His greatest surprise, however, comes when he wins a run-down English estate-with the spirited sister of the previous owner still in residence!

    Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home.Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. Since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation. Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico. Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.

    When her best friend, Gemma, loses her parents in a tragic fire, Jessilyn's father vows to care for her as one of his own, despite the fact that Gemma is black and prejudice is prevalent in their southern Virginia town. Violence springs up as a ragtag band of Ku Klux Klan members unite and decide to take matters into their own hands. As tensions mount in the small community, loyalties are tested and Jessilyn is forced to say good-bye to the carefree days of her youth. Fireflies in December is the 2007 winner of the Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest.

    It's a fish out of water story about how God turns 32-year-old Julie's manicured, pedicured, self-absorbed designer life upside down. Julie, a nominal Christian, heads to New York for a weekend shopping binge. On a deserted train, she sits next to a stranger who turns out to be Jesus. After a wonderful, healing conversation she agrees to His request to, "feed My lambs." When she gets off the train she's in India.Her charmed life is shattered--she must care for 12 "filthy orphans" living on a dump before she can return to her comfortable life. She lives on the street and overwhelming new challenges arise daily. While squatting in an alley, going to the bathroom, an orphan, named Ravi, steals her designer purse. Unbeknownst to Julie, Ravi, who speaks English, holds the key to her communicating with the other orphans.Will Julie learn 1) to trust the Lord when nothing is in her control? 2) that she doesn't have to perform to be loved? and 3) that her life is built on a shaky foundation? Can she protect the orphans from a predator who steals and maims children and sends them out to beg? How will God provide food when her wallet is stolen? Can she find safe homes for the children?

    The Preacher's Daughter begins a remarkable journey of heartache and homespun delight - a series readers will find impossible to forget. Paradise, Pennsylvania, is likened to a little slice of heaven on earth...but for Annie Zook - the preacher's eldest daughter, it seems like a dead-end street. She is expected to join the Amish church, but at 20 she is still deciding. Because of the strict rules that guide the Plain community, she must continually squelch her artistic passion, although it has become her solace. In her signature style, with character depth and unexpected plot twists, beloved novelist Beverly Lewis once again opens the door to the world of the Amish.

    But her mother is in rehab, and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. And when a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, her already-worn thread of faith begins to unravel. (Young Adults)Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel. In her third novel, acclaimed author Sara Zarr examines the coexistence of affliction and hope, and what happens when everything you thought you believed---about God, about your family, about yourself---is transformed.

    Two young Southern girls, one the daughter of a plantation owner and one the daughter of a slave, barely survive the onset of the Civil War and the loss of both their families. When these tragic circumstances bring them together, they join forces to discover if they can make a life for themselves. As their preconceptions give way to experience, they gradually learn to value their contrasting and complementing strengths and skills as they face the formidable task of keeping body and soul together in the aftermath of this devastating war. But is it possible the Lord they have come to know has something bigger in mind for the plantation than either of them can imagine?

    Jessie Benn has everything—except Mr. Right. There’s only one problem. The one guy who intrigues her is completely wrong. She’s a veterinarian specializing in horses with a thriving practice nestled between her family’s Arizona ranches, looking for a nice, dependable guy who can take her to the eternities. He’s a visiting Australian business tycoon who’s just a touch bitter, a touch wild, and way more than a touch fascinating. What’s a girl to do? Jaclyn M Hawkes ROCKS! I love all of her books! Each is equally great. I can't think of anything negative to say about anything I have read of hers. This was another great story that had it all; great characters, fun, happiness, love, suspense, sadness, triumph, family, and joy. I'm not worried about letting my teenage daughters read anything Jaclyn writes. Thanks for another great read and please keep them coming! Couldn't put it down.... Jacklyn has a gift for giving her characters a fullness of personality, spirit and intellect that make them come to life. Her dialogue is quick, real and witty. I can only imagine what her life is like to have spawned the ideas, wisdom and humor she brings to her books This the fourth book of Jacklyn's I've read this week... I had read her first two books and then lost track of this author, not knowing she had four new books out. Found out - downloaded them, and have not quit reading since. Her emotional intelligence and wisdom come through in every chapter. This woman obviously has an amazing array of experience from which to pull her stories. She crafts characters anyone can relate to; they are thoroughly human yet their ideals are lofty. And who cannot relate to that? Each book was an engrossing read. I was transported into the lives of each character. Now I am sad there are none of her books left on my bookshelf that have yet to be read. I cannot wait for her next book! Fantastic as always! Fantastic, magnificent and beautifully written. Amazing! I have never read a book before that had me captive from the beginning. I cried, have laughed and felt her deep grief and confusion. What a wonderful book and a wonderfully exceptional writer. I can't wait to read more of Jaclyn Hawkes books! I'm becoming a really big fan of Jaclyn Hawkes, I love the way she writes! I enjoyed this book a lot. She touches on real things that we face and how we can overcome with the help of others who are put here to help us on our journey through life! I highly recommend this book and all her books! I always get the feel that it’s like a modern day western. I love it! And am always reading her books as soon as they come out. This book was great. It is a fun read that warms your heart and makes you feel just as awesome as the characters. A love story with depth and characters you want to meet This new book from Jaclyn Hawkes was delightful!

    When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.Choosing to flee with the Hebrews, Kiya finds herself reliant on a strange God and drawn to a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away and now facing the trials of the desert, will she turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?

    He hopes they are dark enough to hide him from the unforgiving neighbors in the small town of his youth. When he drove away years ago, no one understood how he could leave behind his wife, Allyson, and their small son, Alma. After years on a road leading nowhere, Porter has finally started to get his life on track. Hes active in the Church and his business is successful. However, his relationship with his son has deteriorated to annual birthday cards and even less frequent visits. Then came the phone call. Allyson is dead. Now Porter is back in Utah to reclaim his son. However, Alma will leave the only life hes known under one not-so-simple conditionhis broken-down truck must come too. Even if Porter has to push it the entire five hundred miles to Eager, Arizona. Join acclaimed storyteller Alma Yates on a heartwarming journey of faith, redemption, and forgiveness as this father and son come to learn that their relationship, like the old truck, is worth fixing.

    It is not about terrorism, the holocaust, or understanding death. They are the framework for this heartwarming story about a never-a-serious-thought high school senior and his best friend, a Deaf-blind, legless old man, who teaches him how to capture and hold, The Pristine American Dream. Pristine, "Characteristics of the earliest period or condition: original: still pure: uncorrupted: unspoiled [Pristine beauty]." Webster's New World Dictionary. Sometime, somehow, somewhere, we, as a people, stopped living and dreaming The Pristine American Dream as our Founding Fathers knew it. Like colors fading from a handkerchief long forgotten on a cedar post, the Dream has faded from our thoughts and aspirations. The change has been imperceptible, yet over time all of the brilliance has faded to the dull, uninspiring and common. The Pristine American Dream has taken on a different hue. To some, the American Dream has become a passionate search for easy wealth by hitting it big in the lottery, sweepstakes, a big lawsuit, or receiving an inheritance. To others it is landing a professional sports contract, or achieving prominence in politics, business or popularity without any thought to inherent rights. As important as these achievements may be to some people, The Pristine American Dream is much better. This story showcases The Pristine American Dream, which is those inalienable or inherent rights guaranteed to each American by virtue of their birth, and the diligence, hard work and determination required to obtain and enjoy the privileges of life. Simply put, inherent rights are the rights to be and to do good. Everything that is good is right, an inherent right. Nobody ever has the right to do bad; they only have the power to choose it. Many people see goodness as the result of religious dedication instead of the catalyst that fires the furnace of happiness. No matter what circumstances' individuals, families, communities or nations find themselves in, they always enjoy more peace of mind and happiness when they maintain their inherent rights. Privileges are the sweet things of life for which one must work to receive. This is a fiction story. The setting is Declo, Idaho during the years of 1966 and 1967. All the characters are fiction, but like many great fiction characters they may resemble living or dead individuals whose lives have impacted that of the author. Most family names are indigenous to the Declo community, yet there should not be any inference made that any of the characters are living or have ever lived. There are, however, certain authenthic individuals who make cameo appearances to add color to its historical setting.

    She loves her family and is content with her life in California. That is, until her parents decide to move to Utah, the land of Mormons. New surroundings and culture shock do nothing to help Kit's social life. It is only with the help of Janet, a new friend, that Kit begins to adjust to life in Utah, as well as to the Mormon culture. Janet's older brother, Adam, is more than happy to befriend Kit, but when their feelings begin to go beyond friendship, Kit is torn. Does she really want to devote her heart to a boy who is going to leave her for two years to serve a mission for his faith? Can she support him when she doesn't even believe in his religion? As Kit looks deeper, she realizes that it isn't Adam's faith she needs to come to terms with - it's her own.

    I was the wife of Jesus.” Raised in a wealthy family in Sepphoris with ties to the ruler of Galilee, Ana is rebellious and ambitious, a relentless seeker with a brilliant, curious mind and a daring spirit. She yearns for a pursuit worthy of her life, but finds no outlet for her considerable talents. Defying the expectations placed on women, she engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes secret narratives about neglected and silenced women. When she meets the eighteen-year-old Jesus, each is drawn to and enriched by the other’s spiritual and philosophical ideas. He becomes a floodgate for her intellect, but also the awakener of her heart.Their marriage unfolds with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, James and Simon, and their mother, Mary. Here, Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to the Roman occupation of Israel, partially led by her charismatic adopted brother, Judas. She is sustained by her indomitable aunt Yaltha, who is searching for her long-lost daughter, as well as by other women, including her friend Tabitha, who is sold into slavery after she was raped, and Phasaelis, the shrewd wife of Herod Antipas. Ana’s impetuous streak occasionally invites danger. When one such foray forces her to flee Nazareth for her safety shortly before Jesus’s public ministry begins, she makes her way with Yaltha to Alexandria, where she eventually finds refuge and purpose in unexpected surroundings.Grounded in meticulous historical research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus’s life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring account of one woman’s bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place, and culture devised to silence her.

    Her choice begins a torrent of change for her and her family, including a marriage of convenience to silent Daniel Miller. Both bring broken hearts into their arrangement--and secrets that have been held too long. Filled with gentle romance, The Choice opens the world of the Amish--their strong communities, their simple life, and their willingness to put each other first. Combined with Fisher's exceptional gift for character development, this novel, the first in a series, is a welcome reminder that it is never too late to find your way back to God.

    She risked her life and her reputation to be the woman she was called to be. Her story serves as an example of how God uses our circumstances and our steps toward Him, however faltering, to fulfill His plan.Unveiled is book one in the popular Lineage of Grace series about five unlikely women who changed eternity."Francine Rivers utilizes her expertise as master storyteller to unveil Tamar's saga, a tale of deception, betrayal, and ultimately hope."-- Romantic Times This novella includes an in-depth Bible study perfect for personal reflection or group discussion.