The Outlaw Chronicles, Book 2
Suspense
About the book:
"My name is Alice Ringwald, but the man who kidnapped me says that's a lie."
Thirteen-ear old orphan Alice Ringwald has no memory beyond six months ago. The only life she knows is the new one she's creating one day at a time with the loving couple that recently adopted her and gave her new hope. That hope, however, is shattered one night when she is abducted by a strange man. In a frantic FBI manhunt, he vanishes. So begins Water Walker, a modern day parable that examines the staggering power of forgiveness, and reminds us that it's possible to live free of the hurt that keeps our souls in chains.
My thoughts:
The Outlaw is back and so is Alice Ringwald. In the second book of the series Ted Dekker has once again used the element of fiction to drive home the power of truth.
The story begins with the abduction of thirteen-year-old Alice by her non-custodial step father. She is brought to a compound in the swamps of Louisiana where her mother is waiting for her. Five years quickly elapse and we see Alice who is now Eden totally enmeshed in the spiritual rituals that her mother insists on.
An unexpected turn of events changes everything for Eden. Through Stephen, the Outlaw, she begins to see things differently but can she really make the changes needed to find freedom both physically and spiritually?
Ted Dekker is the modern day master of parables and metaphors. In this particular story a boat on the storm raged waters of a lake bring particular clarity to the idea of forgiveness and freedom. I came away from this book with a deeper sense of understanding the topic of forgiveness. It is such a deep and profound idea that it is no wonder so many of us fall short. We are completely putting our trust in the wrong thing.
I can pretty much guarantee that I'm going to have to be reading portions of this book aloud to anyone that come within close enough proximity of me. Since you are reading this over the internet, I'll just leave you with a few of my favorite quotes from the book.
"You just stepped beyond one of your fears only to learn that it was an illusion."
"God isn't a boat, or the water, or any boy for that matter. He's in your heart. Let go of your fears of this world and find him there."
"I wish I could save you from all of your troubles, my child. But you must walk the path before you and walk your own waters to the place where only love resides."
"There are very few people on this earth who know what it means to truly forgive and even fewer who walk the path of forgiveness. But the power of that forgiveness is staggering."
"Only in not defending are you ever truly safe. Every time you resist or defend against any perceived threat from the water, you give it power to fulfill that very perceived threat and it will crush you."
"See no harm in that which comes to destroy you because only your costume can be hurt. The real you is always safe in your Father's arms. Always!"
Connect with the author:
lol I go back and forth with Dekker. His book, House, which we read for our book club scared the nonsense out of me. A greater amount of his books I've extremely enjoyed. This is one of the series I'd probably enjoy!
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