This past week I read a special Love Inspired novel, one I hope will both help transform lives and save them. I love stories that give me insight into the struggles that people around me are facing and how I might encourage or help them.
Lakeside Family by Lisa Jordan is such a book. It’s a fabulous romance, too, which is why I chose it to launch our new season of conversations about characters. So many great questions are raised by this book that I had a difficult time settling on just one. So…
I’ve invited Lisa Jordan to stop by on Wednesday to share with us the inspiration and research that went into creating her characters.
Now… on to our discussion.
Well, first, some background on the story:
The one man she never wanted to see again is the only one who can save her daughter’s life.
In the space of a minute, Nick Brennan learns he has a nine-year-old daughter— and that she desperately needs his help. All this time, his high school sweetheart, single mother Josie Peretti, thought he knew about their child. And that he just didn’t care about the ill little girl—or Josie, the woman he’s never forgotten. But Nick made a long-ago promise never to forsake his family the way his father did. A promise he vows to make good on now… if only Josie will bless him with a second chance.
Josie’s daughter has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Nick is no stranger to tragedy, either. His brother suffers from a brain injury–a condition Nick blames himself for.
I feel overwhelmed just thinking about coping with such situations, yet many face much worse on a daily basis. So here’s my 3-part question:
When you feel your circumstances overshadowing your hope, how do you respond? What strengthens your faith? What are some practical ways we can help those who are caught in such deep waters?
P.S. Are you facing difficult circumstances or know someone who is? I also highly recommend the non-fiction book Finding Glory in the Thorns and the ministry of Walk Right In.
They recently started a Facebook page where people can share their Glory Stories–how you are seeing God’s presence and power in your life. These stories serve to encourage and reassure all of us that God is working among us. They are inspirational. Most of all, Glory Stories bring our attentions and affections on HIM.
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Wow — deep question, Sandra!!! Um…thinking out loud here so I hope this makes sense. I have to say that I haven’t always been very good at finding balance between circumstances and hope. A seesaw might describe my emotional struggles, but recently I am learning (it’s a work in progress mind you)how to find that balance.
It actually started when I began reading inspirational fiction. The stories fed my
faith and helped keep me Christ-centered so that was the starting point. And still is part of the foundation, I think. And since I read so much I find that my fiction reading is adding on to my devotional reading in the morning and that helps me keep my emotional focus more up than down.
And because I have that constant reminder, it’s becoming automatic for me to respond in prayer to a negative circumstance or thought or challenge. It’s also become an automatic repsonse to pray in thanksgiving over a mutlitude of blessings that I might otherwise overlook. Really simple things like catching the bus on time, or witnessing baby bunnies at play, or a conversation with a stranger, a call from a friend…you get the idea.
Anyway — it just seems like I’m more aware of God’s hand in my life these days and therefore, I’m more willing to concede that while I have no idea what He’s up to, it’s for my good and I need to place my trust in him. And yes — all this because of inspirational fiction! Any wonder I’m such an advocate of the genre?!
What a wonderful endorsement of Christian fiction, Kav! I love your mentioning how automatic praise has become for you of the many little blessings that are so easily overlooked each day. My daughter was away this morning, which meant her morning chores (feeding her horse and goat) fell to me. What a pleasure that turned out to be–a beautiful quiet morning, soft breeze, the smell of damp grass, watching a butterfly flit from flower to flower.
Psalms help strengthen me many times. Her book sounds good and just like one of mine! lol Except her stakes are so much higher. I’ll have to keep an eye out for this one. 🙂
Oooh deep thoughts today! Lisa’s book sounds wonderful. I look forward to her post on Wed!
Sandra, thank you for spotlighting my book and your sweet comments! Before I submit each novel, I pray over it and ask for God’s glory to shine through the words. I hope my books do impact lives, but not for me, but to draw readers closer to Him.
My pleasure, Lisa.