Old Country Peace

The Harvest of Grace
By: Cindy Woodsmall      This is the 3rd book in the Ada’s House series. I haven’t read the others, and yet I didn’t feel particularly lost throughout the story although I did feel towards the end that some characters just sort of continued on when it really didn‘t need it. However, I will be going back to read the others, this novel was just that good.
       It follows along with a few characters, but the main one is Sylvia Fisher. A twenty-two year old girl whom hasn’t yet joined the faith. She is betrayed by her boyfriend Elam when he proposes to her and she makes him await the answer far too long for his liking. When the circumstances are just to much to bear and yet time and again Sylvia and Elam are thrust together a kiss happens making him betray his wife, and the guilt on Sylvia is just to much to bear. She leaves home, and finds herself working for the Blanks.
       The Blanks are victims of tragedy, and in particular Aaron Blank, former alcoholic, realizes that Sylvia is an obstacle he wants to quickly get out of the way in order to have the Blank farm sold in time to make his parents move with him to run an appliance store in Owl’s Perch. However he only has a matter of weeks to try and get along with his stubborn father, and make him see that the farm can never be profitable, and with his declining health the appliance store is in everyone’s best interest. But how will he get Sylvia out of the way when the farm is her only hope?
       And then from previous novels we follow along with Cara and Ephraim. Cara is an Englischer who fell in love with Ephraim, and is struggling to join the faith. Put upon all kinds of daunting goals that are very difficult to overcome there is nothing Cara will not do to make sure that her and Ephraim will be allowed to marry. However, is reuniting with the biological father that abandoned her just to much to bear? She feels such hatred for him, will this be the one thing to keep her from joining the faith and marrying her one true love?
　
       There are a few more vivacious characters in this novel besides the one listed above. It is definitely a must read for those of you who like novels in an Amish setting.
       The first thing that caught my eye about this book besides it being about the Amish is the cover. It sort of draws you in, and you just know that something good is going to happen within these pages.

       What I truly loved about this book is the message it gets across through so many characters. Each character puts forth such a positive message about God, and we see that message through the hardships that each character has in their life. As each character puts their trust in God time and again and just let’s go and let’s God we see a transformation take place that we often forget can happen if we would just put more of our faith in God. For he can truly handle anything in our lives, and through God everything happens for a reason, and our hardships often lead to better things. The road never ends, but rather takes different paths, and with God walking beside us the good possibilities are endless. And this book helps to remind us that no matter who we are, we deal with the same issues as everyone else and nobody is perfect in this world. We all make mistakes, and for all of us God can take the burden from us if we just ask his forgiveness. It will be given.
       There is a character in this novel that everyone can identify with, and I look forward to reading the other novels in this series as well.
Truly I was blown away, and this is definitely finding a place on my favorites shelf as I’m sure it will yours as well.

You can pick your copy up here: waterbrookmultnomah.com

Disclaimer:
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine alone.