The day she receives a demotion instead of an overdue promotion, she wonders if an authentic life of faith is possible.

    The last time readers encountered the good Rev. Theophilus Simmons, he was a newlywed and the pastor of a modest-sized congregation in Memphis. Now he's the father of three and running a congregation in St. Louis. His best friend, Rev. Eddie Tate, is now with a fast growing church in Chicago, but he is getting real frustrated with the way things are run in the Gospel United Church. Marcel Brown and his father, Ernest, along with Sonny Washington and Bishop Larsen Giles have had two decades to perfect their slimy methods of "tapping" church funds and other misdeeds. Now they've found a secret weapon that will allow them to make fast money and accomplish what they failed to do 20 years ago--buy off enough power to dominate the entire denomination, put their cronies in key spots, and ransack the church like it is the spoils of war. It won't be long before the two opposing sides face off..."church-folk" style.

    Sigrid Larsson may be resigned to spinsterhood, but she is not ready to sell the family homestead and move in with well-meaning relatives. When a dashing young man from the railroad approaches her, followed soon after by her neighbor, Erik Lindquist, Sigrid is thrown into confusion. On whose arm will she attend the Julotta, a Christmas morning worship service?

    Isaac had nearly committed to Mary Lou, but there was something about the new girl that gave him second thoughts. Amish bachelor Isaac Fuller knows where he's headed. As the oldest of seven sons, he will eventually take over the family joinery business. As Isaac tries to find out more about the mysterious Hazel, Mary Lou does everything she can to force him into marriage. When his feelings for Hazel grow, he knows he's in trouble. The problem is, everyone expects him to marry Mary Lou. Being the eldest, he's always done the right thing and been an example to his brothers. When Hazel leaves suddenly due to a family emergency, there's no doubt in Isaac's mind she's the one for him. But how can he end his relationship with Mary Lou without breaking her heart?With Isaac under pressure, will he make the wrong decision? Will Isaac find true love with Hazel? Or will his fears and worries about other people keep him from his happily-ever-after?

    He certainly thought there'd be more to it than his ramshackle Oklahoma farm and a mundane job coaching basketball at his old high school. He questions his fatherhood skills too: his oldest son won't speak to him, his younger son wants to quit the basketball team, and now his daughter wants to go out on dates. He loves his wife, but the marriage has settled into complacency. Now his twentieth high school reunion looms and he has agreed to play in an exhibition game at the reunion, which is sure to be a wretched joke. And his ex-girlfriend's back in town, newly single. Twenty years is plenty long enough for a man to mope after what might have been. It's time for John to make himself understand that.Professor of English at Baylor University, Greg Garrett is an award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction. His critically acclaimed novel Free Bird was chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of the best first novels of 2002. He resides in Austin, Texas.