Welcome back to another inspirational moment from historical Christian romance novels!

Unequally Yoked

2 Corinthians 6: 14 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

In Julie Lessman’s book A Passion Redeemed, we watch Mitch struggle with his attraction to Charity. God’s word gives him the strength to follow God’s will for him. I love how the snippet below shows how God’s precepts protect us. In Mitch and Charity’s case it protected both of them. If Mitch had caved and married Charity before she came to know Christ, she may never have truly found God. And they may never have ended up with the amazing marriage they enjoy in the end.

He sat up and opened his eyes, flipping the pages of the Bible at random. He settled on 2 Corinthians, and his eyes widened as he scanned the page. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

A ghost of a smile flitted across his lips. So much for Bridie’s implication that he pursue Charity O’Connor. “As far as the east is from the west,” so is Charity from her God.

(Julie Lessman, A Passion Redeemed, page 36)

Those who have a relationship with Jesus are not to enter a marriage with someone who is not a believer. I know the world says opposites attract and to some degree this is true, but not in who you marry. When you marry you become one, something that is impossible when you do not share the same belief.

I love these words pastor Jim Brown shared: Who you marry is the second most important decision in your life. The first is to follow Jesus Christ. I cannot sum it up any better than that.

Pray for Those Who Persecute You

Matthew 5:44 – But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

A traumatic event from Mitch’s past is revealed during this novel. As it comes to light you watch him struggle with how to move past it. Julie wrote an incredible scene on how to lean on God through the struggle of forgiving and loving your enemy. The scene below is a conversation between Mitch and God.

“All right God, I’m done. Done keeping you at arms length. Done doing it on my own. I’m ready to give you everything—my life, my hopes, my desires. Help me. Guide me. Show me what to do.”

Forgive.

His jaw tightened and then released. Slowly, he expelled a weighted breath, like fingers being pried away and letting go. “Okay, I’ll try. But not on my own. Help me.”

Pray for him.

The concept was clear, but the application was as foreign as the Greek in which the apostle Matthew had penned it: love your enemies…bless those who curse you…pray for those who persecute you.

Mitch closed his eyes unable to imagine ever uttering a prayer for Rigan. “I can’t.”

Pray.

His fists balled on the edge of the sink. Faith had once told him, when you can’t pray, pray that you can. He opened his eyes to glare upward. “All right…help me to want to pray.”

(Julie Lessman, A Passion Redeemed, page 108)

Have you ever been in Mitch’s position? Forgiving someone who has wronged you is hard and something you cannot do without God. I love how Julie reminds everyone, through this scene, to pray. Prayer and God’s word is the only way you will be able to not only forgive your enemies, but love, bless, and pray for them.

There are so many more inspirational moments in A Passion Redeemed, especially as Charity finds her way to Christ. Julie’s novel will not only entertain you, but you’ll also walk away filled with hope and inspiration!

I wanted to mention that Julie will be running a book giveaway soon! Just be sure to sign-up for her newsletter, at https://julielessman.com or follow her on Facebook. She will be announcing the contest this week!

Best of luck and until next time happy and blessed reading!