The Artist And Builder Of Our Lives
Lost Inheritance by Lin Stepp is the most delightful contemporary Christian romance which I absolutely loved.
The novel is set in small town America and has a wonderful warm feel to it that envelopes the reader. Life is not always perfect but people pull together with words of wisdom and offers of hospitality.
There are motifs for our lives of building houses and paintings. God is the master builder. The reader is reminded that unless we build our lives on the sure foundation of His word, our lives will be built on shifting sand. Likewise, God is the artist of all our lives. Sometimes we try to ‘fake it’, but God sees the original us.
All the characters are wonderfully drawn and exude warmth. They are realistic too, having less than perfect tempers.
There is the theme of loss. We need to face our loss before we can move on to a new normal. It is natural to get angry over loss but we must not remain angry or we may become bitter.
In our hurt and pain, it is all too easy to play the blame game. “What’s the point of being all-powerful and omnipotent if you can’t stop bad things happening to good people?” God is never the cause of our pain but we live in a fallen world and all have free will. Being ‘good’ does not protect us from evil. Knowing God means that in those difficult times, God will walk alongside us for He has promised to never leave us.
Pets are a part of our lives. I loved the inclusion of the gallery cat and several dogs who had unique personalities and quickly became part of the action.
In life we will always come across people with bad intent. They are hard to spot because they look like regular people. Evil intent has a normal face.
The town and surrounding countryside have been wonderfully painted by Lin Stepp. Her comprehensive descriptions enabled the reader to ‘walk’ through the novel.
Lin Stepp is a new author to me and what a delightful tale she weaves. I felt welcomed and found Lost Inheritance a most delightful read. I cannot wait for more from Lin Stepp.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
JULIA WILSON