Stay with Me

Stay with Me, Becky Wade’s first book in her newest series, Misty River Romance, grabbed me from the first chapter—I could not put it down! I’ve read many of her books and I think this is one of her best! 

The main character is Genevieve Woodward, a high-profile Bible study teacher who finds herself burned out and hooked on painkillers. In the midst of trying to maintain her ministry in a very public arena, she struggles to cover up the addiction, but comes to realize it is only a physical manifestation of a deeply spiritual problem. The author does a masterful job of weaving in romance, mystery, and relationship issues to enhance the story.

“God had entrusted her [Genevieve] with the task of providing spiritual guidance and instruction to thousands of women—a giant responsibility. Over the last year, a gulf had opened between who she pretended to be publicly and who she actually was. The shame of that had been growing through her like a poisonous, spiky weed.” What spoke to me about this is how many times we find ourselves pretending to be someone publicly, but in private we’re someone very different.

It doesn’t have to be something as challenging as an addiction to drugs. It could be an anger issue, where we seem to be able to hold it together around people outside our family, but with our loved ones or closest friends, we blow up at the smallest slight or mistake. It could be a habit we’re ashamed of, so we give in to it in private, but to the outside world, we give off an air of confidence or “having it all together.” It could even be how we speak to others—kind words with a smile to those that don’t really know us, but to those we know better, we use condescension or sarcasm.

When we live in such a way, God will discipline us. In Genevieve’s case, she felt like she had misplaced God and “…trying to find Him in the midst of this was like stretching her fingertips into darkness—straining to touch the thing she knew was there—and having her fingers rake nothing but empty air.” We may do all the right things like regularly reading our Bible and praying, maybe even teaching or ministering to others, but the problem is we feel far from God because when we are harboring sin, it grieves the Holy Spirit and our relationship with Him breaks down or unravels.

Hebrews 12:7b-11 (NLT) says, “Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” 
 
As Genevieve’s story unfolds, she does find her way back to a healthy lifestyle and restored relationships with her parents, sister, friends and—most important of all—God. However, it doesn’t happen until she comes to a place of brokenness before Him and recognizes the slippery slope she’s gone down, lying, compromising her integrity, relying on pills rather than the Lord, and sidestepping the Holy Spirit’s conviction. The best part of the story is that “God had not abandoned her. She could sense Him and what she sensed, very strongly, was truth and grace. Grace and truth…If Genevieve stifled her truth, then she stifled the Lord’s ability to show her grace.”
 
John 1:14 (ESV) tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Just like Genevieve, we must come to God by accepting His grace through the sacrifice of Jesus, and then live in the truth of His Word. This is the gospel, the Good News for all of us!
 
I promise you this book will captivate and draw you in right away! While you’re enjoying what a great read it is, please don’t let the underlying lessons escape you. The beauty of God (His truth) and how He works (His grace) is woven throughout the story and I know you’ll be blessed as you read it!
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Blessings to you!
Lori  

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