Night With A Perfect Stranger: The Conversation That Changes Everything (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
It's my fault, I just do not have enough faIth to believe that you can meet Jesus in the middle of the road with a tank of diesel because you run out of gas and you even went to dinner with him six years before. Maybe I'm not American enough, maybe being Italian and gone to the "vatican church" for more than half my life doesn't help to believe in a "not so bad" God, I don't know anyway...THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND WHORTY PUBLISHING FOR THE PREVIEW Review by Kara GrantMinor SpoilersIt’s been six years since Nick Cominsky shared an evening with Jesus eating dinner and having a conversation that would change his life. A few weeks later Nick’s wife, Mattie, also has an encounter with Jesus that changes everything. For two years they focus their energy on living for God, loving each other and raising their two kids. However, like most Christians, Nick’s excitement over God and his sense of purpose begins to fade. Isn’t this one encounter with Jesus supposed to be enough? Why didn’t it last and why is he now frustrated with his own faith after such a profound experience?One night Nick gets upset with his dad and leaves his parents’ home in an uproar. As he drives home he falls deeper into despair and continues to question himself. When is he going to get this life right and how is he going to be an example of God to his kids when he can’t figure it out? Then he comes across Jesus once more and this time he’s not sitting still in a restaurant skeptical of God’s existence.Nick is angry and hurting when he recognizes Jesus and he reacts just as any of us would when talking to a parent or mentor. He is happy to see Jesus once again, but he is experiencing inner turmoil that needs healing. Together, they have another profound experience tackling issues such as the struggle with being a Christian today, bitterness/resentment towards other Christians who seem to be more in tune, and pornography. Jesus does not shy away from any of the confusion Nick is struggling with, but instead encourages him to openly state what his thoughts are. There is no one we are safer with than God when it comes to revealing our hurts and disappointments. Even though He already knows our every thought, He welcomes us to trust Him with whatever we’re facing and to freely receive His love in return. Jesus clearly explains to Nick how His love is unconditional, but He doesn’t preach or criticize. He carefully listens and even illustrates by examples they come across to help Nick understand the awe of God’s love and faithfulness. I absolutely love how Gregory illustrates Christ’s character in a modern day setting and brings to life all the issues that most Christians struggle with today. And to be honest, I cried throughout the story knowing that this depiction of God and His loving nature is an accurate one. “Nothing you can do to make us love you less. And nothing you can do to make us love you more. That’s because our love is not based on what you do; it’s based on who we are. We are love.”This is a simple story that will grab your attention and ease any doubts you have living as a Christian today. Being a follower of God is a daily process and the focus on such a life should be on our relationship with Christ, not in our ability to memorize scripture verses. I deeply enjoyed reading this and I highly recommend it to anyone, whether they believe in God or not.I want to thank NetGalley.com and Worthy Publishing for the free copy they provided for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
What do You think about Night With A Perfect Stranger: The Conversation That Changes Everything (2012)?
I'll be reading the rest of the series as well...informative, relevant, and timely.
—heatherco
Timely read. Makes one think about being in Christ differently.
—AlanGL
