Songs of Promise: Journey Between Realms

I had the privilege of getting an early look at this beautiful story by author Julia Casselman.

Songs of Promise is unlike any Christian fiction book I’ve ever read. This contemporary fantasy takes the reader on an imaginative, hope-filled journey into an Eden-like world through the eyes of Jason, a young man who has lost his way and is carrying a painful secret.

The story begins when Drea, a young woman from this garden paradise, mysteriously finds herself in a place barren of the beauty, life, and love of her Creator. Unable to communicate through spoken words, Drea connects with others through her spirit, sensing their thoughts and intentions. When she is rescued by Merci, a young woman who loves the Lord and has a vibrant relationship with Him, a beautiful friendship begins, and miracles happen. And when Jason encounters Drea, his life—and his understanding of love, grace, forgiveness, and the Creator—begins to change.

But it's when Jason travels with Drea into her world that the story becomes wonderfully fun and lovely all at the same time. The author’s imagination reminds me of the wonder, whimsy, and surprise of a Disney movie as she creates an Eden-like world filled with vibrant colors, fascinating creatures, and a sense of life and beauty at every turn. I loved walking through it alongside Jason, experiencing his wonder as he meets Drea’s family and friends and discovers a living, breathing world filled with love, joy, acceptance, and the presence of the Creator. Even more, I loved listening in on Jason’s conversations with Creator. Some are tender; some are challenging. But all reveal a God who knows Jason completely, loves him unconditionally, and won’t leave him the way he is—lost and without hope.

Jason returns to his own world with a clear mission, but carrying it out proves far more difficult than he could have imagined. He faces rejection and a string of difficult circumstances that cause him to stumble and fall. I found myself feeling Jason’s pain, rooting for him and Merci through every trial, and hoping his hardscrabble friends, Kevin and Steve, would come to know the same hope Jason had found.

And there is so much more to Jason’s story than I can share without giving too much away. The challenges he faces—and the ways Creator meets him in the midst of them—are what make this story so compelling.

Songs of Promise is more than a beautiful imaginative journey; it’s a picture of what it can look like to walk in daily communion with the Creator through the joys and struggles of life. This story made me want to enjoy more fully the God who is already with me. I finished the book with a renewed desire to talk with Him throughout my day and invite Him into every moment of my life.