“Morning, Gloria. Morning, Cutter.”
Gloria smiled sweetly at Pearl Owens, who stood in the narthex greeting all the arrivals. “Morning, Pearl.” She noticed that Pearl lingered over Cutter, her hand tightly pressing his before letting go.
“My, my, my. I just can’t get over you being here at church. Wouldn’t Virginia just split a stitch if she could see you now?” Pearl’s face glowed with pride, as if it were all her doing that Cutter Press had made his peace with God. She leaned her large body forward, bringing her mouth close to Cutter’s face, looking almost like she was about to nibble his earlobe. “Now all you have to do is marry this little lady here, and that would clinch it for Virginia.”
Cutter looked Pearl in the eye and said in a calm voice, fraught with merriment, “And when I do, I’d like you to be standing at this very door, greeting our guests.”
Pearl turned as crimson as one of Grandma Quinn’s Olympiad roses. “Why … why, I’d be honored.”
Gloria avoided Pearl’s eyes and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Cutter’s remark in no way came as a surprise. He had been talking about marriage a lot lately. Gloria had grown to love him more than she’d thought it was possible to love anyone, though she still had her reservations. First, there was still that womanizing issue—though Cutter had removed the picture of the Playboy Bunny from his car mirror, and she supposed that was a good sign—and secondly …
Gloria slipped her arm through Cutter’s and felt soreness in her right shoulder. Rehab twice a week was working that problem out. And Jesus was more than up to working out the rest. For her part, she was going to take it slow. Let Jesus do His thing.
Oh, yes, indeed, she believed in miracles. So did Cutter. And when you believed in miracles and knew the miracle worker Himself, anything could happen.
Author’s Note
Dear readers:
There’s always immense joy and relief, and some sadness too, when completing the writing of a novel. Return to Appleton, the sequel to Waters of Marah, was a labor of love but was difficult too, since I had to squeeze in two moves—one out of state—during its crafting. But God’s grace is always sufficient, and so it was in my situation as I packed and unpacked, and packed and unpacked yet again. I actually managed to meet the deadline with two weeks to spare!
The thing I think I liked most about Return to Appleton was the issue of Gloria falling in love with the very person she had despised all her life. The idea of pairing up Gloria and Cutter didn’t come until I was almost finished writing Waters of Marah. But when it did come, I must confess it was a bit of a surprise. The two characters seemed too incompatible, with too much water under their bridges, too many grievances. But after I got used to the idea, it struck me not only as a little humorous, but so natural too, so something God could and does do in real life—making enemies capable of loving each other.
Oh, how great is the love of God! And how deep. It can overcome anything. And when His love operates in us, so can we. The very ones we thought we could never love, suddenly become lovable.
If you liked the book, drop me a line. I’d love hearing from you!
Blessings and love,
SYLVIA BAMBOLA
Website: http://www.sylviabambola.com
E-mail: [email protected]
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR READERS’ GROUPS
1. When Gloria discusses the advisability of Cutter paying five thousand dollars to an informant, she cringes because she thinks she’s starting to sound like her mother. Why is it almost impossible not to emulate the negatives of our parents? And can this tendency be overcome by emulating our heavenly Father? If so, how?
2. In chapter four, one minute Gloria is looking up at the sky feeling close to Jesus, and the next minute she’s losing her temper with her mother. What happened? Why is it so easy for us to lose our peace?
3. In chapter four, Geri Bickford is like a Pharisee, concerned with outward appearances, like Gloria wearing jeans to church instead of slacks or a dress. And while she thinks going to church is a good thing, she’s very uncomfortable with all the Bible study and praying Gloria is doing. How easy is it for you to focus on appearances rather than inward realities, whether in yourself or in others? Have you ever come across someone who is fine with your church attendance, but the minute your faith starts getting more intense, they get nervous? Why do you think that is?
4. Geri and her mother don’t get along, and Gloria and her mother don’t get along. Is this a trend you see in families? If there is a history of broken relationships or sinful behavior in your family, what can you do to change the pattern?
5. Gloria ran out of Grandma Quinn’s house rather than hear the truth about her parents. Besides physically running away, what are some other ways we run from truth? Does the truth always set us free? (Read and discuss John 8:31—36.)
6. Geri Bickford wanted to get even with her mother, Hannah, for denying Geri a roof over her head when she wanted to leave her husband. She did this by trying to put her mother into a nursing home, literally taking away the roof over Hannah’s head. What are some ways families punish each other for past transgressions? Why is forgiveness the only solution?
7. When Gloria apologizes to her mother for not telling her she was paying Grandma Quinn’s grocery bill, her action breaks down a barrier that had existed between them for years. The next scene shows Gloria’s mother reaching out too—she’s now willing to consider putting Grandma Quinn into a condo instead of a nursing home. How has love and forgiveness broken down barriers in your life, and maybe even taken one of your relationships on a new course?
8. Geri Bickford was compulsive about her home and her appearance, wanting everything to be perfect. She believed that if she was perfect, then people would like her and not talk about her—that she’d gain their respect. When we don’t know or when we forget that we are all sinners saved by grace, the search for approval is an easy pit to fall into. What are some other ways people try to prove their self-worth?
9. It was obvious that God was the One responsible for opening Gloria’s heart toward Cutter and filling it with love. Yet when that love turned from filial love into romantic love, was Gloria correct in not committing to the relationship? What were her reasons? Did she decide based on how she felt, or on what she believed to be right? Why is it important to be equally yoked? What are some of the tragic consequences if you’re not? What does Scripture say?
10. Many of Gloria’s and Cutter’s problems stemmed from misunderstandings: He’d always liked her but didn’t know how to show it, and she felt humiliated by his attentions. How many of our hurts and conflicts with other people come from a failure to understand each other? What happened when Gloria and Cutter finally talked honestly with each other? How have some of your problems with others stemmed from misunderstandings?
11. Why was Gloria not afraid of dying but was afraid that Cutter might die? Also, why did Cutter start praying to God when he and Gloria were in danger? How does faith affect our view of death, and how does a life-threatening situation make people start reevaluating their faith, or lack thereof? September 11, 2001 for example.
12. Gloria’s decision to speak up publicly about the whole environmentalist issue took courage and meant she had to make sacrifices, even put herself in danger Maybe you’ve never been harassed by a stalker, but what kinds of stands have you made that have taken courage? How many of Gloria’s actions were courageous, and how many were naive? How would you weigh the costs of taking a stand versus the need to protect yourself and the people you love? In such a situation, where would your source of strength and courage come from?
13. Gloria desperately wanted to help Tracy, but in the end she realized that “helping” her friend with money would only be hurting her. How far do you go to help someone who is making bad choices? What is the line between being a friend to that person and letting yourself be used? Or worse yet, enabling his or her bad behavior?
More from Sylvia Bambola & Moo
dy Publishers
Gloria Bickford may be named after the legendary actress Gloria Swanson, but she has none of the grace, beauty, or backbone of her mother’s favorite film star. In fact, everything Gloria does is a disappointment to her beauty-queen mother. Especially rejecting the marriage proposal of Cutter Press. So, at the insistence of her pushy best friend, Gloria abruptly leaves behind all the smallness of life in her hometown. Her new job in Eckerd City will make it possible to see her secretly beloved Tucker.
Waters of Marah
ISBN: 0-8024-7905-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8024-7905-1
SINCE 1894, Moody Publishers has been dedicated to equip and motivate people to advance the cause of Christ by publishing evangelical Christian literature and other media for all ages around the world. Because we are a ministry of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book go to train the next generation of Christian leaders.
If we may serve you in any way in your spiritual journey toward understanding Christ and the Christian life, please contact us at www.moodypublishers.com.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
—2 TIMOTHY 3:16, 17
MOODY
PUBLISHERS
THE NAME YOU CAN TRUST®
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