About the novel

Abigail is an ordinary young lady who was soaring through life just like any other, except she is the daughter of a preacher. While most would assume that there is nothing ‘special’ about being a preachers kid, she envisages all things related to life, in general and overall, from the view point of a preachers kid. Being born into Christianity, society labels preachers kids as ‘holier than thou’ and places them on pedestals they couldn’t possibly live up to. The pressure that results from these expectations is what an ordinary individual could never imagine, until they take a look through her eyes, standing from her view point.

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It all starts with the passing of her father, and the massive impact it has on her as a person and on her faith that she was born into. Bearing in mind that being born into a faith is worlds apart from practicing free will in selecting a faith oneself. She however provides a view from both worlds by granting the reader an opportunity to see it as she saw it whilst she was a Christian because she was born into it, and also when she was a Christian after truly being born again through her own freewill.

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We are introduced to various facets of her being, and various events that triggered various emotions. The major events that take place in this first edition, are the passing of her father right in the beginning, the passing of her mother a few chapters later, falling pregnant out of wedlock and attempting to correct that error by another error (paying her own bride price just to get married in attempt to lessen the shame), and meeting Mr Right. She provides a loophole for the reader to go through the divorce with her, which was rather challenging emotionally, physically and mentally. This being so because the church does not believe in divorce and since her parents had passed, she had to go through it without any support nor guidance.

After her father’s passing, the family loses their property due to debt. Her mother is able to rent out a flat for the family after being homeless for a couple of months, however, she passes away soon after, leaving Abigail and her brother desolate, orphaned.

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Where one would presume that blood is thicker than water, Abigail soon learned that water flows more freely and reaches more places, thereby accomplishing more. Blood is weakened in its very strength. Abigail finds herself going through life all alone, irrespective of the many relatives that surround her. Abigail and her brother are now orphans,and are once again, homeless. This not only creates a rift in the family, but forces us to question whether the true essence of Christianity exists within Christians themselves. For the scriptures teach that true Christianity is to take care of orphans and widows and to be blameless in the world. The cherry on top, Abigail was 9 months pregnant when her mother passed.

 

Nevertheless, Abigail, just like all other brave individuals, does not give in, she continues in pursuit of something greater than mere happiness, she continues to pursue her destiny. She believed more than anything that beyond her ability to teach, minister, and sing, there was a greater calling in her life. Not because she is a preachers kid but because of her own personal identity. She brings awareness to each individual having their own identity separate from that of their parents. That her parents were pastors, and her brother is now also a pastor was not sufficient guidance for her own calling. Most people would assume that it would be an automatic transfer of anointing but is that truly always the case?

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Perhaps it would be made easier for mankind to comprehend that God can bless or similarly curse an entire lineage, but as for anointing, it is an entire different ball game. God does not call the anointed, but He anoints the called. In the same breath, a preacher’s kid can be called and anointed for ministry, but because God himself called him he is called, and not because of whom his parents are or were. So blood is not the relation that a calling is based upon, although preacher’s kids are best positioned to learn the most from their parents, and they are most opportuned, we have seen many instances were individuals of the same family, e.g. twins, father and son, mother and daughter, are direct opposites. Same applies.

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Abigail takes us through the transition she goes through as she matures, and gains an even greater understanding of what true Christianity is all about. She redefines herself as a woman and expresses her understanding of the image of an ideal woman based on Proverbs 31.

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Having being introduced to true loneliness, thus exposing her to the actual relationship God wanted to have with her in the first place. One where her undivided attention, and dependency was solely on him. She is forced to learn to run to God at every turn, with all her grievances even those appearing too small to run to God for, and where she would usually run to her friends for advice, she now runs to God, only and always.

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With Abigail meaning fathers joy, Mmabatho meaning mother of nations, and Ruth meaning companion, friend and vision of beauty, we see all these facets being emphasized in her character, and proven true in the layout of her life events.

 

By naming her, her parents spoke into her life, they prophesied over her, and these very prophecies become fulfilled as the real Abigail unfolds before the readers very eyes. She confirms the power of the spoken word, and how naming a child is more complex than we could ever imagine. The meanings of her names play out as we discover more and more about her.

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Coming to the end of the first edition, Abigail falls in love and enters into what she believes is the relationship God destined for her. She finds her soulmate, Mr perfect, the perfect image of God’s love encapsulated in a human being. So patient, slow to anger, easy to love, and quick to forgive, amongst other things.

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Having been introduced to her father, mother, brother, ex-husband, children, and fiance. Abigail truly tries to bring the readers into her life, allowing them to hear and feel everything through her eyes, so much so that she concludes each chapter with a poem, an open letter, or a song. Ideally, the novel itself would include a sound clip for each song and poem.

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The novel is deliberately unique in that it is a series, and in each edition the novel consists of only 7 chapters. Why seven? Well, because Seven is the number of completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). It derives much of its meaning from being tied directly to God's creation of all things.

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All in all, first edition of the novel begins with a little girl talking us through her father’s passing, and ends with a matured young lady, settling into her destiny.