For Writers: The Power of a Book Cover

A few months before RESTORED HEARTS was released, a woman approached me anxious to know when the book would be ready. I told her the manuscript was in the hands of my editor and would prayerfully be available soon.

The woman's son was grief-stricken and angry over his father's homosexual lifestyle. This mom was concerned that her ex-husband's behavior would destroy any hopes for a relationship between her son and his dad.

When RESTORED HEARTS came out, she bought a copy, read it, then passed it along to her son. I told her I would pray for healing and restoration in her family. The son made it to chapter three but could go no further. He closed the book and laid it aside. The reality of what many homosexuals encounter was too difficult for him to swallow.

That was two years ago. Even though I had not received any updates on this particular situation, I continued to pray as the Lord brought this family to mind.

A few months ago, the woman approached me again, this time with a spark of hope in her eyes. She told me that her son was sitting on a park bench when a butterfly landed on his backpack. He did a double-take when he realized the insect was the exact same species as the one on the RESTORED HEARTS book cover. Perhaps I need to go back and finish reading that book, he thought.

His mother reported that he did finish the book and told her he had changed his attitude toward his dad. He now wanted to seek healing and restoration for their relationship.

Sometimes, it's the small things—like a butterfly on a book cover revisited at a park bench—that God can use to make all the difference in the world.

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Eileen Rife is the author of the Born for India trilogy, inspired by her single missionary daughter’s call to India. She and her husband, Chuck, conduct marriage seminars in the states and overseas. www.eileenrife.com, www.guardyourmarriage.com