Katie Ganshert’s debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter is remarkable. Her main character, Bethany chatted about Shame on Monday and returned in this repost from Katie’s blog to discuss her ideas about redemption. I loved learning about Bethany and her plight as I read Wildflowers from Winter and it comes out in just a few days! Woohoo!
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Katie asked me to come back and talk about redemption.
After talking about my past and this whole idea of shame, I have no idea if she’s thinking third time’s a charm, or three strikes I’m out.
Regardless, three is my favorite number. So here I am.
Redemption. Not really sure what I think about that word. Crickets, really. So I decided to look it up. Here’s what I found, plus my commentary.
Redemption:
- An act of redeeming or the state of being redeemed (How’s that for helpful?)
- Deliverance, rescue
- Deliverance from sin; salvation (Pastor Fenton? Is that you?)
- Atonement for guilt (Now I have to look up atonement.)
- Repurchase, as of something sold
Number three brings up too many unpleasant memories.
I have adverse reactions whenever I hear the word atonement. So number four is out.
I don’t think Katie had number five in mind when she brought up redemption and number one is not at all helpful. There should be a law that prohibits dictionaries from using the actual word in the definition.
So I guess I’m left with number two.
Deliverance. Rescue.
I’m not sure how I feel about either of those words.
It’s not like anyone rescued me from Peaks. I had to do that on my own. I’m the one who earned the grades that got me the scholarship. And I’m the one who landed the job in Chicago.
But still….
If I’m being totally honest. Sometimes, when I’m feeling tired or worn out or unsure, the idea of being rescued is an appealing one.
It reminds me of a recurring dream I had as a kid, when we moved away from the farm and into that trailer park. For an entire year I dreamt about a prince as handsome as my dad. He would ride into the park on his white stallion and rescue me from all that had happened. He would bring me back to Grandpa Dan’s farm. And he would make everything better.
But that was just a silly little girl dream.
I learned a long time ago that princes don’t exist.
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I’d tear up, but I think the last thing Bethany would want is me feeling sorry for her and her little girl dream destroyed. Her story is poignant and uplifting.
You can preorder Wildflowers from Winter here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books a Million
ChristianBook.com
IndieBound
Lifeway
Mardel
Parable Christian Stores
Powell’s Books
Random House
Marji Laine 