It’s that time of year again. Christmas lights are popping up everywhere, neighbors in friendly competition try to outdo one another with lavish displays. Old town streets still delight us with their quaint displays. Every neighborhood seems to have at least one house spectacular enough in its light display to make the local news. Lights, whether candlelight, twinkling light or starlight have an inexplicable draw upon us all.

Our highlighted book this month has a light all it’s own. The long-anticipated final installment of Jan Karon’s best-selling Mitford Series, Light From Heaven , has finally hit the bookshelves. Although this volume stands alone with it’s own heart-warming, uplifting tale, the full impact of the great themes of grace, hope, and encouragement can best be appreciated by those who have already taken a turn ambling down Main, Lilac, or Wisteria with the Rev. Tim and Mrs. Cynthia Kavanaugh. There are new and interesting characters waiting to be found, and all of our old friends return with their own unique charms.

Father Tim is one of those characters who will pleasantly reside in your memory, whispering at the appropriate moments, “Aha”, and “Consider it done”, reminding you to pray that prayer that never fails. Most importantly, his character gives inspiration to those who believe that at a certain age our usefulness in the church wanes until some point when it is actually finished. His character’s usefulness not only buds, but blooms into full blossom as the years go by, often with apprehension, often stumbling along the way, but tenaciously continuing to abound in the work of the Lord. Walk along with Father Tim as he makes himself available to fulfill God’s callings, whatever they may be, by letting God’s “light from heaven” shine through him. A fragrant fully- blossomed flower is a truly appropriate phrase to describe the lingering aroma that remains when you have finished the feast that is the Mitford Series.

For many years, I was a fiction snob. My reading diet was full. Theology was my main course. God’s perspective on issues, my side dishes. Biographies the rare dessert. Time was to precious to “waste” on stories. Read, study, learn, research, dig… until one day when reading just became work. I had forgotten the peaceable and restful pleasure of reading just for fun. The classics, of course, were an exception. Pilgrim’s Progress, Hind’s Feet on High Places, Stepping Heavenward, C.S. Lewis, George McDonald, Elizabeth Prentiss… but of course I assumed there was no one of that caliber writing today…no one that could make you want to stay up well into the late night because you “just can’t put this book down.” I had tried one or two so-called Christian fiction books, and to be honest, the murky, twisted, and downright wrongful approach to Scriptural truth turned me right off.

Then a friend called me and said, “I have a book for you. It is about a 60 year-old rector whose Christian life of fruitfulness is beginning all over again in new and unexpected directions… when a large, unruly dog (who only obeys scripture), and a lost young boy wander into his heretofore quiet and orderly life, and God surprises him with unforeseeable and unexpected opportunities.” “You have to read it, I know you will love it!” So began my long and wonderful relationship with Jan Karon’s “Mitford” series. In just a few chapters, I was hooked. This was the kind of reading that made me feel at home in it’s company and put a smile on my face. Each book left me with a renewed lightness in my step. Visiting in Mitford was as restorative as a weekend getaway to a favorite destination.

Since then, I have come to rediscover the joys of reading fiction just for the pure pleasure of it and found my treasured Jane Austin and R.D. Blackmore have modern-day contemporaries of giftedness when it comes to skill in writing

“Christian” fiction has benefits that travel far beyond the relaxing and quiet pleasure of watching a good story unfold. Of course, the first rule of reading “Christian” fiction is to remember that we do NOT develop our theology from fiction. The dangers inherent in doing so are enough to warn many away from the popular offerings. However, in well-written fiction and with the right perspective, we can consider how a character’s walk with his God plays out within the circumstances of his life as we, with Berean-like watchfulness, reserve our own judgments as to actual Truth when it comes to small doctrinal differences. The best Christian fiction allows us to enter into the heart and mind of man struggling to live out the promises and privileges of God’s Word in his daily walk, hearing his thoughts and rationalizations and eavesdropping on the interplay of his intimacy with his Creator and Savior. Seeing another person struggle, trust, understand, grow, endure, overcome, and “shine” has an encouragement all of it’s own… driving the thoughtful believer to examine some of his own struggles and motivations. In large and small ways, Christian fiction can be challenging and thought provoking.

If you know someone who has read the Mitford series, give him this last book for Christmas. If not, start someone you love on the first book of this series.

Nationwide bookstore chains will do a bustling business this Christmas spreading the world’s perspective on everything under the sun. Millions of people will be receiving one more sweater, another tie, or a toy that will find it’s way to the trash one day. Think about investing this year in some food for the soul. Give someone you love a gift that will warm his heart. For your friends that may not find a Theological book to be an appropriate gift, consider the Christian Fiction shelves. For the kids, check out the Christian perspectives on Narnia or Lord of the Rings. For the adults, the selections are varied. The Mitford series is one you can trust. For the believer, it is great fun in the context of great truths. For the seeking soul, it is a gentle story that will draw him down a path of truth that will lead him home. For the rest, it is still a great story… Check out a Christian bookstore near you, and give those you love the gift of a story that will warm their hearts and feed their soul.

Have you ever discovered a character in Christian Fiction who has been a great encouragement to you, and challenged you to grow as a Christian? If so, send us a short review.