Faith Filled Reading: Christian Fiction Book Club: Words by Ginny ...

The Christian Fiction Book Club was started by Joy at Edgy Inspirational Romance. It meets every six weeks at different book blogs. Hosts are chosen from participants in the most recent book club discussion. The current selection, hosted by Julie at My Only Vice is:

Words by Ginny L. Yttrup

Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods - in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.

Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.

Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word - Jesus Christ.

What a powerful book. With an easiness to her writing, Ginny L. Yttrup's story will break your heart at the stories of abuse and trauma but also warm your heart at the healing and redemption that is found through Jesus Christ.

Discussion

Kaylee finds comfort in the words she reads in the dictionary. Who or what do you turn to for comfort?

I recently went through a difficult period in my life, feeling at the lowest point I ever had. While my faith in God never left, my communication with Him was very little. But late at night, when there was nothing to do but think I would sing songs. The two that brought me the most comfort were "Awesome God" and "Shout to the Lord." Over and over I would just sing those songs and I would pray and I knew that His arms were around me and that is what kept me going during the difficult times.

Sierra's dad encourages her to look beyond a person's actions to see that person's heart - to look for what's causing that person to act as he or she does. This was to help Sierra better understand people. How might this advice change the way you look at others?

This is something I knew of and understood, but definitely needed reminding of. I think too often we look at a person's actions and make judgments of them. But we have to remember that there is a reason for those actions and without understanding those reasons, we can't understand the behaviour. There is so much talk in society today about bullying and this is a good example for that - there is always a reason why this person is a bully and it's almost always because of a hurt or self-esteem issue in that person's life. We must always look at a person's heart first before we can heal their actions.

In the final scene of Words, Kaylee lists the ways she's experienced love. In what ways are you experiencing God's love in your life?

I recently made the decision to slow down in life and enjoy every little moment as it comes. I also write those moments down in a journal to remember them, because each one is a blessing that comes from God. This decision has brought so much more fruit into my life. I look at my two young children and in everything they do I'm reminded of how much God loves me. I've learned such a powerful lesson of the unconditional love that God has for me through my children. As I cherish each moment in life, whether it's a giggle from a child, the smell of spring rain, or an achievement in my yoga practice, I am reminded of God's love for me.

Hop on over to My Only Vice to see what others have to say about this book!

Source: http://faithfilledreading.blogspot.com/2011/05/christian-fiction-book-club-words-by.html

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