A Stitch and a Prayer by Eva Gibson

The year 1899 proved challenging for Florence Harms. She was recovering from an illness which affected her joints and tainted her life with worry.  She was newly married to Will, a hard working man, honest and kind, with a heart of gold, but little cash on hand. Now, pregnant with their first child, she wakes up to a note saying that he must leave for Seattle to settle a legal matter. She is blessed to have a loving and capable Aunt Amelia and a doting, fiercely loyal dog named Vaughn.

A Stitch and a Prayer reminded me of the Willa Cather book O! Pioneers, which I think is lovely. As in O! Pioneers, the land plays a big role in the story. The wind, storms, and wild life all vie for their voices to be heard. In a way it is the wild frontier versus the stubborn human need for a place to call home. Florence and her family's reliance on God and trust in His word to see them through warmed my heart, and the fact that this story was inspired by the author's grandparents made the Tree of Life quilt that Florence stitched even more meaningful.

This is another Quilts of Love winner!

Please read on for more from Abingdon Fiction about A Stitch and a Prayer!

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

A Stitch and A Prayer

Abingdon Press (May 20, 2014)


by

Eva Gibson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


(No image available) Eva Gibson is the author of twenty books, including A Stitch and a Prayer, the latest release in the Quilts of Love series from Abingdon Fiction. She currently teaches Writing Your Life Story classes for Portland Community College and is an active member of Oregon Christian Writers. She has lived most of her life on the family farm in Wilsonville, Oregon, which is the setting for her novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

After her fiancé returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage—even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life.
But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will’s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby’s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will’s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love—and faith in God—sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Stitch and A Prayer, go HERE.