Investing In Relationships

A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd is a delightful contemporary novel set in the heart of an Amish county. It is a tale of love, of families, of relationships.

The novel deals with the topic of sibling rivalry. It affects all generations. The siblings presented have a love-hate relationship. Despite being old enough to know better, petty squabbles and old jealousies arise. Blood is thicker than water and in spite of disagreements over nearly forty years, love remains. For others, patching up sibling relationships is impossible as one has died, leaving the other with regrets.

The novel is about an awakening – awakening to who they are as an individual and in relationship to others.

Life deals people blows. They learn to live with them but then the past keeps intruding. “Always revisiting that hideous night God deserted me.” God never deserts us. He walks alongside us in our pain. He waits for us to return to Him, as we surely will one day. “With God at my side, I wasn’t flying solo anymore.”

The novel shows how unforgiveness can create hard hearts. “Forgiveness didn’t come easy… I… stopped fueling my bitterness.” Forgiveness is freeing. We have to forgive because in Jesus, we are forgiven.

Restoration is another theme. God longs to repay the years the locusts have eaten. The simple things in life are free. Money and power cannot buy happiness, only stuff, and more stuff that will not satisfy. “In spite of our blessings, our family rarely experienced joy.” Only by stripping ourselves of our gadgets and our stuff, and returning to a simpler way of life, will we learn what is really important – and that is God and people. The reader is reminded that the greatest commandment is to love God and then people.

There were some wonderful relationships within the novel. The characters love for each other was evident in spite of squabbles and tension. There were some important lessons to be learnt on investing in relationships. And investing in God.

I really enjoyed A Letter From Lancaster County. It was a wonderful, warm novel that spoke to my heart.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON

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