recommendations
"This is the best book I've ever read," the woman said, passing me a hardback with a sunny yellow cover. We were in Meijer, standing side by side in front of a small display of new releases.
I took the novel without really looking at the woman who was handing it to me. She didn't say another word, didn't touch another book, just pushed her grocery cart off toward the checkout. I thought it was brave, to give such a glowing recommendation, so I didn't even open the book to see what it was about. I simply decided to buy the novel with the sunny yellow cover stamped with two words I ached for: Safe Haven.
On page 1, I discovered that the main character's name was Katie.
On page 64, I related to Katie's compulsion to be better so that her husband wouldn't have to treat her the way he did.
On page 134, I was reminded how what initially comes across as attentive, protective, and sweetly selfish soon turns in to control and manipulation.
On page 141, I held my breath, trying to "stay ahead of my fears," pretending right along with Katie that we didn't know what was going to come next, what always came next.
On page 145, I too accepted his apology.
On page 149, Katie spoke words I had repeated many times: "I chose... I let it happen... I'm sorry..."
On page 325, I cried with Katie, focusing--despite all the hell--on the happy moments, knowing that my love for someone had never been so deep, that if I could take his pain away I would gladly carry it myself.
On the final page, I hoped that some day I too would have a happily ever after, when every day isn't filled with fear.
It seems unbelievable that a stranger in a grocery store would hand me a novel that Nicholas Sparks had written about addiction and abuse, fear and forgiveness and starting over, not knowing that I was Katie and this was my story. Not the story of my past, but the story of my present. At least it was my present that day: October 7, 2010, just before 5 o'clock.
I know the date and time because after I bought the book I tucked the receipt inside its pages to use as a bookmark, and the receipt is still there. It was the only thing I bought that day. No groceries, no kids clothes, no toiletries. Just the book.
Years after taking a stranger's recommendation, and now having seen the movie adaptation, I'm still navigating responsibility, acceptance, forgiveness, pain, fear. But I have no doubt that God placed that woman in my life to hand me this book so that I would know I don't have to navigate it alone.
Maybe she was Katie and this was her story too.
Maybe you are Katie and this is your story.
Maybe God is leading you to accept a recommendation, or to make one.
EMBRACE RECOMMENDATIONS.
You never know when it might be God's way of reaching out.
Reading in 1 Samuel 25 about Abigail, an "intelligent and good-looking" woman who, after her husband made a mistake, begged King David to "let me take the blame."
I took the novel without really looking at the woman who was handing it to me. She didn't say another word, didn't touch another book, just pushed her grocery cart off toward the checkout. I thought it was brave, to give such a glowing recommendation, so I didn't even open the book to see what it was about. I simply decided to buy the novel with the sunny yellow cover stamped with two words I ached for: Safe Haven.
On page 1, I discovered that the main character's name was Katie.
On page 64, I related to Katie's compulsion to be better so that her husband wouldn't have to treat her the way he did.
On page 134, I was reminded how what initially comes across as attentive, protective, and sweetly selfish soon turns in to control and manipulation.
On page 141, I held my breath, trying to "stay ahead of my fears," pretending right along with Katie that we didn't know what was going to come next, what always came next.
On page 145, I too accepted his apology.
On page 149, Katie spoke words I had repeated many times: "I chose... I let it happen... I'm sorry..."
On page 325, I cried with Katie, focusing--despite all the hell--on the happy moments, knowing that my love for someone had never been so deep, that if I could take his pain away I would gladly carry it myself.
On the final page, I hoped that some day I too would have a happily ever after, when every day isn't filled with fear.
It seems unbelievable that a stranger in a grocery store would hand me a novel that Nicholas Sparks had written about addiction and abuse, fear and forgiveness and starting over, not knowing that I was Katie and this was my story. Not the story of my past, but the story of my present. At least it was my present that day: October 7, 2010, just before 5 o'clock.
I know the date and time because after I bought the book I tucked the receipt inside its pages to use as a bookmark, and the receipt is still there. It was the only thing I bought that day. No groceries, no kids clothes, no toiletries. Just the book.
Years after taking a stranger's recommendation, and now having seen the movie adaptation, I'm still navigating responsibility, acceptance, forgiveness, pain, fear. But I have no doubt that God placed that woman in my life to hand me this book so that I would know I don't have to navigate it alone.
Maybe she was Katie and this was her story too.
Maybe you are Katie and this is your story.
Maybe God is leading you to accept a recommendation, or to make one.
EMBRACE RECOMMENDATIONS.
You never know when it might be God's way of reaching out.
Reading in 1 Samuel 25 about Abigail, an "intelligent and good-looking" woman who, after her husband made a mistake, begged King David to "let me take the blame."
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