How God Speaks Through Themes

Reflections on fiction, prayer, and

the themes God weaves into our lives.

When I sit down to write a story, the first thing I contemplate isn’t plot, characters, or dialog—it’s theme. To me, themes are what makes a story breathe. I develop story themes through character arc, plot, dialogue, conflict, word choice, and many other literary tools. Themes give a story purpose and provide deeper meaning that often speaks to readers.

I’ll use my new adult romance Summer at West Castle for an example. This story takes place in South Dakota over the warm summer months. Themes include moving beyond preconceived notions of oneself and others, trusting that God wills for your good even when you don’t feel worthy, Christian courtship, and the importance praying always—but especially when making important decisions. And these themes are fleshed out as Caitlyn, with strong faith and values, interacts with Jarret, who has made a lot of mistakes.

Book Summary:

College student Caitlyn Summer arrives at the Wests’ castle-like house to fill in for their live-in maid. After a recent decision blows her vision of the future, this ideal job and the peaceful surroundings are just what she needs to seek God’s will for her life.

That is, until Jarret West, not wanting a repeat of past mistakes, backs out of a summer-long field study overseas and returns home. The two have never gotten along, and unforgettable baggage from the past makes it hard even to be cordial.

While Jarret’s faults convince Caitlyn he hasn’t changed, she forces herself to offer kindness. Her act of mercy puts them on an unexpected path where Caitlyn is challenged to look beneath the surface and Jarret struggles to trust that God wills good for him.

I often discover themes in my own life, just as you likely do. The more I pray, the more I notice these themes—as if God brings them to the forefront of my mind to help me grow. Sometimes discussions with Jesus inspire me to think about a particular struggle or area of my life that needs improvement—things to which I’d been previously blind. Other times prayer moves me to contemplate some wonderful attribute of God, like His profound humility that compelled Him to take on human form and—as if that wasn’t enough—to become our food in Holy Communion.

Once Our Lord brings themes to my attention, He develops them in ways that often leave me amazed and feeling blessed, like when at Mass the priest speaks on the same topic that came to me in prayer. Or when faith-filled friends spontaneously bring up the same theme I’d been focused on. Or when I find the same theme in the Bible or a devotional that I’m reading. And in other ways.

I’ll bet you have amazing stories to tell on this subject too. Our God is so good to us! Amidst the challenges of daily life, the joys and sorrows, surprises and trials, God is guiding us, especially through prayer and the themes of each of our lives, helping us to better know ourselves and drawing us closer to Him.

Do you enjoy reading stories with specific themes? Be sure to check out Catholic Teen Books Educators Page. Books are grouped by age appropriateness and themes are listed for each book on the website. Themes include: death, judgment, love, forgiveness, mercy, repentance, redemption, prayer, vocational discernment, end times, spiritual battle, loyalty, martyrdom, commitment to truth, and SO MUCH MORE!

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About the author: Theresa Linden is the author of award-winning Catholic fiction. One of her great joys is to bring elements of the Catholic faith to life through a story. She writes contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, and suspense stories for adults, teens, and children. Her books have won awards from the Catholic Press Association and have the Catholic Writers’ Guild Seal of Approval. She is a member of CatholicTeenBooks.com and the Catholic Writers’ Guild. More of her books can be found at SilverFirePublishing.com