I have recently joined a program where they send me books to read, and I review them. I’ve done this in the past, but with a different company.
So for September, for the first time ever, I didn’t choose a novel. Instead, I chose a book titled “The Way of Hope” by Melissa Fisher. Here’s the synopsis from the back of the book:
“’Am I welcome here?’ It's the most challenging question churches face today. With a history of condemning people for their sexual temptations, desires, or orientations, many churches and Christians in an attempt to right that wrong have simply adopted the world's more indulgent view. What if the church could show up in a different way? With deep understanding born from her own painful experiences, Melissa shows that somewhere between the extremes of condemning and condoning is the way of Jesus, a way marked with courage, compassion, and hope. The Way of Hope aims to equip the church to make a positive impact in the lives of those hurting from their relational or sexual differences. It aims to inspire everyone, regardless of sexual identity or gender orientation, toward a relationship with Jesus, who wants to offer us all love and hope greater than anything we've ever known.”
As soon as I read that, I was intrigued. I wanted to read the book. Homosexuality is something that is so common and acceptable in our world today, and it’s something that the church is viewed as being judgemental and condemning about. I wanted to know what Melissa Fisher had to say.
From the beginning, I enjoyed the book. Melissa told her own story of same-sex attraction, but rather than giving it to us all at once, she slowly shares how she went from a little girl growing up in a Christian home to being a woman married to another woman, completely apart from God. She explains what her mindset was as a child, and how that affected her throughout her entire life. She told us what she had once believed, and what she believes now. She vulnerably shares her incredibly hard journey.
There were a lot of lessons learned in Melissa’s life, and she willingly shares them with us in her book. Near the end, she talks about how it is now, living beyond the same-sex lifestyle. She says “You must fight through and not believe the lies, then do the more work of believing the truth- that his love alone is enough… I can remain single the rest of my life and be more blessed and more loved than by lying next to any human being.” (The Way of Hope, pg 196)
His love alone is enough. That’s a truth that is supposed to be fundamental to Christians, yet it can be such a hard thing to truly believe. As Melissa says, whether gay or straight, we all want to be loved by people. But God’s love alone should be enough. Melissa continues on to say that “seeking his presence helps me feel the love and joy my soul has always hungered for. No gay or straight relationship has ever brought anything close to that.” (The Way of Hope, pg. 196)
While I don’t struggle with same-sex desires, nor do I have any family members or close friends who do, I am still glad that I read this book. It has insights and wisdom that anyone can benefit from. I definitely enjoyed reading The Way of Hope!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
