Ransomed Dreams

I just ran across a new author I am impressed with, Amy Wallace. She has 2 books out so far in the "Defenders of Hope" series. Book #1, "Ransomed Dreams", is the book I just read. My favorite type of book to read is Christian suspense, and she has nailed it down better than any books I have read lately.
When I read the short author bio on the back, I thought it said she was a self-confessed alcoholic, and read the whole book thinking she was a recovering alcoholic. After going on her website, I read something that made me double check, and found out it says "chocoholic". :-)
This book has it all. Tragedy, forgiveness, people struggling with trusting God, believing that He can really make a difference, kidnapping, and even romance. (Romance is ok as long as it is someone else who is involved in it!) The characters are very likable, and flawed.
I have heard people knock reading Christian fiction, and I have read some that really wasn't up to par, but I have read many more where authors can address issues like trusting God, forgiveness, and other issues in a way that wouldn't grab a reader's attention in the same way. Also, I believe God uses all sorts of ways to speak to people. I also believes He uses methods according to the person and their interests. For me, one way has been through Christian fiction, for that is one of my favorite things to do.
One dream I have, which has a snowball's chance at the equator of happening, is to write a Christian novel some day. Not just for entertainment, but the kind that will make a person think. I even have a plot for it. If you read my blog very often though, you know I am not a writer, but more of a "rambler", and can't see me writing a novel that would be interesting and captivate anyone, much less make any sense. :-)
Back to the book, I love the title. "Ransomed Dreams". Those words give the idea of our dreams being taken from us, but then being returned as a result of a ransom being paid. I have to admit, I can relate to the idea of my dreams being held hostage, but I have become pretty much a realist. I am sure many would disagree with me, but sometimes it isn't so much a lack of faith, but just plain reality to know and believe something will not happen, and that is where I am with some of my dreams. Could they come true? Sure, God can do anything. Are they likely to come true? No.
The Bible doesn't necessarily talk about our dreams, in the respect of what we want out of life, but it does say a lot about turning sorrow into joy and beauty for ashes. It also talks a lot about sowing what we reap, and sometimes life gives is lemons. We can make lemonade, but its still lemons. Sometimes God restores everything, like with Job. And sometimes, we have to just live with the scars. What it all boils down to, is trusting God to do whatever He wants with our lives, not what we want.