Stop Running And Love Harder

Finding Evergreen by Jennifer Rodewald is a powerful contemporary Christian story. It is the third book in the Grace Revealed series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Wow – what to say? Finding Evergreen is a book about love. Not a perfect love but a raw, gritty, love hurts story. It is about a marriage. A marriage of two imperfect people seeking to fulfilment in each other. “Marriage… was supposed to fill a cavern of emptiness.” That is far too much pressure to put on anyone. It is only God who can truly fulfil us.

People meet. They fall in love. Great married and live happily ever after. Right? Wrong. Real life is not a fairy story. Real life is messy. Real life has outside forces that impact on us. Finding Evergreen is a brilliant read about ‘real life’ love. It pulls no punches. It tugs at heartstrings. It messes with heads. Is ‘real love’ really worth the effort?

Everyone has a past. Our past has shaped us. We are not our parents. We are not destined to repeat their mistakes. We need to learn from the past and move on into the future.

People speak words over us. Words build up or tear down. “Not good enough had been branded over her heart.” We are not who others say we are. “Being unloved. It’s a lie from hell, and you don’t have to live under it.” We are who God says we are. He says we are loved.

The novel deals with the topic of fostering. Fostering is hard. It brings challenges. It brings problems. It brings love. Fostering takes stamina. Fostering takes strength. Fostering takes love.

We all need grace. “Grace. We don’t deserve it.” We need to give grace and we need to receive grace.

God needs to be in every relationship. When things go wrong (and they will) we need to cry out to Him. “God, help me make it work.” With eyes on God and a heart that longs to love as in 1 Corinthians: 13, we have the formula to make relationships work. “Love doesn’t quit.”

If you are looking for a comfortable fairytale read, Finding Evergreen is not it. If however you want a jolly good story that is realistic, gritty, emotionally charged with lessons for us all to learn – you have come to the right place. Finding Evergreen is a marvellous tale that will tug at your emotions as you take a journey through love.

Another fantastic tale from Jennifer Rodewald.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON