Her forehead had gotten chilled. Leaning back, she thought of her marriage, and of her past, and of her children and grandchildren.
She thought of her home, and of past disappointments. She thought of when her children were born, and about making dresses for Sara and Lorene and Elsie and Viola.
About making dresses for Lorene’s wedding.
That’s when she knew the truth. Life wasn’t meant to be perfect. Instead, it was a series of glorious imperfections, made better by the promise of each new day. While every night could bring regrets and disappointments, each morning the sun rose again.
All she had to do was stand up and greet the shining rays of light. And celebrate that no matter what happened, those early-morning hours were a gift, a bounty. A miracle.
It was daybreak. The moment when everything was right in the world. Simply because they were alive. Simply because they were alive to share it.
Watching the sun rise, she gave thanks. After sixty-four years, she’d finally learned to be in awe of God’s power . . . and the miracle of a brand-new day.
P.S.
Insights, Interviews & More . . .
About the author
Meet Shelley Shepard Gray
About the book
Letter from the Author
Questions for Discussion
Read on
A Sneak Peek of Shelley Shepard Gray’s Next Book, Ray of Light
About the author
Meet Shelley Shepard Gray
I GREW UP IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, went to Colorado for college, and after living in Arizona, Dallas, and Denver, we moved to southern Ohio about ten years ago.
I’ve always thought of myself as a very hard worker, but not “great” at anything. I’ve obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree . . . but I never was a gifted student. I took years of ballet and dance, but I was never anywhere near the star of any recital. I love to cook, but I’m certainly not close to being gourmet. And finally, I love to write books, but I’ve certainly read far better authors.
Maybe you are a little bit like me. I’ve been married for almost twenty years and have raised two kids. I try to exercise but really should put on my tennis shoes a whole lot more. I’m not a great housekeeper, I hate to drive in the snow, and I don’t think I’ve ever won a Monopoly game. However, I am the best wife and mother I know how to be.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that in God’s eyes that is okay? That from His point of view, we are all exceptional? I treasure that knowledge and am always so thankful for my faith. His faith in me makes me stand a little straighter, smile a little bit more, and be so very grateful for every gift He’s given me.
I started writing about the Amish because their way of life appealed to me. I wanted to write stories about regular, likable people in extraordinary situations—and who just happened to be Amish.
Getting the opportunity to write inspirational novels is truly gratifying. With every book, I feel my faith grows stronger. And that makes me feel very special indeed.
About the book
Letter from the Author
Dear Reader,
What a year 2011 was for me. The Protector made the New York Times bestseller list! The Survivor made the USA Today bestseller list! My youngest child graduated from high school! What else happened? I had to go to the hospital for a sudden surgery. My mother-in-law was in intensive care for two straight weeks. Then my beautiful sister-in-law died. So did my mother. So did our fifteen-year-old beagle—the only dog my kids had ever had.
It was definitely one of the more difficult years of my family’s life. Every month, when my husband and I met with our small group at church, we’d take a breath before beginning our prayer requests. We had so many.
I guess all of these unexpected events had a lot to do with the writing of this book. I vividly recall exactly where I was when Meagan from HarperCollins called to tell me about the New York Times list. And when my brother called to tell me about my mother’s passing.
Sometimes a two-minute conversation really can change your life.
I hope you enjoyed getting to know the Keim family of Berlin, Ohio. Their complicated love for each other feels very real to me. I’ve also especially enjoyed the chance to return to Holmes County. I love the rolling hills, the quaint streets and shops. I love the sense of peace I feel whenever I return . . . and most of all, the many people I’ve met there.
The next book in the Days of Redemption series is Ray of Light. In it, Roman Keim is forced to choose to either become more involved in the complicated problems his family is facing . . . or to walk away from it all for a lovely woman he meets in the Amish community of Pinecraft, Florida.
Until then, I hope to see you on Facebook, on my website’s blog . . . or maybe even at one of the many book signings and appearances I have planned. Thank you for reading my books and for telling your friends and family about them, too. God bless you all.
With my blessings,
Shelley Shepard Gray
Shelley Shepard Gray
10663 Loveland, Madeira Rd. #167,
Loveland, OH 45140
Questions for Discussion
The inspiration for Daybreak came from the song “Closer to Love” by Mat Kearney. There’s a line in it that spoke to me: “I guess we’re all one phone call from our knees.” Have you ever had a moment in your life when an unexpected phone call, email, or letter brought you to your knees?
I couldn’t really fault Viola for not understanding Ed’s need to do mission work in foreign countries— she’d never been out of Holmes County, Ohio. Where is the farthest that you’ve traveled? How has that experience changed your perspective about other places? About your own hometown?
Peter’s dependency on alcohol was difficult to write about. However, I wanted to add his storyline after reading an ad in The Budget for an alcohol and drug treatment center catering to the Amish and Mennonites. It showed me that no single group of people is completely immune to addictions. Why do you think that is? How would this kind of addiction be different in a community like the Amish?
How would Atle Swartz’s life have been different if he’d never gone to Daybreak Retirement Home? If Ed had never left Berlin?
If Lovina had been open about her past, do you think her children would have chosen different paths? What might have changed?
Have you ever gone on a mission with your church or another community group? How has the experience influenced you?
Ed feels that God meant for him to work in the mission field. I’ve often felt that God meant for me to write. What gifts has the Lord given you that were meant to be used for His glory?
I really enjoyed writing about Lorene and John’s romance. What do you think would have happened to them if they’d gotten together ten years ago? How can something be sweeter when you have to wait for it?
Read on
A Sneak Peek of Shelley Shepard Gray’s Next Book, Ray of Light
An exciting preview of Ray of Light, Book 2, in Shelley Shepard Gray’s The Days of Redemption series
IT HADN’T BEEN EASY, but Lovina Keim had gotten her way. This time, she was going to be the person to read aloud her grandson’s letter. Holding the letter carefully on her lap, she adjusted her glasses and waited for her twin granddaughters, husband, and daughter-in-law to get settled. Actually, she was drawing out the moment. It was nice to feel like the focal point of the family once again. Too often she felt like as much of an add-on as her dawdi haus was.
But, as usual, her granddaughter Viola was anything but patient. “Mommi, open the envelope. We’re all here and sitting quietly.”
“Patience, Viola. I’ll get to it in my own time. After all, none of us makes you rush to share Edward’s letters.”
“That’s because she doesn’t share them,” Viola’s twin, Elsie, said. Crossing her legs primly, Viola glared at her sister. “Ed’s letters are far different. He’s my fiancé, you know.”
“I believe we all know that, dear,”
Marie said dryly.
Standing behind her rocking chair, Lovina’s husband, Aaron, leaned over and pushed the kerosene lantern on the table closer to her. “You’d best read Roman’s letter before this whole family dissolves into another heated discussion.”
Her husband had a point. Over the last few months, almost any topic seemed to ignite tempers. With a sigh, Lovina carefully opened the envelope, smoothed out Roman’s note, and began reading. “Dear Family, Greetings from Pinecraft!”
Elsie chuckled. “He sounds like he’s an advertisement.”
“Indeed,” Lovina said with a small smile. Clearing her throat, she continued. “Now that I’ve been in Florida for three days, I’m beginning to get into a routine. Every morning, I sip coffee on the patio and look out on the ocean. I never get tired of watching the waves crash along the shoreline and can only imagine what it must be like to get used to such a sight.”
Marie sighed. “Being at the beach sounds wunderbaar.”
“You should go soon, Mamm,” Viola said. “I mean, you should go when Daed gets better . . .”
“Perhaps.”
Not wanting to think about Peter’s problems, Lovina rattled the pages a bit to claim everyone’s attention again. “Next door, another woman starts her morning the same way as me. She seems to be about my age. She’s Amish, too, and quite pretty. I hear she’s a mother and a widow, but I don’t know if that’s true or not. But whatever the reason, I can’t help but be curious about her . . . but so far, I’ve had no reason to speak to her. But maybe one day soon.”
Just as Lovina paused for a breath, the room erupted into excited chatter.
As Elsie and Viola discussed who this mystery woman might be, Lovina found her gaze straying to her husband and then felt her stomach drop. Aaron was looking out into the distance with such a heartbreaking expression, she knew he could only be thinking of one thing: his first wife and child.
Little by little, the other occupants noticed, too.
“Dawdi, what is wrong?” Viola asked.
Lovina was just about to tell her nosy granddaughter that not everything was her concern when Aaron slowly stood up.
“I’m all right, child. Roman’s note simply made me think of something that happened long ago.”
“What was that?”
Aaron looked Lovina’s way, shrugged, then said, “It got me thinking about the time I buried my first wife and son.”
As Marie, Viola, and Elsie watched him leave the room, Lovina felt her world tilt. She and Aaron had agreed never to talk of that. Tears started to fall on her cheeks as she thought of his heartbroken expression. Even after all this time, it seemed that Aaron still carried a torch for his first, beautiful, perfect wife.
When they all heard the back door close, Viola gripped Elsie’s hand. “Dawdi was married before? And had a child? Mamm, did you know about this?”
Even in the dimly lit room, Lovina saw that Marie was rattled. “Nee.”
Elsie shook her head in wonder, staring at her grandmother. “I assume you knew about this. First we find that you grew up English, then that Daed is secretly drinking. Now we find out that Dawdi has been married before. How many secrets does this family have?”
Thinking of her other secrets, the ones she hoped and prayed were buried so deep that they’d never be let out, Lovina shrugged. “Too many to count, it seems.” Wearily, she stood up. “I better go see how Aaron is doing.”
No one seemed to notice that Roman’s letter floated to the floor, only half read.
Roman Keim wasn’t actually stalking the woman staying in the condominium next door. He just couldn’t seem to stop watching her whenever he could.
She just happened to enjoy the morning sunrises as much as he did. As the sun continued to rise, he sipped his coffee, wiggled his toes on the sand, and watched Amanda Yoder slip through the white wooden gate that separated the condo properties from the public beach, and walk down the path to the water.
Today she wore a tangerine-colored dress that set off her blond hair, prim white kapp, and lightly tanned skin. As she walked along in her bare feet he was captivated. Her steps looked light and smooth. Happy. Not what you’d expect for a widow and single mother.
Actually, she looked like her own ray of sunlight, and he felt himself unable to look away when she tossed down a towel, spread it smooth, then sat right down on it, all while holding a cup of coffee in her right hand.
He was trying to think how he’d ever get the courage to talk to her when his cousin Beth stepped out the glass sliding door. “May I join you, Roman? Or are you attempting to find a few moments of peace and quiet?” she asked with a wry smile. “I know we can all get to be a bit overwhelming sometimes.”
“Not at all,” he said, thinking what a nice change of pace his uncle Aden’s family was compared to his own family’s exhausting problems. “Of course I’d like your company, and I’m verra happy to be on vacation with you all.” He leaned over and pulled another chair closer. “Come sit down.”
“Danke.” She, too, was sipping coffee, and to his delight, had brought out a thermal carafe. After topping off his cup, she sat beside him and followed his gaze. “Ah, I see you’ve found Amanda Yoder. Again.”
He was embarrassed that his interest was so transparent. “I can’t help it if she enjoys the sunrises as much as I do.”
“You know, I met her yesterday when Lindy and I were out.”
Surprised, he glanced her way. “You did?”
“Uh-huh. My Lindy and her daughter seemed to get along.”
Roman struggled to not show his dismay. “So she is married.”
“No . . . no, she’s not. She’s widowed. It seems the rumors we heard about her were true.”
“That’s too bad,” he murmured, trying to do the right thing and think of her loss—and not his interest. “She’s a young woman.”
“Indeed. Only twenty-five.” Cradling her cup, she said, “I don’t know the whole story, but she did say that her husband’s death was a difficult thing. I guess he lingered for months in pain.”
Roman inwardly winced. Her story made his family’s troubles seem insignificant in comparison. “Did it happen recently?” he asked before he could remind himself that he shouldn’t care.
“I don’t know that answer, but I’m guessing no. She doesn’t seem to be mourning.” Looking at him with a new gleam in her eye, she added, “Actually, Amanda seems like one of the most restful women I’ve ever come across.”
Restful. Now, that was an unusual descriptor. He fancied it. “Hmm.”
Before he knew what was happening, Beth stood up and grabbed his empty left hand. “Come on. Let me introduce you.”
“Beth, nee. I was merely curious.”
“If you’re only curious about her, then it won’t hurt you to say hello.” “But—” “Roman Keim, didn’t I hear you say that you wanted to experience something new this week?”
“Jah, but I was thinking about surfing . . .”
“Meeting a new woman counts, I believe.”
Because she had a point, he let himself be dragged across the gated patio, through the gate, and down the five steps to the sand.
As she heard the hubbub behind her, Amanda turned and watched them approach, her eyes brightening when she recognized Beth.
His mouth went dry. Amanda was even prettier up close.
With effort, he forced his expression to remain impassive.
It would never do for her to know how captivated he was by her. At least . . . not yet.
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Credits
Cover design by Mary McAdam Keane
Cover photographs © Stacey Putman/Alamy; Garry Black/Masterfile; Smit/Shutterstock Images
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to ac
tual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
P.S. ™ is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers.
DAYBREAK. Copyright © 2013 by Shelley Shepard Gray. Excerpt from Ray of Light © 2013 by Shelley Shepard Gray. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-220440-0
EPub Edition © FEBRUARY 2013 ISBN: 9780062204417
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Dedication
To Tom. Because of you, I can be me.
Contents
Dedication
Epigraph
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Epilogue
The Days of Redemption Page 22