And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men
Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863 ~
As a young mother and wife of a naval aviator in sunny Pensacola, Florida, Liv Tulley eagerly anticipates the first Christmas in several years with her husband, daughter, and extended family. Then her husband is unexpectedly deployed for an undetermined amount of time, smashing her white Christmas dreams. She’s also shouldering a secret and battling anxiety. Can she find God’s peace in the midst of life’s pieces?
WordVessel Press | November 2015
In our work with international students and adults here in our city, my husband and I do a lot of “storying” – telling the Big Story of the Bible by breaking it down into smaller stories that keep the Big Story in mind. I was delighted to see Liv’s character utilizing the same technique with her daughter Chesney in Pieces on Earth. Author Cathy Bryant did a great job of introducing & executing the concept naturally and endearingly via Liv’s and Chesney’s conversations.
The plot of Pieces on Earth revolved around Liv’s anxiety and stress over her husband’s unexpected deployment to Afghanistan as well as other life “yuck” that just all piles on at once. Through the process, Liv and her daughter and even a friend or two learn a truth timely for today’s world – Life is broken. We are broken. Everything is a mess. But God sent Jesus to be our “Fixer”, to rescue us from our mess and repair what is broken. In the words of one of my very favorite recent Christmas songs –
Hallelujah, love has found us
Hope in a manger our Savior is setting us free
This is rescue, Christ has come to make us new
Oh Christmas changes everything
~ Josh Wilson, Jeff Pardo ~
Bottom Line: Chesney is just adorable without being over the top cutesy, and I completely related to Liv. Maybe not the situations she faced, but the anxiety and stress and depression with which she responded. A sweet plot, timely message, and compelling moments make this a very heartwarming choice for the Christmas season!
My Rating: 4 stars / Enjoyed it!
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
About the Author:
Christian fiction author Cathy Bryant loves spinning faith-based tales in the fictional back-roads country town of Miller’s Creek, Texas…where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons. When she’s not writing, you’ll find Cathy feeding her reality TV addiction, rummaging through thrift stores, or up to her elbows in yet another home improvement project. In addition to the Miller’s Creek novels, Cathy also writes Bible studies and devotionals You can learn more about Cathy and her books at her website,www.CatBryant.com and also in the following online places:
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