Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

francine rivers

My book club friends went to the movies with me (and how that’s restoring my faith)

It’s been more than a month now since I saw Redeeming Love in the theater with a group of book club friends who were either humoring me or genuinely curious about this story I can’t let go of.

Not our best photo but proof we were there!

But let me back up–say 20 years or so. Redeeming Love is one of the first “Christian” books I remember reading after I decided to align my life with this movement called Christianity. I don’t remember who recommended it or when exactly I read it but I remember being moved by it.

To back up even further, for those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, Redeeming Love is the first book published by Francine Rivers in the Christian market. Before that, she wrote romance novels–like sexy-shirtless-guy-on-the-cover novels. Then, Jesus entered her life and she wrote different kinds of novels. Redeeming Love is sort of her testimony of the change in her life and it’s based on a book in the Bible called Hosea, where God tells this man Hosea to marry a prostitute.

Phew. You still with me? It gets weirder. Not to recap the whole story but in the Bible, it’s an illustration of God’s love for a wayward people (Israel). Francine Rivers turned it into a love story set in 19th Century California during the Gold Rush.

I have cried multiple times while reading this book, moved by a love that would pursue someone despite the odds. (I even wrote this glowing review a decade ago when the book was re-released. I can’t bring myself to re-read the review, so just keep in mind that a different Lisa wrote those words.)

Fast forward to present day. Some of my beliefs have changed and my circle is wider than it used to be. Offhand during a book club meeting when we were discussing which book we should read next, I suggested that we read Redeeming Love so we could go see the movie when it released.

I was unprepared for the reaction. As a result of our conversation, i did a deep dive on why some women find Redeeming Love problematic. I was shocked at what I read–because their perspective hadn’t occurred to me. Some women argued that the book is misogynistic and encourages women to stay in abusive relationships. (I doubt this was the author’s intent, but as a writer myself, this terrifies me, that what I write could be interpreted in a way that I didn’t intend.)

This is the shortest and most ineffective summary I can make of the complaints against Redeeming Love. I went back to book club and admitted that they might be right. It might be a horrible book. It pained me to admit this, but one thing I’m learning is that it’s good to consider all perspectives, especially about something I might hold dear. My perspective (and the one I was taught for decades) is not the only one or the right one. I opened myself up to the possibility that a beloved book is harmful, and it made me uncomfortable.

Which is good.

What happened next surprised me, though.

Two of my book club friends wanted to read it, even after our discussion. One, an atheist, read the entire thing (for me, as an outside perspective) and gave me her thoughts. (This kind of friend is invaluable, and I’m so grateful.)

And they STILL wanted to go to the movies with me. (We planned an axe-throwing excursion afterward in case we needed an outlet for our aggression toward the patriarchy.)

Going in, I sort of dreaded seeing the movie, even though these friends had made clear that it had no bearing on our friendship if I liked this book or movie. (This, too, is a gift: not needing to conform to any standard to be accepted in a group.)

And, friends, I did like it. The movie was better than I expected, even as I heard the whispers and comments and gasps from my friends on either side. I had so many thoughts that I drove in silence to the axe-throwing place. Fortunately, we had a long wait for our turn to throw axes, and we talked about the movie.

Because they are such a gracious and generous group, I could share openly that I actually enjoyed the movie more than I expected. Some of the concerns women voiced about the plot and the way the male lead relates to the female lead were less of an issue in the movie than in the book. There’s more consent. (My biggest issue is with the way the movie ends because of the message it sends: just turn to God and everything in your life will work out! Some of that is a product of the genre of the book and movie, though.)

I liked the movie and that surprised me.

It also caused me to wrestle with some emotions and feelings I’ve been having about my faith journey.

For the past several years, I’ve been in a process of deconstruction–dismantling and examining what I believe, what I was taught to believe, what I actually think/believe–and it’s painful. Some days I wanted to throw out everything I’ve learned about faith and light it on fire. Good riddance. Other days, I remember the joy and comfort I found. For a time, I needed to step really far away from the traditions and practices of my early adulthood in order to evaluate their continued role in my life.

During this time of deconstruction, I read a lot of tweets from #exvangelical (ex-evangelical) Twitter that led me to believe I needed to discard everything, including any kind of organized religion/spirituality, that everything associated with western Christianity is garbage. In the wilderness of leaving evangelicalism, I still sought belonging, and I thought the only way to belong was to adopt a new fundamentalism–one where I trash everything from before and wade into another place of black-and-white “rules.” Maybe not all of deconstruction is like this, but I felt pressure to question everything (which is good) and reject everything (which is not good) and find my own way.

This whole Redeeming Love situation showed me a different way forward, the way I actually want to follow.

I can acknowledge the ways people have been hurt by books and teachings and policies and power structures and mourn with them for the ways the Christian faith has been twisted and used to hurt. I have been hurt by it, too, though not in the extreme ways that some have suffered.

And I can recognize that there are people and teachings and books and communities that helped me through difficult times, and I don’t have to agree with or disagree with everyone in a particular group in order to belong.

Redeeming Love is a book that was meaningful to me in a time of life that I really needed it. So I’m going to hang on to that.

For years, I wanted to put the Bible in the same category of things I needed to discard. But after a recent series at church where we talked about what the Bible is and isn’t and how it’s been used in hurtful and helpful ways, I’m on a journey of rediscovery that I’m not quite ready to write about yet. I miss the days when my faith was easy, when I had a lot of joy about the path I was on. And I don’t want to go back to that because not everything I was feeling or experiencing was true. It was true for me at the time, but not all of it fits where I’m at in my life now.

I’ve grown and changed and so has my faith. Maybe I’m not so much deconstructing or reconstructing but more like remodeling my faith. Just like in a house, the rooms we may have loved that suited us when we moved in eventually need an upgrade. A refresh.

I think that’s where I’m at with my faith. I don’t want to tear down the whole structure, but I want it to reflect more of where I’m at now as a person.

It’s a process, and it’s messy. Like any remodel (so I’ve heard). But in the end, I think I’m going to like the result because it will be a truer reflection of who I am now.

—

Can you relate? How has your faith journey changed since you started? And if you’ve read Redeeming Love and/or seen the movie, I’d love to hear what you think (even if it’s different from what I think; especially if it’s different from what I think.)

Strong characters in need of redemption: Review of The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

Whenever Francine Rivers releases a new novel, I’m quick to find a copy. Her characters and storytelling have been some of my favorites through the years. Her strengths lie in creating imperfect, broken, in-need-of-redemption characters. And that holds true in her new book, The Masterpiece.

In it, Roman Velasco, a successful artist with a tortured past, meets Grace Moore, a woman haunted by her own mistakes who is trying to do right by her life. It is a romance, which Rivers excels at writing, and it is redemptive, a quality for which she is known.

And I feel a little guilty that I didn’t love it like I have other books she has written.

(Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. Review reflects my honest opinion.)

It was a good story because Rivers is a talented storyteller. But it was a lot “preachier” than I remember her previous works being. Most Christian audiences will probably enjoy it, but if the story is meant to be evangelistic, it probably comes on too strong.

That said, I enjoyed the well-developed and unique characters, and it didn’t take me long to read, even at nearly 500 pages, so the story was compelling enough to keep the pages turning.

If you are a fan of Rivers and her stories, please read this book. I’d love to hear what you thought of it.

For additional reading pleasure, here are some questions and answers with the author, provided by Tyndale House Publishers.

You often say that each of your novels is prompted by a faith-related question. What question inspired The Masterpiece? Were there particular Scripture verses or stories that guided your writing of this novel?

The question that came up for me was whether two people from severely dysfunctional backgrounds could have a healthy relationship. Grace and Roman both come from abusive childhood experiences and developed different coping mechanisms to survive. The past often intrudes and sometimes blocks people from moving forward, but we are all ultimately responsible for the choices we make. Each of us must decide who Jesus is. That choice decides where we spend eternity. It also makes a difference in our life in the here and now. When abuse occurs, a child’s view of God is twisted. That raises other questions. What might need to happen to open the door to the true God and faith in Him? What if someone grows up knowing nothing of God other than as a curse? I had questions enough for several books, and wallowed around in the mire through several drafts. Hence, so did my characters. Grace and Roman are each on different journeys. What brings them together and what keeps them apart? I was well into the project before I knew which Scripture God was showing me: Ephesians 2:10—“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” This is the heart of the book.

What kind of research did you do for this novel? Did any findings particularly surprise you? 

Most of my research had to do with the patterns and psychology of victims of abuse. It wasn’t pleasant reading. It’s heart-wrenching. I didn’t want to misrepresent survivors of abuse. I talked with a friend who is a strong Christian, highly educated, and a certified family counselor. She suggested I present my characters to a group of counselors who meet once a week. When we all gathered, I explained my dilemma and presented my “case studies.” One gentleman cried and said he’d worked with young men exactly like Roman Velasco. Grace’s emotional trauma and means of coping are also common.

I also needed to learn about graffiti artists. I started with online searches and then met a young man who had been a gang tagger in the Bay Area. We talked about his motivations, experiences, and the dangers he faced, not the least of which was leaving the gang. I found a website with terms and definitions regarding graffiti. I also read some books about the young man’s idol, Banksy. No one knows the identity of Banksy, but his work is known around the world. I liked the mystery element and employed it.

The surprise came after the book was written and I had the opportunity to meet Cameron Moberg, a Christian graffiti artist in San Francisco. He does work around the world, as well. He reaffirmed what I saw happening in Roman Velasco’s life. Cameron’s art is also on the cover of The Masterpiece. Many of his works are of spectacular, imagined birds. How could I not see God chuckling at how He brings things together?

Your novels look deeply into characters’ motivations and emotions. What do you hope readers will learn from delving into the inner thoughts of the characters in The Masterpiece?

Sometimes the hardest-hearted person you know is the most broken inside. All too often, we judge by the outward appearance, but God knows the heart. Also, even when we don’t see God at work, He is working. Never give up on anyone. Just keep praying and walking the walk. You never really know what’s going on inside someone. The blessing is you may witness the creation of a new God-ordained masterpiece.

The main characters of The Masterpiece, edgy artist Roman Velasco and his new personal assistant, single mom Grace Moore, might not receive a warm welcome in every church across the country. What do you want readers to see in these characters—and in themselves—as they read?

Never judge by outward appearances. It takes courage for people to come into a new church—or enter a church for the first time. Christians are, after all, “aliens,” very different from the world—or should be. Visitors and newcomers may look different than we do. They may come from different places. If people seem unapproachable, offer a smile and nod of greeting. Give them space. Give them time. Extend courtesy and welcome to all. And when the door opens, talk with them about Jesus—not just inside the walls of a church, but anywhere.

Roman Velasco is unlike any other male character you’ve written. What was most challenging about crafting the character of a rebel graffiti artist? Why did you choose this character?

I thought the hardest part in writing about Bobby Ray Dean/the Bird/Roman Velasco was going to be learning about the art form, challenges in doing it and getting away with it, terms and materials. But the real challenge was figuring out what drove this boy/man to paint graffiti—and the kind of graffiti pieces he did.

We have crews in town that go out and buff (cover) graffiti as soon as possible. Many times, graffiti is a territorial marker, a challenge, evidence of war going on in your community. I wanted Bobby Ray Dean to have other motivations which evolve as he grows up and into the persona of Roman Velasco. He feels illegitimate as the Bird, but strives for legitimacy through Roman Velasco. The graffiti and the canvas work he does show the war going on inside him. It takes God to bring the two sides together and blend the mediums into a new, unique art quest and passion.