DURBAN - KHANYISILE Madlala’s book Arrested by His Love is religious and I would personally theme it as faith since being a Christian requires faith.
Madlala is a public relations and communications specialist, an entrepreneur and an agent of Christ who has taken us through her spiritual journey.
Madlala brings us into introspection, writing that everyday struggles or crises can be seen as prisons hindering us from becoming who each of us was predestined and purposefully made to become, but with knowing who God is and establishing an intimate relationship with God, challenges should never derail us from God’s inevitable plan for our lives.
Raised by her paternal grandmother in Port Shepstone, Madlala informs the reader what it was like being born to high-school sweethearts who were at the time clueless about parenting. Her upbringing was fairly great but her mother’s absence in her life built up and would go on to cause emotional turmoil. Her father, though, was fairly present and much of his later involvement in her upbringing would influence how she loved.
Madlala was bubbly and often led in what she partook with her peers. Her family observed her leadership skills as well as her social skills from a young age. I would describe her as a young force who has always had direction and was never scared to take on the world alone. At just 21, she settled in the City of Gold where she nurtured her social and leadership skills through her career in public relations and communications.
During her stay in the city, Madlala would visit a sangoma who showed her past events in her life that would awaken her and start her spiritual journey. Having moved to Johannesburg to get closer to her then boyfriend and father of her son, who Madlala did not know was married before they got together, she would later realise that what she believed would be the greatest transgression, abortion, was no match for God’s love and plan for her life.
Though she ended her relationship with the father of her son, she would continue to encounter challenges in her life. One led to an arrest that the book’s title was inspired by, as led by the Holy Spirit.
She was once sued by a landlord for damaging property. She was bailed out by a church lawyer. Madlala goes on to tell how soon after her bail she was hospitalised for some time. She deemed mentally unstable but witnessed God’s presence and protection.
I loved the verses that were used as reference points before every chapter. These served as background of what to expect and gave a bit of perspective on how the author perceived her experiences. The author also paints a picture of almost all events that unfolded before the actual events that she wants the reader to pay attention to.
I would give the book a three out of five. As much as I liked almost every chapter, I wanted to know more about Madlala’s three-day fast that led to a supernatural encounter with God.
I felt that this event did not get the attention it deserves. Her whole life changed because of it but little is shared with the reader.
I was also looking forward to how she would give advice and direction to people who are looking to develop an intimate relationship with God.
I could not believe my eyes when I ran out of pages to read. I felt that the story was unfinished and that the end was without an end.
Daily News