Another thing that each short story has in common is that each main character needs and is praying for a miracle of some sort. God provides for each of them in ways that was beyond (and better) than their thinking.
In the first story Always In My Heart, Hope Bowman believes that she is being punished by God for giving up her son for adoption when she was 16 years old. She has kept a terrible secret from everyone including her husband. She finally realizes she must make peace with herself, God and her family. She tells her husband the truth of her past. Her husband has desperately wanted a son, even though God has blessed them with 4 daughters. He has a hard time dealing with it at first, but soon realizes that Hope was not to blame and was following her own fathers orders. Hope has always prayed for the son she gave up, but she is also praying that God would bless her and her husband with a boy of their own. Much to her surprise God answers her prayer when a 15 year old boy shows up on their doorstep...the son she gave up for adoption. This is a story of faith, of forgiveness and of healing. I enjoyed reading this novella so much and thought it was beautifully written. The only complaint I have is that it was too short. I felt that the end of the story was a little rushed and would of loved to have more details at the end.
Always His Providence is about Rosa Hostetler who is a widow. Her husband died while saving his best friend Adam from a burning barn. Before he died he asked Adam to take care of Rosa. Rosa's late husband also left her in bad financial shape and she has one month to pay her delinquent taxes or she will lose her farm. She is very proud and refuses to ask for help from the community or from Adam. She depends on her income from selling eggs, but when an Englisher neighbor's dog begins to kill her chickens everything is put to the test. The miracle that God provides for Rosa is so completely unexpected. Such a great story about healing, learning to trust in God and not yourself or others and excepting love again.
Always Beautiful is about Becky Byler who is eighteen and overweight. Her insecurities and low self esteem has brought her to the side of a fast flowing creek. Becky is unable to swim and is considering taking her own life. She prays and asks God for a miracle...to make her thin. In just a few short months Becky loses the weight and the temptation that food had over her. She no longer compares herself to the other girls and feels she is as good as they are, she is even dating Matt, the most handsome boy in the community. Even though she is finally pleased with the way she looks she begins to realize that she does not like the person she has become. Through it all she has even lost her best friend Elam, who has always been the one person who always stood by her side and truly loved her for who she was. Is it too late for Becky to make things right? This a great story about self-image, pride and the realization that sometimes we have to learn lessons the hard way, but God's way is always the best and if we stay true to Him he works everything out for our good.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. I truly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Amish fiction!
***This ebook was provided to me by the publisher through the booksneeze blogging for books program.
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