Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn

Just Add Honey

Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn is the most beautiful Christian contemporary novel that will sink into your heart and soothe your soul. It is the first book in the Suitcase Sisters series and I cannot wait for more.

Tea With Elephants is a story of friendship and love as we follow two ladies who have been friends for over twenty years as they spend a week in Kenya. It is a journey of discovery – literally as there are majestic animals to see in their natural habitat. And also, figuratively as they learn about each other’s lives, their fears and their worries. There is a love between the women. “There is no gift like a friend who knows you by heart.” And there is their love for God and His for them.

We cannot always see the future but we know who holds the future in His hands. “I wanted to be at peace about the unknown.” We trusted God with our past and our present, we can trust Hin with our future. “I didn’t want to get stuck in what was behind. I wanted to look to what was ahead.”

As we wander through life, we pick up baggage. “You will be able to move forward when you’re no longer carrying all this old stuff… It’s weighed you down for too long.” We will never move forward by looking in the rear mirror. We do not need to see where we have been but we do need to look at where we are going.

Prayer is important. Prayer is as vital as breathing. “Prayers are never just prayer… [we are] creating a collection of love letters to Jesus.” We also learn that “our most valuable weapon … is prayer.” Prayers can, and do, move mountains.

When we have troubles and worries, we need to press into Jesus. “I don’t know how people go through difficulties without crying out to the Lord.” We can receive a peace that passes all understanding, a peace despite our circumstances. “Peace was coming after me.” I love that idea of peace pursuing us.

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The Telegram by Debbie Rix

Beautiful & Heart-wrenching

The Telegram by Debbie Rix is a beautiful historical story set over three main time periods – World War I, World War II and 1959. It is a novel that will haunt the reader long after the last page is read.

The novel is about the life of Charles Carmichael, his family, friends and those that he interacts with. All the action is seen through the alternating voices of the lead character, his wife and daughter. We see how one man interacts with those he meets and how these interactions influence events.

Sometimes in life there is a defining moment on which everything else that happens, hangs on. Subsequent actions ride on a moment in time. Charles Carmichael has experienced such an event. The reader is aware that something momentous has happened but we do not know what – although I had my suspicions which proved to be correct. When we do find out what has happened, suddenly the life of Charles Carmichael makes sense. We understand why he acted the way that he did, and why he chose to lead his life as he did.

Charles Carmichael is a complex character but one that I instinctively liked. He is a gentle soul who wants to do no harm. He is a man who loves deeply but cannot always show it. I think his true nature really shines through in the scene on Christmas Eve 1943 with his daughter. He is tender hearted, fiercely protective and moved to act.

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A Noble Scheme by Roseanna White

The Steadfast Love Of God

A Noble Scheme by Roseanna M White is a thrilling Christian Edwardian novel that consumed me from the start. It is the second book in The Imposters series and whilst it can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the books in order for character progression and development.

Questions that arose in book one, find answers here. We now know why two characters are estranged. The animosity continues in A Noble Scheme as we see a character acknowledging that her mood is hurting herself. “I don’t want to miss the future because I’ve been crippled by the past.” Living in the past is unhealthy. By all means, visit the past but do not linger there.

Grief is handled differently by different characters. No two grief journeys are ever the same. We meet a character who has never grieved properly. To grieve is to admit to the loss, and that is far too painful. She swapped her tears for anger. “Hate was a horrible thing. It … consumed her.” Hate will destroy us from the inside out. Hate and anger projected onto God, will block our view of His love. “God wasn’t withholding love or forgiveness. But her heart was too cold to receive it.” The weather also mirrors a heart as it is icy and snowy.

Another character is also angry with God. The character does not own his choices, preferring to believe that God is a vengeful God. “Luck … didn’t believe in that any more than he did in God’s mercy.” Hearts that have known God will always want to be back with Him. “He wanted His Lord back … he wanted to trust that God was good back.” In his heart “he wanted to be the man who could believe.” All heaven rejoices when a prodigal returns home. “He’s waiting … God hasn’t given up on you.”

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The Lost Letters Of Christmas by Lisa Renee Ruggeri

Christmas Cheer

The Lost Letters Of Christmas by Lisa Renee Ruggeri is a charming children’s Christmas novel that is perfect for ages ten years and over. It is a novel that will delight you whatever your age as you receive a little bit of Christmas magic.

We see the effects of loneliness on two generations of girls who have lived in the same house. “She felt so far away from everything she loved” … due to a house move. The other young girl, twenty five years earlier had felt unloved and ignored, even by Father Christmas after she had written letters. “My parents don’t care about Christmas… They don’t even see me… I wanted to feel like I mattered to someone… I guess you’re [Santa] too busy, or maybe I’m not worth it.”

Both girls react differently to loneliness. One withdraws. The other throws herself into a project in order to give herself a purpose.

There is a mystery to solve – who is the little girl from twenty five years earlier?

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