Inspirational Fiction Inspired Me

Once again I have sat in judgement of something that I knew nothing about. Inspirational Fiction, I was wrong.

For Christmas a friend sent me some fun reading. She said that she picked these for no particular reason other than relaxation  ... The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers and This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury. She could not have picked a better two books to make me see my ignorance.

Twenty to thirty years ago, I remember some of my summer book reading included Harlequin romance novels and a few Danielle Steel books but I moved on. Somewhere along the way it turned into feeling better than those books.

I even saw "those" types of books advertised in the Christian sale magazines. Yes, I looked down on those too. Lumped them right together with the "trashy novels." Boy, was I wrong.

Did you know? Well, you probably did because you are not as closed minded. Those authors write using biblical principles and even have ministries behind their book writing.

In The Scarlet Thread, I enjoyed the back and forth of the lives of the two main characters. The hardships of the Oregon trail was an eye opener.  Here is the book's description posted on Amazon.



Two women, centuries apart, are joined through a tattered journal as they contend with God, husbands, and even themselves . . . until they fall into the arms of the One who loves them unconditionally. Sierra Madrid’s life has just been turned upside down when she discovers the handcrafted quilt and journal of her ancestor Mary Kathryn McMurray, a young woman who was uprooted from her home only to endure harsh conditions on the Oregon Trail. Though the women are separated by time and circumstance, Sierra discovers that many of the issues they face are remarkably similar. By following Mary Kathryn’s example, Sierra learns to surrender to God’s sovereignty and unconditional love.

In This Side of Heaven, I longed to not be like the characters. What a shock that the story was taken somewhat from the authors's own family life. According to the Amazon description,



Annie Warren always wanted the best for her son, Josh. But years of failure and bad choices created a heartbreaking distance that has grown far worse since the day Josh was hit by a drunk driver. Now on medical disability, Josh has put his life on hold for years, waiting for the insurance company to send a settlement that never seems to come. 

Worse, he believes the story of a scheming woman who claims they have a seven-year-old daughter named Savannah. Despite the unlikelihood and complete lack of evidence, Josh dreams of being a father and is determined to one day claim the child. His family doesn't know the full story. They don't know what happened the night of the accident that was worth the chronic pain Josh suffers every waking minute, or that he is turning his life around. They haven't seen that Savannah's eyes are his, and they don't know how desperately the little girl needs her family. 

When the settlement that rightly belongs to Josh is threatened, Annie sets out to defend her son. But she might find a treasure more valuable than money, one she never expected, one that is the greatest gift her son could ever give her--THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN.

That all lead to reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is her more modern take on the book of Hosea in the Bible. I appreciated this light read that helped me see some things in a new light. One, the sex trade and how it can emotionally scar. Two, the continual mercy of God and his limitless love.

Amazon description again ...

California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.  

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.  

Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.  

But with her unexpected softening comes overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does…the One who will never let her go.  

A powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea,Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.

Those books filled a need for me to just relax and read. Thank you, friend. Thank you, holiday break. Thank you inspirational fiction writers. You have broadened my reading horizon.

Storms and Billy Graham

I have now been through two historic 1,000 year floods. And what I mean by that is watching it rain outside my windows. The first in Nashville in May of 2010 and the second in October of 2015 in South Carolina. The Tennessee reported in Nashville 13.57 inches of rain were recorded for a 36-hour period. About 20 inches of rain fell in a three-day period in Georgetown County, South Carolina.

According to Kate Drew the total rainfall in South Carolina has been calculated at 4.4 trillion gallons of water. So now you see why while at the library back in October I picked up a copy of Storm Warnings by Billy Graham and The Reason For My Hope.

Don't get too impressed about reading two books. It took me so many check-outs at the library that even the librarian said, "You know if we have a hold on this you can't check it out any more." I finally did turn them in yesterday! Now I just have one book ...  Angels by Graham.

About twenty years ago I read Billy Graham's autobiography Just As I Am, and I learned about the man. Now I see so much more.

I must confess I had a simplified view of Billy Graham. As I read his work as a Bible thirsty "AARP recognized" 50 year old, I see such complexity in his knowledge of scripture and world news. That man has the big picture! Yet, he still calls for salvation. His words that we are to be like Noah calling out for the lost until the door on the ark is completely shut really stuck with me.



I have fallen short on that call focusing so much of my energy on and in the church. This is a "saving" faith. Saves all from eternal damnation. From hell. How have I forgotten that, Lord? 1 Timothy 2:4 tells us that God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth.

Yes, there is work to be done in and among believers, but have we lost the fire of evangelism?  Are we where we need to be?

 Keep turning my lens, Lord.  Bring into focus what I need to see.