Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns
If you think Jesus would have come into your home that day and not issued a strong rebuke to the head of household, you are mistaken. These words of condemnation have been haunting me for days now. They aren’t all that different than the soundtrack I play in my head on an almost-daily basis. It’s…
I am nesting. On Saturday I emptied the refrigerator. Last summer’s homemade pickles in their jars. The bread ends that seem to multiply on every shelf. The eggs. The milk. The fruit and veggies. All of it sat on the floor or the counter as I carefully removed the shelves and wiped them down with…
I’ve heard that life is like a highway. And it definitely seems like that sometimes. The pace of life swirls around me at dizzying speeds. We’re all so busy. In such a hurry. Always somewhere to be, something else to do. I’m a get-to-the-point, get-there-quick kind of girl. I don’t like to waste time on…
A week ago, the long-awaited, much-anticipated sequel to A Sweethaven Summer released. (I wasn’t the only waiting for this, right?) And I could not wait to dive in to A Sweethaven Homecoming, return to the Michigan town of Sweethaven and find out what the gang had been up to.
Earlier this year, author Courtney Walsh introduced us to Campbell, who after her mom’s death, journeys to Sweethaven to meet her mom’s core group of childhood friends and help reconnect their lives. I don’t want to spoil anything from that book, so I’ll keep the plot recap to a minimum. Let’s just say the first book left a bit of a cliffhanger, with much to be resolved.
I eagerly dug into the sequel, which focuses more on country music star Meghan Rhodes’ battle for her kids in a not-so-sweet homecoming to Sweethaven. I trudged through the first chapters, not because they were poorly written but because no one was happy. This book is FULL of hard situations. Broken relationships. Insecurity. Feelings of helplessness, bitterness and unforgiveness. At one point in the story, a character says, “God, what is going on? Everyone I love is hurting right now.”
I. Am. So. There.
When I read, I often want to escape the reality of life. As the characters struggled and struggled and struggled some more, I just wanted to put the book down and walk away because I didn’t want to hurt anymore. (I know, it’s just a story, but man, do I love these characters.)
Isn’t that how life is sometimes?
What’s great about this story is that the characters make hard decisions. They do unexpected things: like forgive the unforgivable. They reconcile. They choose to fight for what’s important. They love, even when they aren’t loved in return. They take risks. I was especially impressed with the love and commitment the men in this book demonstrate. They don’t give up on their women who have issues. (There are men like this out there. Don’t give up on the male of the species, ladies.)
And they learn that some things are worth the pain.
So, lest you think I didn’t like this book, let me leave no doubt: TOTALLY WORTH IT.
In fact, I find myself a little sad right now because I finished the book so quickly and had to leave the town of Sweethaven for a couple of more months until the finale, A Sweethaven Christmas, releases.
I’ve heard said that great authors create a world readers don’t want to leave. Walsh has created a charming, inviting, homesick-inducing world with Sweethaven. I want to hug the ladies featured in the book and learn from them. (Am I weird?) I want to eat Adele’s food (she’s kinda like Paula Deen) and see Campbell’s photography and attend Jane’s Bible study and hear Meghan’s songs and drink Luke’s coffee. (Okay, so he’s not a lady, but he does figure into the plot.)
A hearty “well done, friend” to the author.
And to fellow readers, this is a series you don’t want to miss.
I was catching up on blog reading recently when I came across this post by Sarah Bessey (Read her; she’s refreshing.) about what is saving her life right now. A day later, she asked the question of others: What is saving your life right now?
For me, it’s a no-brainer. A book is saving my life right now. That’s not surprising since books have routinely saved me in my lifetime.
Saved me from boredom and loneliness. From outside chores (sorry Mom and Dad). From going absolutely crazy because life is crazy and I need an escape. Books have saved me from overextending myself, from becoming someone I don’t want to be, from actions I would regret.
This book, in particular, is saving my faith.
It’s The Book of Common Prayer. It’s ancient. But far from boring. Or irrelevant. Reading from this book daily reminds me of three things:
In the “Why, God?” and “Where, God?” and “Oh, God” moments — of which there are many these days — The Book of Common Prayer tethers me. I am one link in a human chain that spans centuries and continents and will go on longer than my puny life here.
And when I’m upset with myself and upset with the Church and upset with the world, I am stilled by the quiet confidence of the prayers found here. They point me to God, who is before all, above all, and after all.
My faith was faltering when this book was gifted to us.
Calling it a book is such an understatement. It is a link to the past. And hope for the future. It is the testament of saints who left the earth long ago and the testament of saints still walking the earth. And the words spoken by both join them in an eternal song.
So, what’s saving your life right now?
Join the conversation here.