This Box of Darkness

(All For Jesus, Book 1)

By: Madeleine Arnold

Narrated by: Madeleine Arnold

I’m eighteen and faced with the most difficult decision of my life:

• Do I follow my crush to the missionary Bible school of my dreams?
• Do I go to college with my ex-boyfriend to see if we still have a future?
• Or do I stay home with my dad who's just been diagnosed with a brain tumor?

Pick one door. Close the others. Live with the fallout.

This Box of Darkness is a raw coming-of-age memoir about love, loss, and learning to trust God. Told through the eyes of Maddie, a pastor’s kid who’s been “saved” for as long as she can remember, it traces the final year of her father’s life: a Marine turned youth pastor and missionary who lived to glorify God, even as brain cancer stripped everything away. Poignant and deeply personal, this memoir explores what it means to wrestle with God when your carefully laid plans completely fall apart.

©2025 Madeleine Arnold (P)2025 Madeleine Arnold

Amazing read!

It was amazing to hear the story of how Madeline walked through the season of her dad’s cancer and leaving this earth to be face to face with Jesus.

It was honest, relatable and funny at the perfect moments.

Dane’s faith was strong as he entrusted his family to the care of God. Hearing of his last days through this book is a gift I am thankful for.

Amazing story of faith and growth

I bought it on Audible. Fantastic book. The raw and honest emotions that Maddie experienced when her father was diagnosed with a brain tumor were so impactful. Her writing style kept it moving along with such vivid imagery. She explored her faith development and process in a way that was very evident of how her parents raised her with such strong faith and then continued allowing and encouraging her to develop her own faith as a young adult during this time of unspeakable loss. Thoroughly recommend it, even if you were a person present during this time.

A heartfelt, genuine, and raw memoir that leaves you changed.

The author gave an incredible account of her father’s profound impact in forming who she is and how she moves through life. What an inspirational story of love, loss, and grief that was moving. I have no doubt that her view of God is more true and courageous than many choose to admit. I couldn’t stop listening.

Vivid, Emotional, Raw

I finished this book in one sitting. While I was on the periphery of the events in this book (one of the youth group kids who loved and was loved by the Burk Family) I would recommend it to anyone whether they are a Christian or not or whether they were there or not. Madeleine was able to write this story in such a way that everyone who reads this book would know exactly the kind of man, father and leader Dane was. I appreciate that Madeleine didn’t hold back. Her writing and storytelling benefits from her raw vulnerability. Her grief is palpable in her writing and throughout this story, but what a privilege it is to share something so powerful that in these pages (or in my audiobook case with Madeline’s own voice!).
This book had my crying, laughing, remembering and praising the Lord.
I will be telling everyone I love to read it.

All of it!

I just finished The Box of Darkness by Madeleine Arnold, and wow—what an amazing read. Even as someone who doesn’t practice faith every day, this book truly resonated with me. It’s powerful, honest, and absolutely deserves to be on screen.

Thank you, Madeleine, for giving us such a deep look into your life. You did an incredible job, and I genuinely cannot wait for what you write next!