Have a Little Faith
by Jacquelin Thomas, Sandra Kitt, J. D. Mason, Reshonda Tate Billingsley, ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Paperback
ISBN: 141651676X
Pub. Date: June 2006

This book is different than most of the other titles that I usually review. Even though this is somewhat of a faith-based book, I felt that the message in these stories didn’t usually come into play until around three-quarters of the way through the story. A few of them read just like a secular novel for the first half, which is why some readers, who only read Christian fiction, may be offended by the actions of some of the characters in some of the stories.

The book was well-written and I was eager to finish the entire novel. The only author in this collection that I was familiar with was Jacquelin Thomas. I’ve heard of and read some of Reshonda Tate Billingsley’s novels, however, I consider her stories to be about the church itself, more so than being an inspirational/Christian novel.

In Jacquelin Thomas’s Signs Of Light, judgmental Lorna Hamilton runs her own bakery. She has negative opinions about welfare mothers, and when Brittany Spencer, a welfare mother with an ill son, comes to her for a favor, Lorna wrongly lashes out at Brittany because of her tainted perception. Throughout the course of the story, Lorna learns that not all mothers on welfare are looking for a free handout. She also manages to patch things up with her boyfriend throughout the course of the story.

In ReShonda Tate Billingsley’s Faith Will Overcome, Faith Logan is known as being the town tramp. She’s looking for love, and she finally decides to make a man wait to have sex with her in order to have a romantic relationship. Her plan backfires when Xavier, the man that she thought cared for her, tried to get her to do something against her will. Meanwhile, Darius Williams, a church-going man, teaches Faith that she must learn to love herself first, before she attempts to find love in the arms of a man. During the story, Faith discovers haunting things about her family’s past, things that make her understand the actions of her estranged mother and her grandmother.

In J.D. Mason’s Maybelline, Olivia Phillips is slowly trying to put the pieces back together in her life after having a mastectomy. A failed suicide attempt also weighs heavily on her mind. When she tries to patch things up with Q, the boyfriend she abandoned when she was diagnosed, things don’t work out between them as she’d hoped. In the meantime, Maybelline, her large eccentric neighbor, comes by frequently, bringing freshly-baked pies and words of wisdom. When Maybelline forces Olivia to accept her blessings, and thank God for her life, she learns that faith will help her to overcome all of life’s obstacles. In an interesting twist, Olivia accidentally discovers the unique identity of Maybelline, and she surprisingly finds love again.

In Sandra Kitt’s Survival Instincts, Lynn Hayes is mugged by a group of teenagers. She recognizes one of her attackers, and instead of pressing charges, she convinces the police to allow her to help the youngster during his probation. Davis Manning, her rescuer during the mugging, is shocked when Lynn refuses to press charges against her attacker. Davis’s wife was killed years ago in a similiar incident, making him want to bring charges against the teen. When Lynn tells Davis about her faith, he wonders about his own spiritual beliefs as he romantically pursues Lynn.

I loved these stories. Although some are secular in nature, to a certain point, I still thought they were well-written and inspiring. I recommend this book for those who would like to read a faith-inspiring story.

Cecelia Dowdy
www.ceceliadowdy.com