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7.Lucas won’t leave Eve’s side in the hospital until Aunt Faye convinced him to do so. He also wouldn’t interact with his newborn daughter. What are some of the emotions Lucas must have been feeling as he watched his wife being kept alive on life support? See if you can dig deep, beyond the obvious.
8.According to recent estimates, only 5 percent of Amish teens or young adults leave the community for good. Jacob left to pursue a life in the outside world, but longed to come home. What do you think was the big influencer as related to his choice to return? Was it Annie? The fact that he didn’t find success, only trouble, in the outside world? Did he long for the Amish lifestyle? Perhaps all of these, but would he have had the courage to come home if his mother’s cancer hadn’t returned?
9.Edna isn’t a very likeable character. She kisses Daniel while married to John. She also had a relationship with Ethan when he was alive. But later in the story, we see Edna’s vulnerabilities, and toward the end of the novel, we see an unlikely friendship forming between Edna and Andrea. Why do you think this is?
10.Charlotte’s truck—Big Red—is practically a character in the story, and the old Chevy holds sentimental value to Charlotte since it was a gift from Amos. How did you feel when Charlotte gave Andrea the truck? Do tangible items like houses and vehicles hold a special place in your heart, or are they just things to be bought and sold as needed?
11.If Charlotte had ultimately chosen not to convert to the Amish way of life, do you think Daniel would have left his church district to be with her? Since he had been baptized, he would have been shunned. Would Daniel have resented Charlotte and the forced detachment from his family?
12.What were your thoughts about the cake and icing analogy? Have you ever felt a sense of heaven on earth brought on by events or powerful faith in an afterlife? And if so, what was the defining moment when you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is heaven to look forward to?
Acknowledgments
With each story I write, my faith continues to grow, solidifying what I know to be true—that there is a beautiful world waiting for us when we leave this earthly existence. When I hear that someone has doubts about this, it hurts my heart, and I long to show that person the peace that comes along with this knowledge. But, my journey is my own, and others have to find their own way to this wonderful understanding about what awaits us. It’s my hope and prayer that at least one non-believer will explore the possibility that heaven truly is for real.
God blesses me with stories to tell. None of them are exclusively mine to claim, so dear Lord, thank You again.
To my publishing team at HarperCollins Christian Fiction, you all are amazing, and I’m so blessed to be a part of this publishing process, hopefully entertaining and ministering to those who can benefit from our team effort.
Natasha Kern, you are special in so many ways. As an agent, you tirelessly guide me with regard to my career, but you are also a trusted friend. Peace be with you.
To my assistant and dear friend Janet Murphy, you are appreciated and loved more than you know. I’m sure I don’t tell you that often enough, but please know that you hold a special place in my heart, and on a personal and professional level, I’d be lost without you.
I’d be remiss not to mention my husband, Patrick. Dear, you keep the ground steady beneath my feet. Thank you for loving me. I love you to the moon and back . . . forever.
Friends and family, you continue to bless and support me on this wonderful journey, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
About the Author
Beth Wiseman is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Daughters of the Promise, Land of Canaan, and Amish Secrets series. While she is best known for her Amish novels, Beth has also written contemporary novels including Need You Now, The House that Love Built, and The Promise.