Isaiah 6:8

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Friday, May 17, 2013

The Color Of Hope

About the Book:  Hope shines brightest when all seems lost.  Stephanie London led a life of comfort and ease in St. Louis before feeling inexplicably drawn back to her father’s roots in the tiny Southern town of Hope Springs. Charlotte Willoughby has lived there all her life and longs to make a new life somewhere else. Stephanie doesn’t know exactly what she’s doing there—or how to occupy her time. And Charlotte doesn’t understand why, despite her overbearing family and reminders of her failed engagement, she’s suddenly led to stay.  Despite its small-town charm, Hope Springs itself is at a crossroads. After a failed reconciliation attempt by two well-meaning pastors, the town is split along racial and cultural lines, with little hope for redemption.  When a terrible tragedy puts Hope Springs on the national radar, the entire town is tested, and both Stephanie and Charlotte feel their lives unraveling. In the midst of heartache, though, they’ll discover the true color of hope . . .

About The Author(In Her Own Words):  "My life is marked by one big bright neon line down the center, showing a clear before and after. For twenty-seven years, I lived without Christ, and everything was colored by the things of this world. Growing up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, raised by divorced parents, black, female, college and law school-educated—all of it and more informed my opinions, decisions, attitudes, and actions.
All of it gave me a ground-level perspective.  But in my mid-20s, God, in His lovingkindness, began to draw me—by dragging me halfway across the country from the D.C. area to Madison, Wisconsin. Away from friends, family, and the diversity I’d always known, I was miserable. I cried out to God . . . the God I’d heard about in Catholic grade school. Didn’t they say He could perform miracles? Then surely He could get me out of there!  God did perform a miracle, but not in the way I sought. He didn’t get me out of Madison. He changed me forever in Madison. He saved me, raised me, and seated me in heavenly places. Suddenly I had an aerial view. The bright neon line was drawn, and my “after” would begin.  But I didn’t understand any of that at first. I had no idea God would change everything about my world. With broad brushstrokes, He began to paint over my perspective as I grew to know Him and His Word. We did eventually leave Madison. We moved to Dallas, then St. Louis, where we’ve lived for ten years. But as the seasons of our lives shift, that same “coloring” process continues.  I haven’t had a single day yet where something about my perspective didn’t need adjusting. As a wife of nineteen years and mom of two teens, I don’t have to look far to find a challenge, struggle, or worry. Add the other hats I wear and, well, you can probably identify.  But no matter the issue, when I color my perspective in Christ, things change. I find hope, peace, and joy. I find eternal wisdom. I find truth."
 
My Thoughts On The Book:  The Color of Hope picks up where Hope Springs left off. I fell in love with Hope Springs  from page one and was so happy to be reviewing another one of Kim Cash Tate's books. the author deals with real life issues in her books in a fictional manner. In this set of books she deals with racial issues, romance and bullying.  Tate is a powerful user of words as she lets you get inside the skin of her characters.  By the time you have finished reading it is as if you are family, or at least old friends.  I highly recommend reading this book! You do not need to read Hope Springs before this book unless you are really interested in getting to know the families better, but I recommend it too. I look forward to reading many more books by Kim Cash Tate.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Book Sneeze. Thomas Nelson's review program for bloggers, Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review. All they asked for was an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

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