[67Q]≫ Descargar Gratis The Reluctant Prophet A Novel The Reluctant Prophet Series Nancy Rue 9781434764966 Books

The Reluctant Prophet A Novel The Reluctant Prophet Series Nancy Rue 9781434764966 Books

Download As PDF : The Reluctant Prophet A Novel The Reluctant Prophet Series Nancy Rue 9781434764966 Books

The Reluctant Prophet A Novel The Reluctant Prophet Series Nancy Rue 9781434764966 Books

Allison Chamberlain is a 40-something woman who's lived her Christianity behind stained glass. She's never had any interest in riding a Harley, certainly not in buying one, but one morning at church, she feels a divine "Nudge" to do exactly that. With no idea why God could possibly be asking this of her, Allison obeys. The purchase puts her on a road to meet new people. Her life changes, both instantly and slowly, as for the first time she is faced with the plight of "the least of these."

Ms. Rue's first person voice and dialogue are engaging as always. I really love her deep-point-of-view style. In fact, this might be the main reason I've never missed one of her adult novels (until this series; I realize all three are out and I only recently got to the first one). Her craft is truly excellent. This is a stellar example of a character-driven novel. If you're a reader who defines "plot" as high-speed action, then this book will move slowly for you. The story is about people, their interactions and reactions. Its fuel is more tension than suspense. But when the characters are well-drawn, this apparently works for me.

In the first chapter, Allison downright irritated me. I wanted to keep reading to discover if I'd ever like her. (I do, of course.) She's a complicated character--sardonic and sincere, tough and vulnerable, uncertain and determined, relationship-impaired in her own eyes yet constantly forging new connections with people who need her help.

Then there's Desmond, a fatherless twelve-year-old whose mother is slowly destroying both of them with her drug addiction and prostitution. Desmond is nearly as layered as Allison herself, swaggering and sweet-talking his way out of trouble, swearing and stealing because he's never been taught not to, yet also an artist with surprising insight into the people he draws. Another unexpectedly nuanced character is Bonner, the annoying-like-a-brother guy Allison knows from church who'd ask her out if she'd say yes. I didn't expect him to come through in such great ways by the end.

The Sacrament House "sisters," women rescued from prostitution and turning their lives around with the help of Allison and God, are more a collective character than individuals. Though each has her own broad personality type, they aren't given the details that would breathe them to life. The same goes for Allison's small group at church. However, I can't really consider this a flaw. The book has quite a large cast. Not everyone can be as deep as Allison and Desmond.

One character I hope will be developed a lot more deeply in future books is Chief. He's pretty awesome already (Harley-riding lawyer with piercing "eagle eyes" and an unflappable personality), but I know almost nothing about him at this point. I want details on his skepticism toward God, his friendship with Hank and how it began, his family (does he even have one?) ... etc. Yes, I'm most definitely going to be reading UNEXPECTED DISMOUNTS, and curiosity about Chief is a big reason for that.

And now, a word (or ten) about the theme, since that's clearly where this novel's creation started. I could do with a little more subtlety. In fact, I was surprised how close the author came to preaching, since that isn't her usual tendency. Her message is two-pronged. First, legalism is not what Jesus taught and, as such, is not true Christianity. (With this, I agree entirely.) Second, love is what Jesus did teach and, as such, is what true Christians will spread and teach.

With this one, I agree, too. But Allison (and thus the author) often seems to believe that love equals acceptance. Period. It's a thin line to walk, I know, but it is a line. The scene that most bothered me is between Allison and her soon-to-be-former pastor. Now, to this point, Allison's church has not in any way supported her efforts with sheltering and rehabilitating these women. Her fellow church members (including her pastor) are all in favor of checking the women into rehab and doing other things from a distance. But up close and personal with hookers is a little too dirty-hands for them, and Allison's involvement is making them uncomfortable. Reverend Garry shows up to try to bring her back into the fold of the prim and proper. Thing is, his theology isn't wrong, merely his application of it. But Allison condemns both. From page 403:

[Garry]: "I just don't want to see you water down the gospel. We can't call someone a Christian just because she's stopped using drugs."

[Allison]: "Our trouble is that we're not talking about the same gospel. The gospel I know is the one where Jesus preached and lived the unconditional love of salvation. You know--the one where he ate at the same table with the hookers and the drug addicts and the victims of injustice and poverty--that one. The one you're talking about is the one I haven't read--where only the right kind of people get into the closed club and get saved."

The implication is that the Gospel is simply unconditionally loving people. End of story. Yes, Jesus ate with "tax collectors and sinners." He also called them out on their sin and told them to repent. There's not a single scene of repentance in this novel.

Interestingly, however, there are moments in which one or another of the rescued women seems to be behaving post-repentance. They're studying the Bible. They're telling others about Jesus. They're taking communion and seem to understand and embrace its meaning. Near the end, Allison describes salvation as embracing Jesus "as our personal savior" and describes one of the women as "on her way to a life of discipleship." So I guess the Gospel is present here, on the whole, but some parts of it are definitely glossed over. Which would likely bother me less if the book didn't fervently want me to agree with everything Allison says.

For the overtness of the themes and some truth blurring, I've got to deduct a star. However, I fully intend to read and enjoy this series. Nancy Rue has penned some of the best literary Christian fiction I've read. Her dialogue is clever and genuine and contains just enough humor. Her prose is unobtrusive yet artful. And her point of view is delightfully deep. I'm still a fan, and I look forward to the next book and, hopefully, finding out who Chief is on the inside, and why.


Tags : The Reluctant Prophet: A Novel (The Reluctant Prophet Series) [Nancy Rue] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <DIV> At age forty-two, Allison Chamberlain is still making a half-hearted attempt to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. Although she has been a pew-sitting member of a church for seven years,Nancy Rue,The Reluctant Prophet: A Novel (The Reluctant Prophet Series),David C. Cook,1434764966,Middle-aged women;Fiction.,Women missionaries;Fiction.,Women motorcyclists;Fiction.,American Novel And Short Story,Christian - General,Contemporary Women,Fiction,Fiction - Religious,Fiction Christian General,Fiction Contemporary Women,Middle-aged women,Women missionaries,Women motorcyclists

The Reluctant Prophet A Novel The Reluctant Prophet Series Nancy Rue 9781434764966 Books Reviews

I wasn't expecting much when I downloaded "The Reluctant Prophet" - I've read a lot of novels categorized as "Christian fiction", and 98% of it (at least) isn't worth the paper - or electrons - it's printed on. Just formulaic, deadly dull, with the Four Spiritual Laws shoe-horned in awkwardly so that the author can feel like he or she is "reaching the lost." Phooey to that.

This book is not that. This book is a lot closer to reality, and vive la difference!

Allison Chamberlain has a realistic life, with a realistic past, realistic issues, and a realistic relationship with Christ - which suddenly takes a hard left turn when Christ starts talking back! His voice leads her to a lot of places she doesn't expect - like a Harley-Davidson dealership, the worst neighborhood in her hometown, and confrontations with people she thought were her friends (and were -- as long as she toed the line) and at least one person she was more than happy to leave behind years before. There are no Four Spiritual Laws here, no three-points-and-a-prayer, no soft-soap, no easy conversions - just a lot of real life in all its glorious messiness. It's a novel for grown-ups - and that places Nancy Rue in very select company in the Christian publishing world.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good, realistic story - Christian, non-Christian or not even sure. It's a treat!
Reminiscent of Charles Sheldon's In His Steps, The Reluctant Prophet follows the story of Allison Chamberlain as she gets a divine nudge to do crazy things - like buy that Harley Davidson she doesn't even know how to ride. And care for that broken prostitute and her loud-mouthed son who have just lost their father and grandfather. Allison isn't always certain that she's hearing God's voice right, but that doesn't stop her from doing her best to follow what she believes is His will for her life.

Rue addresses several issues in this book - the call of God to take care of the broken and the downtrodden, the religiosity that has crept into the church, and the ability of one person, who opens her heart to God, to start making changes in her community. One of the things I liked about this story was the way it dealt with doubt and faith - and not knowing all the answers. It opens a place for dialogue for people who are struggling with their calling, especially when it is not quite accepted by the church.

Another thing I think this story addresses is the fact that people in the church can and should do ministry with the help of non-believers - one of Chamberlain's greatest support was her fellow HOG, Chief, who's quite a skeptic about God.

The book is not without it's faults sometimes things just seem to fall into place too easily and too quickly. Sure, Rue is showing that God is sovereign and he uses our background and past even before we knew Him to equip us to do what He wants us to do today, but I would think that a more faith-driven approach might have been a better touch.

On a whole, The Reluctant Prophet was a great read - one of the better Christian fiction I have read in a while. This is the kind of thing that "Christian fiction" needs more of. (Well, I think so anyway).
Allison Chamberlain is a 40-something woman who's lived her Christianity behind stained glass. She's never had any interest in riding a Harley, certainly not in buying one, but one morning at church, she feels a divine "Nudge" to do exactly that. With no idea why God could possibly be asking this of her, Allison obeys. The purchase puts her on a road to meet new people. Her life changes, both instantly and slowly, as for the first time she is faced with the plight of "the least of these."

Ms. Rue's first person voice and dialogue are engaging as always. I really love her deep-point-of-view style. In fact, this might be the main reason I've never missed one of her adult novels (until this series; I realize all three are out and I only recently got to the first one). Her craft is truly excellent. This is a stellar example of a character-driven novel. If you're a reader who defines "plot" as high-speed action, then this book will move slowly for you. The story is about people, their interactions and reactions. Its fuel is more tension than suspense. But when the characters are well-drawn, this apparently works for me.

In the first chapter, Allison downright irritated me. I wanted to keep reading to discover if I'd ever like her. (I do, of course.) She's a complicated character--sardonic and sincere, tough and vulnerable, uncertain and determined, relationship-impaired in her own eyes yet constantly forging new connections with people who need her help.

Then there's Desmond, a fatherless twelve-year-old whose mother is slowly destroying both of them with her drug addiction and prostitution. Desmond is nearly as layered as Allison herself, swaggering and sweet-talking his way out of trouble, swearing and stealing because he's never been taught not to, yet also an artist with surprising insight into the people he draws. Another unexpectedly nuanced character is Bonner, the annoying-like-a-brother guy Allison knows from church who'd ask her out if she'd say yes. I didn't expect him to come through in such great ways by the end.

The Sacrament House "sisters," women rescued from prostitution and turning their lives around with the help of Allison and God, are more a collective character than individuals. Though each has her own broad personality type, they aren't given the details that would breathe them to life. The same goes for Allison's small group at church. However, I can't really consider this a flaw. The book has quite a large cast. Not everyone can be as deep as Allison and Desmond.

One character I hope will be developed a lot more deeply in future books is Chief. He's pretty awesome already (Harley-riding lawyer with piercing "eagle eyes" and an unflappable personality), but I know almost nothing about him at this point. I want details on his skepticism toward God, his friendship with Hank and how it began, his family (does he even have one?) ... etc. Yes, I'm most definitely going to be reading UNEXPECTED DISMOUNTS, and curiosity about Chief is a big reason for that.

And now, a word (or ten) about the theme, since that's clearly where this novel's creation started. I could do with a little more subtlety. In fact, I was surprised how close the author came to preaching, since that isn't her usual tendency. Her message is two-pronged. First, legalism is not what Jesus taught and, as such, is not true Christianity. (With this, I agree entirely.) Second, love is what Jesus did teach and, as such, is what true Christians will spread and teach.

With this one, I agree, too. But Allison (and thus the author) often seems to believe that love equals acceptance. Period. It's a thin line to walk, I know, but it is a line. The scene that most bothered me is between Allison and her soon-to-be-former pastor. Now, to this point, Allison's church has not in any way supported her efforts with sheltering and rehabilitating these women. Her fellow church members (including her pastor) are all in favor of checking the women into rehab and doing other things from a distance. But up close and personal with hookers is a little too dirty-hands for them, and Allison's involvement is making them uncomfortable. Reverend Garry shows up to try to bring her back into the fold of the prim and proper. Thing is, his theology isn't wrong, merely his application of it. But Allison condemns both. From page 403

[Garry] "I just don't want to see you water down the gospel. We can't call someone a Christian just because she's stopped using drugs."

[Allison] "Our trouble is that we're not talking about the same gospel. The gospel I know is the one where Jesus preached and lived the unconditional love of salvation. You know--the one where he ate at the same table with the hookers and the drug addicts and the victims of injustice and poverty--that one. The one you're talking about is the one I haven't read--where only the right kind of people get into the closed club and get saved."

The implication is that the Gospel is simply unconditionally loving people. End of story. Yes, Jesus ate with "tax collectors and sinners." He also called them out on their sin and told them to repent. There's not a single scene of repentance in this novel.

Interestingly, however, there are moments in which one or another of the rescued women seems to be behaving post-repentance. They're studying the Bible. They're telling others about Jesus. They're taking communion and seem to understand and embrace its meaning. Near the end, Allison describes salvation as embracing Jesus "as our personal savior" and describes one of the women as "on her way to a life of discipleship." So I guess the Gospel is present here, on the whole, but some parts of it are definitely glossed over. Which would likely bother me less if the book didn't fervently want me to agree with everything Allison says.

For the overtness of the themes and some truth blurring, I've got to deduct a star. However, I fully intend to read and enjoy this series. Nancy Rue has penned some of the best literary Christian fiction I've read. Her dialogue is clever and genuine and contains just enough humor. Her prose is unobtrusive yet artful. And her point of view is delightfully deep. I'm still a fan, and I look forward to the next book and, hopefully, finding out who Chief is on the inside, and why.