Ruth Raber, an elderly Old Order Amish woman, has led a lonely life. She never married, never sang with a boy at one of her community's gatherings, and ruined the only relationship she could've had. And worst of all, she doesn't understand why any of that happened. Or does she? Every year around Christmas, a series of memories haunt her, and this Christmas is no different. When the nearby townspeople and the Amish and Mennonites in the area gather at Christmas Eve and invite Ruth, not only will she be challenged by her memories, she'll be challenged by a lesson from her mother, now passed on, about the kindness in the quilts she makes. Similar in theme to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, The Forgiveness Quilt will warm the heart while reminding us of the importance of kindness at Christmas--and for the entire year.
Like in The Coincidence of Hope, in life—and even in death—people are bound together. In The Yearning of Hope, this includes five lives, including a Search and Rescue German Shepherd named Alex.A family is killed in a tragic traffic accident, and the children, Sam and Hope, are allowed a second chance at life. Although they aren’t together as brother and sister, the odds seem to be working in their favor.Mike Stebbins is an average guy with an average life. He loves his wife, Julie, and his job. Yes, going to accident and crime scenes is tough, but having his Search and Rescue dog, Alex, at his side makes those scenes bearable.Julie Stebbins is an average woman with an average life. She loves her husband, Mike, and her job. Yes, working as a nurse in a hospital’s emergency department is tough, but having a great husband to share things with makes them bearable.And then their lives are turned upside-down.Mike and Alex attend a tragic accident where a family of four were killed, including a brother and sister named Sam and Hope. At the same time as the accident, Julie witnesses a dying mother giving birth to a baby girl. The deaths affect Mike and Julie, even to the point of hoping to adopt the baby girl, who they call Hope. It also affects Sam, whose ghost now exists within Alex’s German Shepherd form.Yes, the odds seem to be working in favor of Sam and Hope’s reunion as brother and sister, but the odds sometimes have a way of changing when we least expect it.Because of a bizarre set of circumstances, Mike and Julie are forced to choose between keeping their beloved dog, Alex, and adopting Hope. This could separate Sam and Hope yet again, and if things don’t work out, Mike and Julie’s choice may also cost them their marriage.The Yearning of Hope is the second novel from J. Willis Sanders that further delves into how we may not understand ourselves until we gain the perspective to understand each other.
Clara's CourtshipBook Two of the Clara Engelman Series Having consented to a tentative courtship with her bishop, Vernon, Clara still thinks love will never be part of any other relationship she might have. Still, as a Beachy Amish Mennonite woman, she must consider her duty to her community and to her children, for they need a father to replace her beloved Abram. Still again, doubts in the form of rumors about Vernon's wife worry her. As she attempts to overcome them, she spends time with Vernon to see if they are suited for each other. However, someone who cares for Clara is concerned about Vernon's past too, and he is secretly trying to reveal any skeletons in his closet. Will Clara's courtship go as planned, or will secrets and rumors ruin it?
