Amor redentor: La guía de estudio

Por Francine Rivers y Angela Hunt

Sumérjase más profundamente en el corazón de la clásica novela y éxito de venta Amor redentor con este estudio de seis semanas, y descubra verdades bíblicas que cambiarán su vida.
A través de Amor redentor, millones de lectores han experimentado la cautivadora historia de amor de Ángela y Miguel Oseas, la cual ilustra el poder de Dios para redimir incluso a los más perdidos entre nosotros. Amor redentor: La guía de estudio invita al lector a profundizar tanto en el mensaje eterno de la novela clásica como en la historia bíblica que inspiró su escritura. Perfecto para la reflexión individual como también para la discusión en grupo, este estudio la llevará más profundo en el amor transformador que se celebra en Amor redentor.

Venture deeper into the heart of the classic bestselling novel Redeeming Love with this six-week study, and discover life-changing Bible truths.
Through Redeeming Love, millions of readers have experienced the captivating love story of Angel and Michael Hosea that illustrates God’s power to redeem even the most lost among us. Redeeming Love: The Companion Study invites you to enter more fully into both the classic novel’s eternal message and the biblical story that inspired its writing. Perfect for both individual reflection and group discussion, this study will draw you deeper into the life-transforming love celebrated in Redeeming Love.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: Tyndale House Publishers
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 4 may 2021
• ISBN: 9781496455468

Francine Rivers

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers is one of the leading authors of women's Christian fiction. With nearly thirty published novels with Christian themes to her credit, she continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers, including Redeeming Love, have been translated into more than thirty different languages.  Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. This retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction. Redeeming Love continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association’s top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian bestsellers list for nearly a decade. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Visit Francine online at www.francinerivers.com and connect with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers) and Twitter (@FrancineRivers).

Vista previa del libro

Introducción

Hace mucho tiempo que soñaba con ofrecer un estudio bíblico complementario a mi novela Amor redentor. El libro se basa en la historia bíblica del profeta Oseas y su esposa, Gomer, pero tiene similitudes con el camino que tomamos muchas de nosotras, del quebranto a la redención y a la plenitud en Cristo. Nuestra cultura describe al amor como un sentimiento, pero el amor también es una acción. El personaje principal en Amor redentor es Miguel. Su personaje muestra lo que significa amar como lo hizo Jesús. Los sentimientos crecen y desaparecen, pero el verdadero amor resiste la prueba del tiempo. Implica compromiso y trabajo duro, y produce bendiciones más grandes y más duraderos de lo que podamos imaginar. Miguel expresó el amor de Cristo hacia Ángela porque decidió ver a su esposa con ojos de compasión, paciencia, virtud y autosacrificio. Miguel sentía pasión por ella. Tomó sus votos matrimoniales en serio, y se esforzó por ser de bendición para ella a través de su matrimonio.

Este tipo de amor no es solo cosa de cuentos. Es posible por medio del poder que Dios da a todo creyente. Es fácil enamorarse de alguien, pero el amor apasionado y continuo que dura toda la vida es una elección.

Angie Hunt y yo estuvimos de acuerdo desde el principio en que este proyecto no sería como otros estudios bíblicos. En este libro encontrará tres lecciones por semana, en lugar de las cinco que suele haber, porque queremos que medite sobre los conceptos que presentamos. Queremos que dedique tiempo a revisar los pasajes de la Biblia para ver cómo se aplican a su vida hoy.

Miguel, Ángela y los otros personajes de Amor redentor son ficticios, pero todas las demás personas que se mencionan en este estudio vivieron y transitaron esta tierra. Fueron personas reales que pueden inspirarnos porque soportaron pruebas reales. La Palabra de Dios está viva y respira y llega al corazón de nuestra vida (Hebreos 4:12). Nos muestra el camino bendecido para andar con determinación y alegría. En estas lecciones verá esa verdad por la forma en que Dios obró en la vida de cada una de estas personas.

Este no es un estudio con espacios en blanco que llenar. Esperamos que consiga un cuaderno de apuntes y escriba todos los pensamientos, sentimientos, observaciones y oraciones que le surjan a medida que lee. También esperamos que subraye y resalte pasajes, haga notas en los márgenes, y convierta su cuaderno de estudio en un recurso de hojas gastadas de tanto uso y en una referencia para su viaje en la vida. Por favor, no se quede con lo que ofrecemos nosotras. La Biblia está llena de historias, sabiduría y lecciones aplicables para usted. Descubrirá víctimas que se convirtieron en vencedores, perdidos que fueron hallados, personas sufriendo que fueron consoladas y muertos que volvieron a la vida. La Biblia relata la historia de Dios a través de cada libro histórico.

Lo que más queremos Angie y yo es que usted conozca personalmente a Dios, quien la ama con un fuego abrasador y purificador, el mismo Dios que la diseñó y que sabe los planes especiales que tiene para usted (Jeremías 29:11). Nuestra oración sincera es que abra su mente y su corazón a Dios. Si lo hace, Él la hará nueva, y usted tendrá una vida más plena que nunca.

«Que el S

EÑOR

 te bendiga y te proteja. Que el S

EÑOR

 sonría sobre ti y sea compasivo contigo. Que el S

EÑOR

 te muestre su favor y te dé su paz» (Números 6:24-26).

UNO

HIJA DE LA OSCURIDAD

Mi infancia no fue como la de Ángela. Tuve padres amorosos que creían en Dios. Mi familia asistía a la iglesia todos los domingos. Yo asistía a la escuela dominical, a los campamentos de verano y a los grupos juveniles y pensaba que era cristiana. Cuando me fui a la universidad, dejé de ir a la iglesia. Era la época de la revolución de los años sesenta. Nadie me dijo que las cosas «gratuitas» también cuestan, y mucho. De manera que el amor libre me costó mi inocencia, el respeto propio y la vida de un bebé. Pensé que simplemente podía recoger los trozos de mi vida y seguir adelante.

Cuando estaba a punto de tocar fondo, recibí una carta de un viejo amigo de mi ciudad natal, Rick Rivers, que estaba sirviendo en el Cuerpo de Marines en Vietnam. Comenzamos a escribirnos. Una vez que volvió a casa, empezamos a salir, nos enamoramos y nos casamos un año después. Aunque Rick provenía de una familia sólida y amorosa, no sabía nada acerca del cristianismo excepto lo que le había enseñado su abuela: el Salmo 23 y el Padrenuestro. No supe, hasta años después, que había tenido un encuentro con Dios durante la Ofensiva del Tet en Vietnam en 1968. Pasaron muchos años hasta que le entregó su vida a Cristo.

Ambos teníamos cargas que pesaban mucho en nuestro corazón y nuestra alma, un peso que llevamos a nuestro matrimonio. Tuvimos altibajos en nuestra relación. Yo sufría por mis errores del pasado. Rick sufría por recuerdos de la guerra y el abuso del alcohol. Nos amábamos y luchábamos el uno contra el otro y todo llevó a una pregunta para ambos de manera individual: ¿Quién tiene el control de mi vida?

Mirando hacia atrás, me di cuenta de que Dios había puesto a mucha gente en nuestra vida para acercarnos a Él. Nosotros ignorábamos continuamente ese llamado, pensando equivocadamente que podíamos resolver las cosas por nuestra cuenta. El punto de inflexión llegó cuando Rick decidió iniciar su propio negocio y vendimos nuestra casa, mudándonos más cerca de la familia. Experimentamos cambios exteriores estresantes, pero no cambios internos. Yo esperé en el sur de California hasta que nuestros tres hijos pequeños terminaran el año escolar, mientras que Rick se trasladó al norte, vivió con sus padres e inició su negocio en Sebastopol. Buscó una casa en alquiler para nuestra familia. Había solamente una disponible, ubicada entre dos familias cristianas, las cuales nos invitaron a la iglesia a las pocas horas de mudarnos.

Nuestro matrimonio se estaba desmoronando, y yo estaba lo suficientemente desesperada como para intentar cualquier cosa, incluso Dios, para detener el dolor. «Busquen, y encontrarán» dice la Biblia (Mateo 7:7,

NVI

), y la fe en Jesús me llegó en la iglesia de nuestros vecinos. Rick encontró a Cristo más adelante, en nuestro estudio bíblico en casa que enseñaba el pastor.

El evangelio de Jesucristo abrió nuestro corazón y derramó vida en nuestras almas. El libro de Oseas me abrió los ojos a la verdad. Cada vez que tenía un problema, el Señor era el último a quien acudía en busca de respuestas. Había vivido como hija de la oscuridad hasta pasados los treinta años. Había sido como Gomer, prostituyéndome a ideas y prácticas mundanas que desafiaban a Dios y dejaban profundas heridas. Ahora reconozco Su mano amorosa sobre mí desde el momento en que nací. Él siempre estuvo cerca. En cada situación tentadora y potencialmente dañina, Dios me ofrecía una salida. Yo elegía no tomarla. Aun así, Dios nunca había dejado de amarme. Y ahora que camino con Jesús, Él ha usado lo que Satanás planeó para mi destrucción para Su buen propósito, no solamente en mi vida, sino en la vida de los demás. Él puede hacer lo mismo por usted.

ESTUDIO 1.1

Luz y sombras

Hay algunas cosas que, una vez que se pierden, nunca se recuperan.

La inocencia es una. El amor es otra. Supongo que la infancia es una tercera.

JOHN MARSDEN, Checkers, (Damero)

Alejandro se inclinó hacia Sara.

—Quiero que vayas a jugar afuera —le dijo en voz baja—. Quiero hablar a solas con tu mamá. —Le sonrió y le dio una palmadita en la mejilla.

Sara sonrió encantada. Papá la había tocado; no estaba enojado en absoluto. ¡Él la amaba! Era como Mamá le había dicho.

—¿Puedo volver cuando hayan terminado de conversar?

Papá se puso tenso.

—Tu madre te buscará cuando haya terminado. Ahora, márchate, como se te ordenó.

—Sí, Papá. —Sara quería quedarse, pero más quería complacer a su padre.

Salió del salón, brincando a través de la cocina hacia la puerta posterior. Juntó algunas margaritas de las que crecían en el cantero del jardín junto a la puerta y se dirigió al enrejado de rosas. Arrancando los pétalos, decía: Me quiere, no me quiere, me quiere, no me quiere... Al llegar a la esquina, guardó silencio. No quería molestar a Mamá y a Papá. Lo único que deseaba era estar cerca de ellos.

Sara soñaba. A lo mejor Papá la subiría sobre sus hombros. Se preguntaba si la sacaría a dar un paseo en su gran caballo negro. Tendría que cambiarse de vestido, desde luego. Él no querría que se ensuciara. Deseaba que le hubiera permitido sentarse en su regazo mientras él conversaba con Mamá. Eso le hubiera gustado mucho y no los habría molestado.

La ventana de la sala estaba abierta y pudo oír las voces. A Mamá le encantaba que el perfume de las rosas llenara la sala. Sara decidió sentarse y escuchar a sus padres. De esa manera podría saber en qué momento quería Papá que volviera. Si se quedaba muy quietecita, no los molestaría y lo único que Mamá tendría que hacer sería asomarse y decir su nombre.

—¿Qué esperabas que hiciera, Alejandro? Nunca pasas un minuto con ella. ¿Qué iba a decirle? ¿Que a su padre no le interesa? ¿Que él desearía que ella nunca hubiera nacido?

Sara se partió los labios. ¡Niégalo, Papá, niégalo!

—¿Cómo puedes saber lo que sientes? Ni siquiera la conoces. Es una niña hermosa. Es inteligente, encantadora y no le teme a nada. Se parece a ti en tantas cosas. Ella es una persona, Alejandro. No puedes ignorarla para siempre. Es tu hija...

—Ya tengo suficientes hijos con mi esposa. Hijos legítimos. Te dije que no quería otro.

—¿Cómo puedes decir eso? ¿Cómo es posible que no ames a alguien de tu propia sangre?

—Desde el principio te dije lo que pensaba, Marisol, pero no me escuchaste. Nunca tendría que haber nacido, pero tú quisiste hacerlo a tu manera.

—¿Crees que yo quería quedar embarazada? ¿Crees que yo me propuse tenerla?

—Me lo he preguntado a menudo. Especialmente cuando te sugerí una manera para salir de esta situación y te negaste. El médico al que te envié habría solucionado todo este embrollo. Él te habría librado del asunto.

—No podía hacerlo, Alejandro. ¿Cómo podías esperar que matara a mi propio bebé que aún no había nacido? ¿No lo entiendes? Es un pecado mortal.

—Has perdido demasiado tiempo en la iglesia —dijo él burlonamente—. ¿Alguna vez se te ocurrió pensar que no tendrías los problemas que tienes ahora si te hubieras deshecho de ella de la manera que te dije? Hubiera sido fácil. Pero fuiste débil. ¿O la tuviste porque pensabas que el tener un hijo mío te daría un poder sobre mí que de otra manera no tendrías?

—¡No puedes pensar eso! —Ahora Mamá estaba llorando.

—¿Y cuánto tiempo he podido estar hoy contigo? ¿El suficiente? Lo gastaste todo en ella. Te dije lo que pasaría, ¿no? ¡Ojalá ella nunca hubiera nacido!

Al iniciarse la historia de Ángela, conocimos a Sara, una niña preciosa que vivía con su mamá en una pequeña casa rodeada de flores. Sara no solamente era bonita, también era inteligente, valiente e inocente, pero su inocencia fue hecha añicos demasiado pronto. Sabía que tenía un padre y su madre le había dicho que era apuesto. También veía sus fabulosos regalos, que mamá le daba a Sara, explicándole que venían de su papá.

Sara tuvo que esperar para conocer a su padre. Finalmente, la madre pensó que tenía la edad suficiente, de manera que Sara se puso su vestido más bonito y se esforzó por mantenerlo limpio. Hizo lo mejor que pudo por verse encantadora, educada y dulce, todo para ganar la aprobación de su padre.

Pero demasiado pronto alcanzó a oír que su padre no la amaba, no la quería y deseaba que jamás hubiera nacido. La consideraba un error.

Cuando comenzamos nuestra vida, salimos nuevas e inocentes de la mano de Dios. Nacemos con una naturaleza humana obstinada, es verdad, pero en los primeros años la mayoría de nosotras somos queridas, vigiladas cuidadosamente y recibimos todo el afecto que necesitamos para crecer.

El mundo es un gran misterio para nosotras, pero lo exploramos con entusiasmo. Y no pasa mucho tiempo antes de que probemos los límites que nuestros padres nos imponen. Como niñas pequeñas, dos de nuestras palabras preferidas son no y mío. Queremos lo que queremos. No sabemos que pasaremos el resto de nuestra vida lidiando con nuestros deseos obstinados y frustrantes.

La Biblia también comienza con un relato de inocencia. En el primer capítulo, leemos que Dios creó el mundo y lo llenó de belleza: luz y oscuridad, cielos arriba y tierra abajo, los mares y la tierra seca, plantas y árboles, el sol, la luna, las estrellas para indicar las estaciones, peces, aves, insectos, animales y gente, y cada ser viviente produce crías de la misma especie. Observe que esa frase se repite varias veces. Dios le asegura a Sus hijos que no salieron arrastrándose del lodo.

Dios modeló a los seres humanos a partir de la tierra, pero creó a la mujer de una parte del hombre. La mujer es carne y hueso del hombre. Me gusta eso. Dios sopló aliento de vida en la humanidad. Solo un suspiro nos separa de Dios. Él nos dio, en un sentido muy literal, el aliento de vida. Sin aliento, no podemos vivir.

Dios puso a Sus primeros seres humanos en el bello Edén y les enseñó cómo cuidarlo. Dos árboles crecían en el centro del jardín: el árbol de la vida y el árbol del conocimiento del bien y del mal. «Puedes comer libremente del fruto de cualquier árbol del huerto, excepto del árbol del conocimiento del bien y del mal» (Génesis 2:16-17). Ese mandamiento fue la única ley que Dios les dio.

Esas dos primeras personas, Adán y Eva, prosperaron en su inocencia. Disfrutaron de la belleza de la naturaleza, exploraron sus cuerpos nuevos, hablaron con Dios y aprendieron cómo cuidar de su asombroso hogar. Desnudos delante de Dios y el uno del otro, no sentían vergüenza. No tenían nada que ocultar a Dios ni entre ellos.

Pero luego... el mal asomó la cabeza en la forma de una serpiente. Era un antiguo mal, un ángel caído que se había rebelado contra Dios. Tomó la forma de una serpiente y se escabulló en el jardín, atreviéndose a acercarse a Eva. Su sutil cuestionamiento la hizo dudar de las intenciones de Dios, y en ese momento dejó de creer que el camino de Dios era el mejor. Mientras Adán estaba cerca, callado, Eva confió más en la palabra de la serpiente que en el único mandamiento de Dios y comió del fruto del árbol prohibido. Cuando le ofreció el fruto prohibido a su esposo, Adán lo tomó y comió de él. Eva fue engañada, y Adán eligió aceptar su invitación.

Esa tarde, Dios entró al jardín para caminar y conversar con el hombre y la mujer. Adán y Eva entendieron por qué les había dicho que no comieran del árbol del conocimiento del bien y del mal. En el momento en que desobedecieron el mandato protector de Dios a favor de las mentiras de Satanás, desapareció su inocencia. Y ahora se escondían de Aquel que los amaba. Cuando los llamó, fueron a regañadientes, cargados por el pecado, la culpa y la vergüenza, dispuestos a ofrecer excusas, renuentes a confesar. Debido a su elección, se habían separado a sí mismos de Dios.

Luego el S

EÑOR

 Dios dijo: «Miren, los seres humanos se han vuelto como nosotros, con conocimiento del bien y del mal. ¿Y qué ocurrirá si toman el fruto del árbol de la vida y lo comen? ¡Entonces vivirán para siempre!».

(GÉNESIS 3:22)

Dios expulsó a Adán y a Eva del jardín para que no comieran del árbol que daba la vida eterna, probablemente porque no quería que vivieran eternamente en un estado de pecado. Adán vivió 930 años, pero ahora se asigna setenta años a la humanidad, o más si somos especialmente

Comentarios para Amor redentor

[auntieg0412 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Recreates the story of the prophet Hosea and his wife, Gomer. Loved it.

[lauriehill-146237 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Taking place during the gold rush in California, this story follows the lives of a prostitute named Angel and Michael, a farmer, who falls in love with her. He marries her, but she doesn't feel worthy and carries a lot of baggage difficult to let go of. Read to find out their struggles and triumphs.

[jonimfisher · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This story was challenging to read until I understood the relationship between the heroine and her husband reflected the nature of Christ toward His people. Wonderful period piece set in the Wild West days of America.

[indygo88 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is a "modern" day retelling based on the biblical story of Hosea. Angel is a prostitute in California during the time of the Gold Rush. Michael, who lives alone on a farm not too far away, ventures into town to sell his goods. When he sees Angel pass by on the street, he's convinced it's God's purpose to whisk her away and marry her. But she sees things differently.I'm going to preface this by saying that even though I consider myself a fairly strong Christian, I rarely, if ever, read Christian novels. It's not because I don't care for the subject matter (although maybe it is, a little bit), but because I just feel that none of them are very well written. I always find myself rolling my eyes. Call me a book snob. Okay. But I'd heard people rave about this book, so I figured this must be one of the exceptions. Well, no. I'm trying to figure out what it is people love about this book. The story itself? Maybe. It's an alright story, and the title of the book is apt. But it's basically nothing that hasn't been written about before. I found the story overly predictable, filled with cliches, and.....well, mostly cheesy. And yes, I did some eye rolling. Lack of originality aside, I just didn't think it was written that well, and was comparable to the (few) other Christian novels I've read. So I guess I just have to go against the majority on this one.I watched the movie shortly after finishing the book. I figured it couldn't be as bad. And it wasn't, honestly. I liked it much better than the book. It did cut out a fair amount of the religious undertones which is what happens when Hollywood gets a hold of anything, and I could've given or taken that, but I thought the movie was well done. So this is one instance where I'd recommend watching the movie over reading the book.

[debs4jc · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Recommended - but with some caveats.I found this Christian romance, based loosely on the book of Hosea, to be a powerful story in places. I also found it to be more steamy and sensual than most Christian romances, but the part that I struggled with the most was the consent issue between the two main characters. Michael Hosea sees Angel/Sarah - who is "working" as a prostitute at the time and sense God speaking to him, telling him this is the woman that he is to take as his wife. He buys time with Angel - using gold dust, as this is set during the time of the California Gold Rush - but merely talks to her during their sessions, trying to persuade her to run off with him and become his wife. This intrigues and upsets Angel, but she is also afraid of her Madam and the Madam's henchman and of the man from her past who abused her and forced her into prostitution in the first place. She also doesn't know if she can trust this man she barely knows. After an incident when she is beaten and almost to the point of death, Michael sweeps in to rescue her and takes her back to his farm - but first he has a marriage ceremony performed, a ceremony where Angel is half- conscious and mutters "why not" when asked if she consents. While Michael does not take advantage of her and patiently waits until he thinks she is ready before martial intimacy occurs, the hasty marriage scene still bothers me.This book did make me think about trying to help victims of abuse and/or who have addictions where the helpers may know the better path that the victim should take - but it also has to be the victim or addicts choice to take that path. So how much do you restrain that person to keep them in a safe place while they recover? Heady questions, and the kind of issue that comes up again and again as Angel leaves Michael several times before finally deciding to stay with him in the end. He does bring her back several times, but at the end he lets her go and decides he will not go back for her but wait to see if she ever comes back for him. Lots of other drama happens with other characters who are introduced, as this book also seemed really long to me. I was interested in how it would turn out, but it felt like a bit of a slog to get there during the 15 hour long audiobook I was listening to.The book has been polarizing in the Christian reading community, so I would be careful about recommendations. Some readers will love it, some will need trigger warnings about it and want to avoid it if they are sensitive to issues like sexual abuse.

[bookslesstravelled · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Just...let me catch my breath! An emotional, wild ride! My all time favorite book! Amazingly told story with lovable characters, realistic events, and heart pounding fast paced action! Five stars and two thumbs up!!! I first read this at the library, and as soon as I finished, i knew I had to buy it!

Although this is a modern, paraphrasing of the Bible story of Hosea, it does use a lot of 'extras' so if you ware expecting it to be the same, you might want to skip this one. Like movies, there is a lot in the book that doesn't happen in the Bible. It's a work of fiction, and should be read as such.

Despite that, I loved it, and am so glad my friends recommended I read it! I'm not a big fan of romance, never was, so I had my doubts going in. I was shocked, that me, the girl who didn't date could find myself relating, on a profound level with this prostitute who lived a life I could never imagine! I loved how both sin and redemption were handled, how God's grace was truly sufficient and no wound was beyond His power to heal! This is the God I know, and although this is a work of fiction, it reminded me of why God is God, and that nothing I can do will ever change that! And thank God for that!

[ludiegrace · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

What I especially liked about this book (a retelling of the Old Testament book of Hosea, set during the California Gold Rush) is that it doesn't portray redemption or grace as the least bit easy for anyone involved. More often than not, redemption is a messy, painful, scary, stretching process. Rivers really draws the reader along on that journey. Sometimes I thought the book sounded a touch too contemporary evangelical-y and not deeply rooted enough in its setting; in places the characterization feels weak. But it's still a worthwhile read, and, most importantly (in my view!), accomplishes what it sets out to do theologically. In my recent seminary class on Hosea, the claim that the biblical text offers a reflection of God's redeeming love was extremely unpopular -- but I think it can be, as Rivers successfully illustrates.

[kenagurl-1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Masterfully written, Francine Rivers transports you to the Wild West and draws you into this redemptive story loosely based on the Biblical story of Hosea. It is a historical Christian romance that makes you want to slap the character until you realize it's actually you. Unconditional love that doesn't seem possible reminds us of the one Great Love that paid it all for us. This was the book that got me hooked on Francine Rivers. It will hook you too!

[kaylalowe-941560 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This book was utterly amazing. I absolutely loved it.

[sandralb-1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It was so well written. I did not want to put it down. After finishing Francine's book, I had to go back and Read the book of Hosea from the Bible.

[emma_manolis · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is not at all the type of book I would normally gravitate towards. I didn't mind the basic concept of the book, since it reminded me of one of my favorite chick-flicks, Pretty Woman. I found myself very annoyed with the back and forth of the main character Angel. She was a very fickle woman. The book seemed much longer than it really needed to be, but overall passed the time just fine.

[jothebookgirl · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

What a wonderful book. It will make you fall in love all over again. It was heartbreaking much of the time. I enjoyed being in the days of the gold rush. At time you want to shake the ^&*( out of Angel, Terza, Amanda whoever she is. Michae4l was such a wonderful man and I came to love Paul as well. the only thing I didn't like sbout the book is that when the author chose to end the story it all happened so quickly. I wanted it to move in slow motion and savor the love between Michael and Angel when she finally decided they truely loved each other no matter what. Based on the Biblical Book of Hosea it was wonderful and I also liked savoring the scriptural references.

[smilez4u1390 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Wow! A truly inspirational love story. This book is powerful! I couldn't put it down, not even to sleep.

[stephlaymon · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This year celebrates the twenty year anniversary for Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, one of the most thought-provoking reads in my lifetime.

Francine Rivers writes about a kind of love and forgiveness on a level that is seldom achieved by any individual. I was blown away by Michael’s diligence in creating change in Sarah, not through preaching and judging, but through love and example. This is one of those books that has left a lifelong impression on me.

[carmenmilligan · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

That is quite a summary, huh? Written by either the author or a groupie, I would say that the above is a bit more of a love-fest that I would give it.

The story of how I came upon this book: in my women's Sunday school class last week, someone was talking about the book and how her husband told her that it was making her cry so much that it was upsetting their children. I asked about the book and a member of the class took life and limb in hand to run to the church library to get me the book.

The first thing I noticed, of course, was the cover and it just made me chuckle. It is very obviously the female equivalent of Fabio and I commented that it looked like a Baptist Harlequin Romance. Well, I have to tell you, it reads like one, too. At a robust 464 pages, I never even thought of shedding a tear. Instead, I wanted to slap the heroine of the book, named Sarah/Angel/Marah/Amanda/Mandy/Tirzah. A retelling of the book of Hosea, yes, but with much more running. She flees once, her husband finds her. She flees again, her husband finds her. She flees again and probably again ... honestly, I lost count. At some point, I would have just let her work it out with God without my help. Which he did, praying for and waiting on her for three years while she sought and found God thanks to a totally different man. Poor Micheal (her husband) never got to see the joy of her accepting the Lord as her Savior.

Yes, yes, I know the moral is that I run away from God numerous times and He seeks me, forgives me and loves me just the same. I get it. I just don't want to read a tome about it. And good grief with the names in this book! Michael, Hosea, Sarah, Elizabeth, Miriam, Ruth, Paul. I would say that a light hand is not a strength of Francine Rivers.

This is the second book that I have read by this author, and will more than likely not read another.

[fueledbycoffee · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

I loved Francine Rivers writing and read so many exceptional books she's written in the Christian Fiction genre (that used to be all I read 20 years ago). I also find the teachings of Hosea a mind-boggling tale of forgiveness. This said, the characters' actions in Rivers story made me want to hurl the book across the room. Never have I been as frustrated with a female main character...she had no clue on how to be a grown up, communicate, and/or let alone possess more than the emotional IQ of a box of doorknobs.I have branched out in far more genres even though I love Rivers writing...but for this story? It was her very first and I didn't enjoy it. At all. For that, I left 2 stars.

[hamiltonpam · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Wow, such a powerful story of true love and the willingness to forgive. I was glad I read this book.

[gospelchick · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

After reading this book I was sad it was over. What a wonderful story of God's unconditional love. Angel rejected Michael's love to the point where she abandoned him because she thought he would abandon her. He didn't give up on her but he waited for what God had promised. I will definitely read this again!

[margaraawr-1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

i love the story so much. it gives so much hope. it's about love and forgiveness and really finding what your purpose in life really is. Michael doesn't just talk about God's love. He demonstrated it.

It's inspiring. How really God can heal and restore the broken.

[ashleigh_autumn · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers was one of the first Christian books I had picked up in several years. I was excited to read about a retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea. This book didn't disappoint. While it was quite a book in length, I loved the description that was given. I was intrigued with the time period she had chosen to use for her retelling and how well she intertwined it so that many could relate to it. i myself saw myself in this book so many times. I felt the way Angel didn't at many times throughout my life. I saaw myself making the same mistakes over and over even though I sat there reading the book and yelling at her to stop her destructive behavior. Quite comical when I look back on it now. This book continuously reminded me that no matter what God's love is strong for all of us even when we feel at our worst and unworthy of his forgiveness. Redeeming love had me crying several times not only at the story it provided between the two main characters but at being reminded of God's love for me, for all of us. We can all be redeemed and Francine Rivers managed to get that message across in a lovely and moving story. I would recommend this book to anyone!

[julie3billing · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Have heard about Francine Rivers several times and decided to give one a try. Good characters, good story. I felt like some parts were dragged out a big more than necessary, but in general a good read.

[books4nana · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A beautiful love story. Such depth. Such forgiveness. Such unconditional love. One of my all time favorite books.

[cynditefft · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

It took me a while to review this book after finishing it, which is unusual for me. It needed to sink in. And it really has. I've been thinking about it for days now, and I can honestly say that it has drawn me closer to God, which is the highest praise that any book can have, truly.

As far as character development goes, I felt that Michael didn't evolve much from the start to the finish, but in all fairness, since he was supposed to represent our unchanging God, he wasn't supposed to change. Still, his love for Angel was so fierce and so immediate that it didn't feel true in the beginning, so that detracted from the story a bit for me.

Angel's character development was beautifully done, however. Rivers did an amazing job taking us through her emotional trauma to being able to accept forgiveness and understand her worth in the eyes of God.

This is a hard book to read in some ways because Angel's burden is more than anyone should have to bear, but I'm glad I did, as it was a potent reminder of the small, still voice that God uses to reach his children.

[bridgetsbooknook · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

Although most of the book I did enjoy, it could have been about 100 pages shorter. Just too much detail in the story telling {nothing sexual}. It is very much worth reading. Especially if you like christian fiction. This book was written based off of the Book of Hosea in the bible. And its set in the middle 1800's. I had to skip quite a few chapters. I mean I understand she was trying to set a scene in some area's and to get people to understand how she got to where she was by the end of the book but I think that could have been set with a lot less DETAIL and being so drawn out. I have read many books that have gotten their point across in under 250 pages. But thats just me. I dont need TOO MUCH detail to get the point in many cases. Especially if I already understand the situation in the story already. But she is a WONDERFUL author/writer and this is the 4th book I have read by her. I took a pause in reading THE LINEAGE OF GRACE by her and still waiting for book for to come to my library so I can finish the series {5 books in all}...3/5

[dianasilva-1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I really liked this book. I thought the author really developed and evolved her characters in a fantastic way. Her supporting characters, especially Miriam and Paul, really added to the story and the journey that Angel ( Sarah, Amanda, Tirzah…etc…) was on. Michael was an outstanding hero. Only a woman could create a man like that! Sometimes he seemed a little unrealistic and there were moments his unwavering patience was too much.Angel definitely didn’t make a change quickly, her progress was very slow and she took many steps back. The whole running away got to be a little too much at the end. I did think that Paul’s role was very well written and his evolution also very slow but ultimately rewarding. One of my favorite characters was Miriam. She seemed very real and authentic. Her human faults and her strengths were very original. She provided a great contrast to all the other characters. She was full of life and energy.Overall, this was a good book. Some parts felt very long and repetitive. I thought the author took the sins of Angel a little too far (I won’t mention that one sin that I thought was beyond all understanding)I really liked how she incorporated the stories of the bible to reflect the lives of the characters and she specifically focused on how “human” the stories in the bible are. This was a different read for me, but very interesting overall.

[cherylcope_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Here is a novel loosely based on the Bible story of Gomer and Hosea.It was brilliant. It kept my attention and it was easy to picture what was happening in my head and it was easy to follow the storyline.I loved it. I can’t think of a thing I didn’t like about it.I don’t read very much fiction, even “Christian” fiction. One reason is that I very rarely find one that I feel is worth my time and effort to read. So many of them are just “fluff”, useless, boring, unrealistic or other negative thing.This one is different. This has got to be the author’s masterpiece.The author did an excellent job in illustrating God’s redeeming love in this story.If you like Christian romance, run now, don’t walk to get this book. If you like Christian fiction in general, you will still love this book. If you are a Christian period, you will at least like this book. It is not just for sentimental women.To purchase your own copy of this book go here: Redeeming LoveDisclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their blogging for books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 225: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”(c) Cheryl Cope 2013Cheryl Cope on Google+

[grannynanny_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

What a beautiful story! I loved it and had a hard time putting it down! The characters were totally believable and it was a shame when the book ended, I wanted to keep reading more. The love and faith that were in the characters was very inspiring. Reading this gives one hope that things that seem impossible aren't if we have faith and believe!

[silva_44 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

I read this book for the first time about 8 years ago, and I just finished reading it for the second time. I think that I liked it even better the second time around! Francine Rivers is exceptionally skilled at character development; this story based on Gomer and Hosea is a must-read!

[theindigoquill · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

When this book first came out, it was on display at our local Christian book store and I just picked it up on a whim. I have re-read it about a thousand times because not only is it such a compelling, heart wrenching story...but it spoke to me in so many ways! An incredible depiction of God's love shown through flesh, Redeeming Love takes the book of Hosea and elaborates to make it real.

Although it is not meant to be taken in place of the true book of Hosea, it encourages the reader to read the Old Testament in a different light. I think sometimes we read through the old books as factual...but these are things that happened to real people with real emotions and real SCARS. They are not too different from you and me.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has struggled with understanding how God loves us, and how we are meant to to love each other...which I think it's safe to say that includes all of us.

[chrischaeffer · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

PHENOMENAL! REMARKABLE! ASTONISHING! INSPIRING! AMAZING! WONDERFUL! STUNNING! STUPENDOUS! EXCEPTIONAL!