"June Bug" in July

July 2, 2:05 PMDenver Evangelical ExaminerRichard Beattie

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The extraordinary story by Victor Hugo that goes beyond forgiveness and runs into extravagant grace is a tall order for any author to duplicate. Les Miserables is a timeless piece that lives on in operetta and Broadway form which if you were not moved by the sacrifice and the lessons of gracious living-something  is wrong with you! While Hugo's classic is timeless, the story takes place in France and with The French Revolution as a backdrop, blood, sweat, and tears is a  large part of the grittiness, and realness of it all. This is not your "father's fiction."

Inspired or not here we come!

Christian Fiction has in the recent past been of syrupy, uninspired dribble that gives most readers a cold clammy feeling. Okay many will argue that fact, but when was the last time you made it past page 20 and gave up or didn't care about the hero, the heroine, the supporting cast, or if they would be left behind or not at the end. It is entirely possible that there has been fewer great Christian Films because there has been less Christian storyline that has stemmed from Christian Fiction. (By the way do you notice what fun it is to say "Christian Fiction?"

What it takes

Imagine an author who is working everyday on a chapter book in his home. He wakes up one morning and asks- "what is this moldy stuff on my wall?" Being the inquiring author he is, he calls in a specialist who uncovers more spores than this arid climate has ever seen. Turns out he has to move from his retreat, take his laptop and spend a few months or more, driving, visiting, writing and raising his family out of an RV. Chris Fabry is a radio host, author, and  along with Andrea his wife, are the parents of nine children. They moved from their Colorado home in the last year, to begin an adventure in the dessert. Yes you're right, by all accounts they are God's people who were ushered out of this state to find the 'Promised Land."  Mold rendered their dream home, a nightmare, and their life on the road began-in earnest.

Wal Mart parking lots

Chris still worked as the host of his great radio program "Chris Fabry Live!" in various studios and stations along the way. He also needed to finish the next book in his "Dogwood" series. The first book was acclaimed by Christian and mainstream press. So as the story goes Fabry writes about the life of this little girl, who travels with her "father," in an RV. From the eyes of a nine year old girl the story is told in living color. "My dad says there's a lot of things people don't need and that their houses get cluttered with it," Fabry writes. "and they store it in basements that flood and get ruined so it's better to live simple and do what you want rather than get tied down to a mortgage." The girl steps out of the RV walks into Wal Mart and comes face to face with a familiar picture of a missing child. She recognizes the face and from chapter 1 to the end Chris Fabry gets the readers attention!

June Bug

The last time I saw Chris Fabry we were both in the toy aisle of Wal Mart. This was a few months before his Exodus from Colorado. He greeted me warmly and we chatted about radio and I was glad to hear that he listened a few times to Radio Envoy, on the way to the airport. It's  tall order to say Victor Hugo's name with any writer, yet the classic tale of love and redemption is a thread that can come off a tad-trite and underdeveloped. from a nine year olds perspective is an ingenious way to pull the innocence, the trust and the profound message that permeates this work. The development reminds me of another story where a little girl faced a situation that was bigger than her. That story was "Ruby Bridges" who evoked the words of Jesus Christ while the mob was shouting as she was led into a public school where she wasn't welcome because she was black." The social worker asked her what she was yelling at the crowd and if she was lashing out at their racist taunts. She replies "I was saying Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing. "Amazing grace, in the midst of unraveling hate! While it may seem much to compare this work of fiction with the non-fiction world of that historic proportion I am constantly reminded that Jesus himself took fiction, storyline, and analogy to a new level when he spoke in parables. Chris Fabry understands the art and maybe "June Bug" will inspire filmmakers to make the first great Christian Film with this parable.

For more info: Denver Evangelical Examiner Richard Beattie will have his team at the ICRS convention in Denver. There he will interview authors including Chris Fabry for the Envoytown Station Radio Network. If you have a question, a comment, that you would like to submit please e-mail RadioEnvoy@envoytown.com.