WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MATCH YOUR DREAMS:
Hope for Today from 12 Women of the Bible
By Jill Eileen Smith
Revell (A division of Baker Publishing Group).
216 pages. £10.99
ISBN 978 0 800 728 670
Normally I am not a great fan of this genre of books – fictionalised fact – but I was reading this particular book during times that were anything but normal – the coronavirus lockdown.
I had been looking for a book with some depth to it. I was fed up with heavy articles and books about suffering, and had also had enough of evangelical disputes about whether or not Covid-19 was a judgement of God (I agree with C.H. Spurgeon on that issue!).
So here was this book – my eyes were drawn to the words ‘Hope for Today’ – just what I needed. The book title and sub-title are explored through first-hand fictional accounts from 12 women in the Old Testament. The usual suspects, Eve, Hagar, Leah – but then some others thrown in – Noah’s wife and Potipher’s wife, for example. The Bible story is woven throughout each monologue and the author has obviously researched her subject.
Each chapter ends with points to ponder and points to take things further – a standard format these days. So the book lifted my heart a bit, but I still struggle with this genre – Christian fiction.
Nevertheless here’s an insightful quote from the book, perhaps written for these times of unprecedented change:
‘Even those things that don’t seem good right now, God is using for our good. If we love God, we can count on this promise [Rom. 8:28]. He is taking those very trials and making them into something better than we could ask for or imagine. He will work even the greatest trial for our good if we love Him. Count on it.’
