I LOVE this series. Love it!! Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley have come together to bring a series that is real and has the potential to be powerful for the reader. They share issues that families face today. Issues that many times we are afraid to share. We keep these things hidden and try to remain perfect in a very imperfect world.
Could you read, "The Desire", as a stand alone? Yes, of course, but you will be missing out. This is a series that begins with, "The Dance", and follows with, "The Promise". (check out my reviews). This series follows a family. It begins with introducing us to everyone, but in the first of the series the focus is on, Jim and Marilyn, the parents. The second installment takes the focus to, Tom and Jean, the oldest son and his wife. Now we get close to, Allan and Michele. Michele is the daughter of, Jim and Marilyn.
The title gives us a clue of the main theme. Desire. Jim and Marilyn want a child of their own. But there is more that they desire. With great writing, and inviting characters, we are able to walk this journey with Jim and Marilyn.
There is so much that I love about this series. In this novel I enjoy that the writers bring the question of desire to surface. Are our desires always God's? Do we at times get confused about what direction God wants us to travel? We see what our heart wants so badly. Nothing wrong with desire. But, we must learn to wait on the Lord and see what His plans are. Too often we skip ahead and try to make our own thing happen when it doesn't seem to be happening fast enough. We like to make plans. Our problem is that we often don't invite God along.
We see this family come together once again. Struggles will always be in our lives. But, there too are many blessings that flow. This is a series that will not only be entertaining for an afternoon read, but will give you life lessons along the way. Love books that make me ponder. This is a one of them.
Hey, this isn't the end to this series! We'll get to grab up book 4 in the spring of 2015. Enjoy!!
This novel was a gift from Revell for sharing my review with you.
Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of many books, including The Dance and The Promise with Gary Smalley, The Discovery, and What Follows After. He has won three Carol Awards, and three of his novels were finalists for RT Book Reviews Inspirational Book of the Year. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.
Gary Smalley is one of the country's best-known authors and speakers on family relationships and has appeared on national television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, and TODAY, as well as numerous national radio programs. He is the bestselling and award-winning author or coauthor of many books, including the Baxter Family Redemption series with Karen Kingsbury and The Dance and The Promise with Dan Walsh. Gary and his wife, Norma, have been married for 50 years and live in Missouri.
