To Win Her Heart

"To Win Her Heart" is Karen Witemeyer's third book and I believe her best yet. I'm really enjoying her writing style and stories. There are certain things that I think make good christian fiction...a great storyline, christian values, clean respectful romance, descriptive details and that it honors the Lord and Scripture.

This book does all that! I loved these characters. Eden a librarian, and Levi a blacksmith and ex-prizefighter with a past. I loved this part where Levi is struggling with his past and being good enough:

"The words of the Prodigal son came back to haunt him. 'I am no more worthy to be called thy son" Levi bent his head, unable to look in heaven's direction. Why did he even try to change? He'd never be good enough.

As the thought formed in his head, a barrage of Scripture hit him as if some unseen angel had reached into his seed bag, grabbed a handful, and flung it at him. 

'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace...'

'A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ...'

'For I will be merciful...and their iniquities will I remember no more.'

'If we confess our sins, he is faithful...to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'

'There is therefore now no condemnation...'

Levi trembled as those seeds took root in his soul. Grace. Cleansing. Forgiveness. No condemnation.

No condemnation--with all he had done? The prison chaplain had made him memorize these verses, but never before had they penetrated his heart to such an extent. They were meant for other Christians, those who didn't have blood on their hands, those who hadn't betrayed their families and their God with such flagrant selfishness. No, he was the unworthy prodigal, hanging his head in shame, trying to make up for all his past mistakes to earn back his Father's love.

'But you don't want me to earn it, do you?' Levi whispered as his gaze climbed back up to the night sky, truth resonating in his soul. 'I can't earn it. I can only accept it. Your gift.'

Levi raised a shaking hand to his face and scrubbed away the moisture that pooled in his eyes.

I understand now. Thank you."

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1....so comforting. This part of the book reminded me of a line from a song called "Love is the reversal" from the band Starfield..."Grace reclaims, what the world disowns." How great is that. :)