Under the Christmas Star (Crossroads Collection)
Page 75
12. What do you think was the most touching or spiritually significant scene or aspect in this book?
As readers, I think it is sometimes easy to dismiss deep spiritual insight if it is wrapped in a fiction story. The automatic, if unconscious, assumption is that something that is fiction can’t be applied directly to real life.
What if I told you that the most unbelievable part of this book is true?
In 1978, Ralph Hammon was a professor at a Bible college in Southern California. He drove to work one day and parked in a parking lot as usual. He got out of the car to lock it when he was accosted by three men.
One of the men told him to “Get down on the floor,” but Ralph didn’t know if he meant to get down on the ground or get back in the car and lie on the floor.
Ralph asked, “What do you mean?”
The man promptly hit him with a sawed-off shotgun, landing a blow right above the ear that knocked him to the ground. Then they drove away in his car.
Ralph’s injury required stitches, and there seemed little hope of locating his vehicle or the men responsible. When driving to class in a rented car a few days later, Ralph felt burdened and turned to prayer. So significant was the experience that the exact place on the freeway where he prayed was forever sealed in his mind. It was the place where he prayed, forgiving those responsible and asking God to save them. What’s more, he specifically asked that the man who hurt him be saved, turn his life over to God, and be freed from his life of crime. Even more amazingly, Ralph asked God for something big and extraordinary. He asked God to let him see his prayer answered.
In teaching his classes that night, Ralph, of course, had to recount the story, explaining his bandaged head to his students.
After telling of the men who assaulted him and stole his car, one of his students in the class asked him pointedly, “Can you forgive them?”
Ralph immediately responded, “I already have.”
Over a year passed. The cut to Ralph’s head healed. His stolen car was actually located, though completely stripped. His insurance paid for the repair and returned the vehicle to Ralph, though those responsible weren’t apprehended. College classes started and ended. Students came and went. Ralph even welcomed a new granddaughter.
Then one ordinary day, Ralph received a call from a man named Reuben, asking to meet him for lunch. Ralph agreed. Upon meeting, Reuben explained that he had hit Ralph and stolen his car over a year ago. Since then, he had gotten saved and now was coming to Ralph to ask for forgiveness.
With tears in his eyes, Ralph explained that he had already forgiven him long ago.
The two men then walked to Ralph’s car and went to lunch in the same vehicle Reuben had stolen.
The obvious question is how did Reuben find Ralph?
The answer is even more amazing and found in Reuben’s own story. Reuben explained that shortly after stealing Ralph’s car, he was shot while involved in a gang-related fight. His two friends had been killed in the same fight that landed Reuben arrested and seriously injured in the hospital. While there, he was visited by a Christian man devoted to helping young men escape the gangs and violence in the area. Finding himself at rock bottom, he listened to the man. Reuben was saved, turning his life over to the Lord under the guidance of his hospital visitor.
Reuben spent time in jail for his crimes and turned his life around, leaving his past for good. Then, over a year later, that man from the hospital told him how to find Bible college professor, Dr. Ralph Hammon.
How did he know?
That man who led Reuben to the Lord recognized the crime when Reuben described it. He was the same student who had spoken up in Ralph’s class, asking, “Do you forgive them?”
Reuben went on to become a minister. He stayed in contact with Ralph off and on through the years, and last I know, he was doing prison ministry for inmates.
Ralph went on to be a wonderful grandpa. Specifically, he was mine. I was the granddaughter born in the midst of this story.
Though I changed some of the details of the original story, the miraculous truth behind it is the same. The message of this book is not fiction at all and is one that can and should be applied directly to your own life.
Dare to pray big. And then be patient, ready for God to use you in ways that you aren’t even aware. May you collect your own Reuben and Reese—stories of God’s faithfulness in answering your prayers and using the one most uniquely qualified to do His work.
You.
Author of Under the Christmas Star
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Amanda Tru loves to write exciting books with plenty of unexpected twists. She figures she loses so much sleep writing the things, it’s only fair she makes readers lose sleep with books they can’t put down!
Amanda has always loved reading, and writing books has been a lifelong dream. A vivid imagination helps her write captivating stories in a wide variety of genres. Her current book list includes everything from historical, to action-packed suspense, to inspirational romance, to a Christian time travel/romance series. Amanda is also the author and organizer behind the unique, multi-author Crossroads collection series.
Amanda is a former elementary school teacher who now spends her days being mommy to her four young children and her nights furiously writing. Amanda and her family live in a small Idaho town where the number of cows outnumbers the number of people.
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by Amanda Tru
Find the latest information and connect with Amanda at her website: www.amandatru.com
Yesterday Series:
Yesterday
The Locket
Today
The Choice
Tomorrow
The Promise
Forever (coming soon)
Tru Exceptions Series:
Baggage Claim
Mirage
Point of Origin
Rogue
Brides by Mail Series:
(Written with Cami Wesley)
Bride of Pretense
Bride by Request
Bride of Regret
The Secret Bride Society Series:
The Secret Bride Society
Crossroads Suspense Series:
The Night of the White Elephant
Christian Romance:
Secret Santa
The Random Acts of Cupid
The Assumption of Guilt
The Christmas Card Series:
The Christmas Card
A Cinderella Christmas (coming soon)
Clean Romance:
The Romance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Children’s:
(Under the pen name J. Lasterday)
Dog the Dragon Series:
The Dragon’s Escape
The Cabin Boy’s Treasure
The Great Expedition (coming soon)
From the a Crossroads Collection Authors
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading our Under the Christmas Star collection! We hope you enjoyed each individual book, as well as seeing how they all wove together into a larger story in the final book. Isn’t it amazing to think of how God can use us, even in our weaknesses, to do His work? In this case, Emma was part of God’s many blessings through the prayers that hung in the form of ornaments on others’ Christmas trees.
This is a unique set of books, with each story fitting together like a puzzle piece with the final book. Since all of the stories have a point of intersection, we call it a Crossroads Collection. If you are eager for more, many other Crossroads Collections are now available. In each of them, you will find completely new books tied to
gether once again with a crossroads to the last book in the set.
We also have more Crossroads Collections in the works! If you would like to be notified of new and upcoming collections in this series, please sign up with Amanda Tru’s email newsletter below. She is excitedly organizing more of these multi-author sets of this type and will notify subscribers when the subsequent collections are released.
Finally, if you enjoyed this collection, please help spread the word, write a review, ask your library to stock that hardback, and/or recommend it to your friends! This collection, as well, will only be available for a limited time, so be sure to help spread the word and also snag the paperback r hardback version that will last long after the ebook collection disappears.
Thank you again for reading. We hope you enjoyed our stories and that they put you in the Christmas spirit, touched your heart, and even made you think. We wish you the best and hope that you come to see yourself as a beautiful, flawed ornament with a purpose, created just how God wants you. Our prayer is that you let His light shine through you and watch how he uses you in miraculous ways to achieve the purpose He has planned from before He hung the first Christmas star in the sky.
Sincerely,
Lesley Ann McDaniel, April Hayman, Chautona Havig, Alana Terry, & Amanda Tru
The Under the Christmas Star Authors
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www.amandatru.com/newsletter
The Crossroads Collections
Out of the Blue Bouquet
a Crossroads Collection (www.amazon.com/dp/B077MWTWGC)
Yesterday’s Mail
a Crossroads Collection (www.amazon.com/dp/B07G81ZGQZ)
Under the Christmas Star
a Crossroads Collection (www.amazon.com/dp/B07J9ZF7VY)
Betwixt Two Hearts
a Crossroads Collection (www.amazon.com/dp/B07MCBFY8N)
The Wedding Dress Yes
a Crossroads Collection (www.amazon.com/dp/B07QPL85L9)
When Snowflakes Never Cease
a Crossroads Collection (www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZX3PR5T)
Did you miss Out of the Blue Bouquet, a Crossroads Collection?
Out of the Blue Bouquet
a Crossroads Collection
Some of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five unique yet connected stories together in this collection where misdirected floral deliveries lead to lives changed.
Courting Calla, by Hallee Bridgeman.
Ian knows Calla is the woman God has chosen for him, but Calla is hiding something big. Can Calla trust Ian with her secret, or will she let it destroy any possible hope they may have for a future?
Seoul in Love, by Alana Terry.
Love was lost a long time ago. A chance meeting in Seoul might change all that forever.
A Kærasti for Clari, by Carol Moncado.
Her job as social media manager for Eyjania's Queen Mother keeps Clari Sørenson busy. An unexpected treasure hunt with Joel Christiansen might just be the vacation she needs.
Premeditated Serendipity, by Chautona Havig.
A floral fiasco sparks a plan to play matchmaker. Reid has his reasons for not pursuing Kelsey… yet, and outside interference only makes an already difficult situation even more awkward.
Out of the Blue Bouquet, by Amanda Tru.
When Brooke is left in charge of Crossroads Floral, she accidentally sends the flower deliveries to the wrong people. Unfortunately, some of those wrong people include all of the ex-girlfriends of the most eligible bachelor in town. Are Brooke's mistakes a complete disaster, or can there be something beautiful in an out-of-the-blue bouquet?
Did you miss Yesterday’s Mail, a Crossroads Collection?
Yesterday’s Mail
a Crossroads Collection
Some of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five unique, connected stories where lost mail finds unexpected purpose.
Sleepless in Seoul, by Alana Terry
When Derek leads his church on a short-term mission trip to South Korea, he's definitely not expecting to find out the woman working with him is the same woman who broke his heart over twenty years ago.
Like Ships Passing, by Cynthia Hickey
One transposed number threatens to sink love before it gets started.
Chasing Pearl, by Hallee Bridgeman
A package lost in the mail since 1940 brings a modern couple together in a miraculous way.
Operation Posthaste, by Chautona Havig
A nine-year-old boy finds a bag of mail from WWII in the attic of their new house and makes it his personal mission to deliver every piece before his mom finds out.
Yesterday's Mail, by Amanda Tru
A Christian post office clerk uses her police officer background to investigate lost mail and solve a mystery that has plagued her small town for years.
Did you miss Betwixt Two Hearts, a Crossroads Collection?
Betwixt Two Hearts
a Crossroads Collection
Six of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave six brand-new, unique, interconnected stories where nothing comes between the love betwixt two hearts.
Betwixt Two Hearts, by Amanda Tru
All is fair in a contest of love. May the best matchmaker win. With control of their dating website the prize, Bailey and Camden embark on a matchmaking competition that snags on unexpected results.
The Swedehearts Glory Quilt, by Cathe Swanson
Eleanor ran away to find herself. David knew exactly where to go in life and Eleanor didn't fit into that journey. Could a matchmaking agency put them on the same map?
Whole Latte Love, by Kari Trumbo
Misguided Drew thinks all quiet women hide harmful secrets. While pretty, new best friend Addi's soft-spoken nature reminds him too much of past hurts to move their relationship forward. Can a matchmaking agency change his heart?
Seoul Refuge, by Alana Terry
Caroline is a new believer, excited and passionate about her faith. Calvin is a Boston police detective, an atheist who can hardly believe Christians have brainwashed his wife. Caroline just wants to follow God. Calvin just wants his wife back.
Guardian of Her Heart, by Carol Moncado
Signed up for a dating service by friends and brought together by a stowaway cat, Mark and Casey must decide if they want to overcome their apparent incompatibilities or go their separate ways.
Random Acts of Shyness, by Chautona Havig
Heath's sister, Selby, has laid down the law. It’s time to let her take over his love life. After a series of first and only dates, Heath embarks on her new scheme to help him overcome the debilitating nervous habit that has plagued him all his life. However, between dates, each worse than the last, he tries one more time to do things his way… sort of.
Did you miss The Wedding Dress Yes, a Crossroads Collection?
The Wedding Dress Yes
a Crossroads Collection
Some of today's Best-selling Christian Authors weave five brand-new, unique, interconnected stories where the first yes is for the wedding and the second yes is for the dress.
Season of Surprises, by Alexa Verde
The maid-of-honor and best-man embark on a journey to recover an heirloom wedding dress that was mistakenly sold. Along the way, the former high school sweethearts unexpectedly encounter danger, surprises, and a second chance at love.
Something Borrowed, Someone Blue, by Chautona Havig
A borrowed dress, half-completed marriage counseling, and a last-minute theft lead up to the big day. Face it. Weddings equal stress for the families involved. Preachers, however, have it easy. Or so everyone thinks.
Black Belt, White Dress, by Hallee Bridgeman
Deputy Sheriff and Traci Winston agrees to marry Taekwondo Master Travis Seaver, provided they exchange vows at 2000 feet while skydiving over the Grand Canyon. However, Traci’s mother has more conventional plans, and she finds herself trying on dresses and planning an elaborate ceremony in their hometown church complete with butter
flies and cummerbunds. Can Traci manage to smile while walking down the aisle? Or will she collapse under the weight of girly ribbons and bows?
Sewn Together, by Alana Terry
A family torn apart. A pregnancy that's expected to end in heartache instead of joy. Despite hardship and trial, hope abounds in this heartwarming and inspirational novella full of love, faith, and miracles.
The Second Yes, by Amanda Tru
For top fashion designer London Hutchins, life so far sums up in her closet full of wedding dresses—one for each guy she's ever dated. Moving back home to Crossroads seems so right, especially when she finds her high school sweetheart waiting there. London soon discovers that local bridal shop owner, Rhonda Snow, isn't as nice as everyone says. A little harmless meddling to help a few of Rhonda's clients couldn't possibly hurt anything, right?