Love Inspired and Heartsongs
Posted by: Blc914 <Blc914@...>
My father went home to the Lord 4 years ago after a 9 year battle with
cancer. The last 2 years to 18 months he became more and more housebound. My
mom would not leave him much at all -- in fact she stayed in their room and
would read while he slept. They moved from their home of 34 years 2 hours
away to our town so that my dh and I could help out. They were unable to get
involved in a church because of Dad's illness and they really did not have an
opportunity to make friends. Mom was always an upbeat, cheerful, godly woman,
but I noticed that she was becoming bitter and sour. Now I realize her dh was
dying and she had a right to be less than cheerful, but it went deeper than
that. There was no light in her soul. She was reading constantly -- lots of
secular romances. I really felt that part of the problem was that she was not
being fed spiritually and that she was pouring in a lot of trash. I happened
to see some Heartsongs at a local store one day and bought her some. She
enjoyed them. We started a subscription for her and then eventually added
Love Inspired. It was amazing the difference. These books truly ministered to
my mom's soul.
I know I have thanks Cheryl for this and I want to thank any other Heartsong
or Love Inspired writers that might be here -- actually any Christian Writers
here at all! There are some folks who think the LI and HS books are too
light -- all fluff and puff. I do believe they are lighter reading than some
other works, but that does not lessen their value.
Why am I bring thins up again -- well, several reasons. One of my dh's best
friends died 2 months ago of cancer -- he was 48. His wife is struggling and
I am feeling led to reach out to her. I was trying to think how to break the
ice and I saw a stack of Love Inspireds that Mom and I had read. I have
decided to take some to her as an ice breaker to talk with her and LISTEN to
her. Also, a friend of my mom's dropped off a big box of books for her to
read. (My mom circulates her LI and HS books around to lots of other elderly
ladies!) The box Mom received is full of secular stuff and some of it looked
pretty bad. Mom told me "You know... I cannot read that stuff anymore. I love
Christian Fiction and am so glad it is there for us to read!" And Finally --
I wanted to send a thanks to the writers again, in case someone wasn't here
when I said thanks long ago (I know it has been over a year!).
And now I am off to enjoy a Love Inspired by our own Cheryl Wolverton!
Barb C.