Archive | October 2020

Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke

Oct9

Choose Life

Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke is a marvellous Christian historical novel that will consume your thoughts and your every waking moment. At the heart of the novel are secrets and choice. We all must choose when we stand at crossroads in life. We always have the choice to do the right thing. We do not always choose what happens to us but we can choose our responses.

The novel is set over two time periods – 1938-1945 in Nazi Germany and 1972 in America and Germany. The voices are those of mother and daughter and in the first person as they alternate the chapters.

Germany in 1972 was still feeling the after effects of the war. “What they think about life, how they viewed the Reich and Hitler’s accomplishments or even executions … I would be very surprised if much of that has changed in their minds.” Fear still lived in the hearts of the Jewish survivors as they realised “prejudice does not disappear because laws change.” There were still German survivors of the war who still believed that they did no wrong. This is utterly, utterly horrifying and had a profound effect on me as I read.

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Dogwood Plantation by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Oct7

Trust And Hope

Dogwood Plantation by Carrie Fancett Pagels is a fascinating Christian historical novel set in the South in 1814. There are factual details around which the author has woven her tale.

America was at war with the British. A character has been invalid out of the navy, retaining a bad leg. He reminds me of St Paul in the Bible who had to contend with a thorn in his side. The novel shows that the state of our heart is more important that the state of our body. The injury is a reminder to keep trusting and praying that all will be well, to keep the faith with God.

The subject of slavery is always abhorrent to a modern audience. The owners within the novel desire to free the slaves and send them North. There is a beautiful friendship and a meeting of hearts regardless of hierarchy.

Yellow fever has robbed characters of loved ones. It is no respecter of wealth or status and is feared by one and all. Much like coronavirus is today.

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Pieces Of Granite by Brenda Anderson

Oct7

In God’s Arms

Pieces Of Granite by Brenda Anderson is a most delightful Christian contemporary novel about families. It is part of the Coming Home and the Mosaic Collection series.

I originally read Pieces Of Granite in 2014 and was blown away by it. Reading it again in 2020 I found it equally powerful.

God is the glue who holds our lives together. Sometimes we try to do everything ourselves and we burn out. “God’s not asking us to be strong.” It is when we are weak that we learn to rely on Him. God longs to do life in partnership with us.

Our pasts influence the person we become. Sometimes we are overcome with fear of the past repeating itself in the present. Trying to ignore our fears will never work. We need to face our fears, lift them up to God in prayer and seek help from others.

God never leaves us. “Life had taught [him], sometimes God was absent.” Sometimes we just cannot see, feel or sense God. “Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that God doesn’t leave us… I don’t see Him in this. I can’t feel Him, hear Him. Nothing.” We may feel abandoned in the valley but the God of the mountaintop is the God of the valley and He will guide us through.

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The Cedar Key by Stephenia H McGee

Oct5

New Beginnings

The Cedar Key by Stephenia H McGee is a most charming Christian contemporary novel that will warm your heart, leaving you smiling and hopeful.

The novel deals with loss, belonging and roots. Loss cuts us to our core. We see the pain but there is hope too as a character made provision for healing from beyond the grave. The reader becomes acquainted with a much loved grandmother through her letters. We see a heart filled with love.

There are many big hearts within the novel as a community opens its doors and homes to a newcomer. The small community pulls together to meet any needs it sees.

A character struggles with her past – feelings of hurt, insecurity and abandonment cause a heart to be locked away to prevent more hurt. Jesus came to free us from our past and our hurts. He calls us to come to Him. “You are not defined by your past. You are defined by God.”

Often when we look back we can see the footprints of God on our lives. He walked with us even when we did not know Him.

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