Get Money Do Good has something for everyone. It’s a backseat pass to the Vermaas’s worldwide whirlwind adventure as they build their family in an extreme, non-traditional way, with the intention of doing good in the world. In Get Money Do Good, Jodi and Garry begin their journey on the traditional road of donating to charitable organizations and working through the ‘normal’ philanthropic channels, only to find it doesn’t work well for accomplishing their goals. The ensuing ‘we’ll do it our own way’ path is an inspirational example of creating a family, while doing good.

The memoir unfolds using alternating voices of both Jodi and Garry, their birth son and adoptive daughter. The varying voices give beautiful insight into the challenges and rewards of building a super-sized international adoptive family. Ms. Vermaas doesn’t gloss over the painful losses, difficulty of the lifestyle they’ve chosen, and the physical and medical challenges of most of the children, making the successes seem even sweeter. This unflinching openness brings credibility to the Vermaas’s interesting and inspirational journey.

The backdrop of capitalism and the need to work hard for the money that’s necessary to attain the things we want to accomplish in life is inspirational for anyone who aspires to a monumental goal. The exposure of the dire needs of children around the world provides tough but necessary insight for every reader.

How this book affected me: Inspirational narrative nonfiction is my favorite genre, so I was looking forward to reading Get Money Do Good. As a former foster mom, I could feel for the children coming from dire conditions who needed families. I particularly enjoyed hearing the adoptive daughter’s side of the story, but the various voices of the parents and birth-son gave a well-rounded perspective. It might seem impossible for two working parents to give twelve children the time and attention they need, but for children who need a loving home, it could be a Godsend, as this story conveys.

Who would enjoy this book: Narrative nonfiction fans who enjoy inspirational adoption or family stories would enjoy this book. People searching for purpose in their own lives would be inspired by Get Money Do Good. This book covers business-minded ground, traditional and nontraditional parenting, global missionaries, non-profit organizations, and finding your unique path in life.

Our Christian Book Reviews: The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books – adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. Our specialty is books on faith and new Christian book releases. We’re proud to be included in the Top 50 Christian Book Review Bloggers. Our publisher partners include New Growth Press, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and Revell and BakerBooks, divisions of Baker Publishing Group. I chose to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.