Grace

Grace is when God gives us what we don?t deserve, and mercy is when God doesn?t give us what we do deserve. - Dan Roberts the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast closes its doors during Christmas season. it is a time to relax and be with family and friends. the Brennemans are all excited about their holiday plans until two unexpected guests arrive one after the other - Melody, a pregnant woman and Levi, a quite guarded man. will their arrival disrupt everything or will it bring about something that the Brennemans and even their guests themselves did not foresee? this is my first time to read a novel about the Amish. i have heard of them but knew very little about their way of life. reading this book gave me the basics - what occupies their time, what they do for leisure, what their spiritual beliefs are, how they interact with the Englisher or non-Amish folks, what their culinary pursuits are, how they dress up and what holiday traditions they have. i find this information fascinating and it reminded me of what my aunt told me once - it takes less to live simply. author Shelley Shepard Gray has written an interesting Christmas story with characters from her popular Sisters of the Heart series. readers familiar with her books Hidden, Wanted and Forgiven will certainly welcome back Katie, Anna, Winnie and the rest of the major players. her novel's message is really about forgiveness, healing, hope and grace. the latter is an integral part of the whole and she tells us that it is ever present in anyone's life. one just has to embrace it. what then is grace? grace is waking up in the morning and going to bed at night with all my limbs and senses intact. it is: - the ray of sunlight that greets me at dawn or that last streak of yellow orange that fades when dusk falls - the first star that twinkles in the night sky - the moon with its feeble light and the power it wields over the tides - the trees, fruits, flowers that fill my surroundings with a riot of colors - the pets that faithfully keep me company and guard my home - the job i have and the compensation i earn - the food on the table - the "thank you's i get for doing something i thought was so routine - the "old and new" people in my life - the tears of joy shed at overcoming difficulties - the forgiveness i receive and that which i give - the love of family and friends - the kindness of strangers grace is simply all the good in my life. what is your grace? Disclosure of Material Connection: i received an Advanced Reader's e-proof Edition of Grace from HarperCollins Publishers through NetGalley.com i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was I obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.show more