“My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness…” (p. 226)
God is so incredibly faithful to fulfill the promise in His Word! No matter how carefully we plan, how patiently we work toward our goals, life has a way of revealing our weaknesses and our utter dependence on God’s grace and mercy. Kim Vogel Sawyer’s latest book, Fields of Grace, is a beautiful tribute to the amazing faith, incredible sacrifice and back-breaking work exhibited in the lives of the immigrants who settled our great country. This is a tale of a Russian family carving out a life from the rich Kansas soil amid heart-breaking loss, emotional upheaval and spiritual challenges.
Lillian and Reinhardt Vogt desire the freedom to practice their Mennonite faith, and they feel they will only find that freedom on the plains of the American continent. The journey across the ocean comes at a far greater price than anyone could have dreamed, for what began as a group of six ends in only four lives placing their feet on American soil. This small group must somehow find a way to move beyond their loss and make a way for themselves on the vast Kansas plains.
Dreams and commitment drive the Vogt family on to Kansas, and there they find that God’s grace and strength are ever present as they try to restructure their lives into the loving, close-knit family that they all long for. When tragedy strikes again, they all face a trial of their faith fiercer than it seems any human heart can survive. Buried amid the never-ending needs of survival, each member of the family isolates themselves inside their own pain, until utter destruction seems the only certainty. Finding their way back to God and each other is a very long journey indeed.
I have read many of Kim Vogel Sawyer’s stories, and Fields of Grace is as rich and satisfying as I expected it to be. The characters get into your heart, and you come to care a great deal for each of them. Their struggles are realistic and fierce, making their victories and losses believable and heartfelt. I am so thankful for the fields of grace God has planted in my own life, and I am thankful for writers like Kim Vogel Sawyer who capture the essence of this grace amid the pages of a memorable story.
I encourage you to visit Kim's website and learn more about her work!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kim Vogel Sawyer is fond of C words like children, cats, and chocolate. She is the author of thirteen novels, including the bestselling Waiting for Summer's Return. She is active in her church, where she teaches adult Sunday school and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in Kansas and have three daughters and six grandchildren. Visit Kim's Web site at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/.
Thank you so much for the kind words. God always teaches me something through the writing of a novel, and the lesson in this one is TRUST HIM. The world may crumble...but He does not. I appreciate you sharing the story with your blog readers. God bless!
ReplyDeleteI agree with every word of your review. I, too, have read every one of Kim's books, and just when I think she can't possibly get any better, she happily proves me wrong. FIELDS OF GRACE is Kim's best book yet. BTW, Kim's book, MY HEART REMEMBERS just won Book Of The Year at the ACFW conference in Denver last week.
ReplyDeleteLoved this one!
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