SOMETIMES THE HARDEST PERSON TO FORGIVE IS YOURSELF
A tragedy in her young life sent Kate fleeing from her rural Tennessee hometown immediately after high school graduation. She believes both God and her church let her down when she needed them most. A dozen years later, when pressured into returning for her sick aunt's community fundraiser, an adult Kate faces the fallout from her part in the teenage heartbreak. For years, she has blamed God for turning His back on her--but now she begins to wonder if she were the one who abandoned Him. Rich in traditional southern storytelling and humor, the story asks whether Christians are allowed to be imperfect--and who gets hurt when they are.
Available on Amazon for just $9.89
About the Author:
Ruth Sapp Burton loves her real Pikeville, Tennessee, hometown and its people. She and her husband are adjusting to an empty nest as they daily continue trying to follow the God who loves imperfect people. They have two lovely, intelligent daughters, a son-in-law with a boat and other fine qualities, and two fabulous granddaughters. Ruth enjoys cooking and eating delicious southern food while talking about dieting. She is easily distracted by anything sparkly, laughs at inappropriate times, and is comfortable with both of her chins.
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My Take:
The author has captured small town living to a "T", portraying the southern traditions of family, friends, Sunday dinners, and church-going importance. On a weekend trip back to her hometown for her aunt's fundraiser benefit, Katie Anne returns to the place she has long stayed away from. Running from tragedy, Katie moved to Nashville right after high school graduation. In-spite of doing well for herself, she has never completely come to terms with the pain of her past. Although not really prepared to face those she feels have let her down, she braves up for just one weekend. What can it hurt? All she has to do is stay focused, take care of business, and leave. But things don't always go the way you plan. An unexpected encounter could bring healing or disaster. Which will it be?
If you've ever lived in a small town in the south, you will totally relate to this book. Quirky humorous sayings, muddin' adventures, swimming in abandoned mine quarries and those crazy antics teens can pull off made this book an interesting read. But the message of God's love, grace, and forgiveness hidden in the pages of this book is what really hit home. This is a story anyone can relate to no matter where you live. It will evoke a variety of emotions, so be ready to laugh, but grab your tissue box just in case.
There are many lessons to learn from this story. One of my favorite things Ruth said was:
"In an instant my brain clicked on the falsehood of the measuring stick. A person's entire life could not be judged on the basis of one horrible decision, no matter how devastating the outcome." How frequently we resort to this type of judgement. Lifetime condemnation for one mistake. Ruth's story will encourage you to look to God for the ability to forgive others and yourself if you taken a wrong turn. God takes a mess and turns it into a message. I highly recommend this beautiful tale of forgiveness, grace and restoration, and am eagerly awaiting a sequel!
I am extremely excited to be doing an interview with this author soon.
I am extremely excited to be doing an interview with this author soon.
From your description, The Benefit of Grace sounds very appealing, Amy. Relationship drama with a small-town setting - and in the South! And that's a great quote you pulled. I'll be watching for your interview with Ruth.
ReplyDeleteCarole, You would really enjoy this book. Hope you get a chance to read it. Thanks for stopping by.
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