Guest Author - Diana Pederson

Jamie Langston Turner. No Dark Valley. Bethany House. 2004.

Celia Coleman, the main character, is on her way to her grandmother’s funeral as the story opens. She is traveling with a male friend who agreed to accompany her. As you begin reading, you’ll learn much about her earlier life as she reminisces about the time before her parents died and she was forced to move in with her grandmother.

The story takes many turns and twists as you go through the funeral and her memories. You’ll learn about a grandmother that faithfully prayed for her even when she left home with little contact for many years. Her grandmother’s concern up to the day of her death is reflected in the comments of her many relatives.

This is also the story of the spiritual journey of a young person who rejects the faith of their parents and relatives for the “modern lifestyle”. As a woman in her thirties, she begins to evaluate her life and doesn’t always like what she sees. Walking with her through her struggles to finally embrace the faith of her childhood will no doubt remind you of someone you know in your family or among your friends.

Lynn Austin. A Light to My Path. Bethany House. 2004.

The Civil War was a dark period in the history of the United States. A Light to My Path lets you learn about life immediately preceding and during that war. It tells the story through Kitty, a slave on a plantation.

It always amazes me that a people, treated so cruelly by their owners, could still maintain their faith in God. This shows how powerful our faith is as we walk through the circumstances of our life. Sadly, it is also the story of how this nation treated people forced into slavery.

Recommendation

Both these books have much to say about living the Christian faith. One, based in the late 20th century is the story of a woman returning to her faith. The second, based in the Civil War, shows how the slaves maintained their faith even though they were treated as mere property by other people. Each book reflects spiritual struggles and the ultimate triumph of faith.