Right around the time I wrote my debut novel, Blaze, my parents had decided to separate.
It felt as though someone had knocked the wind out of my chest. In that moment, I knew what would follow six months later: divorce.
Growing up, I always viewed divorce as the ultimate evil. -@HopeBolinger Share on XGrowing up, I always viewed divorce as the ultimate evil. Most of my friends had parents who’d separated and divorced, and many left their Christian faith on account of the problems this had caused. Even though I’d grown up in a chaotic home, I always assured myself, “It’ll be fine. My parents will work things out and stay together.”
I tried to be the perfect child. Never causing fusses and being ever-obedient, in hopes I could fix their marriage.
I couldn’t. They divorced and remarried to other spouses within the span of a year.
At first, I was mad at God. How could he let this happen? Doesn’t it even say in Scripture that he hates divorce? How could anything good come out of this?
Then something funny happened.
My dad and stepmom
Well, not really funny, but funny in the sense of how God moves sometimes. My dad posted a picture with his new wife. He looked . . . happy, joyful even. I’d never seen him so engaged with Scripture, and so full of love and life.
And then I saw a picture of my mom and her new husband.
He’d never gone to church until they started dating, and now goes once a week.
My mom and stepdad
Maybe God could bring something good out of something bad.
When my book released, I had more than just my mom and dad to cheer me on, but now my stepmom and stepdad, too. I now have more gifts to give at Christmas, more birthdays to celebrate, and so many more pictures to look at when I feel down.
In short, God has given me more people to love.
God has given me more people to love. -@HopeBolinger Share on XYes, even in the midst of the thing he hates: divorce, I found something he values the most: love.
Hope Bolinger is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. and a graduate of Taylor University’s professional writing program. More than 450 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer’s Digest to Keys for Kids. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Her column “Hope’s Hacks,” tips and tricks to avoid writer’s block, reaches 6,000+ readers weekly and is featured monthly on Cyle Young’s blog. Her modern-day Daniel, Blaze, (Illuminate YA) released in June, and they contracted the sequel Den for July 2020. Find out more about her here.
What if the book of Daniel took place in modern times?
Danny was told sophomore year was supposed to be stressful . . . but he didn’t expect his school to burn down on the first day.
To add to his sophomore woes, he—and his three best friends—receive an email in their inboxes from the principal of their rival, King’s Academy, offering full-rides to attend the prestigious boarding school. Danny says no. His overbearing mother says yes. So off he goes.
From day one at King’s, Danny encounters horrible hazing initiations, girls who like to pick other people’s scabs, and cafeteria food that could turn the strongest stomachs sour. As he attempts to survive, he will have to face his fears or fall prey to the King’s Academy lions.
