Megan grew up in care and suffered all kinds of abuse, then struggled in adulthood to build a normal life. Hampered by her differences and lack of identity, Megan was lured into the embrace of a fundamentalist Christian group.
Attracted to the church because of her desire to know God and the warmth and inclusivity of the members, their promise of answers and healing, backed up by their deeper than usual knowledge of the bible, Megan experienced genuine miracles and love. But alongside the religious fanaticism came the cunning, gradual introduction of social control, flagrant sexism and violence.
An engrossing read, inspired by real-life events, investigating topics such as abuse, terminal illness, sexuality and gender roles in relation to faith. A story of the making and breaking of convictions and loyalties and the quest for actual truth. Quoting biblical scriptures to illuminate the characters’ mindsets, this book will resonate powerfully with those who have experience of such 'churches' or who wish to understand the mentality of people who lead and join such organisations.
Open a book, slip into the comfy seat of a movie theatre, turn on your favourite show or play your favourite video game and you will be transported to another world where you can escape from the day to day stresses of being human. However, once that story or game has ended, you will slip back into the day to day grind of the real world. Imagine being stuck in the world of make believe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because the outside world is too confusing and painful. This is how the real world feels like for Christian Traverse.
Inside you will be introduced to the world of one extraordinary boy, who at first glance, you will not find anything unusual about his sandy blond hair, his big, deep blue eyes, or even the long, dark lashes that would be the envy of any woman. You will not be taken aback by his crooked grin or the bubbly personality that can make just about anyone instantly fall in love with him. In fact, unless you know what to look for, you are not likely to notice anything different about him at all, but he is different.
This world we live in is confusing, overwhelming and painful because he has a condition known as autism.