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YESTERDAY'S PROMISE - Vanessa Miller Whitaker House/Christian April 2010 |
SYNOPSIS: After 30 years of leadership, Bishop Langston Johnson decides to step down. To succeed him, he appoints Steven Marks--Melinda Johnson's ex-fiancé. Frequent interaction with the new bishop incites bitter sparring, and rekindles their long-suppressed attraction.
INSPIRATIONAL FICTION |4+| Darlene Mitchell
REVIEW: Melinda Johnson believes she has a calling on her life to preach and pastor her own ministry someday. With her father being Bishop Langston Johnson of Omega Christian Center, continuously singing praises for Melinda’s exceptional preaching and soul winning abilities, she allows nothing to stop her from achieving what God has called her to do…not even love. Losing her mother at a young age after her mother’s promise to never leave her causes her to lose faith in promises. It is the love, betrayal and repeated broken promises of those closest to her that leaves her questioning her walk with God and His call on her life.
Pastor Steven Marks is Melinda’s best friend and fiancé, until he breaks their engagement two weeks before their wedding; all because she would not give up her dream of preaching. Having his father speak the words of Apostle Paul in I Timothy 2:11-14 that women have no role in ministry except to submit and be quiet to him all his life, Steven issues Melinda an ultimatum…Be his wife or Preach the Gospel. Leaving Melinda at the altar, Steven marries another who dies tragically in a car accident leaving behind Brianna, his emotionally distraught young daughter who blames herself for her mother’s death.
As Bishop Johnson prepares to retire, he looks to Steven to replace him as Bishop of Omega Christian Center. Although his offer to Steven breaks his promise to Melinda to pastor, he secretly prays that they will once again find the love lost many years ago and reconcile. As Steven accepts the offer, he soon realizes the old adage of never missing your water until your well runs dry ringing true in his heart concerning his love for Melinda.
Vanessa Miller writes a fast paced, well developed, and very compelling second chance love story that focuses on the trials and tribulations of a woman who believes God has a calling on her life to preach and the man that loves her, but doesn’t believe in her calling. Using strong characters and many scriptures, Vanessa Miller so poignantly reveals how easy it is to lose sight of what is really important. By adding the emotions and fears of a little girl suffering the same loss makes for a believable story full of compassion and healing for all.
Yesterday’s Promise is a wonderful story of love and understanding that will pull on your heart strings and encourage you to read and understand God’s Word for yourself. It is not God’s Word that causes confusion, but how we interpret His Word to justify our wants and needs that can reap havoc in many lives!
reviewer@romanceincolor.com | 26th April 2010