Redeeming Love

I never read a romance novel in my entire life unless you consider Hunchback of Notre Dame one. I thought they were a cheesy, sappy, indulgent waste of time.

But I made a deal with my friend, Shara, that if she read my two of my favorite books, The Alchemist and The Shack, I'd read hers. When she said, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers was her favorite, I let out a heavy sigh and regretted giving her my word. It happened to be in the house I was staying in, how coincidental! I picked it up and thought, "A 464 page Christian romance novel??? How cheesy can you get!?!?!?!?"

Not anymore. It has rocked me to the core. I couldn't put it down, I finished it in four days! I feel like I've gone through a transformation along with the main character of the book since she thought so many of the same thoughts I do and did so much of what I've done to protect myself, especially from others.

There's a quote towards the end of the book which sums up the book:
"Love is the way back into Eden. It is the way back to life."

I hope that from today on, my life will live out that message to everyone around me.

Every book I've read this summer, though not purposeful, has one common, overarching theme: LOVE

I've come to this conclusion after all that I've recently read along with my life's experiences:
We fear that which we cannot overcome and the only way we can overcome is through love. Love is the only power in all of creation that can turn water into wine, paupers into princes, and this desolate, hopeless outcast into a beloved daughter of God. No one is immune to the transforming power of God's love, not even one.