By the Book

What I’m Reading: Spring of Thanksgiving

My family is experiencing first-hand how God works in what our very limited human perceptions label as good and bad events. Dealing with dementia, strokes, and a gradual decline leading to what we hope is soon to be my grandmother’s heavenly homecoming we are swimming in a sea of what feels like bad events. But God has given us so many good gifts during this time.

Through the years of dealing with her dementia, God has grown us and provided for us in ways we never expected. He’s brought beautiful things out of the experience and taken care of details we didn’t know would be necessary. Some of the good has been spiritual in nature, but He’s worked out just as many of our physical needs.

I gave up my job to help my mother care for my grandmother. I didn’t hesitate when she asked for help though I knew my position as a full-time caregiver could end at any time, and I have one large bill that my salary pays for each month. When my grandmother went into the memory care facility, I was left without a job. Within a week, I gained employment at my previous job. It’s very part-time, but it’s enough to pay my bill each month. As an added bonus, the limited hours leave me more room for writing and learning about the business side of writing. God provided when I couldn’t. I had to wait and trust until He did.

Waiting when the answer isn’t readily seen is hard. Ivy Cooke, the main character in Liz Tolsma’s book Spring of Thanksgiving, knows that from experience. Ivy and her father are facing tough times on their Texas ranch. A seemingly endless drought and the need to fence their land to protect their property and others due to the railroad has put them in a hard place. Deeply in debt, Ivy has no idea how they will come up with the money to get caught up on their loan.

Facing the loss of their property to the bank is hard enough, but problems seem to pile on. New neighbors claim the spring necessary for getting Ivy’s ranch through the drought is on their property, and there’s nothing they won’t do to prevent Ivy and her father from using it.

Dell Watson is determined to show his father his worth, and the spring in question is his way to do it. Dell’s plan to secure the rights means he has to entice his beautiful neighbor to marry him. Circumstances change when Dell discovers Ivy is far more to him than a tool to get what his family desires. But his family still needs the spring, and the only way he sees to get it is through Ivy.

Dell and Ivy both face difficult circumstances without easy answers. As with most people, their minds work to find solutions to their problems. With their minds and hearts giving conflicting answers, they have to choose whether or not they can trust God with their problems and wait for His solution.

Dell and Ivy may get what they want, or God could give them something entirely unexpected. No matter what the circumstances, they have the choice to trust God’s goodness no matter what happens. Like us, they can choose to let trust lead to praise for His work in the hard and unexpected situations of life. But you’ll have to read Spring of Thanksgiving to find out if they do and if the path God gives them leads them closer or further apart.

God is Still Good

November 15, 2019 / Heather Greer / 2 Comments

I’ve been less than faithful to my blog lately. In recent weeks, I’ve only managed to blog once a week instead of the three I usually post. It’s been crazy busy around our house. And I know everyone is crazy busy, but this time, I had to give in to the pull of life outside my office.

I’m a full time caregiver for my grandmother with dementia. I was up until a week ago anyway. With the dementia progressing, my mother and I were no longer equipped to care for her at home. She had to be moved to a memory care facility. After giving up my full-time job five months ago to help her, I was now unemployed. We’ve spent the last week trying to clean out her house.

This week my father in law had knee replacement surgery. It went well, but he had a mild stroke before being released from the hospital. That was Tuesday night. Thursday morning I got a call from my mom. My grandmother fell and was taken to the ER. My job throughout the day was to keep everyone updated with information. We found out through the different tests they ran she also had a stroke.

I say all this so when I write my next sentence, you know I do not take the sentiment lightly. I am thankful, and God is most definitely good.

When I left my full-time job five months ago, I had no back up plan for income. Losing my job right before Thanksgiving and Christmas was unexpected. But I did what I felt God was calling me to, and I believed He would provide for me now. I spoke to my old place of employment this week. They don’t need a full-time employee, but they can use me two days a week and as a fill-in. I’ll earn just enough to continue paying my son’s school bills. In addition to that financial burden being taken care of, God saw fit to limit my hours so I can give more time to the business and ministry of writing. It was my secret hope, but I didn’t believe it would happen.

My father in law has been a candidate for a stroke for a long time. His health and activity levels made him a candidate for it a long time ago. A stroke is not a good thing, but God is still good. He was in the hospital when the stroke happened. You can’t get quicker care than that. His stroke didn’t leave him disabled except for some mild issues with speech. We are hopeful that speech therapy will take care of that. Already we are seeing improvement. And he’s been given an early warning to adjust his habits in order to increase his chances of avoiding future health scares.

My grandmother’s stroke is another issue entirely. Without the ability to think clearly on a regular day, it’s hard to assess the actual damage caused by the stroke and subsequent fall. All signs point to a concussion or further strokes and stroke damage. There is concern that she has swelling that may cause her to have seizures. As of last night, she’d not eaten anything. Because of her age and health, further measures are not being taken. My mother and uncle brought her back to the nursing home with the understanding that she will either get better or get worse without any other course of action. But God is still good.

My grandmother’s fall was immediately noticed and attended to by a caring staff of nurses at the home. My uncle and mother are in agreement on tough decisions that have to be made. Hospice agreed to come in and provide the intensive care she needs while we see which direction things will go. Family members who haven’t seen my grandmother in ages blessed her brief moments of being awake by coming to see her. And I can say in all honesty, if God uses this to bring her into her heavenly home, He is good. She wants nothing more than to be released from the brokenness of her mind and body.

If He chooses to keep her here, the good won’t be as easy to find. Watching her decline isn’t easy for her or us. She’s expressed it many times in moments of clarity. But in the event of that outcome, I trust. I trust there is a reason. I trust good will come from it. I trust the nature and character of God. And I can say, though it hurts, God is still good.

I think I’m going to leave it at that. Today was supposed to be a review of a book I recently read that goes along with this message, but I’ve taken enough of your time. I’m going to let the message of this one settle before going further. Thanks for taking the time to read this even though it ended up free of both books and writing.

My People

November 11, 2019 / Heather Greer / 0 Comments

When I arrived at Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference I felt out of my element. The idea of a large gathering of writers of all skill levels getting together to challenge and encourage each other to grow in the craft and business of writing was exciting. The reality of mixing and mingling with members of that group, complete strangers no less, was daunting to me as a card carrying introvert. I was never more thankful for our small local writers’ group that attended the event together. We would go our separate ways for classes, but they could be my lifeline during less structured times.

It didn’t take long for me to acclimate to my surroundings. Over the five days of the conference, I pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone and speak with people I didn’t know. At the end of the first full day I called my husband and announced, “I have found my people.”

It didn’t matter that we came from different walks of life. Our various theological beliefs didn’t drive a wedge between us. Our varying levels of skill and success as authors were inconsequential. We were connected by something more, by the God-given desire to minister to others through the creative art of writing and a love of God. Never did I feel this more clearly than the first worship service of the conference.

When the husband and wife praise team led us in the first song of the conference, the connection of everyone in the room became its most clear. Some raised their hands in praise. Some stood still while lifting their voices. Others were unfamiliar with the songs but joined in as they caught on. In that moment, our differences didn’t matter. We were joined in praise of the One who blessed us with salvation as well as the ability to use our passions to further the gospel and build up the body of Christ.

It was a beautiful sound. For a moment I closed my eyes and listened to hundreds of voices raised in praise together. Even small groups lifting their voices to God in song can be beautiful. But listening to that many voices, united in purpose and ministry, bringing praise to God left me feeling completely connected to God and His people. We were part of something real together.

This time of completely united worship came to mind today during my quiet time. Revelation 5:13 says, “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Did you see it? “Every creature” is praising. I was moved by the beauty of a couple hundred people united in praise. I’ve had opportunity to hear a few thousand do the same at a Women of Faith conference. But these are going to pale in comparison to the connection and love and beauty of every creature in creation bringing praise to God in unity.

Can you imagine the sound? The power of that praise? And we will be part of it. The connection I felt as I found “my people” at the conference will seem slight in comparison to the connection of all creation joining in unified praise. I don’t doubt that in that moment we will feel the full realization of being joined together as God’s people for eternity.

NaNoWriMo or NO

October 30, 2019 / Heather Greer / 4 Comments

Writers, both experienced and beginners, are gearing up for the start of NaNoWriMo in just two days. I’ve never participated in the event, but I know several who have taken part faithfully every November. Even my sister authors from the Once Upon A Page YouTube channel participate. They gave our viewers and me some great information about how to complete NaNoWriMo successfully in our video that posted last Saturday. I’ll add the link below.

While the event gets splashed all over people’s social media pages from the end of October to the beginning of December, it’s important to remember it’s okay to NOT participate. You can be a successful author without ever taking that challenge. You don’t have to feel guilty if last year wasn’t good for you to join in and this year doesn’t look any better. Just as there are plotters, pantsers, and those who are somewhere in between, there are writers who thrive on challenges like this and others who find it creates more anxiety than they want to add to their lives.

So if you’re participating, feel free to friend me. I may make you feel really good about yourself. I’ve not been known to have the self-discipline to get those rigid word counts in. I may surprise myself, but I doubt it.

If you’re not, I’d still like to encourage you in your writing. Add a comment about what you’re working on and your goals for it. We aren’t in competition here. There’s room for everyone at the author table, and we need to build each other up.

And if you’re a reader and NaNoWriMo means nothing to you, I get that too. I’m glad you stopped by and read this post anyway. National Reading Month is supposed to be in March. Maybe someone will develop the reading version of NaNoWriMo. It could be called NaNoReaMo, and we could challenge one another to read and review a certain number of novels during that month. Some novel loving person might want to look into that. I know I’d get behind it.

And here’s the link I promised.

What I’m Reading: Under Moonlit Skies

October 21, 2019 / Heather Greer / 0 Comments

Sometimes God asks us to do the hard thing. I’ve experienced times when God wanted me to say something to someone I knew they wouldn’t like. Confrontation makes me sick to my stomach. Doing what God put in my heart to do was difficult during those times.

People I love have made poor choices that could have led to permanent, disastrous results. I wanted to help fix things for them, but God led me to give them to Him instead. Taking my hands off the situation and limiting myself to being there to listen and to pray for them was incredibly difficult.

I’ve experienced numerous occasions where God has nudged me from my comfort zone. He’s grown me as a person, a Christian, and a writer during those times. Knowing that’s how He works doesn’t make it any easier to choose to immediately listen to His prodding.

Doing the hard thing is, well, hard. It can lead us into situations where the outcome is not guaranteed. Stepping out in obedience to the nudge of the Holy Spirit has worked that way in my life, and it works that way for Esther Stanton in Under Moonlit Skies by Cynthia Roemer.

Esther grew up on the prairie until her father’s death. Being the younger of two sisters, she follows her mother to Cincinnati, Ohio. Life is good there. Her mother remarries, and though they are not close, Esther’s stepfather provides a good, comfortable life for them. Esther has a life-style that doesn’t exist on the prairie. But in her heart, Esther longs for the kind of life she knew growing up.

The flame of this desire is fanned when Esther returns to her hometown to care for her sister’s family while her sister recovers from giving birth to her second child. Time on the prairie brings back to life a vitality Esther has lost since moving to the city. And time with Stew, a ranch hand working for her brother-in-law, only makes living on the prairie that much more attractive.

Esther and Stew’s attraction grows to friendship and continues on the path to love as they spend time together each day. What Esther feels for him and the life they could share together makes the prospect of returning to a man she doesn’t love in Cincinnati seem like a prison sentence. She knows a return to the city and the man who can give her everything financially is exactly what her mother expects, but Esther’s heart longs for more.

The nudge of the Holy Spirit for Esther to honor her mother’s wishes creates conflict in her spirit. She goes, leaving her hopes for a life of love on the prairie in limbo. Her return sets her on a path she doesn’t want but feels she must accept. Only time reveals if Esther’s obedience will lead her back to the life she dreams of or if she will be forced to find contentment in the life her mother wants for her.

There are no guarantees in how the circumstances will work out for Esther as she steps out in obedience, and it’s often the same with us. We have a limited view of our circumstances, but God sees how our picture intersects with the pictures of every other person in our lives. We see many possible outcomes, but He can see infinitely more. We think we know what’s best for us, but God knows what’s going to be best for all involved and bring Him the most glory in the end.

No matter what’s going on, no matter the possible outcomes, there are certain scriptural promises we can cling to. Philippians chapter four tells us we can know peace that goes beyond our circumstances. Jeremiah twenty-nine assures us God has plans for our good, and Psalm one hundred thirty-nine tells us God knows all our days before we’re even born. Romans eight promises that no matter what happens, God can bring good things into our lives through it.

It’s easy to throw these promises out without thought. But they aren’t magic words that make our hurts disappear. While they’re simple to say, living them during our hardest moments is never easy. We can’t pick and choose when to live out scripture and which verses we want to claim. The promises come alive in our lives when we live in active relationship with our heavenly Father in both the good times and the bad. If we’re drawing close to Him, He will draw close to us in our hard times. It’s a promise.

Exciting New Endeavor

October 19, 2019 / Heather Greer / 4 Comments

It has been a busy week. Last Saturday, I made the trip to Kentucky to meet with two authors I met at a conference over the summer. We spent the afternoon recording for a new YouTube channel called Once Upon A Page. We will post weekly Author Talks. This week’s video introduces us and what we write. Next week, we will discuss NaNoWriMo. I’m including the link, and we’d love for you to check it out. Subscribe if you like what you see.

Anyway, back to my hectic week. My husband’s grandmother passed away at 103 years old over the weekend, and the funeral was Tuesday. She lived over an hour away, so the whole day was taken up with those family obligations.

I do have a book to review, but in addition to the funeral and the daily care I provide for my own grandmother with dementia, I spent my week trying to find the right video editing program, develop intro videos to add to each weekly video, edit this week’s video, and post it today. I also had the Friday post on my publisher’s blog. Oh, and did I forget to mention I signed up for two craft/gift fairs in November and spent half an hour trying to figure out how to tie a good bow to make gift sets out of my books? I’m a crafty person, but ribbon and I don’t get along at all. Hopefully the remaining sets go a little faster since I’ve now successfully tied one bow.

Now that I’ve sort of figured out the bow thing and the video editing thing, I intend to get back to my regular posting schedule. Monday, I’ll post a “What I’m Reading” review for the final book in an historical fiction series I’ve enjoyed. I’ll see you back here on Monday. Until then, check out Once Upon A Page.

What I’m Reading: Great River Romance Series

October 7, 2019 / Heather Greer / 2 Comments

Don’t judge a book by its cover. We’ve heard it a million times. We get the deeper meaning. What is on the outside can be misleading. We need to dig deeper to what’s inside. Often we find ourselves surprised at what we find. It’s an awesome message to remind us to give others a chance when an unpleasant demeanor might otherwise turn us off to a person.

I have a feeling, the origins of the phrase really did have something to do with judging literal books as worthless simply because their covers were less appealing. I get that. I’ve walked past many books without a second glance because I’m not drawn to their covers. What’s inside may be the most amazing story ever written, but it will take a name I recognize or someone else giving a great review for me to look beyond the unattractive cover and pick it from the shelf. Authors and publishers understand this. To draw people back to a good story, they occasionally update covers to keep them fresh and relatable for the current generation.

A well-done cover can wield more power than a title, drawing the eye and creating an immediate emotional connection with a reader. A great cover paired with an equally catchy title is a match made in book sales heaven. If the words between the covers spark as much interest in the reader, you’ve just created a repeat reader. That’s what happened when I first saw the Great River Romance series by Kari Trumbo.

I began with Whole Latte Love. It was on sale, and I loved the cover. I’m also a sucker for titles with cute plays on words. With the cover, title, and sale price working in its favor, I took a chance. I’m glad I did. My days are filled with the stress and frustrations of being a caregiver to my elderly grandmother who has dementia. I needed a story I could enjoy while staying away from heavy subjects that would weigh down my mind.

Whole Latte Love was the perfect choice. It was easy enough and interesting enough to read it straight through. I stayed up later than I should have the night I read it, but I’m not complaining. The story left me with a positive, rested feeling. And I was ready for more.

Want Ad Wonder, Check out Crush, and Central Park Paradise were added to my online cart the next morning. All four books have coordinating covers, but Want Ad Wonder is my favorite. It is the cover that first brought Kari Trumbo and the Great River Romance series to my attention. I love the colors, and there is something about the guy on the cover that I found more interesting than the ones on the other three. Maybe it’s because you see more of his face, get a little more of his character from the picture.

I didn’t take time analyze the whys. I had three more stories to read. Building off characters introduced in the previous books, each one focused on a specific couple or possible couple with former lead characters making reappearances in each book. The threads of friendship tie each of these books together making their stories more enticing for the readers.

The last three books in the series were as enjoyable as the first, from front cover to last page. I found these books when I needed a light escape from the daily grind, and they were the perfect choice. I judged these books by the covers, and I’m glad I did. The covers are a perfect match for the stories told inside.

By the Book: We encourage each other to look beyond the rough exteriors to what lies inside, but in our own lives we should strive to be better. Scripture tells us what we hold in our hearts is what comes out in our lives. When the Holy Spirit has control, it’s His fruit we should see in the way we live each day. What does your outer life say about what you truly value? Does what you say you believe show in your daily life? Every day in every way we want others to be able to judge our book by its cover.

Right Stuff Wednesday: Tea Anyone?

September 25, 2019 / Heather Greer / 2 Comments

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C.S. Lewis

I know the current trend is toward coffee. And I have nothing against coffee, except that it makes me sick to my stomach when I drink it. Come to think of it, that’s a pretty important thing to have against it. My own digestive issues aside, I understand people’s love of coffee. It smells wonderful. But it’s not what’s in my mug on a cool autumn evening.

Hot tea frequently makes the list, but my absolute favorite cold weather drink is hot chocolate. I like the variety of flavors available in mixes, but nothing beats the flavor of homemade hot chocolate. It’s rich and creamy with the slight bitterness cocoa brings. But I’m not here to talk about the drink. I’m more interested in the container.

I love mugs, and I just received a trio of them from my awesome cousin and mom. They might seem like normal mugs, but they were chosen with a purpose. Faith, hope, and love adorn these mugs. They were given to me in honor of completing my first series of novels. Faith’s Journey and Grasping Hope are currently available. Relentless Love will wrap up Katie’s story in June 2020. Every time I look at these mugs, the joy of reaching my first goal as an author will come back to me.

While they don’t all relate to my writing, each mug I own has it’s own story to tell about me. I got my hedgehog mug from the gift shop at the hospital where I worked. I passed it several times before giving in. It must have been fate. I thought the hedgehog was adorable. He’s also the studious type, and the background is a dictionary page. It’s all very writer-like. But the best part? Look closely at the background and you’ll find heather is one of the words. It comes right after heathen, but still, I think it was meant to be otherwise my name wouldn’t be on it.

My Inigo Montoya mug was a gift from my niece. Apparently, makers of pop culture mugs don’t realize not everyone loves coffee. She knew that but bought it anyway because she knew my love for The Princess Bride would outweigh my dislike of coffee. It’s no secret to those who know me that The Princess Bride is my favorite movie of all time.

I bought the exploding Tardis mug for myself. I have fond memories of my sons, husband, and I watching Doctor Who together. It’s one of the few shows we all enjoyed. The Van Gogh episode was a favorite. When I saw the mug, I couldn’t help myself. Every time I use it, I’m reminded of those evenings watching a favorite television show together.

This isn’t close to all of my mug collection. (I didn’t even get shots of any of my Christmas ones. I love Christmas, and they make the perfect mugs for watching Hallmark movies.) But each one, even those I didn’t talk about, were chosen for me or someone who knows me. There was a reason for each one, and that makes them special whether they hold tea, hot chocolate, or even the dreaded coffee.

What’s in your mug?

By the Book: Never forget, you are chosen too. 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us that believers are a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people”. We aren’t chosen on a whim. God chose us for a reason. He chose us to proclaim His praise, be examples of God’s love to the world, and to share the gospel with those who need it. God also chose us for specific ministries and spiritual gifts. These make up our own unique way to live out the purpose God has for us. You weren’t an accident. You are chosen. Do you live like it each day?

What I’m Reading: Holy in the Moment

September 23, 2019 / Heather Greer / 2 Comments

Have you ever thought about the process of panning for gold? You dredge up boxes of sediment from the bottom of a creek or river, allow the water and smallest particles to be sifted back into the river, and painstakingly search through what’s left behind in hopes of finding a little nugget of gold. It seems like a lot of work for very little payoff especially as prospectors flocked to places known for their gold deposits in order to strip them bare of anything of value. I imagine more hopes and dreams were shattered than came to realization during those days, but not even risk of failure stopped them from coming in droves with dreams of glistening gold driving them on. Every man wanted to find his fortune.

Solomon understood that inner prodding of man to find their fortunes, and he shared with all of us the map he used to find a more lasting treasure than any prospector ever found. In Proverbs 3:13-15 he describes the worth of godly wisdom by saying, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more previous than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.” Five short chapters later, in Proverbs 8:19, he reminds us, “My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.”

Godly wisdom comes from hearing the Holy Spirit speak and applying what He has to say in our lives. We gain it first and foremost through God’s word. But God has given us pastors and teachers in our local churches, ministers of music, and speakers and teachers on national stages to supplement our search for godly wisdom. Believers helping each other grow in faith has been God’s plan for the church since the beginning. The treasure of godly wisdom isn’t something we should hoard. We should be sharing these spiritual nuggets of gold with others.

Ginger Harrington accomplishes that goal with humor, sensitivity, and transparency in Holy in the Moment. Ginger shows us through her own experiences how holiness belongs in everyday life. While the details of her story may vary from ours, Ginger shows us the heart of her story that we can all relate to. With plenty of scripture and practical helps, she shows us how being intentional in our daily choices allows us to live in holiness every day and brings the joy of an abundant life into ours.

Broken into three sections, Ginger begins our journey to holiness with knowing God instead of knowing about God. Through the gift of a personal, growing relationship with God we learn to love Him in practical ways every day. The desire to love Him more leads us down the path of understanding spiritual truth and learning to listen to God. These truths applied lead to loving obedience and the final section of Holy in the Moment. Ginger brings the idea of holy living into our relationships. From home to friendships to work, she discusses how we can choose to live holiness in each arena of our lives and find joy that reaches beyond our circumstances.

Dealing with a subject as rich as holiness, one might expect a heavy, hard to read book. Holy in the Moment is nothing like that. Easy to follow and completely relatable, I found myself looking at things from perspectives I hadn’t considered before. Readers can keep the message at arm’s length. The truths can simply be added to the list of things the reader knows. But with equal parts encouragement and challenge, Ginger has made it easy embrace the application of the heart of the message and watching it at work in our lives. Holy in the Moment leaves us excited to see what our lives will look like when we make daily choices to live holiness in each of our moments.

What I’m Reading: In Pursuit of an Emerald

September 17, 2019 / Heather Greer / 0 Comments

I’ve got four amazing kids. I know, every parent says their kids are amazing. They’re probably right. I don’t know their kids, but I know mine. They are amazing. This isn’t to say they’re perfect. I can’t say I agree with all of their life choices or beliefs. And while those things matter to me and I spend time in prayer for them every day, my kids don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.

It amazes me how different they are from each other. There are physical traits linking them together, some more than others. There are looks and attitudes they have that mirror each other. But they are each very much their own person. They grew up in the same house. Their father and I had the same set of core beliefs we tried to instill in each one. But they still turned out remarkably different from each other, and I find that amazing.

Two are athletic. Two couldn’t care less about sports of any kind. All of them are creative though two focus more on the written word, one focuses on music and art, and one tends to put it all together. One is book smart, given to the role of student. The others are just as smart but not given to the strict structure of a traditional classroom. One has a natural talent to business that the others don’t possess. One is completely organized making lists while another flies by the seat of his pants. They are each their own unique person, and I love them for it.

A parent’s love and parenting style is as varied and complex as their children. Each child’s personality plays a role in how a parent chooses to encourage and discipline them. But a parent’s past can also make a difference in how they approach parenting. Just ask Viollette McMillan, the main character from Jacqueline Freeman Wheelock’s book In Pursuit of an Emerald.

Viollette has a lot to overcome, not the least of which is parenting her child when her child believes Viollette is her older sister and not her mother. Emerald’s childhood years were spent as a slave on a plantation before the Civil War made her and Viollette free. Viollette’s decision to pass her daughter off as her younger sister was born of a desire for safety for both of them, but it has come with a hefty price of guilt.

As Viollette and Emerald struggle to learn what it means to be free in the post-Civil War south, they fight fear of the past, concern for the future, and long held prejudices. They even find it difficult knowing who to trust. Though it’s supposed to be a new world for them, many negative attitudes from the past still burn in those who could do them great harm.

While learning to navigate the confusing times, Viollette yearns for the mother-daughter relationship to grow between her and Emerald. Stretching her wings as an adolescent, Emerald equally wants the mother she doesn’t think she can have and the ability to think and act for herself. Secrets and regret often cloud Viollette’s attempts to parent her child. She wants what’s best for Emerald. Everything she does is to better Emerald’s future, but the past keeps all the dreams she has for her child out of reach. With everything falling apart around her, Viollette has to face the past and embrace truth if she’s ever going to realize the dreams she has for the daughter who means so much to her.

By the Book: Parents, even the most well-meaning Christian parents, make mistakes. Our past experiences color the way we see the world and often impact the way we raise our children. Our sins, both those we’ve sought forgiveness for and those we have yet to purge from our lives, can create difficult circumstances to overcome in our efforts to be the best parents we can be. The influence of society can also be a roadblock to effective, godly parenting by telling us we need to do this or avoid that without any respect to what God tells us about the same subjects. But through His word, God’s given us what we need to be godly parents. He’s given us His Spirit to guide us in our decisions if we’ll listen to Him. And when we mess up, isn’t it great to know we are covered by grace and mercy? Our parenting mistakes can’t hurt our children beyond God’s ability to set things right. And if we have a heart to raise our children according to His word, God will be faithful to show us how best to parent each of our amazing children.