Faith meets fiction

I love hanging out in our Inspirational Fiction Neighborhood. Here I find books by some of my favorite authors like Lynn Austin, Susan May Warren, Tamera Alexander and Ted Dekker. What I love about their stories is that the characters are shown applying their deeply held beliefs to real life situations. In Lynn Austin’s stories this is often in a historical context – such as when Penny, a character from While We’re Far Apart calls upon God to help her as she faces new challenges during World War II – like learning to drive a bus! 

I also love the variety that’s in this neighborhood. There is a lot of historical fiction and romance, but there are also thrillers, contemporary fiction, and even some fantasy and science fiction.

Ted Dekker is a good example of an author in the genre who often defies the gentle inspirational fiction stereotype. I’ve encountered talking bats and bloody serial killers in his books and his vivid imagination always impresses me. My favorite book of his, A.D. 30, follows the journey of a Bedouin woman named Mavia through sandstorms and attacks from enemy warriors. The best part occurs after she meets a Jewish teacher named Yeshua and carries His transforming power back to her people, resulting in a dramatic and miraculous showdown that took my breath away.

From Amish fiction to heart-pounding supernatural thrillers, I’m often surprised by inspirational fiction and I’m always uplifted.