Light From Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker

The Mender

Light From Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker is a beautiful Christian novel that looks at life and where love lives.

It is a novel surrounding a middle aged man who contemplates defining moments in his childhood whilst sitting by the hospital bed of his father. The reader sees how fathers appear to let us down but when we really need them, some are there. Whereas others do damage with their tongues and actions. Fathers shape the men their sons become. In contrast God is our faithful Father. Whether we can feel or hear His presence or not, God faithfully walks alongside us every step of our lives.

The past may rise up to haunt us. We can all learn lessons from our pasts but we must not live in them or we will miss out on the present and the future God has in mind for us.

We all have regrets, regrets over things we have done or things we should have done. Regrets will imprison us if we continually focus on them. Regrets only have the power we give them.

Within our memories are defining moments in our lives. We are meant to learn from these and move on, not continually rehash them or they will trap us at a moment in time.

Within the novel there are searches, some are literal, one is spiritual. A character ‘lost’ the God of their childhood. “He [God] seems silent to me… I used to believe God heard us.” God is not ‘lost.’ It is us who wander off from Him and lose our way. The character searches for his way back to God. When we earnestly seek God, we will find Him waiting for us.

Confession is good for the soul. It cleanses and brings healing.

Life is a spiritual battle. “There is evil in the world… most people live their lives content to ignore it. But someone has to do something. Someone has to stop it.” There is darkness in this world. We must defeat the darkness with the light of God.

The whole novel is a journey of discovery, an awakening from despair to hope. From death to life. From lost to found. It is beautifully written and will leave you feeling serene.

I would like to leave you with this most powerful quote:

“We are all broken. Hope remains. There is a Mender.”

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

JULIA WILSON

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