Refreshing the Weary

Posted by Rhodema | 0 comments

I love curling up with a good book—one I can’t put down. An even bigger blessing comes when that book draws me closer to the Lord. For those seasons of rest and reading, I often turn to Francine Rivers’ books. I find her words life-giving.

As a reviewer for her newest novel Her Mother’s Hope, I had the opportunity to host her interview on my blog. What compels the author spiritually, inspired me as a writer and a parent. God can use our passions and talents to reach the world with His message.

Francine writes with purpose to draw her readers into a relationship with the creator God. She weaves scripture throughout her writing and paints pictures that illustrate spiritual truth. The author desires to reveal an infinite God with an infinite love for each individual.

This has not always been Francine’s goal in writing. She loved writing from childhood, but her first novels are not in print and “not recommended” by the author. She calls those B.C. or Before Christ novels. After the dramatic change occurred in her life and marriage, Francine hung up her writing pen. She allowed God to lead her through a season of learning new priorities. God had to become first, her family second and then writing. For three years she did not write but instead soaked in God’s Word.

Not until God prompted her to write again, did she begin writing Christian fiction. Her first Christian novel Redeeming Love is a romance set in the gold rush era of California. She considers it her statement of faith. It portrays Jesus’ unconditional love for us and is based on the Old Testament book of Hosea. Each novel since then has been developed out of a spiritual struggle in the author’s life. As she grapples with the answers, she illustrates what God teaches her by writing a story.

Francine desires to see more writers who excel in their craft enter the field of Christian fiction. She sees God at work in this mission field. With the world in disarray politically and economically, she feels that Christian fiction can speak to searching, hurting hearts. Francine has big dreams for great literature to be on the big screen. She would love to see more positive films roll out of Hollywood. Her novel Redeeming Love is in the developmental stage for a movie.

What advice does the author have for Christian writers? Writing should flow from daily time in God’s Word. Know the scriptures from beginning to end. Without a vital relationship with Christ and honesty about our struggles against sin, we will not have anything of value to offer readers.

Francine’s life inspires me as a parent. If our children enjoy the creative arts, we should help them gain experience and develop skill. God gives talent and passion to our children. Through them the arts can be used to inspire believers and win others to the faith.

I pray that we can say like Francine that God has given us the “tongue of a disciple” in order to “sustain the weary one with a word” (Isaiah 50:4).

For more information about Francine Rivers go to www.francinerivers.com.

Rhodema Cargill lives the parenting adventure with Calvin, her college sweetheart. They have two adult daughters and two teenagers still at home, a girl and a boy. Their homeschool style is eclectic with a great love of living history books. Rhodema is a freelance writer and speaker. Visit with her on her blog: MommyLife.