The Forgiving Jar

Wanda E. Brunstetter

Feb 2019 · The Prayer Jars Book 2 · Barbour Publishing

About this ebook

What would happen if you found out someone has been impersonating you?
 
Sara Murray had never met her mother’s parents and was surprised to learn after her death that they were Amish living in Pennsylvania. When she is finally able to make the trip to meet them, she is shocked to learn someone else has been living with them and pretending to be Sara. Sara can’t understand how quickly her grandparents are willing to forgive the impostor.
 
Secrets and deceit seem to follow Sara, and she is so tired of it. Though soon she meets Brad Fuller who is visiting her grandparents for during Christmas. She likes him a lot, but even he seems to pull away from her, not being totally honest.
 
Struggling, Sara finds an old canning jar hidden in the barn that is full of encouraging prayers. Can Sara find a way to forgive the past and move on to building new relationships?

This is Book 2 in the brand-new series, The Prayer Jars, from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
Book 1 -- The Hope Jar (August 2018)
Book 3 -- The Healing Jar (August 2019)
 

Ratings and reviews

Michelle going to the Lapps, to admit what she had done, pretending to be someone she wasn’t. Eziekel is taking her, and with wisdom to comfort her that it will be okay, you have nothing to worry about. He had come to Harrisburg to get her, and wouldn’t let her leave. Sara with the death of her Mother, finding she had been raised Amish. Grandparents had welcomed her to come. While commitments delayed it, till later to find another woman living as her. She still was living with them until she could find a job. This was upsetting to Sara, how.could they forgive, and welcome her to stay on. She was even given the bedroom that use to be her Sara’s mother’s.There would be a lot of changes for both of these woman. Forgiving, and wanting God’s will in their lives. Very surprising ending as we now await the third in this series

I have read most of Wanda Brunstetter's books. I enjoyed The Prayer Jar, the first book in this series. Although each of these books can be read as a stand alone book, I think you will benefit from reading The Prayer Jar first. We are introduced to the same characters and we learn more about them in The Forgiving Jar, the second book. The grandparents, Willis and Mary Ruth King are just darling people. Both Michelle and Sara have had a difficult past, both are not sure about their future. The girls learn and mature from handling the friction between each other. Forgiveness is the main theme of this story, but there is so much more. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. My opinions expressed in this review are my own. (less)

The Forgiving Jar is the second book in The Prayer Jar series. While The Forgiving Jar could be read as a standalone, I suggest reading The Hope Jar first. It will provide you with Michelle’s complete story and help you understand her motivations. I thought The Forgiving Jar was well-written with gentle pacing. I did find the story to be a little slow in the middle. I was drawn into the story and wanted to find out what would happen with Sara and Michelle. Sara has a hard time grappling with the concept of forgiveness. Her mother kept secrets from her and then Michelle impersonated her. Sara has trust issues and does not understand how her grandparents can easily forgive Michelle for her deception. We get to see how the slips of paper in an old canning jar help Sara understand the importance of forgiveness and being a Christian. The slips in the canning jar were encouraging, inspirational, guiding and thought provoking. With Michelle and Sara living in the same household, it is rife with tension. Mary Ruth talks with Sara about the issue. After that, Mary Ruth prays and leaves the issue in God’s hands. There is romance in the story as Michelle and Ezekiel King draw closer to each other. One of my favorite phrases was “turn your cares into prayers.” I did have trouble with Sara. She has a giant chip on her shoulder plus she is extremely resentful of Michelle. As time goes by, Sara along with Michelle mature. I liked seeing the women evolve, learn from their mistakes and grow in their faith. I look forward to reading The Healing Jar when it comes out. The Forgiving Jar is a sweet, heartwarming story that will touch your heart.

About the author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written more than 100 books translated in four languages. With over 11 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nation's most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards. Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs. When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.