I started reading romance novels when I was in my early teens. I started with some written in the mid-60s my mom had handed down to me and by the time I was 14 or 15 had graduated to the early Harelquin novels that were very clean and almost always about some secretary in a high rise office building in Sydney or London who falls in love with her troubled and angsty boss who suddenly becomes very loving and endearing the last chapter of the book.
Such fun.
By my early 20’s, I was reading anything I could get my hands on. My favorite authors included Nora Roberts, Jude Devereaux, Julie Garwood, and Sandra Brown — but I would read anyone if I didn’t have a new one by one of them. The librarian and used book store owner knew me by my first name.
When I started writing, I started writing secular romances, because that is what I read. When I started the path of publishing, the conviction overwhelmed me that I needed to be writing CHRISTIAN romances. I found as I “redeemed” my secular novels that now my stories focus on two major points of love: eros, which is the Greek term for romantic love; and agape, which is the Greek term for the perfect love of God.
How important is love?
1 Corinthians 13 informs us that without love, we are nothing and have nothing. We can have faith to move mountains or knowledge of all things in the universe but without love, we are nothing. We can spend our very lives in service and sacrifice but without love, it isn’t useful or profitable. The remainder of the chapter informs us very accurately about the nature of love.
When I write, I write the romantic arc – the romantic story between the male protagonist and the female protagonist. And, I write on the spiritual arc – the love the two main characters have or learn to have for God. In this genre, if you leave out one of those arcs, you pretty much have an incomplete story.
The more I delve into writing about love – about eros and agape love, the more the two intertwine.
When God said, ” It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him,” (Genesis 2:18) there are two Hebrew words that could have been used for “not good.” One is ‘ên tôb, which means that something is lacking. As in, this coffee is lacking cinnamon, or these mashed potatoes are lacking salt. The other is the one that was used: lõ’tôb, which means positively bad. As in, it is positively bad that man is alone, so I will make for him a helper.
If it is positively bad for man to be alone, then it must therefore be positively good for man to be in love with a woman and be one with that woman in marriage. We are designed to want to be in a relationship with someone. We are commanded by God to make that relationship monogamous, permanent, and, above all, a reflection of Christ’s relationship with us, of Christ’s agape love for us.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27
What does that mean?
What it means is that Christ loves us so much that He died for us. He stepped up, was beaten until he didn’t even resemble a man anymore, then nailed to a wooden cross until his lungs filled with fluid and suffocated him. And he did it because he LOVES us. With a perfect agape love.
Husbands are supposed to love their wives that much. God’s perfect model for marriage has husbands loving and adoring their wives to the point that they would step up and die for them.
THAT is the kind of love I seek to convey between my characters when writing their love stories. That is the kind of love that I have blossom and bloom between my characters. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE writing about that kind of love!
Conversely, women are to love and respect their husbands. To hold them in high esteem. To give to them the kind of unconditional respect that rivals the unconditional love their husbands should have for them. To love them tenderly, affectionately, and passionately.
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. ~Proverbs 31:1-12
Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” The term “one” used here is the same term used in Deuteronomy 6:4 describing the Holy Trinity: “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”I think that is a powerful message from God that puts man and wife as one – one flesh, one in the eyes of God as much as the trinity of God – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit – is one.
When a husband loves his wife with the perfect, agape love of Christ, and when his wife gives him unconditional respect and a tender affectionate love in return, then you have a perfect model of a marriage as given to us by God. Then you have the two becoming “one” – a powerful force with which to be reckoned.
God is love.
Christ showed us the perfect love. And, the closer we grow to God, the closer we grow to the one we love. To portray that between two characters, to give modern day parables that speak to readers’ hearts can do powerful things in the kingdom of God. It can bring readers to a stronger relationship with their spouses, it can encourage those facing hardship, it can teach and enlighten those who never heard the truth before, and to bring people closer to God.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)
Why do you love Christian romances?
One commenter will receive a paperback of Courting Calla – book 1 in the Dixon Brothers Series! Winner will be chosen at random on Friday, April 19th, and will be notified by email.
With over half a million sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. Subscribers to Hallee's newsletter get her bestselling contemporary romance COURTING CALLA for free! Sign up by clicking the newsletter icon below or going here: http://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter
I love reading Christian Romance because of the new discovery of how God helps people on their exploration of each other while He redeems them to Himself. And because I have been married for 39 year to the man of my day and night dreams! The discovery never ends !!!
I love reading Christian Romance because of the new discovery of how God helps people on their exploration of each other while He redeems them to Himself.
And because the discovery never ends. I have been married for 39 years.
Christian Romances fill my heart with joy.
Hi Hallee! As a retiree, I NOW enjoy reading Christian romances which are more than just romance – the happily ever after between the couple. My favorite example is the Tuscan Legacy series by our Inspy Romance authors. A loving flawed eighty year old grandma, who is hiding a secret. Mysterious paintings and world travel, plus a message of forgiveness and second chances. Christian Romance is a clean read with struggles of spiritual growth incorporating the elements of the LOVE Chapter – I Corinthians 13. Best wishes.
Hi Hallee, I love reading Christian romance- I love that it is clean, that the characters are not just out for sex, that there is a focus on others not just self, and that Christian romance characters understand the concept of selfless love shown through Jesus and the need for Jesus at the centre. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and enriching stories,
Blessings:)
I think I enjoy watching how the main characters seek the Lord as they seek each other. A strong marriage must be founded on the truths of God’s word.
I love the story of redemption , the many twists and turns of the stories and that they are clean. I also enjoy happy endings!
This is a wonderful post. I love both pictures. So true about both husbands and wives putting God first in their marriage. I think I love romances partly because I have been reading them since high school. There is something warm and wonderful about how the couple comes together. My mom also handed down Harlequin books and westerns. I especially loved Louis Lamore
I love Christian romance! It’s my favorite genre. The redeeming power of God’s love is usually a theme, which is encouraging and uplifting. I love seeing God’s work in the characters’ lives to create “happy endings,” even when their journey’s are difficult.
I love Christian romance for so many reasons. They’re light and fun and sweet, no sex or shallow, physical relationships (hopefully), and no violence or anything scary that won’t allow me to sleep at night. I guess I like them for what they don’t have just as much as what they do.
Oh, my goodness – my story about reading is so similar to yours! Except, I don’t write them – just read! I was convicted shortly after I got married that I really shouldn’t be reading what I was reading – except there was so little Christian fiction out there that I began reading young adult books. Fortunately, now there is lots for me to read and my TBR pile just keeps growing and growing!!
I love that the indie publishing market has allowed Christian fiction options to grow!
I think that’s the case for a lot of readers!
Although, my suspense tends to be suspenseful and often smattered with violence. heh
I LOVE watching God work through characters!! And I love hearing about how that fictional work affects people in real life.
I LOVED Louis Lamore. My mom handed me a paperback full of them that she found cleaning out my great-grandmother’s house. Apparently, my great-grandfather was a huge fan.
I too love the story of redemption.
Susan: Definitely!!
I couldn’t agree more, Wemble. Thank you so much!
I will have to look that up, Renate!
I love that the discovery never ends. :-)
I love Christian romances because it shows Christians in real life situations, mostly staying true to their convictions. For some, it shows their redemption after falling from their beliefs. I also started reading Harlequins, while they were still clean and fun. I read many, many books before those, but not romances. Harlequins got me hooked on romance. Then, I went to the love inspired romances that were basically the Christian version of Harlequins, and from there found Inspy, romantic suspense, and other genre, staying in the Christian realm. I’ll read some clean romances, but if they have things I don’t like, I don’t continue to read. I’m really picky about authors in that field!!
Me, too!
I love Christian romances for the romance (of course) and also because they often inspire or encourage my spiritual walk in some way.
I love romance because I love happy endings.
I love Christian romances because they are uplifting and encouraging. No matter what stage of life you’re in, this type of book can help you see what God can and will do if you let Him, even when it looks as bad as it can get. I also love them because I can see how other people (even if they’re fictitious) walk their walk, because sometimes I need that example to help me walk my walk better.
On another note, this was an awesome article to read! I love how you explained the difference between romantic love and agape love.
Lovely post, Hallee. :) I love how. Christian romance speaks the truth about love. I also grew up reading the sweet romances you described, and I especially liked the Aussie books set in familiar places in Sydney (my hometown).
I love that, Ellie!
Me, too!
I call my stories “modern day parables”
Thank you so much! I appreciate that.
They made all those far off places so desirable! I’m happy I’ve been able to visit your town. :-)
I LOVE CHRISTIAN ROMANCE BECAUSE THEY ARE GREAT READS THANK YOU FOR SHARING I LOVE HAPPY ENDINGS!
Yes! It was great that you could travel downunder and speak at our Christian writing conference in Sydney! :)