A Vow To Carry You Home

God’s Not Dead 2 by Travis Thrasher is a contemporary Christian novel filled with faith that will speak straight to the reader’s soul. I had seen the film and read the book God’s Not Dead, so it was great to be able to catch up with old characters and to meet new ones. It can also be read as a stand-alone.

There are many themes within the novel but a major one is that of being a survivor. Amy is a survivor of breast cancer. “Remission means you can start thinking of yourself as a survivor.” Every day she is grateful to be alive. There are also survivors of faith attacks. These are people who no matter what the world throws at them, they will not renounce God. “I’d rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God.”

This links in to the theme of faith in God. There are both old and new Christians within the novel. They are all rooted in God, it’s just the size of their roots. They are all still growing in their faith in Him. They know God and their faith gets them through life. This does not mean that they do not have doubts. Sometimes life is hard and they cannot hear God and they wonder if He’s still there but “The teacher is always quiet during the test.” God’s silence does not mean His absence.

Lawyer Tom has been brought up to know God but has spent his whole life kicking against Him and running from Him. Travis Thrasher shows God to be a patient God Who gives us choices but longs to know us. He will wait for us until we are ready to come to Him.

Within the novel there is the theme of loss. Tom’s grandmother has dementia. He feels that he has lost her as she fails to recognise him. However deep down she is the same godly woman as always, she just needs unlocking.

Teenager Brooke’s brother was killed before the novel opens. She misses him and is grieving deeply for him. “No-one can do anything because the only thing I really want is five more minutes to tell my brother how I felt about him.” Travis Thrasher shows that in spite of knowing God, Christians still grieve deeply. They know where their loved ones have gone. They know they will see them again but they miss the flesh and blood version that they knew.

A major theme is that of prayer. “Just because you are not a ‘praying sort of a guy’ doesn’t mean that you can’t pray. They’re always heard by God.” God always hears our prayers even if we only pray in a crisis. Sometimes one wonders “does God hear prayers that aren’t so major?” God is concerned with every aspect of our lives. No prayer is ever too big or too small for God.

Within the novel there is the topic of fathers. Our earthly fathers may let us down. How we are treated by them may colour our view of God our father. God is not like our earthly fathers, He is a good Father Who loves us unconditionally and will not let us down.

There is the subject of appearances within the novel. Some people are more concerned with their outward appearance. They want to look good. God looks at our heart. The condition of our heart is far more important than the condition of our clothes.

The novel is written in both the first person from the point of view of Tom, and the third person from Amy’s viewpoint. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with both.

I absolutely loved God’s Not Dead 2. I could not put it down. It is totally engrossing and inspiring to see the level of belief and commitment to God. Utterly brilliant. I cannot wait to see the film and I certainly hope there will be a third God’s Not Dead book and film.
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.  No monetary compensation was received and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON