By Staci Stallings
“Eternity” might be more accurately called “The one I’m going to get killed for,” and believe me, I fully know this going in. Why? Because I already know some of my Christian readers (especially the newer ones) will question the portrayal of Christians in this story. They will say things like, “I would hardly call them Christian. They went to church, but it didn’t seem to make any difference at all.”
That’s probably one reason I’ve called “Eternity” an inspirational (rather than Christian) romance in the past because I recognized this void almost from the start. However, to be completely honest, that’s not totally accurate either. I think “Eternity” is really about Christians who don’t know and live the meaning of the word. They go to church, but church and God really don’t affect their lives in a practical way.
In fact, they are a lot like I was when I was younger–back when I thought the 10 Commandments were about God taking your fun away, making life harder with all of His rules, and waiting to bop you on the head if you broke one. Since realizing God is about relationship more than religion, I now see my Father’s intense and immediate love in giving me these rules because in them, He is saying, “To be able to really LIVE, here are the ways to avoid life’s messiest, rottenest decisions that will really land you in a pit of yuck.”
So, I think ultimately “Eternity” is not just about the decisions and situations, it is also about how lost, confused, and deluded by the world even Christians can get when they see God as the rule-maker and punisher rather than as the all-wise, loving Father He is.
Therefore, if there’s not enough Christianity in this one for you, know that I knew that upfront and that I am simply giving you the story the way God gave it to me–with lost and hurting Christians who don’t realize they’ve had the Answer the whole time. Call it a practical lesson in what happens when Christian is your label, not your life.
Staci Stallings
A stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, #1 Best Selling Christian author, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Staci touches the lives of people across the globe every week with her various Internet endeavors including:
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Staci’s Ebook Romance Stories:
http://ebookromancestories.com
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