False Pretenses (38 page)

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17)

Dear reader,

Does anything we think, say, or do escape the notice of the God of the universe? I imagine few of us have a story of deception as extreme as Zoe’s. But have we ever been guilty of pretending not to see a sin area in our lives, as if ignoring it will make it invisible to God? Is there anything, past or present, we’re so ashamed of that we lie to cover up? Something that would make our faces burn with shame if it were published on the front page of the newspaper?

Shelby Sieger was not a horrible person. She was wounded, her spirit crushed, her self-image malformed. The shame she bore from her abuse was intensely painful. But the lies and the deception she employed in an attempt to “escape her past” were ineffectual and destructive—and ultimately resulted in even more shame.

Zoe tried to justify her deceptive methods as necessary to ensure her survival and happiness. She cleverly managed to avoid going to jail but was instead locked in an
emotional
prison. Changing her name to Zoe Benoit didn’t erase the ugly truth of her past. Disowning her family, stealing from Adele, and marrying Pierce under false pretenses didn’t set her free. Nor did it heal her wounded spirit or change who she really was. Ultimately, Zoe came to understand that only in Christ could she find her true identity.

I didn’t know until the last few chapters that Pierce’s father, Burke Broussard, would teach his son about the importance of extending grace, or that Adele Woodmore would be the one to bring Zoe and Pierce to the real Source of all grace. I love it when my fingers receive those “pearls” from above.

Well … we certainly haven’t heard the last of the Broussards, their little Grace to come, or the Langleys and the rest of the cast of characters in Les Barbes. Join me in book two, where we will discover more secrets of Roux River Bayou. Prepare to stay up late. It promises to be page-turner.

I would love to hear from you. Join me on Facebook (
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In Him,

DISCUSSION GUIDE

1. Why do you think our family of origin is so important to our self-image? What elements go into forming a healthy self-image? When those elements are missing in a child’s life, who is responsible? When those elements are missing in an adult’s life, who is responsible? Where do we find our true identity?

2. At what point in time should an adult take responsibility for dealing with the wounds of his or her childhood? Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “It’s not your fault if you grew up dysfunctional, but it is your fault if you stay that way.” Explain your answer. Were Zoe’s parents responsible for the choices she made?

3. Do you think people who carry around the wounds of childhood are handicapped in their decision-making ability? Zoe’s “victim mentality” allowed her to justify helping herself to Adele’s ring in order to achieve her financial independence. What was wrong with that thinking? What, if anything, might Zoe have done differently to achieve the same goal? What options might she have had? Would it have made any difference in the right or wrong of her actions if no other options were available to her?

4. In your opinion, what constitutes a lie? Why do you think lying is offensive to God? Zoe told some whoppers, but do you think “white lies” are acceptable? Is deceiving the same thing as lying? Can you name some biblical characters that got into trouble by deceiving others? How far-reaching were the consequences? Have you ever been deceived by someone you trusted? Were you able to forgive the person? Were you ever able to trust that person again?

5. What do you think is meant by 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come”? When God pours out His saving grace, which is it that is paid in full: the penalty of one’s sin or the consequences? Will the “new creation” be set free from the earthly consequences of past sins?

6. One definition of grace is
unmerited favor.
What are some ways that Zoe received grace from people in this story? Which touched you the most and why? Without the grace Zoe was shown, what might have been different in her life?

7. Since the garden of Eden, humans have tried to hide their sin from God. Why do you think that is? Are we sometimes guilty of hiding our sin—or justifying it—even after we’re saved? Why do you think someone might do that instead of claiming the promise in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”?

8. James 5:16 tells us, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Do you think confession is good for the soul? Which do you think took more emotional energy for Zoe: carrying her bag of lies or opening it? Does confessing to each other mean opening up your bag of sin to every believer? Is there a case to be made for using wisdom and discretion in choosing whom we tell? Are there times when confessing our sin might inadvertently cause someone else great pain or embarrassment? Can you think of examples?

9. Do you think a person can come to faith in Christ and make a true confession and not even be aware of sin areas still to be dealt with? When you trusted Christ for your salvation, did you know the full extent of the sin in your life? If not, why do you think the Holy Spirit didn’t reveal it all then? Do you think God forgives us for sin we don’t yet recognize? Once we become aware of our sin, what should be our response?

10. What do you think Jesus meant in Matthew 18:21–23 when He said we should forgive seventy times seven? When is it hardest to forgive? Does the gravity of an offense have any bearing on the command to forgive? Though judging someone else’s heart in real life is not our job, let’s take a close look at the characters in the story. Who are the people in this story who either forgave someone or who still need to? Which would be the most difficult for you, were you in his or her shoes? Based on this line from the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:4, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us,” is forgiveness an option? Would that apply also to Zoe’s forgiving her parents for the horrible abuse she suffered?

11. Is forgiveness in any way intended to mean that the offense didn’t matter or that it didn’t hurt—perhaps even deeply? Why do you think God commands us to forgive? Who benefits most when forgiveness occurs? Have you ever received grace from another person when you knew you didn’t deserve it? How did it make you feel? Have you ever extended that kind of grace to someone else who didn’t deserve it? What was your motivation for doing so? How did it make you feel?

12. If you could meet one character from the story, who would it be? What would you like to say to that person? What did you take away from this story?