The Reluctant Prophet Trilogy

I've developed a reputation for being completely objective in my reviews. I don't share my opinions. But this new blog will allow for commentary. It's not part of the future database. This is where I can just TALK about amazing books. So here's the best of them: Nancy Rue's Reluctant Prophet Trilogy. Why do I say it's the best? Because she knocks you right out of your comfort zone! In my country, many Christians live very comfortable, easy lives. My idea of a "trial" is having one of our two cars break down and need an expensive repair. But right here in my country, right around the corner from many of us live some people with very different lives. We like to pretend that world doesn't exist, or that those people just chose that lifestyle and don't want out. We think God is ok with our nice clean churches, saying to the lost "if you get cleaned up and find your way into church, I'll tell you how to get saved". Nancy Rue shows a character who goes to the world of those dirty, needy, sinful people and brings them into her home. She feeds them, she clothes them, she holds them as they go through withdrawals, she teaches them career skills and parenting skills, she gets them to the point where they turn around helping others. And her church shuns her for it. They say "We have government programs for that." Because obviously, when God said to look after orphans and widows in their distress, He meant, pay taxes every year so the government will do it for you. Don't get your hands dirty reaching the lost yourself." 
If God ever opens doors for me to reach the dirty, the helpless, the pathetic, I want to jump in head first just like Allison Chamberlin did! She's my hero! 

 Here's a review I wrote a long time ago giving a summary of book 1:

"My life had been snatched away and replaced with someone else’s – some other Allison who took in prostitutes and fatherless boys with half-mothers and rode a Harley into the ‘hood."

Book: The Reluctant Prophet: A Novel (The Reluctant Prophet Series) by Nancy Rue, David C. Cook Publishing, 2010

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Women 16 and up

Subjects: Showing love to others, drugs, prostitutes, Church

Summary: Allison has longed for God to tell her what to do for 7 years, but she certainly never expected Him to tell her to go buy a motorcycle and take it to the first part of town! So when she first hears His voice, she denies it, confident she is wrong. But she finally has to admit that He is speaking to her, or “nudging” her and He really does have an unbelievable plan for her! Next thing she knows, she has a house full of prostitutes on withdrawl from drugs and a juvenile delinquent and neighbors complaining about motorcycles driving into the neighborhood at all hours of the day and night! Her life has just undergone a radical change and all because she dared to listen to that nudge!

Notes: This is a beautiful story of someone  choosing to follow God and do extreme things for Him! Allison is a prophet, someone who speaks the words of God and challenges others to follow Him as well. Her Church  Bible study group does not look at all with favor on what she is doing and gets the most challenge. She challenges them to stop making converts that can contribute to the Church offering plate and add to their tallies of people saved, but rather to go out and love people and treat them the way Christ would. They dare to say the government has programs for people like this but it doesn’t stop Allison from following Christ herself instead of dumping that job on the government. Allison faces life-threatening and heart breaking situations and keeps doing what it takes to follow Christ. I highly recommend this book to anyone who dares open themselves up to what following Christ really means.

Spiritual Content Scale: 5/5
Enjoyment Scale: 5/5
Romance Scale: 2/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Matthew 25:40 – The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’