Divine

by Karen Kingsbury

Hardcover, 2006

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

Christian Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (2006), Edition: Book Club, 384 pages

Description

Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:Over 200,000 copies sold! With hallmark tenderness and power, #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury weaves a tapestry of life, loss, love, faith�??and the miracle of resurrection. Mary Madison is educated and redeemed, a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. But she also has a past that shamed polite society. A survivor of unspeakable horror, Mary has battled paralyzing fear, faithlessness, addiction, and promiscuity. Yet even in her darkest valley, Mary was sustained from afar, prayed over by a grandmother who clung to the belief that God had special plans for Mary. Now a divine power has set Mary free to bring life-changing hope and love to battered women living in the shadow of the nation's capital�??women like Emma Johnson. A single mother fleeing an abusive relationship, Emma wonders whether there is hope for her and her young daughters. She is desperate, broken, and unloved . . . and tempted to commit the unthinkable. Then Mary introduces Emma to the greatest love of all, greater than any either of them has ever ima… (more)

Subjects

Christian fiction

Parables

Washington (D.C.) Fiction

Awards

Audie Award (Finalist — 2007)

Language

English

Original language

English

ISBN

1414307659 / 9781414307657

User reviews

LibraryThing member je_kelley

This is a contemporary/modern version of Mary Magdalene. Throughout the story, we learn about a women named Mary who is helping a young women escape from an abusive relationship. We learn about Mary's colored past of abuse, part of which she had no control over and some that was led to by

circumstances as she tells her story to help a young women.
This is unlike Kingsbury's other books, but is a wonderful thought provoking story that makes you wonder more about the real Mary Magadalene in the Bible.

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LibraryThing member Spibrarian

I really enjoyed this book, as I do all Karen Kingsbury's. She covers topics that others steer away from.

LibraryThing member edawmik22

This is a book about the grace of God in all circumstances. It is a very emotionally hard book to read because of the life experiences of the main character. But her redemption in the end makes it well worth the trip.

LibraryThing member jehovahrapha

While difficult to read because of the story's sensitive nature, every time I finish it, I am in awe once more by the true power of God's ability to save us from even the deepest of darkness. Karen Kingsbury has taken what the world would view as an unspeakable tragedy and given it to God for a

wonderful victory!

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LibraryThing member amcreech

At the age of 10 Mary was abducted from an already difficult life and forced into slavery for 5 years. Unfortunately her life did not get an better after she was rescued. As an adult, Mary is an advocate for abused women and it is her mission to help save women by telling them her difficult story,

showing them Jesus is the path to true freedom and love regardless of what has happened in the past.

This is a amazing book of one woman's triumph over an unbearable life, showing that regardless of the circumstances things can work out in the end.

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LibraryThing member pandareads

Over the top preachy with a side of "holier than thou" attitude. It's a work of fiction, but several of the few facts the author presented were inaccurate.

LibraryThing member TamiCPht

Thanks to Barnes and Nobles Free Friday Giveaways for introducing to this author and novel. I enjoyed reading it how ever difficult at times. It was wonderful how Ms. Kingsbury parallels the life of her main character Mary Madison to that of the life of Mary Magdalene. What a triumphant ending for

all of the characters.

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LibraryThing member abcarroll

great story, powerful message, can get a tad preachy at times, but overall a great story.

LibraryThing member Kiwiria

I started off really liking this book, but unfortunately it ended up going way over the top, and I ended up only finding it okay. The bad parts were really, really, bad; the good parts were toothache-inducing saccharine; every Christian was a wonderful person, and every non-Christian was an evil,

evil monster (or, at the very best, neutral). All in all, it was just so black and white that it just got annoying.

I loved the relationship between Mary and Emma, but didn't buy the relationship between Terrance and Emma at all, and the relationship between Mary and Nigel just bugged me. Karen Kingsbury means well, but I think she tries too hard to give her books a Christian message, that it comes out as being unrealistic and stylized. I have read one amazing book by her though (Halfway to Forever) so I'm willing to not quite give up on her yet.

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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb

I liked the overall premise of the story, but felt there were plot holes that one could drive a truck through. For example, when Grandma Peggy gave Mary the purse with the Bible verse inside, why did she not also think to include her phone number and some $ for Mary to use in the phone to call

her?

Though I know it happens often in real life, I had a hard time understanding why Mary and Emma would go back to men who treated them so poorly. I excused Mary a bit more because she was only 10 when kidnapped and so most of her childhood was warped. Emma had a childhood where she was supposedly raised in a Christian home, and I felt she should have more grounding in what true love was really like to draw from in her adulthood.

I do like the idea that God can be everything you need.

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LibraryThing member judyg54

Once again this author writes a very compelling story that deals with a very detestable subject and does it very well. A story about Mary Madison, a woman who had horrible things done to her as a child and just when she thought her life was going to get better, her life once again became one of

addiction and promiscuity. Only the power of God, His 'divine' power could save her and bring her life to one where she can now help those women that she once was a part of. And you will see how Mary shares her story with Emma Johnson, a mother fleeing abuse with her two young daughters. Emma is desperate, broken, and unloved, and tempted to take her own life. But as Mary shares her story and tells her about the greatest love either of them could ever imagine, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, this will change Emma's life also.

This wasn't an easy story to read as many bad things happen to these two ladies. Sin is not pretty, but God is able to deliver anyone from the power of darkness because of His great love for us. I also appreciated the power of prayer; the prayers of Mary's Grandma Peggy and the prayers of Emma's mother. I am also more aware of how some women think when they are in an abusive situation, and it has opened my eyes to why some continue to live the way they do. A story that stuck with me long after I closed it's pages.

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LibraryThing member pbrehm0201

All I can say is that this really wrenched my heart. I was halfway through tonight and just couldn't put the book down. I found so much of myself in this book, and my past, and I am also thankful for all that Jesus has done in my life.

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