Thursday, August 30, 2012

Story :: Our Journey of Heartache and Grace from Eden to Evermore

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Steven James. His Patrick Bowers thrillers are so beautifully written that even though they walk the very edge of what my wimpy self can handle in the blood and gore department, I cannot resist them.

Steven James knows how to tell a story. So I was excited to see how he would approach the greatest Story.

Story: Our Journey of Heartache and Grace from Eden to Evermore is the Easter story, told from beginning to end, but in a way you’ve probably never heard it before.

If you’ve been a Christ-follower for any length of time, you already know the Story.

Right?

You know about Adam and Eve. The serpent and the Fall. Cain and Abel. The first Passover and the long wait for the One who would pay the price for all of us.

You’ve read the Gospels and you know about the miracles and the disciples. You’ve read about the Garden and Golgotha.

You know where it’s all going. To the empty tomb and the risen Savior.

You already know…right?

Far too often, the miraculous becomes mundane. And it takes someone presenting it to us in a fresh way to stir something in our souls, to awaken us to the wonder that is this Story we are all a part of.

With Scripture, poetry, and prose so full of imagery and life that familiar characters dance off the page and startle you with their humanity, Story doesn’t attempt to explain the miracle of the redemptive plan, but rather encourages us to delight in the mystery.

From Story

you stretch imaginations and souls.
you touch ears and eyes and tongues
and set them free.
you offer life to carcasses
dusty with the soil of everyday life.
     you are spirit.
     you are here.
do the first miracle of all in my life—
help me to believe in you,
and set your mysterious strength loose
in my life.
 
power.

 
Story isn’t a book to be rushed, but rather savored and absorbed. After all, this isn’t just any story. It’s our Story.


Available August 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
 
The super fine print: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my opinion. I was not obligated to provide a positive review.


3 comments:

Carrie Fancett Pagels said...

Sounds like you really enjoyed and savored this book! What a blessing!

Debra Koontz Traverso said...

Okay...great review. You've made me want to read it. Thanks!

Lynn Huggins Blackburn said...

Carrie - Oh I did! I'll be pulling it out again during Lent.
Deb - Let me know how you like it!