1. As an Amish woman Catherine went against the grain when she proposed to Zach. Do you think Zach should have reacted the way he did? Was Zach’s rejection reason enough for Catherine to leave town?
2. It’s natural for an Amish man to want to have means to support a family before he gets married, but do you think Zach was too focused on growing his business? Was he missing out on the present by worrying about his future? How could his financial concerns be viewed as a lack of faith?
3. Catherine’s reaction to seeing Elijah again was steeped in bitterness. Was her unwelcoming attitude justified? What reasons did Elijah have for rushing into marriage? How did his promise to Edwina and past obligations change his future? In what ways are Elijah and Zach different?
4. In Michigan, sparrows usually migrate south for the winter, so when Catherine spots a small bird sitting on a fence post in January, she’s worried. What passage in the Bible comes to mind? Has there ever been a time in your life when your needs were supplied supernaturally? What does Matthew 6:33–34 tell us to do?
5. The man with red hair shows up in several scenes of the book. Who does this man represent to you? How did the stranger help Catherine? How did he direct Elijah’s path? Do you see other reasons for the red-haired man’s involvement than just getting Elijah and Catherine back together?
6. Both Catherine’s and Elijah’s nurses were inspirational in helping them while they were in and out of the hospital. Did you see the nurses’ help as God’s way of supplying Catherine’s and Elijah’s needs? Have you seen God work through one person to provide for someone else? Do you believe God blesses both people in the process?
7. The conflict between Bishop Zook and Dr. Wellington stemmed from the loss of someone they both loved. Can you see how bitterness had taken root in their hearts? Do you think God planted Elijah and Catherine in their lives to bring the men to a point of forgiveness?
8. Kimberly was a victim of her mother’s bad choices. What was your reaction when you read that her blindness was the result of her mother’s addiction? Can you see how Kimberly would have emotional problems associated with being abandoned?