But Even If…

Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M Bodden is the most charming contemporary Christian Christmas novel that I absolutely loved. It is the fifth book in the Hope Springs series but can be read as a stand-alone.

This is a novel about love. There is the love of God for us. “The one she always needed… was the love of God, His agape, never-ending love.” No matter where we are in life, whether on the mountain top or in the valley, God loves us with an everlasting, unchanging love.

We witness love between humans as we follow three characters who have loved and been let down. It seems easier to push others away than to let them in and risk heart ache.

Twelve-year-old Jackson has been through many foster homes – everybody hands him back again until he meets foster mum Leah who loves him with an unfailing love. Jackson pushes her away but her love is faithful.

A character has pushed God away after an IED in Afghanistan robbed him of a limb and friends. “Anyone who could still believe in God after the things they’d seen in battle was crazier than him.” Austin pushes God away but God is faithful and waits for the prodigal to return home.