Into the Fire

Henry and Agnes work together. He's a sous chef, a "former" addict, a new Christian, and lives on his old sailing craft he's slowly restoring. She's a waitress who inherited her estranged mom's lovely Carolina home, a single mom of a beautiful mixed race precocious soon to be 12 year old Brisa – the product of a teenage fantasy gone wrong when Agnes was the victim of a drugged date rape. Henry's falling for Agnes. Agnes is attracted to Henry. Brisa wants a daddy. 

When a threatening letter arrives for Agnes, all hell breaks loose in her life. As if that isn't enough, the famous force behind that letter shows up on her doorstep demanding to meet "his" daughter.

Forgiveness feels impossible, hatred can run deep, God waits, and life explodes with cursed challenges. Henry works to free himself and falls in love. Agnes works to hold onto her daughter and the hardness in her heart. All the while, the entire Beaufort community offers up prayers for God's resolution to the crisis at hand and the heart changes needed for the players in this mess. Henry takes authority and begins to relinquish his suffocating lifestyle while keeping his "sea prayers" constant. 

The Sea Prayers by Normandie Fischer is a touching story displaying God's handiwork even when some refuse to acknowledge it but eventually must bow down to its outcome in spite of themselves. Forgiveness and real redemption occupy major roles in this lovely story of lifestyles and wasted emotions gone awry. Organic faith and some lovable characters stay prevalent while other decadent personalities intrude on decency. Lost souls search themselves to recover from what they've made of their lives and find the better part of themselves in the faith of others. 

Some of Normandie's best writing and deepened characterizations, The Sea Prayers is a wonderful read. Thoroughly enjoyed this novel – even when I wanted to smack Agnes upside her ever-lovin' head until she came to her senses. And I must mention this beautiful cover is sensational.

Father, I pray you would bless Normandie in every area of her life, lift her up to your presence when trials press, show her your glory, and keep her and her family safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.