Oh boy. I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up Polarized Love by Lisa Renee last week. It began in the standard romancey way. But a few chapters in, I realized this story has teeth.
I need to back up a little and tell you a story of my own. When I was still single, a young man in my church came onto me with a pickup line I’ve never forgotten. According to him, God had told him I was “the one” for him. Except God had said no such thing. I barely knew this man, and even before he approached me, my “ick” radar was pinging.
A story that needed to be told
This sort of thing happens a lot in church, where people are desperate to seek God’s will and where we believe that God does have a specific plan for our lives. But, being human, we often get it very wrong. We sometimes use spiritual language to justify our own willfulness, claiming God has given us special information that flies in the face of God’s own principles.
Sometimes there’s emotional immaturity involved. And sometimes there are mental health issues. This is the first time I’ve read a Christian romance that deals with this painful but very real blend of troubles.
In Polarized Love Bethany, a pastor’s daughter in Australia, is trying to figure out what God wants for her. She meets US Navy chaplain Lachlan and the two have an instant and powerful connection. But the timing, logistics, and geography are all wrong. Lachlan goes back to the States, and their relationship withers on the bud, before it ever really got started.
Then Bethany meets Nick, another American sailor. Nick is sure that God has a plan for him that includes Bethany as his wife. Unlike the hesitant Lachlan, Nick has a clear vision for his future and is determined to move forward. Surely that means God is opening the door for him and Bethany to be together… doesn’t it?
I love how this story didn’t sugarcoat how hard it is to figure out and walk in God’s plan, especially when our emotions are involved. Get Polarized Love here.