"They Shall See God" - A Book Review

They Shall See God

by Athol Dickson

Two best friends in the rosy-cheeked bloom of childhood skip through life sharing deep secrets, innocent dreams and little girl giggles until they are thrust head-long into a generations-old hatred they are too young to know exists. They are torn from each other's lives just when they need one another the most. When tragedy reunites them years later, the two women, now virtual strangers, discover the reason their parents tore them apart.

And now the opinions, beliefs, and biases that caused their parents' heart-wrenching decision have become their own.

Athol Dickson surprised me with They Shall See God. His previous novels, though set in the real world, have held a somehow “mystical” aura for me. However, in his newest novel, They Shall See God, what impacted me was reality of what I was reading. I had no idea that, in today's America – a nation founded on religious freedom -- some Christians have such intense prejudice against the Jewish nation, or that some Jews despise to the core the very thought of Christianity.

This novel is packed with action, suspense, and nail-biting angst. It's also full of truth--as viewed through a prism of tradition, religion, and culture. Despite the fact that I really didn't like either character, I kept rooting for both. I wanted them to see the truth the way I know it.

And that, I think, might be the point. All of us see God through prisms, or at the most, a dark glass.

They Shall See God is a must read in this day and age of our nation's rising fear of an “infidel” enemy attacking from without. The enemy we battle can strike from within our very hearts.

Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Catrina Bradley
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." Psalm 18:24 (The Message)


Diclaimer: I was provided with a free a Kindle download of They Shall See God in exchange for my honest review.

Wait ... where was I going?

You may (or may not) have noticed by the barrenness of my blog that I've been in a long writing dry spell. For just as long, I've been asking God how I got here and how to get out of this desert. This week I had a revelation of sorts.

When God first revealed to me that He'd given me not only the gift of writing, but the desire to write, I eagerly followed where He led. And my writing flourished.

But a demon I thought had been vanquished snuck in the back door. His name? Mammon. And his his buddies Vanity and Jealousy were on his right and left.

At my fingertips were links to expert advice on all things faith, writing, and writing in faith. At first I read and studied the craft of writing, the nuts and bolts and how to's. And for a good time, I practiced and grew in knowledge and skill.

But at some point I was tempted away from the how-to-write links by the numerous and tantalizing how-to-publish articles. And, because of my newly realized potential, I saw a lot of shiny doors just begging me to push them open and walk through.

And I aimed at all of them.

See, I thought that's what I was supposed to do. Aren't writers are supposed to make a name for themselves? publish articles? find an agent? write a novel? That's what the world was telling me, and I listened.

What I lost track of was the original door God lead me to. The door He opened for me. He never told me to stop heading in that direction. He never told me to look at other doors and then force one open.

So I'm back at the beginning. I want to write only for God's glory, doing my best to step through the doors He opens for me instead of head-butting possibilities that that aren't meant for me.

"...let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be,
without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other,
or trying to be something we aren’t.
Romans 12:6 (The Message)

Following that instruction, my friends, is not going to be easy for me. But I'm going to try. I'm looking forward to seeing what's down this path. Prayers for focus and perseverance are appreciated.

Catrina Bradley
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." Psalm 18:24 (Msg)

How YOU can Win a New Kindle Fire HD

Confession:  I want one of the new Kindles.

I have the original Kindle. 

And a Kindle Fire. (It's my favorite luxury.)

But ever Kindle unveiled their new line of E-readers/tablets, 

I've been debating an upgrade. 

I don't need a new Kindle. 

I have two, and they're both fine.

It's totally unnecessary

.

But I want one.

And I've been trying to rationalize why getting a new one would be okay. 

Then I saw this contest. 

If I could win a Kindle Fire HD, 

my conundrum would be solved. 

And if I blog about the contest, I get five entries! 

And you get the same opportunity I do - 

WIN A KINDLE FIRE HD!

I love sharing the love. <3

Click below for full contest rules and details. 

Happy reading!

Love,

Cat

Christian Fiction Book Reviews

Catrina Bradley
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." Psalm 18:24 (Msg)

Dogs on an Elevator

Confession: I love my dogs. I never know what to expect next.

They entertain me, make me laugh, and give me a new perspective on life. Come read what these crazy dogs did this time Jewels of Encouragement.

Blessings!
Cat