“And your life,' Katie said to Christy, 'is turning into a rather predictable romance. Girl meets boy. Boy is a dork for four years. Girl blossoms into a gorgeous woman. Boy finds his brain. Girl turns into starry-eyed mush head.”
― Robin Jones Gunn, In Your Dreams
If you did not grow up in the Evangelical, Christian bookstore-loving, slightly cheesy world I did, I'm sorry, but you won't understand my teenage obsession with the Christy Miller series. It wasn't quite as crazy as the Harry Potter or Twilight sensations of our day, but it was serious. I remember waiting for the next book in the series to be released, wondering what was next for Christy and her friends. I read the series at least three times - the original nine books. Then came the three books about Todd and Christy's college years, and I had to have those. Today, I'm not kidding, I hopped on Amazon and about slapped myself in shock. THERE ARE TWO MORE BOOKS THAT WERE RELEASED JUST LAST YEAR. TODD AND CHRISTY: THE MARRIED YEARS!
I'm restraining from buying them right now.
As a young teenager, I loved the drama-filled pages and the love story that carried on throughout the series. These books were more than fluff, though. I'll admit, they were cheesy and far too focused on finding a husband, but I fell in love with the story. For me, these books were about growing up, following Jesus, making deep friendships, and getting through life's unpredictable chapters. I realize I'm losing "cool" points by admitting I loved these Christian fiction books, but they are very much a part of my coming of age story. I think of these books, and I miss reading them in my bedroom in Arkansas and dreaming about my high school self. I was naive and hopeful; I was excited to learn and grow.
I've grown up now, even past the milestones of my beloved Christy Miller. My life did not turn out anything like hers, nor does it look much like I thought it would when I was 14. But it's good. I'm thankful for fun books like these written by Robin Jones Gunn. They made me love reading and love growing up. Reading these books allowed me to see my uncomfortable, stumbling teen years as part of the big process of life. Problems felt less dramatic, boys were hoped for but not depended on, and I never once hated my parents. Christy Miller's fictional life is not solely responsible, but it was a part of my own self-discovery.
I look at that quote above and I think of my own story. Not just my story with Reed, but my whole story, this far. I'm thankful for it all - for my family, my changes, my pain, and my sheer joy. But I don't think it'd make a very compelling piece of Christian fiction. At times my story has felt dramatic, but it has, after all, been pretty predictable. I like that, in some ways, but I'm excited to be in a place of lots of questions. Here I am, waiting for my own next book. Where do I go from here? What is the next installment of my story's series? I have little idea, but I'm ready to wait and trust.
I love Robin Jones Gunn for giving me Christy Miller. I fell in love with a character and with a story many years ago, but I have never wanted to live a life without these elements. I'm looking forward to meeting new characters and chapters along the way of my real story.