Mercy’s Rose by Delores Topliff is this week’s Reader Friday. Here’s the opening: “People had frozen to death on Minnesota’s prairies, even close to home, and not that long ago. Mercy Shantz was determined not to be one of them.”
But first the photo and verse. I took the photo this past Tuesday after getting up at 6:30 Monday morning to snap a shot of the space launch, only to learn it’d been postponed. So, I set my clock for the next morning and was outside with my phone to capture the launch again. This time there was “lift off” and I even got a video that I’ll share the link to next week. I thought the verse went very well with the photo.
Now for Mercy’s Rose by Delores Topliff. Here’s the cover and back copy:
Version 1.0.0
Mercy Schantz, a nearly twenty-one-year-old Minnesota Amish woman, cares for her younger siblings in the home of her widowed father. It appears this may be her future until she overhears her best friend’s widowed father tell her daed he’d like to remarry and wonders if a young woman like Mercy might consider him. Her dad asks her if she has any interest. She wonders what Amish society expects. What does God require? What is her duty? Can she follow her heart?
After Mercy’s dangerous blizzard buggy accident, when Caleb, an almost eighteen-year-old community member, rescues her and her younger brother, she discounts him because he is young.
She longs to do something significant with her life but struggles with what may be her God-given duty. After that same brother is in a serious accident, Mercy stays in town to learn and bring home basic medical care and finds she has a dream of her own.
Will Mercy trust God for guidance and the conviction to pursue the meaningful life she longs for? Will tradition and obligation restrict her? Or can she follow her heart?
My take:
This isn’t your typical Amish story. I loved how Delores Topliff made it more like women’s fiction with Mercy being pulled between her faith and what she believed God was calling her to do. There is also romance with the handsome Caleb, a man a couple of years her junior. Mercy has to decide if he’s too young for her while at the same time deciding if she should be obedient to the dictates of her faith or follow what God is calling her to do. I really enjoyed this story that featured a conflict between faith and family responsibility and what a couple should do when they feel God is calling them to go outside of their comfort zones.
You can purchase it here.
Here’s today’s song. It was one that we sang today at the Florida Christian Writers Conference I attended with my daughter, Carole.
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Comments 35
On my TBR list. Thank you for suggesting such great books
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I believe you’ll enjoy it, Carole!
I am reading a love inspired book Dangerous Season by Lyn Cote
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I really enjoy Lyn Cote’s books, Sharon!
Dramatic photo and I’m looking forward to your video. Good Scripture match, too.
I love to hear Johnny and June sing together. They have a beautiful blend of voice.
As a change of pace, I am just about to start a book on American history. Brian Kilmeade has written another book in this genre; this one called “Uniting the States: Six Crucial Moments That Forged the American Miracle”. The six he chose are:
1. John Adams and the Bloodshed at Boston.
2. George Washington and an American Way of War.
3. Daniel Shays’s “Little Rebellion”.
4. Thomas Jefferson and the Deal of the Century.
5. James Madison and the War of 1812.
6. John Q. Adams and the Conscience of His Country.
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I’m glad you enjoyed the photo, Tim. I have to trim the video–it’s almost 2 minutes long. lol I love that song and the way they sing it, too. Uniting the States: Six Crucial Moments That Forged the American Miracle sounds like something I would enjoy, Tim…I’ll look it up.
Pat, all Kilmeade’s American history books have been fantastic. His first, “George Washington’s Secret Six” is about the spy ring that saved the Revolution. Also known as the Culper Ring, security was so tight that even Washington didn’t know all the operatives. Some were not identified until recently. It seems that at least one woman!
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I’d never heard of them before, Tim! Thanks for mentioning the books–they sound really interesting.
What a fantastic photo. The verse is perfect for it.
The Old Rugged Cross is a favorite from my childhood on.
I am currently reading Hunting an Arsonist by Jessica R Patch, the 6th book in the Colorado K-9 Unit continuity series.
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I’m glad you enjoyed the photo, Carolyn. It was a beautiful morning and I was amazed how much I could see from over a hundred miles away. I’ll have to get Jessica’s book!
Now that’s an interesting cloud formation, Pat. The very top cloud looks like a baby in the womb. The middle cloud looks like an upside down duck’s head. The back of the cloud is ??? Do you see the yellow beak? The bottom cloud looks like a big, fluffy poodle blowing a kiss to the duck.
Mercy’s Rose looks like some life-changing decisions will have to be made—just like we have to make choices in life. I’ll have to read it to find out the rest of the story!
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Barbara, those aren’t clouds, it’s the vapor from the rocket! I think you’ll really enjoy Mercy’s Rose!
Cool photo! The verse works well with it.
Prologue
He shouldn’t have come.
Pride and Practicality by Pepper Basham
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Thanks, Gloria! Love Pepper’s books.
Oo, Mercy’s Rose sounds good. Great review and great picture today, too!
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It is good, Priscilla! So glad you enjoyed the post.
I’m currently reading Mail-Order Lady by Misty M. Belle
“Clara McKinney hadn’t spoken in two hours. Of course he’d be quiet too if he’d been summoned to meet a mother like Clara’s.”
Mercy’s Rose sounds like a book I’d enjoy. I’ll have to check it out.
I love listening to Johnny and June Cash singing together. They have such a strong testimony both in song and word.
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Mail-Order Lady sounds great, Gail! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Well how about that? 🙂
Read everything before coffee 🙂 makes a difference!
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🙂
Love the song! Book sounds interesting!
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Thanks, Shelia! I think you’d enjoy it.
Great photo! Love the verse and song.
Thank you for your review of Mercy’s Rose; it sounds interesting.
I am reading The Lazarus Protocol by Lisa Phillips.
Happy weekend!
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The Lazarus Protocol is on my TBR list, Mary G! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
It sounds like an interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
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You’re welcome, Diana! I think you’d enjoy it.
That is quite a picture. I would love to have the opportunity to view a launch and get some pictures. I have a cousin who lives in Cocoa, FL, just across the Indian River from Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. She has taken some great pictures of birds and wildlife as well as some shots of launches, etc.
My wife was transferred Thursday from the hospital to a health and rehab facility for PT, OT, etc. We’re praying that she will quickly regain her strength and independence. After 19 days in the hospital battling various infections and drugs that did not get along well with other drugs or that were not being absorbed properly by her system, it’s really drained her strength and energy. We appreciate the prayers.
I finally finished the book that I started a month ago, but I haven’t had the opportunity to start a new book yet. Maybe that will happen next week.
I enjoyed the song by Johnny and June, but the person who posted it on YouTube should have omitted the closed captioning. I wonder if that was recorded at a Billy Graham Crusade.
Praying for a full and rapid recovery for your wife, Edward.
Author
I’m so glad your wife has been released to rehab, Edward! Still praying. It takes so long to get your strength back after going through all of that, but praying she’ll soon have her energy back. <3
Enjoy your weekend!
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Thanks, Caryl!
Love the photo and book review of Delores’s book.
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Thanks, Sally Jo!
Your book review was interesting Patricia, I’ve never read any stories about Amish, but it sounds good. I totally agree with Barbara on her “sightings” this time! I see the poodle, the yellow beak on the duck, and a baby or small toddler maybe praying!
Edward, I’ll be praying for your wife and that she recovers quickly.
Patricia, where has October gone??
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Not only where has October gone, but where has the year gone, Dottie! I think you’d enjoy Delores’ book.