Lead Me Home
Page 25
Each of my books begins with an idea, and most often, from something broken in the world that moves my heart. In the case of Lead Me Home, my heart was (and still is, in many ways) broken for small churches, small towns, and the overlooked among us—like Eustace. A second major inspiration for Lead Me Home was my cousin’s dairy farm. Just like the Burdens, my cousin and his family have a sustainable dairy farm with about sixty cows they’ve been milking twice a day, every day, without fail, for decades. The county next to them once had more than a dozen farms just like theirs that have gone out of business because of suburban sprawl and giant, industrial dairy farms with which they could not compete. This drastic decline of small, sustainable farms continues today.
It’s not easy being small these days. It’s not easy being the church these days, either. Many small towns, independent farms, and churches are dying, just like in the fictional town of Sycamore, Indiana. Many folks like James and Noble wonder how they could possibly be in the right place. Many feel insignificant—even invisible—because of how they compare to the bigger churches, farms, and dreams all around them. This feeling isn’t limited to small towns, either. In the suburbs and the cities and indeed everywhere, folks struggle to feel like they matter when every sound bite, every social media outlet, everything that saturates our senses says that bigger, louder, stronger, smarter, more beautiful, more independent, and more trendy is better.
The gospel of Jesus Christ stands in contrast to all of that. Jesus came for the weak and the small. For the widow and the orphan. For the deaf and the mute. For the blind and the lame. He came for the poor and insignificant. He whispered into the ears of sinners and made them new. He shook the crowds and moved the masses and fed the thousands with truth and gentleness and peace. He did not demand allegiance but allowed questions. He did not deny thieves but embraced them when they repented. He loved the unlovable, spoke to the unspeakable, moved the immovable, and justified the unjust. And Jesus, in his holiness, was—and is—the furthest thing from trendy in this broken world.
If I could sum up this story with two verses from the Bible, they would be Revelation 2:4 (AMP), “But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me],” and Psalm 16:6 (NIV), “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” I hope that after reading this book, you will look at the town, home, and family where God has put you with new eyes, that you will see that the sunsets are beautiful right where you are, and that you will realize that no matter how big or small your church, the one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord. And I hope you will realize that when God seems to say no to a specific dream, he may be saying yes to the ones that matter most. As James says, “Few of us end up where we hope to be, but somehow we all end up where we ought to be.” The boundary lines we come up against in our lives are there for a reason, because God loves us and knows the deepest desires of our hearts.
And about the little blue butterfly, the endangered Karner blue, three of which appear in the story: I came across the details of the Karner while researching Eustace’s butterfly-collecting hobby and learned that, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, “Over the past century, the number of Karner blue butterflies has declined by at least 99 percent across their historic range.” The report goes on to say, “The single most important factor causing the decline of the Karner blue butterfly across its range has been the loss of habitat. . . . The Karner blue butterfly’s habitat is very specific, and the butterfly is unable to adapt to these changes in its environment. Habitat loss, isolation of populations, combined with the extremely small size of many of the remaining population, puts these populations at high risk of ‘winking out.’” I believe we would be wise to look at the way nature reacts to changes in the world, not only because we have a responsibility to our environment, but because perhaps the demise of certain species mimics the demise of certain aspects of our culture, and indeed, the spread of the gospel itself, were it not for the ultimate sovereignty of our God.
And finally, above all, there is grace.
Grace for James and Shelby.
Grace for Noble and Laurie.
Grace for Eustace.
Grace for Gertrude and Jack, Silas and Cade.
And there is grace abundant for each of us who chooses to believe.
Discussion Questions
Sycamore Community Church has a long and vibrant history, but by the time our story opens, it is in its final weeks. Do you have any experience with a small, struggling church? What do small churches have to offer that larger, wealthier churches do not—and vice versa?
James and Shelby are both struggling in different ways to recover after Molly’s death. What are some of the coping mechanisms you see them using, either healthy or unhealthy? What are some of the ways you have tried to cope following a major loss or disappointment in your life?
James has distanced himself from people, both friends and church members. What problems does this cause? In what ways is this more or less challenging for him as a pastor than it might be for a layperson?
Shelby has refused to sing since her mother’s death, believing that her singing contributed to the accident that claimed her mother’s life. What finally makes Shelby decide to sing again? Do you think she will continue singing in public after the story has ended? Why or why not?
Noble has struggles of his own, trying to run the family farm, care for his mother and brother, and put his own dreams on hold. How does his struggle parallel James’s? Shelby’s?
Do you have—or have you ever had—a dream similar to Noble’s dream of singing in Nashville? What obstacles have stood in your way? In what ways have you tried to pursue your dream, or for what reasons have you chosen to set it aside? Do you feel Noble made the right choice?
Noble’s friend Brock tells him, “Sometimes leaving ain’t the answer for our pain. Sometimes the dreams God has for us, the biggest difference we can make in the world is right where we are.” Tell how both Noble and James come to realize the truth of this statement. Is there a situation in your life that you are tempted to run away from, but you feel God may be asking you to stay where you are? How can we know whether forging ahead or staying put is the right thing to do?
Dr. Tom Lawson asks James, somewhat rhetorically, “Where and in what church is it really okay to be broken anymore?” Do you agree that many churches have lost the ability to welcome the broken and help them heal? What are some ways we can address this need in our faith communities?
Why does Jack McGee give James his Purple Heart? In what ways can ministry be compared to military combat? Can you think of any Scripture passages that use this imagery?
Eustace’s butterfly collection—and specifically, the endangered Karner blue butterfly—play a small but significant role in the story. What do you think the author is trying to communicate through the various ways the butterflies show up?
After the storm and the accident, Eustace saves the day. Can you think of any Bible passages that relate to the way Eustace steps up and does something no one else could do—and which no one thought he could do?
Despite James’s best efforts to save Sycamore Community Church, it eventually does close. Have you ever been involved with a project or ministry that “failed,” despite all the time and work you poured into it? Why do you think God allows things like this to happen? What lessons did James learn, and how can you apply them to your own situation?
About the Author
Amy K. Sorrells is an award-winning author whose diverse writing has appeared in medical journals, newspapers, and an anthology (Indy Writes Books) benefiting literacy in central Indiana. A lifelong Hoosier and registered nurse, Amy makes her home on the outskirts of town with her husband and three sons. Lead Me Home is her third novel. Connect with Amy at amysorrells.wordpress.com.
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