by Liz Bradford
“Sure.” Gavin handed Amy the baby.
Keith raised his pointer finger. “That reminds me. Mikayla wanted me to tell you that if you ever need a babysitter to call her—”
“She’s the best babysitter ever,” Amy said.
Jared nodded. “I can vouch for that. The girls love her.”
While Jared, Keith, and Amy talked about opening gifts with their kids, Gavin’s attention turned to his wife. They hadn’t done much for each other for Christmas, but they didn’t need to. They were happy to be alive, safe, and together. He pulled her a little closer and leaned down to her ear.
“I love you.”
She turned her face toward his. Her cheeks were a rosy pink. “I love you too.”
Connect with Liz Bradford
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Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading A Shot at Redemption. I hope you enjoyed Gavin and Jocelyn’s story. I loved having the opportunity to write a story that depicts how God can take us out of our worst mistakes and redeem us.
If I’m honest, which I try to be, I fought with God over this story. When the idea first started flitting around in my mind, I knew Jocelyn would be pregnant from an affair, but I didn’t know if Gavin was her husband or her lover. I thought I should write a story about restoration. But I quickly learned that was not the direction God had for this story. I resisted it. I prayed about it. More than anything, I knew I wanted to write the story as God directed. This is the story He led me to.
A story about consequences.
A story about grace.
A story about redemption.
I pray for you, dear reader. I know one of you needed this story. I don’t know what about the story it is that you needed to hear, but I pray that you will seek God and press into Him. Initially, Jocelyn ran and hid because of what happened, but it came into the light anyway. You don’t need to hide from God. In fact, you can’t. So don’t. He loves you and wants to hold you as you grieve and as you move out of sin and into new life with Him.
I pray for you, dear reader. Maybe you aren’t the reader I was just talking to. Maybe you have a friend who’s been through a rough patch and you find yourself in Becca’s or Jared’s position. Maybe you have the opportunity to show grace and acceptance to a friend who has been walking in sin. I want to admonish you to show love as Christ would. Encourage your friend as Becca did. Not accepting Jocelyn’s sin, but accepting her as a sister in Christ, leading her to the foot of the cross. We have all messed up in one way or another and need Jesus’ sacrifice to make us right with God. Let us all remember that and not pass judgment, but rather extend grace and mercy while speaking the truth.
Also by Liz Bradford
The Detectives of Hazel Hill Series
Prequel – Book Four available at
www.amazon.com/author/lizbradford
Coming later in 2020 – Book Five
(Title to be Determined)
Another man has been executed, just like Tom. What secrets will be revealed by the light of the truth?
Police Captain Keith Baker loves leading the detectives’ squad in Hazel Hill, but he’s beginning to wonder if it is a good fit for him. Would crime be less rampant in the city if someone else led these detectives? When Keith is offered the position as Chief of Police, his lack of confidence leaves him suspicions of the mayor’s intents. After all, Keith and his detectives couldn't solve the murder of his friend, Tom Davis. However, Tom’s case comes alive again when another body turns up in the same location. Could they finally solve Tom’s murder?
Amy Davis is still trying to heal from the tragic loss of her husband over a year ago. She’s leaning into God, but the pain has left her feeling numb until Keith stirs up feelings she never expected to feel again. When her family starts receiving strange threats, she turns to Keith for help. Can he protect her from the secrets that surround her husband’s murder?
Possible Book Six coming in 2021
A new series in on the horizons too. So be sure to connect with Liz on Facebook or via email to see what’s coming in the future.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, Thank you, Jesus, for Your grace and mercy and for giving me the opportunity to write these stories. I pray that they honor You, Lord.
Thank you to my family, Ken, Mom, Dad, my girls. Thank you for your support and encouragement.
Thank you to my editor, Teresa. Thanks for teaching me so much. It is so much fun working with you.
Thank you to my copy editor, Sharyn. Thank you for taking my rambling sentences and making them succinct (and I promise, I really do know the difference between further and farther…).
Thank you to my cover designer, Alyssa. Thank you so much for blowing my mind with yet another beautiful cover design.
Thank you to my formatter, Kari. Thanks for making my book beautiful and easy to read.
Thank you to my readers. I pray this story has touched your heart.
About the Author
Liz didn’t always know she a writer, but she was. Before she even knew it, God was plotting out this path for her. From her earliest days, stories were a natural part of her imagination. In high school, she toyed around with writing, but it was nothing more than a secret hobby. But one day, when her middle daughter was a little over a year old, a story idea crept in her mind and wouldn’t leave her alone. So, she started writing. She would stay up late after everyone else was in bed and frantically write the words that brought her characters to life.
That first novel lives buried deep in her hard drive, and maybe one day it will see the light of day, but that would take a LOT of editing. About the time she couldn’t figure out where that first book would end, another idea persisted in her mind. That was Becca and Jared’s story, book one in The Detectives of Hazel Hill series. Before she knew it, what started as a single novel turned into a trilogy… but wait, there’s more. She now has five stories published (including the prequel novella) one more drafted and one more percolating. She also has several more ideas for the characters of Hazel Hill, North Carolina, along with many other series ideas.
Liz is a member of ACFW. Her heart longs to live in North Carolina, where she was born, and that is why she set her stories there. But, for now, she and her husband live in Northern Illinois where she homeschools their three daughters.
