuse and racial discrimination, to teenage rebellion and forays into crime. As he searches for ways to deal with the pain, forces of darkness that he later recognizes as his demons – fear, anger, confusion, and arrogance – take him on a downward spiral through selfdestruction: drug use and addiction, estrangement from his family, failed relationships, lost jobs, homelessness, and finally, hitting bottom.

In the early part of the book, you are struck by Matthews’ seeming paranoia – everyone is out to get him, every misstep is the trickery of others. Part of this was due to the real persecution by his corrupt government employer, a major focus of the story. But he also sees his paranoia as driven by his demon companions, fear and anger. He fears and is preoccupied with death from a young age. He flirts with death, taking ever more drugs and exposing himself to greater danger. Yet he is afraid to change because he fears losing the things that make him who he is, a death of another kind. Who would he be without his life as he knows it? Who would he be without other people’s expectations?

As the book progresses, so does his persistent feeling that something else is meant for him. In Part 2, Angel Chased – Replacing Fear with Faith, he begins to let go of the belief that he can control his life, and surrenders to the will of God. At the same time, he comes to recognize the poor choices he has made in life as symptoms of larger spiritual issues – demonic influences that fueled his insecurities and fears.

While he experienced many setbacks, his successes began to reveal God’s larger plan, and the downward spiral now began to circle upward. He begins to see that if he only has faith, God will guide him and provide for him. He also realizes that God allows his people free will to choose between good and evil. Choosing good leads to his deliverance. It is this choice that ultimately is the source of his faith and hope.

In his dedication, Matthews states that he wrote this book for his children, and as a testament to his faith. And though he writes from an African-American perspective, the audience for this book should include people of every color – its personal nature and powerful message deserves a wide audience.

In particular, it is a must-read for anyone who is caught up in similar cycles of addiction, abuse and criminal activity – they will recognize themselves and be moved by this book. It is also sure to help friends and family members gain new understanding of how the people they love come to be overtaken by addictions and dangerous lifestyles.

Matthews went on to enter the ministry and is now a sought-after Christian motivational speaker. But even non-Christians will appreciate his universal truths. One such truth is that everyone has a past. But you have to deal with your past mistakes; you have to get past the denial and look at yourself honestly if you want to grow spiritually. Another is that we all spend so much time trying to fit in and adapt ourselves to other people’s expectations. Speaking of how these issues affected his youth, Matthews shows us that it is important to do things for ourselves, to trust our own instincts.

Matthews tells a parable at the end of the book that sums up his message in another way. He was searching for a conclusion to his memoir, and was coming up dry. One day he felt something telling him to watch one of his daughter’s videos. In it, a caterpillar named Hermie is worried about being common, unlovely, and is not satisfied with the explanation that there’s more to come. Desperate for life as a butterfly, he tries to hurry the process, with disastrous results. His wise friend Wormie points out that it’s okay to just be a caterpillar. It’s okay to be where you are. Conclusions, like everything, take time to develop. Transformation awaits – you just have to have faith.