Lost In Dreams

If only I could tell you what I’ve been going through…but you wouldn’t understand. How could you? I don’t understand it myself. I mean what normal teen girl feels overwhelmed by guilt over her mother’s death because she called her mom while her mom was driving in bad weather? That irrational. It… it’s just plain crazy.

Book: Lost in Dreams (Altered Hearts) by Roger E. Bruner with Kristi Rae Bruner, Barbour Publishing, 2011

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 13-20

Subjects: Missions, Salvation, Trust in God, Friendship, divorce, Guilt, Forgiveness

Summary: Coming home on an emotional and spiritual high after a life-changing missions trip to Mexico, the last thing Kim expects is to go through “a season of pebbles” as her friend Aleesha calls hard times. That’s exactly what she gets though. Instead of her mom greeting her at the airport, she is greeted by word that her mom has just been killed in a car accident on the way. Suddenly Kim is plunged into a world of doubt and despair as she drowns in her guilt. When a friend provides a chance to go back another missions trip and do some work restoring an old building and doing some work with a prison ministry, Kim jumps on the opportunity. Surely this will be the thing that sets her free again! But her misery just goes right along with her and she’s finding it will take more than she thought to become free from the pain and guilt weighing her down.

Notes: A sequel to Found In Translation, Lost In Dreams, continues the story of Kim and her spiritual journey. She and her friend Jo both face a “season of pebbles” and have to find a way to put their trust fully back in Christ. The recurring themes running through this book are guilt – Kim and her dad both feel responsible for her mom’s death, and another character not only feels, but is responsible for a death. All three find it extremely difficult to turn that guilt over to God and let Him take it away. They continue beating themselves up for what God has forgiven. Kim’s friend Jo has to work on the forgiveness of someone else in her life who has deeply hurt her. There is also a salvation message presented as Kim and the others minister to the prisoners.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Matthew 11:28-30 – "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."