Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns
If you think Jesus would have come into your home that day and not issued a strong rebuke to the head of household, you are mistaken. These words of condemnation have been haunting me for days now. They aren’t all that different than the soundtrack I play in my head on an almost-daily basis. It’s…
I am nesting. On Saturday I emptied the refrigerator. Last summer’s homemade pickles in their jars. The bread ends that seem to multiply on every shelf. The eggs. The milk. The fruit and veggies. All of it sat on the floor or the counter as I carefully removed the shelves and wiped them down with…
I’ve heard that life is like a highway. And it definitely seems like that sometimes. The pace of life swirls around me at dizzying speeds. We’re all so busy. In such a hurry. Always somewhere to be, something else to do. I’m a get-to-the-point, get-there-quick kind of girl. I don’t like to waste time on…
If you pay attention to and read the book reviews on this blog, you already know about my deep affection for Jody Hedlund as a writer. Her books are some of the ones I turn to when I’m in need of a guaranteed good story. Like comfort food, they always offer satisfaction.
She has a new book out this month–Hearts Made Whole–and no matter when I start reading or what else is going on in my life, there is one thing I just can’t do with one of her books–stop reading! (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my review through Litfuse Publicity Group.)
I can’t do it! My house could be a mess, the kids in need of dinner, chaos reigning all around me and still my nose is stuck in a Jody Hedlund book as I turn page after page to see what will happen to my new friends, er, the characters in the book.
Though I have trouble picking a favorite book she’s written, Hearts Made Whole is in the running for that title because of Ryan Chambers, a broken Civil War veteran who comes to take the job of lightkeeper in Grosse Point, Michigan, and Caroline Taylor, the woman who has been running the light since the death of her father.
Ryan’s struggles with addiction to pain medication and alcohol to numb the pain of his war injury and the demons in his head about past mistakes are heartbreakingly real. And Caroline’s struggle to assert herself as competent in a man’s world is surprisingly modern for a story set just about the Civil War. His desire to change and make amends, her desire to use her gifts to care for her family–well, let’s just say that that theme hits a little close to home.
Hedlund’s stories always teach me something about history, and if you’re a fan of lighthouses, Hearts Made Whole is the second in a series of books she’s writing about Michigan’s lighthouses. It took me a while to catch on that there is a connection from this book to the first in the series, Love Unexpected, and it made me look forward to book three and the tie-in I’m hoping will be there. If you have not read the first book, though, don’t let it stop you from reading this one. (You can also read the novella that precedes the series for free on Kindle.)
And now for some details about how the author is celebrating the release!
Don’t miss Jody Hedlund’s new book, Hearts Made Whole, a story of loss, forgiveness, hope, and true love set in 1865 Michigan. When Ryan’s failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he’s unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Can Caroline forgive the hurting man who costs her the role she loves?
Celebrate the release of Hearts Made Whole by entering to win an Afternoon at the Beach prize pack and RSVPing to Jody’s June 23rd author chat party!
One grand prize winner will receive:
One second-place winner will receive:
One third-place winner will receive:
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 23rd.Winner will be announced June 23rd at Jody’s Facebook party. RSVP here!
Half the Sky has been on my reading list for a while, so after reading a few fiction books in a row, I decided I needed something that would challenge me a bit more.
If you’re not familiar with it, Half the Sky is a journalistic account from a husband-and-wife team about the oppression of women worldwide. The early chapters focus on sex trafficking, and because the authors are telling the true stories of real-life women, it’s hard to read. After a few chapters in a row, I had to put it down because the stories are so heart-breaking.
It’s a familiar story by now. Young girls promised lucrative jobs in a far-off city or country. Desperate parents wishing for a better life for their girls. Broken promises. Debt. Bondage. Slavery.
From the comfort of our western, American world, it’s hard to imagine that such atrocities happen (and that they happen to children as young as 7 and 8).
But the stories are true. And just because they make me uncomfortable doesn’t make them less real. Real women and children are suffering somewhere in the world while I sit in comfort in my house. Real women and children are forced to do unspeakable things while I’m in a loving relationship that demands nothing of the kind. I don’t have to worry about my kids taking a job that could lead to their slavery. Even in our most desperate financial circumstances, we have options that don’t include giving up our children to potential traffickers.
I no longer allow myself to feel guilty about this. I had nothing to do with where I was born. I’m not sure whether I should call it a blessing or not because people born into different circumstances are no less favored by God than I am. Grace and mercy, they are offered to us all in equal measure, and I will not call myself blessed because my circumstances are different than those who live elsewhere.
Guilt–and the avoidance of the issue that often follows–isn’t the solution. Neither is pretending that I can save the world. There’s a better way.
Once a month, I choose to blog for The Exodus Road, an organization that works with local organizations in countries where trafficking is prevalent. 
One of the things that impresses me about the organization is how it collaborates with so many people. They empower and train local investigators and supply state-of-the-art technology and equipment to assist in raids. It’s amazing how many people are involved at various levels.
Sometimes I think I can’t do any good in this arena. What can I do from here? I can’t rush off to Southeast Asia and assist in a rescue. At least not without training or money or a clear sense that it was what I was meant to do.
But I’m challenging myself to not focus on what I can’t do and instead focus on what I can do. So, what can I do?
I blog, obviously, not just to bother you with uncomfortable material once a month but to remind myself that I have a duty to speak for those who are overlooked. Once a month, I force myself to think about women and children whose lives are not what they hoped but who are not without hope. Rescue is coming. It’s one of my favorite phrases used concerning trafficking because it’s true and it offers hope where there shouldn’t be any.
I can blog and I can pray. The Exodus Road works with people of many different faith backgrounds, but I think we all can agree that rescue and redemption and transformation are ultimately out of our hands. Prayers for fervent hope, protection and justice are good things to pray for.
I can read the stories in books like Half the Sky and The Exodus Road and countless others and refuse to look away.
And I can give. The Exodus Road has numerous opportunities for financial support and other creative ways to support rescue.
How exactly does a rescue happen? If you’ve ever seen a news report about an arrest, raid or rescue, maybe you’ve wondered how that comes about. I have. Here’s a graphic provided by The Exodus Road that shows the process from start to finish.
What is one thing you can do in support of those who work to end human trafficking?