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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

"BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON" by Tricia Goyer


"By The Light of the Silvery Moon" by Tricia Goyer is skillfully crafted with intricately interwoven lives enmeshed in major deep-rooted conflicts and characters that poignantly tug at one's heart-strings. Indepth historical research is accurately interspersed with the epitome of luxury to capture the magical mystic of the Titanic, highlighted by impending doom, in a tragic disaster waiting in the wings of time.
The Titanic was a ship of dreams, touted as "the greatest ship ever built." There has never been a ship like it before and there probably never will be again. It was intended to be much more than just a great engineering feat of mankind. It symbolized the dawn of hope and the promise of a bright future that was tragically not to be. In the history of the Titanic, time was destined to be an endlessly-flowing river. 


THE STORY IN A NUTSHELL



Aboard the Titanic, Amelia Gladstone was all set to celebrate the historic advent of a splendid new era, heralding in the most luxurious ocean liners that ever sailed the seven seas. Determined to live in the present, Amelia decided not to let the anchor of memories pull her down and sink her flagging spirits. Nor would she allow the waves of worry to batter and bruise her heart. Amelia prayed to God to enable her to savour the present moment and live in the here and now. She wanted to be open to what God had in store for her future. Amelia's aching heart yearned for new horizons, fresh insights and a much stronger faith to sustain her through difficult times. Amelia loved God with all her heart but she knew she had not been as bold in sharing her faith as she should have been.
Quentin Walpole was wounded and scared. He longed for a friend whom he could trust. Amelia could see that gaze, deep down in his eyes. She wished she could do more for him, maybe even be that special friend he yearned for. Perhaps it would happen, on this ship of dreams and hope. Amelia wondered whether Quentin had people in his past life whom he missed dearly and longed to see again. Did Quentin's heart painfully ache "to know and be known, to love and be loved?"
Clarence Walpole missed his youngest son, Quentin, more than words could say. It had been five long years since Quentin had walked out of his heart and his life, claiming his share of his inheritance and squandering it away. Deep down in his heart, Clarence was sure thadaqs'npin w`q alive and well somewhere. If only he knew where he was. If only he could catch a glimpse of him. That would have comforted his father-heart as nothing else could.
Clarence was overwhelmed as he clung desperately to his faith. His heart ached with deep regrets as he struggled to hold back his tears. He could not afford to cry any more. He had already wept his heart out. He knew he had to be strong in order to prove that God's strength sustained him. What other choice did he have? Hope was his only option and his only way out. Clarence was well aware that God knew where Quentin was. He knew that he could trust God who loved Quentin even more than he did. At this moment, that knowledge had to be sufficient. He would trust God to take care of Quentin until the way opened up for him to see him again. When Clarence heard that Amelia had seen Quentin, he longed to see his son himself. "Give your sons to Me," an inner voice whispered compellingly in his heart. A peace flooded his whole being and he knew he had heard God's voice. "Lord, I am willing." Make me even more willing.
Amelia needed time alone by herself to recollect her thoughts and reaffirm her purpose for this voyage. She must make sure that she did not forget what lay behind her nor what was ahead. "May God fill your heart with a new love, to hold you up when the missing gets too terrible." She would pray for Quentin. A warm sensation enveloped her and a strange feeling of someone standing behind her pervaded her senses. She spun around but saw no one. An inner peace descended upon her heart and Amelia knew that she sensed the presence of God with her. A sudden conviction hit her that it was no strange coincidence that Quentin, his father, Clarence and his brother, Damien were all on this ship together. It was not by chance that she was offered an extra passenger's ticket on this ship which she gave to Quentin, on seeing him being dragged mercilessly off the gangplank. Amelia knew that God had a purpose for Quentin and He was instrumental in using her to meet his father and brother from whom he was estranged, despite being together on the same ship. Amelia knew that Quentin was in God's hands. She whispered a prayer that God would soften Quentin's heart and gently remind him of his father's love.
Amelia's heart ached as she thought of all the lonely years. Despite her pain and heartache, God had always been faithful to her. He had given her a brand new hope for her future. It marked a turning point in her life. It was both pointless and hopeless to think of what was past. She needed to focus on the present and look with hope to the future. She thought of Quentin. He was one of God's gifts to her. All he had to offer to her was his heart. When he gazed at her, his eyes reached deep down into her heart and moved her in a way no one had ever done before. When Amelia looked into Quentin's face, she felt a gentle peace stirring in her heart. She knew what she had never known before. Quentin was God's choice for her.
Quentin's heart felt full and complete. He knew that in order to win Amelia's affections, he would have to surrender. And he did just that. He prayed and surrendered, asking God to forgive all his past mistakes. Something snapped inside him and all his pain drained out into the hands of Jesus. "Quentin, who'd run away from love, now dared to hope love could be possible." Winning Amelia's heart was a gift Quentin felt he had no right to receive. Her simple innocence almost brought him to his knees.
As Amelia prayed for Quentin, God ministered to her heart that she was to guide Quentin into healing for his own pain. God had a gift of healing for Quentin that He wanted Amelia to deliver. "Lord, restore what was lost. Heal what's been broken. Whatever it takes." No matter what life held in the future for Amelia, she could never forget God's healing power that could easily restore in an instant what had been hurt and broken for so long.
When Quentin honored Amelia's words enough to lay down his pride and honor and reunite with his beloved father, Amelia knew deep down in her heart that she had hope for a brand new life with Quentin. She felt utterly cherished and saw with wide open eyes the amazing power of prayer at work. Prayer really made a huge difference in people's lives. Amelia realized this as seeds of love for Quentin were slowly germinating in the garden of her heart. She knew that she would have to trust God even more now than she had ever done before.
Amelia and Quentin learnt that none of their experiences in life would ever be wasted. God could take the broken pieces and fashion them into the most beautiful patterned mosaic. Something good would always come out of their past failures when they offered them to God to be transformed by His life-changing power. When Quentin bravely confronted the mistakes and failures of his life, and walked away from a past that had so often held him in chains, he made a fresh new start to life. Amelia and Quentin decided to trust God with what lay ahead. God would show them. As they grew closer to him, he would make a way where there was none. God had used Amelia to give Quentin the greatest gifts he could ever imagine - a reconciliation with God and with his own father. During the horrific ship wreck, both Amelia and Quentin sensed that God was just a whispered prayer away. His voice hovered over the dark waters, calling His children home. When Amelia thought she had lost Quentin, she acknowledged that she had lost the greatest treasure of all - love. God had given her Quentin's love briefly, only to lose him tragically, or so she thought, until she found him. "Amelia remembered Quentin's last smile. His last look of love." Faced with the imminent loss of the life of Quentin, the man whom she loved the most, and after being reunited with him, Amelia decided to put her utmost faith in God. "It's not what I put my faith in, it's who I put my faith in," she said.
Miriam Jacob
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this e-book free from LITFUSE GROUP through the LITFUSE GROUP book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

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