The God we can trust

GOD DOESN’T PROMISE Christians an easy life, but He does promise to be with us in our suffering. Two excellent new novels ask age-old questions: Why does God allow bad things to happen? And can we trust Him when our prayers aren’t answered the way we expect? Both offer engaging stories in response.

Like many of her other novels, Laura Frantz’s latest work exhibits her extensive knowledge of 18th-century history. Based on true events, it highlights the plight of Acadians—French settlers in Acadie (current-day Nova Scotia)—who desired to live peacefully and claimed neutrality in the French and Indian War between France and England. But in 1755, the British confiscated their weapons and forcibly removed thousands of them from their homeland.

The Seamstress of Acadie (Revell 2024) tells the fictional story of Sylvie Galant, an Acadian shipped to Virginia, where the largely Protestant colonists detest the arrival of the French papists. Sylvie’s faith wavers as she wonders why God would allow such needless suffering and death. But she draws hope from the fact that God collects our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8).

Meanwhile, Army Ranger William Blackburn regrets Britain’s plan to take the land and resigns from his military position. Sylvie considers Maj. Blackburn an enemy—until she gets to know him and realizes his desire to help her fellow exiles. Mutual attraction grows. Frantz deftly weaves themes of faith and renewal throughout this tale of profound loss. She also provides a glossary of French words to help readers navigate the authentic dialogue.

Valentine’s Day is commonly commemorated with heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and overpriced red roses presented to a significant other as tokens of love. But the romantic holiday’s origins stem from a not-so-rosy legend about a real Christian martyr who lived in third-century Rome. Jamie Ogle based her novel Of Love and Treason (Tyndale 2024) on St. Valentine, a church leader who defied the emperor’s ban on marriage by secretly performing weddings.

In this story (also based on legend), Iris is the blind daughter of the local jailer. She and her father pray for years to the various gods of Rome to restore her sight. Valentine offers to pray to his God for her healing. When her sight is restored, Iris and her father become Christians. The emperor begins to ­persecute Christians in earnest, and Valentine’s peril becomes twofold: He can be tried for treason as the leader of a Christian congregation or as a performer of illegal weddings.

Upon Valentine’s arrest, Iris struggles with her newfound faith. It’s easy for her to trust God when good things happen, but how can she believe God is working all things together for good when He allows the man she loves to die? Easy banter and unexpected humor lighten the otherwise heavy theme.