What Does Your Favorite Christian Novel Mean to You?
As a Christian author and reader, how could I possibly answer that question?
That would be like asking, “Which one of your four children do you love the most?”
Impossible to answer.
Some novels are like my oldest son. “They start off with a bang (he was born 4 1/2 weeks early) and capture your attention, demanding all your energy and time, even robbing you of sleep.” These are what I’d call thrillers, I love them…in books.
Some novels make you think, like my second son. They’re filled with thought provoking, life challenging prose that sometimes make me want to scream, enough my head hurts. Can’t I get a break? But all the while knowing that this is what I need to hear.
Then there are the novels like my third son. Quiet and steady, like a sweet romance. Not much rocking the boat, but the characters continue on a steady path, growing and changing until the black moment. And then all Hell breaks loose!
Other novels are like my fourth child, my only daughter, filled with suspense and awe. You can see trouble brewing, the choices the character makes putting her closer and closer to danger. But does she listen? No! Still it’s exciting, and the character is unpredictable. That’s like my daughter. Last born. Challenger. Risk taker. Pushing all the buttons, but always finding a way to make me smile in the end.
So how can I choose just one? I love them all for different reasons because they all meet a unique need in me. Whether I need a challenge, a thrill, a break from reality, all my favorite novels give me just that.
Like each of my children, these novels offer what I need, when I need it, whether I like it or not. But most important, like my children (who cause me to see myself at my worst and my best), my favorite novels draw me closer to God. Through the pages of a good novel, I catch a glimpse of God through someone else’s eyes and realize I’m not so different from the characters in the book. And sometimes, if it’s really great book, it makes me want to grow and change and be better than I was before I picked it up.
This article is a submission to the blog challenge sponsored by the devotional team blog, “Laced with Grace.” This challenge is sponsored by Bethany House Publishers
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THAT….was great! Sounds like your cup “runneth over” and then some! Enjoyed reading other writings on your site. Beautifully done! I will be back here!
April 25th, 2007 at 12:40 pmHave a blessed day!
This is my first visit to your blog. WHAT A GREAT PICTURE!!! I’m an author/mother struggling with balance myself. I wish I would have thought of it.
I agree with this post. Asking about a favorite book is impossible. Where to begin? So many books…On this note have you joined Librarything.com –its super fun. Be sure to ask for an yellow author logo if you sign up.
Blessings,
April 26th, 2007 at 9:03 pmRobin
Robin, I’ll have to give library thingy a try. I should probably also join paperback swap, but right now I have so many books to read, I don’t need any more.:)
April 26th, 2007 at 9:32 pmThat was beautifully written. I feel exactly the same way.
Thank you so much for your words. Sometimes as a writer,
I get lost when I go into a big chain bookstore and
look around.
The enemy of my soul chisels on my heart with words like
“Why write? Many people have already done so. What’s the
point? Why go through the toil and the potential rejection?
How many more times can someone say something different
about Jesus? ”
I gaze disparagingly around the store for a moment
until I remember John 21:25…
“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them
were written down, I suppose that even the whole world
would not have room for the books that would be written.”
Every child has something different to teach to us about
April 27th, 2007 at 3:10 pmthe Love of Christ. And we’ll never run out of new truths
to learn in Him!
Holly, that was beautiful and well said. I love the scripture you quoted. How encouraging!
April 27th, 2007 at 3:21 pmI found this post from the Spring Into Summer challenge over at CWO. After reading your post, it’s quite obvious why you won the challenge. I’m a mom of four myself, although every last one of mine are boys. I love how you said that you see God in everything you read. I must say that I haven’t seen God in much of my life for a very long time. It’s only been in the last couple weeks that I’ve found my way back to Him and am now able to see Him everywhere I turn. I just can’t get away from Him! LOL! I’m going to link back to your blog from my blog, just so that I can come back again more easily next time. Ta for now dahling!
May 4th, 2007 at 9:32 pm[…] and what an honor it is to win this award because it’s for a specific blog post. You canread the post that won,and let me know your thoughts! Categories: Writing , Free Stuff! |May 4th, 2007 […]
May 4th, 2007 at 10:07 pmBeautiful descriptive prose of your beloved children and how their characters emulate your favourite readings. It’s also wonderful to read such inspiring comments generated by your work.
Your words are a gift and you use them wisely with powerful affect.
May 5th, 2007 at 2:24 amEnjoyed this, Gina! Congrats.
May 25th, 2007 at 11:30 pm