Tag Archive | Lin Stepp

Seeking Ayita by Lin Stepp

Heritage & Roots

Seeking Ayita by Lin Stepp is a fabulous Christian novel and part of the Mountain Home series.

This book concerns roots and heritage as a daughter fulfills her mother’s dying wish to return her ashes to her Cherokee homeland. The mother also desires that her daughter and granddaughter spend time with the maternal family getting to know their heritage. Lin Stepp shows us the rich cultural heritage of the Cherokee. There are some wise words about character saying about what is inside us… “ ‘One is an evil wolf… The other wolf is a good wolf’… ‘Which wolf wins?’… ‘The one you feed.’ “ Within our lives, whatever we focus on will become evident in our character. As we lean into and focus on God, trusting Him, He will give us peace and lead our lives, even through death. “I am ready to go home. I know my God well.” When we know God, death is not a frightening place because our Lord is already there and He will lead us home when the time comes.

The Cherokee live simply, keeping their customs alive as they practice their traditional arts. It is important to pass down crafting skills to the next generation or the skills will die out. Lin Stepp has vividly painted not only their crafts but their homeland with her descriptive words.

Guilt is a terrible master. “A spirit of guilt is pursuing him… He feels he isn’t owed any happiness.” We were never meant to be chained to guilt. God wants us to live abundantly free.

We see that dreams still foretell things that are to come, as they did in Biblical times. If it is from God, it will come to pass.

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Lighten My Heart by Lin Stepp

Delightful & Heartwarming

Lighten My Heart by Lin Stepp is the most delightful contemporary Christian novel. It is the second book in The Lighthouse Sisters series but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading book one first for maximum enjoyment and for character progression.

Lin Stepp always produces tales that draw the reader close to the heart of God. We see how we desperately need God. When we try to do life alone, it is tough. “How much better life is when you live close to God.” When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. As our lives line up with His, His light will shine through us.

We need to stand on the word of God when the tough times come, and they will. “God’s truth resonates in us when we hear it.” When we open our Bibles, God’s word will speak to our hearts. We shall know His truth and His truth will set us free.

A character is imprisoned in bitterness and hurt. Withholding forgiveness always damages us. God wants us to live free. If we cannot forgive in our strength, we need to ask Him for help and we can then forgive in His strength.

Another character struggles with guilt. “He struggled daily not to keep berating and beating himself up… Whatever he did wrong, he couldn’t change it now.” The past is gone. We must learn from it but we must not pitch our tent there. We need to give our guilt to God and learn to live in freedom.

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Eight At The Lake by Lin Stepp

Chasing The Storms Away

Eight At The Lake by Lin Stepp is the most charming contemporary Christian novel that will lodge in your heart and leave you smiling.

The novel is about love and family. Eight children need rules to ensure lives run smoothly. Far from constricting us, rules are there to keep us safe. The reader is reminded that God gave us rules to live by and to keep us safe.

There is so much love within the novel – there is the love within families and the love of God and for God. We hear of a character who has been born again, strengthening and rebuilding her relationship with God.

Sometimes our earthly fathers are not so great and we fear repeating their pattern of behaviour but “our mistakes don’t have to be yours.” We are not destined to repeat the generational sins.

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Light The Way by Lin Stepp

Positively Charming

Light The Way by Lin Stepp is a most delightful Christian contemporary tale and the first book in The Lighthouse Sisters series. I cannot wait for subsequent books.

The lighthouse plays a central role in the story. It reminds the reader that we are to shine God’s light into a dark world. We also see the pivotal role in rescue of the lighthouse’s light in illuminating those in trouble. Likewise, God looks out for us and will rescue us from our troublesome situations.

We are called to live out our faith. “Your strong faith has a good effect on me.”  We can never under estimate the effect our lives may have on someone else.

Family is important. When members of a family have problems, some run towards home, others run away for fear of parental disappointment. This reminds the reader that God longs for each of us to return to Him if we stray or mess up. He doesn’t want fear or embarrassment to keep us from His arms.

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