Book Review: Even Now

I just finished reading Even Now by Karen Kingsbury. This was a very compelling fiction story. Karen Kingsbury is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The only problem with her books is that they are hard to put down! I thought this book did a great job of dealing with many situations including when loved ones don’t agree on issues. For the most part, she writes in a very believable, realistic way. At the end she includes an author’s note.

Part of it says, “If you and someone you love have a difference of opinion on something, maybe it’s best to let it stay that way. Respect each other’s right to believe what you believe. . . .

“When people do that, I’ve seen the most amazing result: love happens. People start finding the things they do have in common and they start loving the person for simply being a brother or a father or an aunt or a cousin. Obviously there are some differences of opinion that happen because one person is standing by Scripture and another person isn’t. In this case, please go ahead and take a stand for the truth. That’s what Jesus wants us to do. But at the same time, take your stand in love.

“Sometimes we need to say, “I don’t agree with that and here are the reasons why. But I love you so much. Let’s go to lunch.”

“Conversations like that will build bridges between you and the people with whom you’re at odds. And often, when we love people despite our disagreements with them, we give them a chance to cross that very same bridge. In the process, we may find more common ground than ever before. . .”

I think that Kingsbury has done an excellent job of putting into words something I have been thinking about lately. It is easy to confuse the person and the position they take. I hope I can express that even though I may be disappointed with the position someone takes, I am not disappointed with that person. I think there is a huge difference here. I hope that when those I love disagree with me, they understand my stand and why I take it, but they also see that I love them in spite of the disagreement.

If you are looking for a great book that will make you think about how you love people, I highly recommend Even Now by Karen Kingsbury.