Author: Theresa Harvard Johnson

Reviewed by Theresa Harvard Johnson

I rarely read books that are classified as Christian fiction.

It is not that I do not like the genre. I simply find myself frustrated with the caliber of content categorized as “Christ-centered” that, quite frankly, is nothing more than main-stream fiction repackaged in church scenes and familiar dialogue here and there that has nothing to offer me in my quest to fan the flames of my faith, even in the midst of an entertaining read. I have often been left feeling extremely deceived by what I have purchased thinking it was Christian. So, I have learned to limit my “fiction” intake to the occasional novel recommended only by my closest, most trusted friends.

I found safe passage for my soul in The Carpenter’s Princess by Tanya Marie Lewis.

Lewis’s superb storytelling takes readers intimately into the life of Christ-loving Malena Dawson, a young girl who buries her grief deep within her after her father’s sudden death. Readers follow Malena into adulthood where she abandons her childhood upbringing and becomes a stranger to herself and those around her. We watch Malena struggle with her identity, and self-sabotaging behaviors that threaten to keep her from ever experiencing healing, freedom, joy and true love.

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Copyright 2015 Theresa Harvard Johnson

How would you respond if a child was sexually abused in your church? Is your congregation prepared to protect children and respond legally? In a video produced by Church Mutual, the company states that the places society often considers the safest are often the most vulnerable.[1] Worship centers, like other community serving agencies, are perfect hiding places for predators seeking to gain the trust of children and then abuse them.

Presently, the Catholic Church remains at the top of the list for church scandals surrounding child sexual abuse, having reached settlements and legal expenses exceeding $2.6 billion since 2004.[2] Other high profile sexual abuse allegations have struck the evangelical and protestant community as well.[3] Unfortunately, due to wide denominational divisions and reporting practices, and a lack of organized or centralized reporting there is no way to obtain data or statistics on what’s really happening.

The critical message is this: No congregation or ministry is immune to the issue of child sexual abuse. Every congregation should be prepared to meet the needs of children and families in the midst of disclosure and to properly respond legally amid allegations.

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