The Ravine
Page 22
Mitch finally started to calm down and listen. Something Joanna had said reminded him of his experience yesterday. He knew that on a certain level, Joanna was right, but he was not yet ready to relinquish his anger at Danny.
He picked up the rose and handed it to Carolyn as they stood to leave. “Joanna, we’re so grateful for how much you’ve helped us. I hope we don’t seem like a couple of ingrates, but it’s almost too much to take in so quickly. We need to go home and do as you suggest. We need to pray, and ask for guidance.”
He looked over at Carolyn for confirmation. “And we promise to keep an open mind.”
Joanna stood and said, “I know that, Mitch. And that’s all I ask.”
Joanna walked with them to the edge of the garden, and opened the door to the rear of the church. They chatted for a few more minutes and then said their good-byes, promising to stay in touch. Joanna declined Mitch’s offer of a contribution to the church in exchange for a promise they and their boys would become regular volunteers at the soup kitchen.
After Joanna shut the door behind them they circled around to the front of the church and stood alone in the sanctuary. They wanted to take a closer look at the magnificent crucifix displayed above the altar.
As a work of art, it was astoundingly powerful, simply because it was so realistic. The lifelike face of Jesus looked down in agony, and appeared to be on the verge of speaking at any moment. Despite the great suffering depicted in the eyes, the tilt of the head announced the presence of a peaceful, open heart.
“He looks as if he is one breath away from death, and yet he exudes so much love,” Mitch said.
Carolyn unconsciously twirled the stem of the rose in her hand as they both looked upward. Then she reached into a pew, removed a Bible, and thumbed through it until she found the passage for which she was looking.
“Now I understand, Mitch! Do you know what Luke, chapter 23, verse 34, says?”
“No, actually I couldn’t remember which one that was when Joanna mentioned it. What does it say?” He locked eyes with the figure on the cross and was drawn in deeper.
Carolyn walked over, stood next to her husband, and squeezed his hand as they both lovingly looked up into His face.
“It’s the moment when Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
Acknowledgments
WRITING A BOOK is a time-consuming and complicated process, and is truly a team effort. First and foremost, my wife and I would like to thank all our family and friends who have encouraged and supported us along the way. There are too many of you to name here, but you know who you are, and we will be eternally grateful for your help. Your faith, love, and support have lifted us up through our dark times.
As if by divine intervention, John Roadfuss appeared in the midst of our storm. My wife and I will always be grateful to John for the compassionate spiritual counseling and guidance he provided that helped to restore our faith and hope.
Technically, Michael Fragnito is the ghostwriter of The Ravine, but through this process (and our in-depth conversations concerning spiritual matters), he has become a friend. We met Michael at a time when the direction of The Ravine was at a crossroad. His creativity and willingness to fully embrace our journey helped to make this book a reality.
Peggy McColl and Judy O’Beirn are my Canadian heroes—there are truly no chance meetings and I met these sisters for a reason during the early days of the book. They both have amazing hearts and have guided and supported me, not just as the professionals they are, but as friends.
Janet Kirkman is a true friend, believer, and supporter. She was truly the guardian angel of our book, and we thank her for being with us every step along the way.
Susan Scherzer and Amy Schmidt are women of great faith who speak God’s wisdom. Their words of encouragement gave us the inspiration we needed at just the right time.
And of course, I need to thank Kelly, my wife, who has always been there for me . . . she is my rock.
Finally, we are humbly grateful to God, who called upon the least expected, and inspired me to begin this message of hope and restoration—not just for me, but for all of us who need forgiveness.
Join the conversation about The Ravine at:
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We hope you have enjoyed reading The Ravine, and that it will inspire you to personally explore the issues raised in the book.
Several readers have requested that we create a study guide to better aid book groups and others who wish to dig deeper into the questions of forgiveness, hope, and the afterlife. The study guide can be downloaded for free, and we invite you to use it in book groups and any other appropriate formats.
At this site, you will also find blogs by Robert Pascuzzi, upcoming events, a suggested reading list, and links to other inspirational sites. You can read what others are saying and contribute to the dialogue on our message board, as well as communicate with the author.
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Our next book is Hope in the Midst of Your Storm. If you are one of the many who have been through difficult times and would like to share your experience, strength, and hope in order to inspire others, we would love to hear from you. Instructions for participation can be found at theravinebook.com. Just click on the link “Tell us your story of hope” to learn the details.
Robert Pascuzzi is available to speak to your organization or group. Please contact Robert at Pascuzzi.robert@gmail.com.