Book Review ~ "Covenant Child" by Terri Blackstock

Young twins, Lizzie and Kara, only 3 when their father is killed in a plane crash,  have grown up in dire poverty with their maternal grandparents, their mother having been tragically killed when they were only weeks old. Through abuse and neglect they have only grown closer and have learned how to survive and stick together. As they grow up their grandparents have made reference continuously to the fact that they are indeed heirs to a billionaire's fortune which belonged to their paternal grandparent's, who also died in the same plane crash as their father. But they also tell the story of how their stepmother, Amanda, killed their father and stole their inheritance. They tell great stories of how the girls can sue Amanda when they turn 18 and rightfully take back what belongs to them. And of course, share a huge portion with them seeing how hard they have sacrificed to raise the girls. The girls look forward all their lives for that day when they can be rich and leave their life of squalor behind. As they grow up, Amanda shows up in their lives at different times bearing gifts and telling them she loves them and that when they turn 18 they can come and live with her and everything she has will be theirs. She won't just sign over the fortune to them, but they would go with her and learn the family business and eventually take it over. Everything she has is theirs. It goes against everything the girls have ever been told about Amanda or the inheritance. Lizzie likes Amanda and believes she is to be trusted but Kara is suspicious and wants nothing to do with Amanda's offer sticking with the plan she has heard all her life, to sue Amanda for the inheritance. She refuses Amanda's gifts and offer again and again. She wants the inheritance all right, but on her terms and not Amanda's. As Lizzie's life turns for good when she goes with Amanda, Kara's goes equally in the opposite direction and gets worse. When things are at their most rock bottom and her life is on the line, Kara wonders if she hasn't insulted Amanda one too many times to ask for her help.

 This was a very emotional, touching story. It was hard to read of the abuse and neglect the twins suffered at the hands of their grandparents and my heart was broken many times. But it was also a very beautiful, uplifting story of true love and grace and mercy, not unlike God has for us. The story paralleled the prodigal son story of the bible in many ways.  It showed how God reaches out over and over again to individuals and  how some accept God's blessings openly and easily while others have struggles leaving the old life behind, believing the lies, and not being able to let go of doing things their own way.