When God Wrecks Your Romance

Orthodox Faith, Unorthodox Story

By: Amanda Vernon, Matt Fase CSC

Narrated by: Amanda Vernon, Matt Fase CSC

Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

When God Wrecks Your Romance is a co-authored memoir written by a newly ordained priest and a young married mother of four children. It’s the story of two kids who fell for each other as teens, and, spoiler alert, ultimately did not end up together. It’s pretty much the opposite of a quaint and dreamy Hollywood ending. Yet, it most certainly is a happily ever after.

"....Amanda and Fr. Matt haven’t written a vocations fairy tale, they’ve given us one better: A true-to-life example of what it means to hear God calling you forward and to choose your response. It’s hard to think of a book this good at showing spiritual growth." (Steven Lewis, creator of Steve the Missionary)

"When God Wrecks Your Romance is a well-crafted love story that is relatable as well as endearing.... Even as a non-practicing Catholic, this story had a way of inviting me in and keeping me entertained." (Kim Collier, founder of Brown Girls Who Write)

"Far from being a sappy romantic story with a predictable ending, When God Wrecks Your Romance is a beautiful and faith-filled account of love and the human desire for true happiness. At times thought provoking, at other times touching and tender, these reflections are honest and real." (Bishop William A. Wack, CSC, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee)

©2018 Joyful Noise, Inc. (P)2018 Joyful Noise, Inc.

Unbelievable

When I first heard that publishers rejected this book for being too “unbelievable,” I wondered what on earth that could mean. As I read the book, that wonder turned into amazement. These chapters could be chapters from my own life; the inner thoughts of the teenage characters are straight out of my high school journals. Perhaps the idea that people could be so preoccupied with the will of God seems unbelievable to some. But if you want to understand millennials who grew up in devout Catholic families, I testify to the veracity of the reflections in this story.


There are two main forces driving the main characters: the universal human question, “What do I really want?” and the equally strong but less universal human question, “What does God want for me?” As the characters grow in age and experience, these questions permeate every moment of the story.


For me, the quintessential point is when the question is asked, “Isn’t discovering our life’s calling, supposed to be the most joyful thing?” From experience, it is not joyful always. And immediately after the question is asked, the characters go through a time of hurt, awkwardness, and frustration. This chapter was painfully real to me. The injustice of heartbreak, of missed opportunity, of what could have been, of bad timing, these are feelings that I, too, was having in 2009. During times like this, that second human question, “What does GOD want from me,” seems to add more frustration to an already messy situation.


And yet, the overall theme of the book is not the frustration of bad timing, but the comfort of knowing that, in God, all things work together for good. And while the authors both talk about God bringing glory to a painful situation, I think it’s important to note that the choice to allow good things to come from a painful situation comes from the authors themselves. God’s will is not portrayed here as a magic potion that turns bad into good. Rather, God’s will is what happens when good people choose joy and love over resentment and anger.


“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Awesome

This Book was awesome. I couldn’t stop listening to it. I would love to have Amanda and Matt talk at my parish to our Youth group and confirmation class.

Something fresh and inspiring!

A wonderful new perspective on romance for this generation and future ones! I would love if there were more relationship stories shared from devout Catholics to show how beautifully God writes each and every story!

Highly Recommend!

It was hard not to see myself in this story! I found myself identifying chapter after chapter with Matt and Amanda. Definitely a very strong tool for teaching young people like myself how to navigate relationships and the desires of our hearts. Thanks Matt and Amanda, I really enjoyed listening to your story.

Thank you, Amanda, David and Matt

Having heard a bit about your story at our church in Chandler, August 2018, I was looking forward to hearing it. I finished it quickly not wanting to take a break. Thank you both and David as well. God bless you all in your vocations. You are all in my prayers.