Tag Archive | Robin Jones Gunn

Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn

Just Add Honey

Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn is the most beautiful Christian contemporary novel that will sink into your heart and soothe your soul. It is the first book in the Suitcase Sisters series and I cannot wait for more.

Tea With Elephants is a story of friendship and love as we follow two ladies who have been friends for over twenty years as they spend a week in Kenya. It is a journey of discovery – literally as there are majestic animals to see in their natural habitat. And also, figuratively as they learn about each other’s lives, their fears and their worries. There is a love between the women. “There is no gift like a friend who knows you by heart.” And there is their love for God and His for them.

We cannot always see the future but we know who holds the future in His hands. “I wanted to be at peace about the unknown.” We trusted God with our past and our present, we can trust Hin with our future. “I didn’t want to get stuck in what was behind. I wanted to look to what was ahead.”

As we wander through life, we pick up baggage. “You will be able to move forward when you’re no longer carrying all this old stuff… It’s weighed you down for too long.” We will never move forward by looking in the rear mirror. We do not need to see where we have been but we do need to look at where we are going.

Prayer is important. Prayer is as vital as breathing. “Prayers are never just prayer… [we are] creating a collection of love letters to Jesus.” We also learn that “our most valuable weapon … is prayer.” Prayers can, and do, move mountains.

When we have troubles and worries, we need to press into Jesus. “I don’t know how people go through difficulties without crying out to the Lord.” We can receive a peace that passes all understanding, a peace despite our circumstances. “Peace was coming after me.” I love that idea of peace pursuing us.

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Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Grace, Peace And Love

Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn is the final book in the Father Christmas trilogy and is absolutely delightful. As with the previous books, I felt totally cocooned within the story.

Kissing Father Christmas is a magical, fairytale that also reveals the heart of God. God is love, grace and peace and the novel explores these themes. Grace is there for us all. We do not deserve it and we cannot earn it. God’s grace is a gift to be received not just at Christmas but every day.

The novel continues the themes of belonging and family, as seen in the earlier stories. Family is more than just bloodlines. Family is those who welcome you and love you unconditionally. God loves us for who we are and welcomes each and every one of us.

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Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Home At Last

Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn is a delightful contemporary festive read. It is the sequel to Finding Father Christmas but can be read as a stand-alone.

The novel is set one year after the first one and continues many of the themes. Once again there is the theme of belonging. A year earlier Miranda was searching to belong. Now she consolidates her position with both her earthly friends and her heavenly Father. She was “pursued by God,,, changed… [and] belongs to God.”

There are parallels between earthly fathers and our heavenly Father. Edward is a powerful man yet his door is always open to his children and he bends an ear to listen to them. Likewise God, the creator of the universe loves each one of us and bends His ear to hear us.

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Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Completing The Circle

Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn is an absolutely charming contemporary read. I loved the way dialogue from other novels – such as Narnia, The Tempest and A Christmas Carol – was incorporated into the story. The whole tale was warm and welcoming and I felt the arms of the story reach out and cocoon me.

The novel has the theme of searching. Not just physically searching but spiritually searching, and this was a dual search – as Miranda was searching for something or someone, so God was searching for her. The reader is reminded that we are all created for relationship with the Father. God longs for each and every one of us to come to Him.

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