By Rhonda Stoppe
Harvest House, 2018
Summary
Do you believe in true love?
In a world of broken relationships and hurting people, it can seem like all we ever see is heartache-that marriages are doomed from the start and romance isn't worth the risk.
But heart-fluttering, long-lasting love is all around us...we just have to look for it!
This collection of beautiful, real-life accounts will bring laughter and tears as you enjoy each story of ordinary people who found extraordinary love. Page after page, you will find inspiration to
-rekindle the romance in your love story
-trust in God's providence and timing
-faithfully hope for your own happily-ever-after
-celebrate true romance
-believe in life-long love
Don't let the world define romance for you! See how God is at work in the hearts of His people-knitting together hearts in a love that forever endures.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
My thoughts
Not only did I thoroughly enjoy reading Real-Life Romance by Rhonda Stoppe, but I found it to be a personal blessing that touched me in so many ways. Romance is of God, and that’s what we see in these 25 stories. As Rhonda begins by talking about herself and Steve, I felt like we were chatting over a cup of coffee. Rhonda is a gifted communicator who has a passion for the Lord and helping others, and that’s inspiring.
Each couple’s story is unique and reflects the realities of life – and each couple is totally relatable. Their stories will speak to you, the reader. There’s no “fairy tale” feeling to this collection. While some stories will put a smile on your face, others will draw tears – the one constant being God’s faithfulness. Each chapter ends with a meditative section that begs you to take time and reflect. Real-Life Romance is for everyone, no matter what stage of life you’re in, but it would make a great gift for engaged or young marrieds.
The best way I can give a feel for this book is by highlighting a couple of chapters. Stories dealing with struggles that involve alcohol addiction, death of a child or spouse, and pornography are so very relevant. The stories of Rhonda and Steve’s four children are also great. But in the very first chapter, Rhonda said something that, while I know it in my heart, I still need to put where I can see it every day: “Working to remain content is a vital component to a happy marriage.”
John and Denel weren’t Christians in the early years of their marriage, and Rhonda writes these words that I find so encouraging: “Even though they didn’t know anything about God’s love for them, He loved them anyway. Even when they didn’t walk according to His commands, He wooed them.”
But it’s Curt and Vi’s story that resonated so much and I can’t forget. Coming to the end of his life after a marriage of 42 years and thinking about standing in the presence of the Lord, Curt said to Vi, “I am going to thank Him for giving me you.” If all our husbands could say that of us, how wonderful that would be! Vi, evidently a gifted writer, penned a poem to be shared at Curt’s funeral. I want to end with these ending line from her poem entitled The Waltz:
One Conductor, plus two partners, make a unit of
three.
The Conductor selected the tunes and tempo for each
melody.
And side by side, we simply complied with
The music He played faithfully.
Real-Life Romance will be a blessing to all who read it. Rhonda Stoppe has become a mentor to me through her writing and I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book through Litfuse Publicity. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
_________________________
She and her husband live their real-life romance in northern California, and have four grown children and eight grandchildren.
Find out more about Rhonda at http://www.rhondastoppe.com.
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