by Ruth Reid
8. Do you think Lindie’s struggle to accept her pregnancy was unrealistic given that most Amish women are thrilled to be pregnant? How did she accept Josiah pointing out she wasn’t eating enough for two?
9. Lindie prayed for her situation to change, but to no avail. Later, she was grateful for her unanswered prayer. Have you prayed about a certain situation only to question if God was really listening?
10. How does Romans 8:28 apply to Lindie’s situation?
11. How did God use what the enemy meant for evil as a blessing that gave God the glory?
12. Can you think of any situations in the Bible where God used a difficult situation for His glory?
for A Woodland Miracle
1. Ashamed of his past, Ben felt as if he would never regain his father’s respect. Do you think those feelings contributed to his getting into trouble with the law?
2. Do you agree with Grace’s thoughts about her nephew Mitch’s faith being based on someone else’s words? How much easier is it to believe in God’s power when you’ve already experienced it in your own life? Once you experienced God’s faithfulness, how did it change your faith?
3. Although it was a constant struggle for Grace to accept the increasing weakness of her limbs, how did she finally come to understand the meaning behind 2 Corinthians 12:9?
4. How did Grace’s limp help form a bond between her and Gordon?
5. Gordon accepted his lot in life with seemingly more understanding than Grace. Do you think his childlike mental state played a role? If so, how was his acceptance different than Grace’s?
6. In the Bible, God used a raven to bring the prophet Elijah food. What role did the fox play in helping Ben?
7. Gordon seemed to cling to earthly treasures, but what significance did the buried treasure have once it was found? What value did it have?
8. Wanting to protect his daughter, Grace’s father didn’t want her to see a specialist about her muscle weakness. Was his apprehension of her moving to Ohio justified?
9. Ben lost his father’s respect after keeping Neva out all night. He worked to earn his father’s forgiveness but always felt as though he fell short. Do you think those feelings could have contributed to his doubts about God’s ability to forgive so easily?
10. Grace was so self-conscience of her infirmity that she nearly missed out on finding love. What did Ben say love was (1 Corinthians 13:7)?
for A Dream of Miracles
1. Bo felt God’s direction through his dreams. Have you ever felt like God provided you with a solution to a problem by way of your dreams? Can you think of three instances when dreams played a critical role in the Bible?
2. Alvin Graber helped Mattie around the farm after her husband died. Do you think that Mattie would have pursued a future with Alvin if she hadn’t met Bo? Would it have been a good match? Why or why not?
3. Do you believe Doctor Wellington was out of line to suspect Mattie of child abuse?
4. When the bruising on Nathan showed up, did you have any idea what might be causing his illness? Were there points in the novel when you questioned Mattie’s innocence?
5. Honey plays an interesting role in the story. Can you think of two ways that honey was used as a means of healing? Of harming?
6. Nathan and Amanda are timid children, wary of strangers, and perhaps overly attached to their mother. Is Mattie raising her kids to behave this way or do you think she’s responding to their natural temperaments?
7. How did it make you feel to know that Bo would have to almost entirely cut his ties to his foster mom, Judge Nettleton?
8. In one of Bo’s final dreams, he hears his stepfather’s voice reminding him that he promised to look after his mother. What role does Josh play in this?
9. Of all the characters in the story, who did you find the most frustrating? Why?
Acknowledgments
for A Miracle of Hope
I would like to thank my friends and family for their ongoing support and encouragement. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to work with a wonderful publisher, Daisy Hutton, and her staff.
I could never fully express my gratitude for my editors: Natalie Hanemann and Becky Philpott. You’ve blessed me tremendously, working with me from development through line editing. Thank you!
for A Woodland Miracle
A simple thank-you isn’t enough to truly acknowledge all the support, prayers, and encouragement I received while writing this book. My family is the best. Dan, you had the patience of a saint—even though I know you’re not always listening to me ramble. Lexie, I’m so proud of you going to UF and still finding time to help me with my computer issues. Danny, I hope this book doesn’t disappoint you. A bear does not eat the main character. But thank you for that brain-storming suggestion. Sarah, your sweet prayers have seen another book to completion. Thank you for always believing!
I’m truly blessed to have such supportive parents, Ella Roberts and Paul and Kathy Droste. You’ve all helped so much in promoting my books and I am so encouraged by your continuous love and support. I would also like to thank Joy and Gary Elwell for explaining the process of how to extract and boil sap in order to make maple syrup. Yours is by far the best I’ve tasted.
I’d like to thank my critique partners for their prayers and input. Having other authors to bounce questions off and to give honest feedback makes writing much more fun. Jennifer Uhlarik, G.E. Hamlin, Sarah Hamaker, Susanne Dietze, and Colleen Scott, we’ve critiqued each other’s work for several years now and I treasure the friendships we’ve formed.
This book wouldn’t be possible without the expertise of my agent, Mary Sue Seymour, and the publishing team at HarperCollins. It means so much that Daisy Hutton, Vice President and Publisher, would take a chance on me. I’m still awestruck. I owe a huge amount of gratitude to my editors, Becky Philpott and Natalie Hanemann. I am so blessed to have your guiding knowledge. I adore working with both of you. Jodi Hughes, you do a wonderful job proofing and typesetting the pages. Thanks for making it easy to turn in my corrections. I don’t want to forget Laura Dickerson and Katie Bond, whose wisdom for marketing is outstanding. I’m in awe of your promoting abilities.
I’d like to give a special thank-you to my Amish friend who has read all of my books to date. Your feedback is so valuable and I appreciate the time you’ve spent reading the ever-changing drafts.
To God be the glory above all! Lord, it’s through Your power that I can finish a book, and I thank you and praise YOUR HOLY name! Let it always be about You.
for A Dream of Miracles
This book would not be possible without the support of my husband, Dan, and our children, Lexie, Danny, and Sarah. I’m blessed to have your encouragement and love. Thank you!
Thank you to my publishing family at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. My editors, Becky Philpott and Natalie Hanemann, are the best! Thank you to Jodi Hughes for typesetting and to Kristen Golden for the outstanding marketing work she does on every book.
It’s wonderful coming from a small town. I want to say a special thanks for the support I received from the following businesses of Onaway, Michigan, who helped promote my book signing at the Onaway Library:
Awakon Federal Credit Union
Brian’s Auto Shop
Cable TV (local news)
Citizens National Bank
Custom Embroidery
Doll House
Ellenberger Lumber
Family Dollar
Farmers Insurance
Lynn Street Manor
Manzana Grill
Marathon Gas Station
Onaway Baptist Chapel
Onaway Chiropractic Center
Onaway High School
Onaway Laundromat
Onaway Tire
Parrott’s Outpost
Presque Isle Electrical and Gas Co-op
Red Oak Furniture
Sally’s Beauty Salon
Shell Gas Station
Subway
Sunoco Gas Station
The Cabinet Shop
The Flower Shop
The General Store
Tom’s Family Market
Woodwinds Restaurant
211 Outpost
Bundy’s Party Store (Tower, Michigan)
A huge thank-you to Pastor James and Cozee Warner of Onaway Baptist Chapel for printing the flyers that went into every shopping bag at Tom’s Family Market.
All of this wouldn’t have been possible without Joy Elwell’s and Ella Roberts’s diligence in asking the area businesses to post the flyers.
I’d also like to thank Kathy, JoLynn, and Beth, the staff at the Onaway Library, who worked hard to provide the perfect setting for me to talk about my books and provide coffee for the wonderful people who attended.
Wow! My hometown is the best! Thank you all. God bless you!
Other Books by Ruth Reid
THE AMISH WONDERS NOVELS
A Miracle of Hope
A Woodland Miracle
A Dream of Miracles
THE HEAVEN ON EARTH NOVELS
The Promise of an Angel
Brush of Angel’s Wings
An Angel by Her Side
NOVELLAS INCLUDED IN
An Amish Second Christmas
An Amish Miracle
An Amish Christmas Gift
About the Author
AUTHOR PHOTO BY LEXIE REID
Ruth Reid is a full-time pharmacist who lives in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending the Ferris State University College of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life.
Visit Ruth online at ruthreid.com
Facebook: Author Ruth Reid
Twitter: @authorruthreid
