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Stand By Me




I just finished the book, Stand By Me, written by Neta Jackson, and I feel like I’ve just been to a reunion with my Yada Yada Sisters!  Stand By Me is the first book in Jackson’s new series, SouledOut Sisters, and it features Avis Douglass whom I’ve always admired in past novels but felt inferior to until I got to know her in this novel!  She is just like me, juggling responsibilities at home, church and work and has an adult daughter with a lot of drama.

The story unfolds around a new character, Kat, studying for her Master’s Degree at a Chicago university.   Her life becomes intertwined with Avis when she attends SoldOut Community Church and moves with her friends into the same apartment building as Avis.  Life situations begin to emerge and you find yourself dealing with forgiveness, church life, racial tension, praying and surrendering, homelessness, abuse, gossip, and death.   You find yourself thinking about important questions like “What attracted me to Jesus in the first place and choosing the Christian life?” and “How do I Pray in Desperate Circumstances?”

As in all of Neta Jackson’s novels, her mandate is clear.  The Body of Christ is made up of different personalities, colors, cultures, and those differences add flavor to Christianity.  We need Jesus and we need each other.  

Jackson’s novels are refreshing the way she reels you in to the story line with colorful descriptions of Chicago life and characters that come alive as you think of your own close friendships.  I look forward to the next SouledOut Sisters book.

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 18, 2012 at 4:22 PM

    Hmmm....I think I'll have to check this out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. NancyApril 18, 2012 at 4:48 PM

    Thanks for sharing about this book...I am off to check it out....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kathleen April 18, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    Isn't it refreshing to read stories that cast we Christian women in an authentic light?

    ReplyDelete
  4. LorenApril 18, 2012 at 9:26 PM

    Her books are sooo good aren't they :) I love it how the Lord brings those books with characters the we can relate to and learn from!

    Love you Mary!

    ReplyDelete
  5. DeniseApril 19, 2012 at 4:11 AM

    Great review, sounds like a good book.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Debbie PetrasApril 19, 2012 at 6:51 AM

    Sounds like an interesting read! I love that the Body of Christ consists of such a variety of peoples.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  7. RCUBEsApril 19, 2012 at 9:43 AM

    Reading books/novels is one hobby of mine that has been being neglected. Thank you for sharing a what sounds like an awesome book. I should start doing this again especially with a push coming from you! God bless you sister! What a big family we have in Jesus and I pray we, as believers, will always realize that...We do belong to a big family! In His precious Name!

    ReplyDelete

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