A Christian Novel Worth Reading

Karen Baney, A Heart Renewed.

Fiction eBook 110,920 words

Price: $5.99

At the start, let me tell you that the author Karen Baney is my daughter. So you can decide if I am prejudiced in favor of the author as a father or as a critic.

When she began talking about writing a novel, I encouraged her and gave her my advice about writing and self-publishing. She read and consider other people’s ideas, too. I’m glad to say she’s proven herself as an author. I am proud of Karen.

Now to this book. A Heart Renewed is the second in her Prescott Pioneers series. So it’s her second book. Since this one, she has published two more books. How good a book is it?

As a critic, I think it is quite good, primarily for two reasons. Karen has done a marvelous job drawing believable characters who populate her story and give the plot its action. She has also done her research on the era and its lifestyle and managed to make it a well-integrated part of her novel.

Julia Colter experienced a terrible personal trauma. The author has explored what the devastating experience means to her and how she responds to it. Julia has a volatile personality and learns harsh lessons, making her believe she will never find happiness. But through her interactions with the other characters in the story, Julia grows. Her faith regains its composure and develops into a mature belief as the plot progresses.

Adam Larson is a Christian with deep convictions who learns patience while dealing with Julia’s up and down moods. He grows from being a bewildered man, made so by his sister and Julia as they find ways to deal with Julia’s experience, to being a strong support for Julia in trying times. Other characters, Will and Hannah, whom readers met in the author’s first novel, also grow and develop in the course of the story.

Karen has drawn her characters well, with clear portraits, allowing them to grow beyond their starting points. When I finished reading A Heart Renewed, I felt I knew them as people.

The backdrop of the author’s story is Prescott, Arizona in pioneer days. She has become very familiar with the ground she covered and has made it a realistic and credible place. Having visited modern Prescott with Karen, I can see how she took into account the growth and change of the community, as well as pushed back over the years to what it must have been like at its founding. She made Prescott in the 1800’s a place I could know as a reader. This is what an historical fiction writer should do.

Since this is a Christian romance novel, I’d like to express myself about Karen’s handling of one of my pet peeves. Faith and scripture. Too many Christian authors use these aspects of their belief like bludgeons, slapping the Bible into their books to score points with their believing readers, but alienating readers who aren’t Christians. Karen does not do this. She has brought out her faith and the Bible’s message in a fashion that makes this aspect of her novel genuine. The characters struggle with their beliefs and their meaning, and they read scripture as part of their life experience not as way for the author to score points.

As a father and a critic, I would heartily recommend that you read my daughter’s book.

 

Have you read Amos lately?

Have you read Amos lately? It’s a good prophetic book because Amos was an average person who was called by God to proclaim a tough message to people who lived selfishly in prosperous times. Amos was a shepherd and dresser of sycamore-fig trees. He was a working man, a regular “Joe” whose conscience was moved by the Lord. He saw the selfish character of human beings in other countries and in his own. He was so moved that he spoke out against the “me-ism” of his day.

One by one, he indicted Israel and Judah’s neighboring nations for their self-centered conquests and horrible treatment of the peoples around them. Then he turned the tables of Israel, the northern half of God’s people, and Judah, the southern portion, indicting both for being led away from the Lord, for beating down the poor, for sexual sins, and other immorality.

Through Amos, God called nature to witness his people’s sin. He summoned the Philistines from Ashdod and the Egyptians to observe their judgment. He  ordered, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria; see the great unrest within her and the oppression among her people” (Am.3:9b, NIV). His people didn’t understand what was right; they amassed goods and weapons for protection, but their refuges would be plundered. God recounted how he sent famine and disaster, yet they hadn’t heeded his warnings. Israel was about to encounter their God, the Judge, and the meeting was to be calamitous.

In chapter 5 of his prophecy, Amos urged Israel to think and to repent with honesty. “Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is” (Am. 5:14, NIV). National confidence felt as if God would not forsake them. All was well. It was not, and the Lord would stand against them if the people did not mend their ways. The people felt the day of the Lord would vindicate them, but Amos did not think so. “Why do you long for the day of the Lord?” the prophet asked. “That day will be darkness, not light” (Am. 5:18b, NIV).

The complacent were warned, and Amos delivered a series of visionary episodes which were designed to announce God’s measurement of his people. A brief section of the book of Amos recounted how he was opposed by a priest at Bethel because his message opposed the king and called for repentance and change. Then he resumed his warnings, ending with an announcement of what later became a reality—the Dispersion. Israel was to go into exile! But she would be restored in time to come (see 9:9-15). Even in judgment, there was hope.

On one hand, Amos’ character shows how God can use an ordinary person to call for change in a society. On the other hand, Amos’ plea reveals the Lord’s lasting desire to redeem his wayward people, along with his willingness to discipline them for a greater good. The prophet Amos raises our view of God to a higher level. The Lord is both compassionate and a God of judgment. Amos prepares us to learn from Jesus Christ, who was also of humble origin yet showed us a God who was both our heavenly Father and a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29; cp. Mk. 9:47-49).

 

Have you read Joel lately?

Have you read the prophet Joel lately? Many people nowadays don’t like to read the Old Testament prophets because they think they were pessimists, and too much negativity runs about our world today. They prefer a happier biblical resource, like Mark, which in reality is a book that’s fairly negative in its message about the disciples. So not reading Joel because you perceive his message as probably too negative for you is on flimsy footing.

We’re not certain when Joel lived, but his home base was probably in Judah, the southern portion of the holy land after Solomon’s kingdom was divided. Judah’s reputation was good, at first, since it was faithful to the Lord. As time moved on, however, the nation grew less loyal in its allegiance. So Joel rose to speak God’s will to the community.

He began his prophetic ministry around the time of a locust invasion, when Judah’s crops and livelihood were nearly ruined by the insects. Joel saw this invasion as a picture of the coming invasion of Judah’s enemies, which he interpreted as an act of judgment by God. A drought soon followed the locusts, adding to his sense of judgment. His message called for repentance and change, a return of loyalty to the Lord. Perhaps God’s judgment might be averted.

A major idea in the book of Joel is “the day of the Lord,” which appears in 1:15, 2:1, 11, and 3:14. In 2:31, this day is called “the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (NIV). This day of terrible judgment was close at hand, and “…it will come like destruction from the Almighty” (1:15, NIV). Signs of its coming were visible in the scarcity of food, seed, and grain. The nation’s food supply was in jeopardy. This signaled God’s wrath. Plus, enemy armies gathered to march as the locust had marched, scaling walls and plunging through defenses. This was a time to tear your garments in remorse. “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13, NIV). This was his hopeful message. If people repented, God might relent. Disaster was avoidable.

Joel promised a time of blessing by God if the people and nation repented. The bounty of nature could be restored (see 2:20-25). Also, Joel’s most memorable prophecy shouted hope to the nation. The Holy Spirit would come upon the repentant people. The day of the Lord could be, not a time of judgment, but a time of renewal when “…I will pour out my Spirit…” (2:29). There might be portents in the sky (the moon turning to blood), but all who should happen to call on the Lord’s name would be redeemed (2:32).

Joel’s message for Judah is clearly one of hope. The nations at large will be judged but God will protect those faithful to him. He will live on Mount Zion. Judah and Jerusalem will be blessed with inhabitants for eternity (3:20).

Joel is a hopeful prophet, whom you would do well to read.

 

Andrew, Peter’s Brother

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew (Mk. 1:29, NIV).

Andrew was an overlooked disciple of Jesus. He was often simply identified as Peter’s brother. This makes me wonder if there was any sibling rivalry between them. The scriptures don’t say the brothers were ever at odds, so apparently no rivalry existed. But what does the Bible tell us about Andrew?

He was first a student of John the Baptist. John was with two disciples as Jesus walked by, and he identified him as the Lamb of God. So the two followed him to find out where he stayed. The gospel writer reported, “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (Jn. 1:40-42a, NIV). Andrew became a disciple of Jesus almost automatically, recognizing him as the Messiah, and his first action was to introduce his brother to Jesus. The brothers seem to have been close in their affections for one another. Plus, after spending one afternoon in Christ’s home, Andrew ceased learning from John the Baptist and switched allegiances to Jesus. He was quietly convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, something his brother didn’t confess until much later in Christ’s ministry (see Mt. 16:13-20).

When Jesus made Andrew’s discipleship official (by calling him, Peter, James and John on the shore of Lake Galilee, cp. Mt. 4:19-20), Andrew responded swiftly. He did not hesitate, just as he did not wait to tell Peter what he believed about Jesus. When another of the disciples, Philip, raised doubt about feeding a large group of people, Andrew quickly spoke up with a half-idea about what to do. He said, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (Jn. 6:9) Jesus took his suggestion—along with Andrew’s partial belief in his ability—and miraculously fed 5,000-plus people. Andrew showed himself over and over to be willing to believe that Jesus was the Christ and had power to do what people needed. He also showed himself as ready to take action in whatever way he could in order to serve Jesus and others.

Andrew was not a prominent disciple, like his brother, but he was always willing and prepared to act. Without Andrew, Peter might not have met the Lord. Without Andrew, Jesus might have had to demonstrate his ability to help humanity in a different way from feeding the multitude. Andrew’s presence and readiness meant that much positive good happened during Jesus’ time on earth.

What about you and me? Do you think we could be a little more prepared to do whatever good we can to serve Jesus Christ in the present day? We might never become prominent, but we could be very useful to the Lord.

 

Where are the poor in spirit?

Many people look at the poor and see their inferiors, pitiful people, who seem to the observers to be disgraceful. Not only are the poor considered unfortunate, but they’re also thought to be worthy of contempt. Sneers and huffiness skip easily off the tongues of those who are not poor. But I’ve seen many people who are destitute of finances yet don’t live in deplorable conditions. Their living rooms are neat and smell fresher than the homes of some wealthy folks. Their children are bathed, dressed in well-mended clothing, and play with safe toys on clean floors. Poverty does not signal a lower quality of individual, only the amount of money available to take care of basic needs.

This isn’t to suggest that people who have few resources are always admirable. Grinding poverty chips away at your heart and soul, pulverizes your ambition, liquidates your vigor and leaves you without hope or desire. You might become lazy, flighty, shiftless. The stereotype of the poor is a genuine description of some people, and poverty does breed additional poverty, generations of it! When you live long without basic resources, your children have fewer privileges, and they have greater weaknesses to overcome. Not all poverty is a chosen condition, but when the only condition you’ve known is penury, you see yourself as destitute, disfavored, deprived. When you reach this mental, emotional and spiritual pit, you believe yourself to be inferior and act as if you’re insignificant.

 Yet Jesus used poverty as an illustration of happiness. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” he declared, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3, NIV). The verse is often explained by comments about the poor having no one but God to trust, so in humility and faith they focus on the Almighty. He’s the only hope they know.

 The poor I’ve known may have devout faith in the Lord, but their hope is only partially drawn from him. Few of them see God or Christ as their prospective route out of the grinding bowl called poverty. More often, their anticipation comes from self-confidence, pride, and a desire to experience a better life. This is exactly the opposite of what Jesus said in the beatitude. God is their best source of hope, but they don’t believe it. Like most human beings, the poor may be persuaded they themselves are the greatest defense against poverty, against all problems. Optimism rises from within the poor themselves. But self-confidence leads them away from trust in Christ. They aren’t poor in spirit, in attitude, in temperament.

 A needy man whose desire for happy days drives him to work hard and achieve more than his neighbors may rise from poverty to wealth. Success may come because he fashions a business out of the gravel he finds at the bottom of the human heap. When driven so far down, he could only look up and begin to climb. Along the way out of poverty, his soul grows stony. Self-confidence becomes arrogance, pride becomes inflexibility, desire becomes obsession. After his spirit is calloused, people turn into tools, and poverty is like a feared rat chasing him around the rooms of his life. He doesn’t become a better person, only a richer one.

 Where are the poor in spirit who possess the kingdom of heaven? Aren’t they people whose spirits have chosen humility? They’re the ones who elect not to scramble after position, prestige or power. They pour energy into compassion for others, gentleness of conduct, sincerity of relationship, into placing others’ needs above their own. The poor in spirit are people who understand the value of modesty, reserve, tenderness and calm living. They love others as they love themselves. No wonder they’re blessed! No wonder heaven rules over their lives!