Growing Spiritual through Christian Books - by Diane Lantzy

Many of you may already know that I love to read.  I did think that when my children were older (and by older I mean 30 and 26 – how did that happen?? – I know I am not old enough to have kids that old!J) I would find much more time to read but often that is not the case.  Lately, I have been especially interested in reading historical fiction.  I find that by being able to put historical events in the proper cultural context allows me to understand it better and to remember it longer.  This is true for secular historical books as well as Christian historical fiction.  The one that I am currently reading is “Lineage of Grace” by Francine Rivers.  This is how the publisher describes this book:

In Lineage of Grace, we meet the five women whom God chose—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Each was faced with extraordinary—even scandalous—challenges. Each took great personal risk to fulfill her calling. Each was destined to play a key role in the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.

Francine Rivers is a gifted story teller who keeps you intrigued with the story while retaining great Biblical and historical accuracy.  In reading the story of Tamar (who appears in Genesis but whom I did not remember from previous Bible studies/readings) I learned some great lessons/insights.

·         Tamar was an ancestor of Jesus

·         Bad things happen to good people but good can come from evil, even if we can’t see it

·         A childless woman in that culture had to depend on the generosity of others for her very survival

·       There were religious practices (outside of the Jewish faith)  during that time that seem quite unbelievable to me today

·        Often, God’s children are asked to risk much – including their lives – to remain faithful.  Most of us have not been asked to risk our lives for Him, but He does ask us to take risks on His behalf to further His kingdom on earth

Though historical fiction may not be what particularly interests you – there are many Christian books and resources that can further your spiritual walk.  I encourage you to explore these to see how enriching they can be.  Pages & Prayers Bookstore inside DeWitt Redeemer Church is one place (but certainly not the only) where you can discover not only Christian fiction, but Bible studies, Christian Living, parenting, devotionals and much more.