We Cannot Save the Ones We Love

Guest post By Christine Lindsay

We humans were created with a wide variety of personality bents. A
strong trait in my family is that of “caregiver.” Scientific lists
describe this attribute as a “savior” type, or supporter. Certainly not a
bad thing, and a characteristic we find in most doctors or nurses,
firemen, police officers, and so on.

But personality traits can have a negative aspect as well as the positive. Some of us can carry this virtue to a fault.

How can one be faulted for having strong desires to help others? Unless
your kind of service, your fixing of the situation, actually hinders God
from doing what He wants to do in that person’s life.

Have you ever stopped in the middle of helping others out of a jam, and
thought, maybe it would be better if they took their lumps and learned
from their unhappy circumstances?



As parents, we use a “time out” session or some other form of discipline to teach our kids about life. God does the same thing.

In my latest historical romance Sofi’s Bridge, both the hero and the
heroine are “savior” or “supporter” personality types. Sofi’s Bridge
showcases the valuable truth, that these characters, alone, cannot save
their loved ones. In fact, in both Sofi and Neil, their traits to “save”
others actually deepens the trough of predicaments, grief and despair
in the lives of the people they want to help most.

Here is a brief excerpt from Sofi’s Bridge where Irish hero Neil learns this important spiritual lesson:

Back when Neil and Jimmy were only lads, the two of them hanging on to
their father’s hand as they walked to church on a Sunday morn. Bells
chimed all over Belfast. Inside the gray stone building, Neil had
listened to the minister preach of what Christ had done on the cross for
all mankind, taking the punishment that people like him deserved.

Now in this jail cell, Neil sat up and leaned his elbows on his knees.
His hands dangled between them like heavy weights. As a boy he’d
believed in what Jesus had done. But as an adult he’d demeaned that
sacrifice. Instead, he’d tried to be Jimmy’s savior. But how could he
save anyone, him a fallible human being?

Both Sofi and Neil must learn that sometimes true love is letting the
people we love go through difficult times, and not manipulating the
circumstances to alleviate their discomfort. True love means placing
them in the hands of God, even if it will hurt them and us for a while.

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 About Christine: Irish born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction and non-fiction. Readers describe her writing as gritty yet tender, realistic yet larger than life, with historical detail that collides into the heart of psychological and relationship drama.

Christine's fictional novels have garnered the ACFW Genesis Award, The Grace Award, Canada’s The Word Guild Award, and was a finalist twice for Readers’ Favorite as well as 2nd place in RWA’s Faith Hope and Love contest.


This author’s non-fiction memoir Finding Sarah Finding Me is the true-life story that started this award-winning career in Christian fiction and non-fiction. This book is a must for anyone whose life has been touched by adoption. Christine is currently writing a new fictional series set on the majestic coast of Ireland and loaded with her use of setting as a character that will sweep the reader away. Subscribe to her newsletter on her website www.christinelindsay.org

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About the Book: Seattle Debutante Sofi Andersson will do everything in her power to rotect her sister who is suffering from shock over their father's
death. Charles, the family busy-body, threatens to lock Trina in a
sanatorium—a whitewashed term for an insane asylum—so Sofi will rescue
her little sister, even if it means running away to the Cascade
Mountains with only the new gardener Neil Macpherson to protect them.
But in a cabin high in the Cascades, Sofi begins to recognize that the
handsome immigrant from Ireland harbors secrets of his own. Can she
trust this man whose gentle manner brings such peace to her traumatized
sister and such tumult to her own emotions? And can Nei, the gardener
continue to hide from Sofi that he is really Dr. Neil Galloway, a man
wanted for murder by the British police? Only an act of faith and love
will bridge the distance that separates lies from truth and safety.

Buy Now:


Amazon

Barnes & Noble

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Visit all the stops along the tour

A Chat with Christine Lindsay, Award-winning Author & Speaker ♦ Plus Giveaway

Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and explosive finale Veiled at Midnight.

Christine’s Irish wit and her use of setting as a character is evident in her contemporary romance Londonderry Dreaming and her newest release Sofi’s Bridge.

Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is the release of Christine’s non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story.

♦ ♦ ♦

This Giveaway is Now Closed

Welcome Christine!

I’ve been looking forward to this day for a chance to get to know you better. Ready to go?

If you were a book, what would the title be? (create one of your own) Any particular reason behind that?

Sweet Breeze of God in my Soul. I love a soft breeze, and so often God comes to us in a still, small voice, or a word as gentle as the mist or a breath of wind. I cannot live without the Lord. I learned that many years ago. No matter what struggles we go through in this life, when we trust in the Son of God, then Father God hold us in the palm of His hand. We are forever safe.

Share a few things most people don’t know about you.

When I was a baby I was patted on the head by Prince Philip (Queen Elizabeth’s husband) outside the Belfast City Hall.

My great-grandfather and my grandfather (yes father and son) were both riveters on the building of the Titanic in the Belfast shipyard. It was my grandfather’s very first ship when he started as an apprentice at 14 years old. But as a family we accept no responsibility for the 1912 sinking of that infamous vessel.

I use many of my ancestors as fodder for my novels. The soldiers on my mother’s side were the inspiration behind my multi-award-winning historical trilogy Twilight of the British Raj.

How do you start your day?

A cup of tea and then curl up on my living room couch to have my morning devotions. I especially enjoy reading a page from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. Then I pray.

What is the funniest, strangest, most interesting thing you’ve ever come across—or done?

Probably the most interesting is that I relinquished my first child to adoption in 1979. I was an unwed mother at the time and gave my little girl Sarah up so that she could have a daddy as well as a mommy. We were reunited 20 years later, and it was extremely traumatic but has taught me more about the Lord’s personality than any other life event.

Thinking back over some of the old literary classics, which character, from which book, would you most identify with, and why?

I cannot for the life of me remember any of the old literary classics which fit me best, but I can choose one from a current day story. That would be Lady Edith Crawley from Downtown Abby. When she gives up her little girl Marigold and can’t stay away from her, I totally relate. I know exactly how she feels.

OK, now let’s talk about the book we’re featuring today.

· Title: Sofi’s Bridge

· Publisher: WhiteRose

· Release Date: Digital April 15, Paper May 1, 2016

· Genre: Christian Historical Romance

· Series or Single Title: Single

Give us the back cover blurb:

Seattle Debutante Sofi Andersson will do everything in her power to protect her sister who is suffering from shock over their father’s death. Charles, the family busy-body, threatens to lock Trina in a sanatorium—a whitewashed term for an insane asylum—so Sofi will rescue her little sister, even if it means running away to the Cascade Mountains with only the new gardener Neil Macpherson to protect them. But in a cabin high in the Cascades, Sofi begins to recognize that the handsome immigrant from Ireland harbors secrets of his own. Can she trust this man whose gentle manner brings such peace to her traumatized sister and such tumult to her own emotions? And can Neil, the gardener, continue to hide from Sofi that he is really Dr. Neil Galloway, a man wanted for murder by the British police? Only an act of faith and love will bridge the distance that separates lies from truth and safety.

Read for free the first chapter of Sofi’s Bridge, Click HERE

Anything else you’d like to share about this book?

The spiritual theme of this book is about trying to save our loved ones when perhaps there are times when we should back off and leave them to God. This is especially hard if we are caring, nurturing types of people. But this personality trait can have a downside, when we step in to “fix” things for those we love when we shouldn’t.

Where can we buy this book in Paper and Ebook?

• Amazon.com for Sofi’s Bridge


• Pelican Book Group


• Barnes and Noble

Where can readers find you on the Internet?

www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Amazon on Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest , Facebook, Goodreads,

And on my writers’ blog that I share with Rachel Phifer Novel Renaissance.

What’s coming up next for/from Christine Lindsay?

I have a second book coming out this year, my non-fiction book Finding Sarah, Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story, which is the true account of my experience in relinquishing my baby girl to adoption in 1979 and our reunion twenty years later. This book is not all about me though; it also includes my birthdaughter’s story in her own words, as well as her adoptive mom’s. Stories from other adoption reunions are woven in at the end of each chapter. I’m very excited about the release of this long awaited book. Being a birthmom is what started me writing in the first place.

That sounds exiting, Christine! I wish you great success with it.

 



Christine is giving away an Ebook copy of Sofi’s Bridge (no country restrictions!) to one lucky Whispers in Purple reader. To enter, just leave a comment below with your name and contact information (so we can notify you if you’re the winner). Giveaway ends next Friday (April 27) at Midnight, CDT. Winner will be drawn on Saturday and notified via email.

Thank you so much for being my guest today, Christine. It’s been great spending this time with you.