Behind Doubting Castle

Several years ago, I was listening to the radio and I heard a song that really moved me. The lyrics just seemed to grab hold of me and would not let go:

"Amazing Love, how can it be? That you, my King , would die for me."

The very thought was intriguing! How could this be?

WHY would a King die for me?

At this point in my life, I was just beginning to understand this great love but I wondered about my children and all the other young people in the world, particularly those embarking upon the teenage years.

Very often, how a child perceives his/her value will play a major role in the choices he/she makes. As parents, we may wonder: does my child feel loved; what is the basis for his/her self-worth? Most hold to the belief that an item’s value is measured by the price paid for it. I believe that built within each person is a great need to belong to something or someone bigger than one’s-self – a purpose to verify that one’s life matters.

Written in allegory style, “Escape from Doubting Castle” parallels the bible story of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and The Plan of redemption by a loving Creator, undoubtedly the greatest love story ever written. The account of God’s love transcends all age groups and surpasses all time; answering the deep void within every soul ... yes, in God’s eyes, I do matter!

I wrote “Escape from Doubting Castle” for middle-school-aged children, hoping to help them understand that they hold immense value in the heart of their Creator. In fact, each one is so highly valued that nothing could hold back the determined heart of Jesus to redeem them. He set His face like flint toward the cross where He paid the ultimate and only acceptable price for their redemption – the sacrifice of His life for theirs. I trust that after reading this book, the reader will come away with the understanding that they must be very valuable indeed, because of the price that was paid. I hope to pique their interest so that they will see a personal relationship with their Creator and Redeemer is possible and to challenge him/her to make that relationship their own. Placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ is a personal voyage that each must embark on his own; the journey, however, is never alone. As their Savior walks with them, each step building trust and faith in His unchanging love enables one to face the future with assurance that God walks with them and that He has great purpose for their life.