LOVE AFFAIR 2015: A Christian Romance Author’s Rambling on Life, Love, and Writing.

Let your religion be less of a theory

 and more of a love affair.

—G. K. Chesterton

Let your writing be less of a theory

 and more of a love affair.

—Julie Lessman

Love Affair.

Two magical words that pulsed in my heart over and over again during our Christmas Eve service. It was a candlelight service, and moisture blurred my eyes as I stood next to the love of my life, singing one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time—O Holy Night. Even now as I write this, tears trail my cheeks and my heart “falls to its knees” at the wonder of Christ in our lives, the inconceivable joy of a love affair with the God of the Universe!

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees, oh hear, hear the angel voices
Oh night divine, oh night when
Christ was born 

Standing there worshipping the TRUE “Love of my Life,” I knew that more than anything in the world, I wanted my love affair with God in the coming year to be deeper, more passionate, and more profound than ever before. To make this year, as Tina Radcliffe so beautifully proclaimed the Seeker theme of the year to be, my "YEAR OF NO LIMITS." Both in my life … and in my books. 

With every beat of my pulse, the words Love Affair, Love Affair whisper in my ear, telling me that not only is it entirely possible, but that it's exactly what God longs for as well—a love affair with me—and with you! And not just as human beings, but as Christian writers, whose love affair for God can and should be embedded into every book we write, be it subtle … or pedal to the metal, like me.

I have to tell you, my love affair with my husband has surpassed anything I ever dreamed possible. Never did I believe I would ever love a human being to the depths and heights to which I love the man I married. 

I don’t know if I ever mentioned it to you, but I wasn’t all that sure that I “loved” him when I walked down that aisle, God’s truth. Oh, I knew I was happier with him than without him, but love? That deep-down, soul-wrenching, quivering kind of love we love to write about? Uh, probably not because you see, I didn’t really know how to love back then when we married 36 years ago. Nope, that was something I had to learn at the foot of God’s throne. And oh my, does our God know how to teach a lesson on love! Lessons which, as Christian authors, we are compelled to share with the world. And lessons that have helped my passion for writing—like my marriage—“surpass anything I ever dreamed possible.”

As many of you already know, I was raised in a very dysfunctional family where I was ridiculed and picked on a lot, so consequently, I had a pretty hard heart. Never even shed a tear when my mom died when I was sixteen, and as a young woman in her early twenties (before Christ), there were actually Thanksgivings and Christmases I spent alone despite coming from a family of thirteen kids. We’re talking rock-hard emotions here, steeled by bitterness and hate and anger. Until, that is, God got a hold of me at the age of 23 and turned this heart of stone into a heart of flesh. And a weepy one at that, to which many of you who’ve read my interviews or books can certainly attest.

“When did you realize you loved Dad,” my daughter asked me recently. Keith and I looked at each other and I scrunched my nose. “I don’t know … I guess about five or six years ago?” “That sounds about right,” Keith said, his tone as matter-of-fact as mine. My daughter started laughing because she understands that we have a very romantic marriage. “You’re joking,” she said, and Keith and I shook our heads and said, “No, we aren’t.”

You see I’m pretty sure Keith and I have loved each other all of our marriage, but it was a lifetime of application of God’s precepts in our relationship and lives that caused our marriage—and our love—to grow into what it is today. A truly magical love affair, the kind I write about in my books. So the good news is that, yes, it is possible to have a marriage like that in today’s world. The better news? It’s exactly what God wants for each of us—a love affair. First with Him … and then with those in the world around us—our families, our friends, our mates. And in our writing …

So why did my love for Keith suddenly bloom and grow so much six years ago? Interesting question, but I do believe it coincides with my books. The year I wrote A Passion Most Pure, my love for Keith was invigorated through my writing. As I poured all my passion for God and romance into each and every book, I also found myself pouring passion into my marriage. You know, focusing on my husband more, learning to see him once again through the eyes of young love and learning to appreciate him for just who he was. As Christian writers, this is a gift no secular writers can claim, to interject into our lives—and in the lives of our characters—our love affair with God and the profound impact it has.

For instance, there have been times when we would go out to dinner that I’d pretend we were dating, and I’d sparkle and shine just like it was a first date, hanging on to his every word, being affectionate more than usual, laughing at his jokes. Whenever I would do that we would have SUCH a great time that I started to realize that I was energizing my marriage by pouring passion (a strong enthusiasm or interest according to Merriam-Webster) into it.

Even when I would write my books, I’d keep a picture of Keith and me when we were engaged right by my computer to remind me just what a hunk I married, to help me see him once again through those eyes of initial attraction. And most importantly of all, I would do what I spent a lifetime doing—I’d pray for God to give me more and more passion and attraction and love for this man that He knit me with. And God is nothing if not faithful. The more I poured into my love affair with my husband—passion, prayer, giving, respect, love—the more exciting and fulfilling our relationship became, which brings me back to my heart and soul desire for this year: my love affair with God.

So what does a love affair with God look like? Well, I tried to show what it looks like for me in a scene from A Heart Revealed where Emma explains to her young neighbor Casey that God wants a love affair with each of us:      

        Casey’s eyelids lowered as she shifted in her seat. “But we can’t see or feel God, Emma, so how can you feel His love? I need more than prayers to a God I can’t touch, see, or hear—I want to hear words of love, see kind actions, feel hugs and kisses . . .”

Emma’s smile was soft. “We all do, Casey, because yes, we’re human beings. But we were made in God’s image.” Drawing in a deep breath, she leaned back in her chair, her eyes tender. “Which means, like Father, like daughter. You want to be loved? So does He. You want to be touched? So does He. You want to feel the rush of a kiss or the warmth of a hug?” Tears pricked Emma’s eyes. “So does He. Which is why I rushed to Him when Rory hurt me and my family betrayed me. And you know what? I found a God whose arms were open wide and Whose heart leapt with joy when I called His name. As protective as a mother and as jealous as a lover, this was a God who wanted me for His very own. Me—Emma Malloy! To touch, to bless, to fill with His pleasure.” She swallowed hard, her gaze locked on Casey’s. “Until I overflow, spilling His love on those around me—treasured possessions of a passionate God.”

A passionate God, indeed. One who longs for our touch, our attention, our smiles, our words of love. To be needed by us, believed in by us, and worshiped by us. And for we Christian writers—written about by us. A Lover Who offers everything our hearts could ever desire in a love affair—someone who is drawn to us, thinks we are beautiful, gives of Himself to us, protects and encourages us, makes us smile, laugh and cry with joy. Someone we are worth everything to—even His life. We have all that and more in the God of the Universe and yet at times, we remain lackluster in our devotion to Him, and sometimes—in our writing for Him. And so my desire for this year, both as a person and a writer, is to fall madly, passionately and completely in love with my God and to bring Him joy and pleasure and worship every day. In my life. And in my books.

Love affair, pure and simple.

For me, that means pouring my passion into worship and prayer and thanksgiving more than ever before. Sparkling and shining when I spend time with Him. Writing Him love notes in a journal or stopping often throughout the day to give Him a “hug” with a heart of gratitude for all He has done in my life. To tell Him I love Him before I open my eyes in the morning and before I close them again in the evening, and peppered throughout every single hour of every single day. To give Him my all … because that’s what He’s given to me. And to you.

No question about it—we are blessed. There are millions of people in the world, but WE are the special ones who have a love affair to end all love affairs. Oh, Lord, please, may we live like it—and write like it—every day in the year ahead.

Hugs and Happy New Year!

Julie

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ABOUT JULIE:

Award-winning author of “The Daughters of Boston” and “Winds of Change” series, Julie Lessman was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards. She has also garnered 17 RWA and other awards and made Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction. Her book A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. Contact Julie and read excerpts from her books at www.julielessman.com, or through Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, or Pinterest or by signing up for her newsletter.