Sarah Katie is a Homeschooled teen who devours books, adores classical literature, and loves listening to her favorite bands, Downhere and Addison Road. She is anticipating the day she meets her own Mr. Darcy, but for now, that can wait.

I don’t need to be concerned that I might run into a few words or situations that would make me cringe...

Why has Christian Fiction historically been looked down upon or unheard of in today’s world?

Maybe it’s because in years past Christian fiction was rather er... lame. Or maybe it was too much of a carbon copy of secular fiction with a little bit of scripture thrown in here or there. Not so now! There are so many amazing Christian fiction authors; they are even storming the secular fiction shelves. And impressively, some made it to the silver screen with Frank Perretti’s and Ted Dekker’s books becoming movies. Today Christian Fiction is actually being read by a larger audience comprised of both believers and unbelievers alike.

There are so many genres now to choose from. You have mysteries, fantasy, romance, and none of those or stories that you would be ashamed of reading. Teens are so blessed to have the ability to immerse ourselves in a book that it from a Christian worldview. Christian fiction has a powerful thread running through it of Christ’s love and grace for us. These Christian authors are writing for a higher purpose than just personal and financial gain.

I love that within the Christian genre I can satisfy my desire for suspense, comedy, and sleuthing stories. And being a girl and part-time hopeless romantic, I do enjoy the occasional romance as well. I don’t need to be concerned that I might run into a few words or situations that would make me cringe. No foul language or unnecessary gore to be wary of. Being home schooled I have

a lot of time to spend reading the books and authors I love. In addition to my schooling I participate in an online community, I can get to know some of the authors whose books I read.

There’s Erynn Mangum when I’m in a chick lit mood, and need a good long laugh. Tricia Goyer’s books are available when I need to be immersed in history. Kathryn Cushman’s story is great for when I want a good girly cry. And Mark Andrew Olsen and Kristin Heitzmann are great for when I don’t want to sleep. (Preferably read their stories during the day.)

And just because it’s a Christian book doesn’t mean that you have to shy away from the tough issues of today. Contemporary fiction author Camy Tang and historical fiction writer Deeanne Gist both deal with hard topics in each of their books. Jane Orcutt was another great, great writer who was able to address issues with grace. Many of her books are on my all-time favorites list. I love that as Christians we can approach the issues of today and offer hope to a hurting world, through our words. Christian fiction has shown us that you don’t have to tone down the talent to bring our faith into books.

With more and more great stories in the realm of Christian fiction, and great movies coming to theatres based on Christian fiction, I believe the books from this genre will now be read more than ever. With the amazing truth of the gospel reverberating in every fiber of Christian Literature, it's not surprising that it is a huge genre now. Christian fiction continues to bring hope and joy to many people all over the world.