by Dina Sleiman
A young man at war with himself
The rippling influence of Ryan Reid's less than moral mother and absent father left a mark on his soul. Yet everything changed when the young teacher gave his life to the Lord...almost everything.
An earthquake hurls the beautiful Sandy Arrington into his life, tossing his world upside down. But when God calls him to build an annex for needy teens at his church, he finds himself battling an attraction toward his male partner in the project. His own struggles and Sandy's growing feelings for him force Ryan to face the issue he's long buried.
Can he dig his way out from under his secret to find Sandy's love?
Yep, Ryan is struggling with homosexuality. The minute I saw the proposal for this book I knew it would be something very special--but also potentially volatile. This is such a sensitive subject right now. It is no longer politically correct for Christians to share what they really believe. Let's face it, Christians have made a lot of hurtful mistakes in addressing this issue. There are so many different opinions on it, and I certainly wouldn't want to hurt anyone who desired to break free from homosexuality in the past and failed.
But as I read this book, it indeed was something special. Ryan and Sandy's story was beautiful. I felt that given the circumstances and motivations, Ryan would be just the sort of man who might find lasting freedom and healing from homosexuality. And Sandy was just the sort of woman to help him get there. The romance is lovely and the redemptive message is incredibly powerful. June comes up with some of the most unique story premises I have ever seen. I really love that about her.
June, Roseanna, and I all worked very hard to get every word just right in Ryan's Father so that God's healing message would be delivered with love and grace. We didn't want to oversimplify matters. We didn't want to offer cliches. We are all very aware that some people will grapple with homosexuality their whole lives, that they might occasionally stumble, and even that they might come to different conclusions than we have. But we also didn't want to shy away from sharing the truth of God's word as we understand it.
If you have an interest in this subject, or if you want to enjoy a wonderful romance that will also challenge and bless you, I highly recommend that you check out Ryan's Father. Click here to find it on amazon.
Dina, I got up early this morning before we have to leave for my brother-in-law's funeral and had opportunity to get on my computer.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is warmed by your precious words. Thank you.
As I wrote in my author's notes, Ryan's story is fictional. Anyone struggling with homosexuality who would like to find freedom may not experience what Ryan did and within the same time frame. But the Biblical principles set forth the in the story are the same.
I am not homophobic and would welcome a gay person into my church and my life. I believe that homosexuality is no different than any other sin we Christians struggle with. Murder, adultery, theft, even gossip. But a solid relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ can set us free.
Thank you for featuring me today. You are a blessing. June
Dina/June: This is what captured me about Ryan's Father. June shows the truth in love. She doesn't shy away from the issue or try to placate the reader, but all who read this story will come away with a truthful message...a message that has been missing in at least one other novel where the issue of homosexuality is actually turned around to be the sin of the one who would speak out in love on the issue. I love this book!
ReplyDeleteI really admire June for tackling this subject. All I can say is wow. I do hope it reaches a lot of people. This is an issue that touches a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteJune, I'm very sorry you have to go to a funeral today. I'm sending a hug and prayer.
Great review, Dina. I hope a lot of ppeople read it.
Thank God we are finally getting Christian authors and editors and publishers who are willing to step outside the box and publish stories about God's unconditional love and the power of Christ on "touchy" subjects. Kudos to you all!
ReplyDeleteHi ladies, my internet is still on and off due to the snow and ice, but thanks for stopping by today to show your support for June's awesome book.
ReplyDeleteCan I borrow it???
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. We're all sinners in need of love and grace and truth. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteThis is the sort of thing Christian fiction needs more of! I will be buying and reading it.
ReplyDeleteJonathan, it just came out, but I can probably get my hands on one for you soon if you're really interested.
ReplyDeleteI don't read many contemporaries but this sounds great. Thanks Dina,June and Whitefire!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Deb :)
ReplyDeleteWow, this is so great to hear and so needed. Thanks to WhiteFire, June, Dina, and Roseanna.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Lauralee!
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading Ryan's Father...it was excellent. I can't recommend it enough. This is a hard subject, with many hardened hearts out in our world...and June did an excellent job sharing truth not to be unequaled by her sense of compassion and love for those who are tempted by sexual sin.
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