Taking a Chance by Author Sandra Merville Hart

Taking a Chance

 by Sandra Merville Hart

Jesus looked at him and loved him.  Mark 10:21a

The barefoot teenager, Bill, caught the bus to the hospital where his brother-in-law lay recovering from an illness. His sister, Sophie, sent him over to check on her husband while she remained at home with her young children.

Bill paused at the door to Wayne's room and brushed back the hair from his eyes. He had acquired an unearned reputation for being a tough character due to the company he kept. He often felt the undeserved censure of others when he walked into a room, an attitude that was actually pushing him to become what they already presumed him to be.

He didn't want to find that all-too-familiar condemnation in Wayne’s eyes because he respected his brother-in-law's opinion.

Wayne's firm handshake assured Bill of his welcome. He leaned against the window sill to feel the sun on his shoulders and enjoyed the visit.

Wayne withdrew his wallet from a bedside table when it was time for Bill to leave. He extracted a worn bill. “Take this to Sophie for me. She’ll need this soon.”

Bill’s eyes opened wide. Twenty dollars was almost a fortune to him.

His head reeled as he left the hospital. He could buy a pair of shoes with some money left over. Then he thought of Wayne, who trusted him to take the bill to Sophie.

No one had believed in him for a long time.

Stuffing the cash into his pocket, he walked to his sister’s home. She accepted the money gratefully.

Someone took a chance on him.

Something happened to my dad that day. He changed. As he grew older, he helped others who lost their way. He listened to their troubles. He tossed them a lifeline if they were ready to grab hold of it.

God loves us like this. He sees in us what others so easily miss. He trusts us to do His will and picks us up when we falter. He sees our potential and invites us to grow.

He took a chance on us. He sent His Son to the cross.

Bio:

Sandra Merville Hart loves to discover unusual facts in her historical research to use in her stories. She and her husband travel to many of the sites in her books to explore the history. She serves as Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com where she contributes articles about history and holidays. She has written for several publications and websites. She is inspired by the everyday heroes living all around us. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released in 2014. 

A Stranger on My Land by Sandra Merville Hart

Book summary:

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find Adam, a wounded Union soldier, on their land after a battle near their Lookout Mountain home. Carrie takes Adam to the cave where her family has been hiding from the soldiers. Before long, she falls in love with him, but she can't save his life. He requires a surgeon. Carrie weighs the danger of revealing her family's hideaway with saving Adam's life. 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Land-Civil-War-Romance/dp/1941103278/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1423058469.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-stranger-on-my-land-sandra-merville-hart/1120155194?ean=9781941103272

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/a-stranger-on-my-land/