A Secret Revealed

I have spent the last few days keeping a secret. Initially, I planned to disclose it right away. Once I considered what I had learned in its entirety, however, I selfishly decided to enjoy the delicious information privately for a time. I have revisited my favorite tidbits over and over again, as one might enjoy a hidden box of chocolates piece-by-piece, until it is discovered by someone else. Then it becomes only right to share. Besides, eating a whole box of chocolates alone is never as much fun as sharing it with someone you love. Being a lover of anything fun, I am ready to reveal what I have kept under wraps until this moment.

I have found a treasure. It is something which filled me with a sense of community, concern, joy, anger, laughter, hunger and a comforting feeling of fullness, both physically and spiritually. The best part, though, is the way it gently kissed me with hope. The secret blessing came in the form of a book written by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Samson. Her newest work, Straight Up, is the source of my delight.

Georgia Bishop and Fairly Godfrey are cousins who both face loss at an age when no one should. Straight Up chronicles their individual journeys to healing their broken places and moving forward, fully aware of God’s grace and active presence in their lives. Along the way we are introduced to an interesting cast of characters. Clarissa is a girl sorely in need of God’s provision. Her story mingles with theirs in a way that only becomes clear as Georgia and Fairly’s stories unfold. Uncle Geoffrey plays a pivotal role in both of their lives. Through him we meet an eclectic clan, each with their own painful pasts, who have found a way to steep themselves in the healing waters of God’s grace enough to forgive themselves, forge ahead, and offer that same grace to others. Enjoying meals together plays a central role in their relationship with each other. It is not possible to read through some of the passages in this book without wishing you could try Della-Faye’s Fried Chicken and Cobbler, Uncle Geoffrey’s Lamb Curry or even Jonah’s Groundnut Stew. When they meet for these meals, they also take the time to observe communion together.

I will never look at communion in the same way after reading this book. The sacrament often moves me to tears; the mere thought of Jesus suffering and dying like He did -to save me, nonetheless- can overwhelm me. Fairly becomes aware of another aspect of Christ’s crucifixion to consider, though. She realizes, “He didn’t just die to save me from something. He died to give me something, too.” Oh, how true that is! He gave us life and the liberty to live it under His grace, His forgiveness. We don’t have to merely trudge through life, limited by the poor choices we have made. We can live blameless, exciting lives because we are forgiven!

Ultimately, that is what Straight Up is all about. God gives us many opportunities to do joyous, amazing things that honor Him and bless us. Whether or not we capitalize on those opportunities is up to us. As Georgia and Fairly learn, God has a plan for each of us. Actually, He has multiple plans. If we make the wrong choice with one opportunity, He will always offer us another. We have a hope and a future no matter what our past might contain.

Georgia’s story is laced together by her love of Jazz. She is an incredible Jazz musician, as was her mother. The lives of many Jazz greats serve as encouragement and caution to Georgia as she struggles to find her way to being able to forgive past hurts and accept the peace God wants to offer her.

Fairly uses her beauty and artistic talent to keep people at arm’s length. She focuses her energy on decorating homes and looking beautiful. For her, superficial relationships are safer than investing emotionally in someone who might not always be around for her. This way, there is less chance of being hurt.

After reading the last sentence of this book, I needed to be still and celebrate God’s determination to never give up on me. He is so good to always provide a way when there seems to be no way. He doesn’t only give hope, He is Hope! Our past does not have to limit our ability to live abundant lives. If I learned anything from Georgia and Fairly it is that our determination to grab a hold of the opportunities God lays in our laps will reap rewards not solely in eternity, but for us here. Now! We have to take chances, get messy and risk our emotional selves to reap those rewards. I hope you can forgive me for keeping such an encouraging book to myself for a short time. Now that the secret is out, do yourself a favor and read Straight Up, by Lisa Samson. It goes great with chocolate!