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The Forgiving Jar (The Prayer Jars Book 2) by Wanda Brunstetter
Publisher’s Summary
What would happen if you found out someone has been impersonating you?
Sara Murray had never met her mother’s parents and was surprised to learn after her death that they were Amish living in Pennsylvania. When she is finally able to make the trip to meet them, she is shocked to learn someone else has been living with them and pretending to be Sara. Sara can’t understand how quickly her grandparents are willing to forgive the impostor.
Secrets and deceit seem to follow Sara, and she is so tired of it. Though soon she meets Brad Fuller who is visiting her grandparents for during Christmas. She likes him a lot, but even he seems to pull away from her, not being totally honest.
Struggling, Sara finds an old canning jar hidden in the barn that is full of encouraging prayers. Can Sara find a way to forgive the past and move on to building new relationships?
We catch up with Sara and Michelle from The Hope Jar in The Forgiving Jar (The Prayer Jars Book 2) by Wanda Brunstetter. Sara is angry and fighting her need to forgive Michelle. She’s having a difficult time understanding how her grandparents can so easily forgive Michelle. For her part, Michelle is enjoying the love Sara’s grandparents share with her, and she is trying to be friends with Sara.
Sara finds a jar of Bible verses that helps her in the first steps toward forgiveness. However, the jar becomes more than a mere vessel to her and others in the story.
The novel resonates with faith, hope, forgiveness and overcoming what feels like justified anger and resentment. And, as always, I appreciate the use of the scriptural content throughout the book.
The Forgiving Jar was published in 2019; nonetheless, there are still many lessons we can learn from book 2 of “The Prayer Jars Books.”
I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
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The Hope Jar (The Prayer Jars Book1) by Wanda Brunstetter
Publisher’s Summary
What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day?
Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.
Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?
Wanda Brunstetter’s book, The Hope Jar, is book one of the trilogy, The Prayer Jars Books.
The Hope Jar revolves around several characters, each with interesting back stories.
Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp are still dealing with the fallout of losing their daughter to the “Englisher” world years ago.
Michelle Taylor has never known anything but abuse, first from her parents and then from her boyfriend.
Sara Murray, unknown to the Lapps, is the daughter of their now deceased daughter.
As the story evolves, each person plays a part integral to the entire story. And for some, the “hope jar” brings hope, enlightenment and forgiveness.
Brunstetter has written an intriguing story of mistaken identity, abandonment and heartache, but most of all, love and forgiveness.
The story was published in 2018, and the Kindle edition is currently for sale on Amazon for $1.99.
(I am not an affiliate.)
I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
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Merry Christmas!
Luke 2:4-20 King James Version(KJV)
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
A wonderfully blessed Christmas to everyone!
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