Thursday, December 23, 2021

SHILOH and THE JOURNEY OF RUNS-FAR by Lori Benton, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

SHILOH
" . . . but we ask for Your protection in this place we've come to settle . . . that Ye'd be the rock this man choose to build his house upon. Give him courage to go where Ye lead and do what Ye tell him to do."

Ian Cameron's life desperately needed a sure foundation. Having been rooted, uprooted, grieved and loved, he was once again following God's voice into places unknown. Intending to make a life for himself and his expanding family in Mountain Laurel, while struggling to come to terms with the absence of those he still loved, unforeseen circumstances provide a tenuous path forward, northward, offering a glimmer of hope that grace can indeed be enough. However, there is one question lingering in the forefront of his mind, what will Seona want?

Seona's life as a freewoman has been an adjustment at best, but she, along with her mother and young son, have considered living under the Cameron family roof in Boston over the past months a blessing, although recently they have broached the topic of striking out on their own. When Ian arrives unannounced with his young daughter in tow, along with plans that have the potential to forever separate or join them together again, will Seona muster up the courage to choose faith over fear? One thing is for certain, neither choice is easy.

A glorious love story tucked neatly into the rarity of a great story! Every . . .  single . . . word has been scripted carefully, strategically and beautifully into just the right place at just the right time. What a privilege to spend time again with most beloved characters, not only from the first book in this series, but also from a previous stand-alone. Carved with precision, the story line not only offers keen insights into God's Word, but illustrates its many applications, for I daresay each of us has at one time or another put too much faith in the created, rather than the Creator, nearly drowning us in fear.

" There will always be fears, Seona, for as long as we live in a fallen world. They stalk us. They roar. Make it hard to hear the Almighty, see His hand at work. But ye've the power to refuse fear a welcome into your heart."

THE JOURNEY OF RUNS-FAR, (a Kindred Novella)
"There is another journey I must make first . . . . We must find your mother."

Supposedly on his deathbed, a beloved elder member of the Cherokee nation is revived by a haunting dream. His wife, who disappeared without a trace (or one that he could find) begs him to try again, even calling him "Runs-Far . . . Turns-Around-And-Goes-Home-Without Trying". Dragging himself off of his mat, Runs-Far convinces his son Blue-Jay to accompany him on a journey without a clear destination. The people that they meet along the way and the place where they arrive in the end, bring all of Kindred's characters together in one grand reunion which could only be surpassed by the gates of glory.

"Every tribe and tongue will sing your praise, Creator-Father,
With the blanket-coat of Creator-Jesus' blood read around our shoulders, Let All Peoples stand and praise you, Amen!"

Sorting out the characters at the beginning of this novella was a bit of a challenge, but just like the journey that the characters are impressed to make, the story is well worth the reading and the ending!
(a pretty amazing little story).

*I purchased both books and was under no obligation to provide positive reviews.

Tyndale Publishing. Shiloh - October 2021
BackCover Blurb:

December 1795
A year has passed since Ian Cameron reluctantly sent his uncle’s former slave Seona and their son, Gabriel, north to his kin in Boston. Determined to fully release them, Ian strives to make a life at Mountain Laurel, his inherited plantation, along with Judith, the wife he’s vowed to love and cherish. But when tragedy leaves him alone with his daughter, Mandy, and his three remaining slaves, he decides to return north. An act of kindness on the journey provides Ian the chance to obtain land near the frontier settlement of Shiloh, New York. Perhaps even the hope for a new life with those he still holds dear.

In Boston, Seona has taken her first tentative steps as a free woman, while trying to banish Ian from her heart. The Cameron family thinks she and Gabriel should remain under their protection. Seona’s mother, Lily, thinks it’s time they strike out on their own. Then Ian arrives, offering a second chance Seona hadn’t dared imagine. But the wide-open frontier of Shiloh feels as boundless and terrifying as her newfound freedom—a place of new friends and new enemies, where deep bonds are renewed but old hurts stand ready to rear their heads. It will take every ounce of faith and courage Ian and Seona can muster to fight for their family and their future . . . together.
Buy Shiloh at Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Baker Book House
 

The Journey Of Runs-Far, November, 2021
BackCover Blurb:
A final journey uncovers the hidden wounds of an old man’s soul, as he clings to hope that the God who redeemed him long ago has saved the greatest miracle for last.

Tennessee Country, 1798
Runs-Far, beloved elder of the Cherokee, lays dying. While family and friends gather to mourn, Runs-Far dreams of Sedi, the wife who bore him two children and was carrying a third when she was captured by white soldiers, and never seen again. For the next forty years, Runs-Far taught his people the ways of Jesus, yet Sedi’s loss distanced him from the God he served. In his dream, his long-vanished wife accuses him of abandoning his search too soon. Even Creator is telling him it is not his day to die—he has unfinished business. But Runs-Far is old. Learning what happened to Sedi will lead him through lands settled by white men. He cannot go alone. Blue-Jay, his son, must go with him.
Blue-Jay fears to lose a father as once he lost a mother—a loss over which he still carries guilt. Dare he believe forgiveness lies in making a journey seemingly born more of folly than faith? If he and his father find what they seek, will they wish they hadn’t? Knowing only that the journey begins at MacKinnon’s Cove, where Runs-Far abandoned his search long ago, the two set out from the mountains of their home with little more than hope to guide them.

The Journey of Runs-Far is book 3 in Lori Benton's popular Kindred series.
Buy The Journey of Runs-Far at Amazon

 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Share This Post

How Our Giveaways Work: The Official Rules

We, the ladies of Inkwell Inspirations, would love to give free stuff to everybody. Since we can't, we will often have a giveaway in conjunction with a specific post. Unless otherwise stated, one winner will be drawn from comments left on that post between the date it was published and the end of the giveaway as determined in the post. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address. This address is used only to contact the commenter in the event that he/she is the winner, and will not be sold, distributed, or used in any other fashion. The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. NO PURCHASE, PLEDGE, OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Pinterest