Sometimes we don't think our lives have an impact at all, much like George Bailey of It's A Wonderful Life, because we don't have to perspective that God has to see the ripples of those we come into contact with every single day. We all know as believers in Christ, the impacts we have on those close to us like family and friends and being a husband and father in this world holds the key to some much it is hard to wrap our heads around it. There are those like Richard Sullivan, the main character in F. Parker Hudson's novel, On the Edge who believe like most non-believers that we are here simply to do the best with what we have with the time we have. There are no supreme consequences for any life decisions we make, because there is no God after all. So is the life he lives and as readers, we get to see those ripples as they reach out to his wife and children and even friends and work associates.
Richard's life is probably like most middle age men of this world. He works hard to provide for his family of two growing teens Susan and Tommy, but as a corporate attorney, he is very much in demand and believes that providing a sound financial future for them all, is the extent of his main responsibility to his family. His marriage to Janet is in the standard rut after many of years of being together, and with her job at the news station, they are simply roommates at this stage of their life trying to get by. Perhaps that is why Richard is so pleased with Kristen, a much younger real estate agent who he has been having an affair with every Tuesday and Thursday when everyone in his life believes he goes to the gym to work out. Richard truly justifies every decision in his life with any regard to the consequences his actions are having on his family.
We get to see first hand from a physical sense and also a look in the spiritual realm of how these things are being puppeted and manipulated by demons because Richard's life and that of those around him have no desire to know about God and offers no protection to what is happening and how it will all play out. Since his parents weren't believers, he has no foundation to stand on, no seed has been planted in his life, even though he does have some interaction with believers of Christ, he doesn't buy into any of it. When his family ask him for help, he has no guidance to offer them other than his own opinion or experience in the matter and it simply drives a greater rift between him and his family with eternal consequences that will impact all of them.
I received On the Edge by F. Parker Hudson compliments of the author himself for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of this novel and the opinions contained here are my personal and honest ones. This is an exceptional look into the invisible spiritual realm and we get to see two very different versions of Richard's life being played out before the reader. In Book One, we see what Richard's life is like without his acceptance of God into his life and its eternal impacts. In Book Two, the author gives us a George Bailey moment in which we get to see an alternative version of his life in which seeds are planted and later harvested when Richard becomes a believer. It provides for the reader a way to look at their own lives and see first hand how these "ripples" in our life can touch so many others without us even knowing it. I love the disclaimer the author also provides at the beginning of this novel because the Bible does offer us some idea of angelic interaction, it does leave the actual appearance a bit of mystery since they are not truly described in detail. For me, this is my all time favorite genre and the first I've ever read like it offering two very different versions of the same story within the cover which is why I believe this one deserves a 5 out of 5 stars. I caution you however, that some of the subjects discussed may be upsetting to some, but defines the implications on how sin develops in the lives of those without Christ.
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good review.
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