from Without a Trace
1. Each of us can easily name people whose influence made a big difference in our lives. Bree had a good influence in her mother-in-law, Anu. What about her mother-in-law helped her face the trials in her own life?
2. We can all recall bad influences in our lives as well. Bree’s sister-in-law Hilary caused Bree some problems. What about Hilary’s attitude affected Bree?
3. Rachel has both good and bad desires, as we all do. Which do you think was the strongest? Can you give instances of both sides of Rachel?
4. Naomi had issues with her mother in this novel. What could she have done differently to take control of her own life?
5. At what point did you realize “Sam” was really Davy? How did that make you feel?
6. Bree blamed God for taking her husband and son. Have you ever blamed God for something bad that happened in your life or in the life of a loved one? How could you encourage someone in that situation?
7. Kade felt responsible for everyone, and sometimes the weight of such responsibility dragged him down. Should he have assumed all the responsibilities he did? Why or why not?
8. Rebellion is a common teenage problem. What was Lauri’s main difficulty? How could she have handled it better?
9. What drove Palmer to commit murder?
10. The poem “The Hound of Heaven” is a running theme throughout the book. In what ways does Samson illustrate that kind of relentless love?
from Distant Echoes
1. Kaia’s view of herself was tainted because of her mother’s desertion. What events in your life have altered your view of yourself? How do you deal with them? How should you deal with them?
2. How did you feel about Jesse’s sister leaving her daughter, Heidi, with Jesse? Women today are pulled in many different directions. Have you ever felt you should be able to do it all but had to neglect something important to you?
3. Jesse had to deal with a demanding boss who sometimes made stupid decisions, but he obeyed anyway. Why are we told to obey those in authority over us? Is that hard for you?
4. The spirit of aloha in Hawaii is unconditional love. As Christians we are told to show love to others. What does this mean to you?
5. Why do you think Bane was so hard on Mano? Was he justified?
6. Kaia’s grandfather had trouble facing trouble when it came. Humor was his way of coping. How do you cope?
7. Kaia couldn’t sing, though she had other talents. Do you recognize your talents or do you wish for those you don’t have?
8. Sometimes we can think longingly of past loves, like Duncan did of Jillian, and it can affect how we interact with the people in our lives today. Have you been able to let go of the past?
9. The Pele group was trying to get the government to address past grievances. We humans often find it impossible to let go of past hurts. Is there something in your past that you find hard to put behind you?
10. Faye agreed to care for Heidi although she feared it would be too much for her. Do you have trouble saying no or do you fear saying yes to something that you think God would have you do? How do you find that balance?
11. Kaia was terrified of spiders. The Bible says we are not to have a spirit of fear but of power and a sound mind. (II Tim 1:7) What fears do you have? What are you doing about them?
12. Kaia was violently opposed to the idea of looking for her mother when Bane suggested it. What do you think her primary reaction really was at the first?
13. Jesse was accused of something he didn’t do. Has that ever happened to you? What did you do? What should we do?
14. Jesse blamed himself for his wife’s death, and he actually was to blame for taking his attention from the road while driving. Have you ever done something that harmed someone else, even if it was unintentional? How did you handle it?
15. Kaia was determined not to forgive her mother. What finally convinced her to forgive and allow the healing to come?
from Lonestar Sanctuary
1. The perennial question is why bad things happen to good people.What gets you through times like Allie suffered?
2. We all have things that we struggle with. For a while Rick turned to the bottle to deal with his guilt over Jon’s death. What other crutches do you see people use?
3. Have you ever given up a dream for someone you love? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?
4. Rick was passionate about the plight of abused horses and abused children. What are you passionate about? Does anything move you to action? If not, what is stopping you?
5. As parents we can tend to overprotect our children. Discuss Allie’s relationship with her daughter, the good and the bad.
6. Rick believed love is an action word. Was he right?
7. Can secrets ever be good?
8. The villain allowed revenge to rule his life, and it’s hard to forgive someone who has hurt a loved one. How do you manage it?
9. How do you feel about the fact that Elijah never went looking for his other granddaughters, Allie and Tammy?
10. Is there a dream for a better life that God has never let die in your heart? What are you going to do about it?
from The Lightkeeper's Daughter
1. Addie desperately wanted to belong to a family. How easy is it to change who you are to gain approval?
2. How do you gauge your self worth? How should it be gauged?
3. John wanted to protect his son from the world. What are the pros of this? The cons?
4. Addie is a romantic at heart and an optimist. What are consequences of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses?
5. It’s said that opposites attract. Why do you think this is true?
6. The Bible says we are to respect our parents. Where do you think the lines are between respect and obedience?
7. God warns us that the love of money is the root of evil. What is it about wanting more and more that corrupts?
8. When I researched this book, I noticed a strong correlation between today’s world and the turn of the 20th century. In what ways are they similar? Different? What can serve as a warning for us today?
9. Is it better to be a conformist or to be an individual? Are you always just one of these, or sometimes do you conform while other times you stand alone?
10. People treated Addie differently when her true identity became known. Why do people elevate those with money and power? Do you treat someone differently if they are wealthy?
from Blue Moon Promise
1. One of the first things we try to do as Christians is to examine the idea of self-sacrifice. It goes against our nature as humans to put someone else above ourselves. Why do you think Lucy was good at this? Is it something innate, or was it something she learned?
2. Did you identify with Lucy’s insecurity? Why or why not?
3. What are ways we try to prove our self-worth to ourselves and to others? Where is our true self-worth found?
4. All families face strife from time to time, just as Nate and Roger did. What are some ways to handle strife in a biblical way?
5. Nate was hurt when he realized Lucy didn’t trust him enough to bring her worries to him. Is deceit ever warranted?
6. The Bible talks quite a lot about money and how an unhealthy attachment to it can affect our lives. Greed can be more than just the desire for money. What other things can we humans be greedy for?
7. Did you identify with Lucy’s desire to be a blessing to her husband? Why or why not?
8. Lucy’s compulsion for control was an illustration of what I’ve been going through myself. How about you? Are you able to turn things over to God, or do you continually try to fix things?
from Tidewater Inn
1. Libby had struggled to survive monetarily for years so the thought of having no worries about money was appealing. Money is not evil in itself. What do you think about wealth’s influence on our spiritual lives?
2. It often seems our culture doesn’t honor the older generation. Why don’t we and what are we missing?
3. Vanessa and Brent didn’t welcome Libby’s intrusion into their lives. How would you feel if you found out you had a sibling you didn’t know about?
4. Pearl is based on my grandma, and I smiled just writing her into the story. Her love for me and others was always unconditional. Do you have a person in your life who loves you that way?
5. Ray’s biggest legacy wasn’t money but a spiritual heritage. What do you hope to leave behind for your family?
6. Libby’s struggle between greed and generosity is basically a struggle between selfishness and selflessness. What are some other common things we struggle with?
from The Inn at Ocean's Edge
1. Reversing roles to care for a sick parent or grandparent can be challenging. Have you ever had to do that? How did you and your parent cope?
2. We live in such an age of consumerism, and it affects children. Our inclination is to give them everything like Claire’s parents did. How do you keep your children grounded?
3. Working the land is almost a lost occupation. Do you ever wish you could go back to a simpler life and farm or do you shudder at the thought?
4. Why do you think Jenny implicated Claire in her letter? Why didn’t she just go to the sheriff with what she knew?
5. Why do you think Sheriff Colton was so determined to find Claire at fault? Do you ever make a snap decision and refuse to look at facts?
6. Claire always wished for siblings. What are some of the challenges of being an only child? Benefits?
7. Do you believe in love at first sight?
8. Do you have an unconventional family? My friend, Diann Hunt, was my sister in every way but blood. How did friends like that or an unusual family circumstance help shape you?