SuitabookThat Was Then...
Melody Carlson
- Reading
- Pause at the characters’ different views of marriage and adoption; invite the reader to weigh the choices without assuming that the story settles the question.
- Themes
- Faith and decisions about marriage: Natalie believes marriage is God’s will, and Ben regards marrying her as his Christian responsibility; Kim questions whether marriage is the only solution and raises adoption. Different convictions and Kim’s doubts sit alongside one another, making the choices open to discussion rather than presenting a settled answer.
- Bereavement and continuing faith: Kim’s mother died of cancer, and the story describes Kim’s life as still shadowed by the loss while her faith deepens. The book presents this mainly as information or explanation.
- Worth knowing
- Pregnancy, a proposed marriage between teenagers, bereavement after a mother’s death, and a parent’s imprisonment are part of the story’s circumstances.