A Note from the Author

“O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive!” Sir Walter Scott

Often we’re so skilled at deceiving ourselves that it’s not until the Holy Spirit shines His light on our sin that we realize how ugly it really is. Anytime we take the pure truth of God’s Word and water it down with worldly values, half-truths, and excuses, it becomes something else entirely—a treacherous mix full of spiritual poison.

Hawk would probably never have outright “chosen” to have an affair. Instead, he deceived himself into believing his motive in giving Kennedy a Jeep ride was just wanting to help a lonely newcomer to Foggy Ridge not to feel so isolated. It wasn’t until after Kennedy disappeared and the Holy Spirit began to expose Hawk’s sin and the true motives of his heart that he admitted he had known from the beginning that he was playing with fire. Kennedy was gorgeous and vulnerable and available, and he knew to guard himself against any situation that could turn sexual. But instead of helping her pick up the spilled groceries and then politely walking away, he opened the door that every guy knows is dangerous, and lust exploded into a full-blown affair.

But it’s not as though it just “happened.” In hindsight, Hawk could see, when he deliberately failed to tell Laura Lynn about his plans that evening and wore the new Ralph Lauren shirt and cologne that had been in his drawer since his last birthday, that he planned to keep his options open. He had a strong moral compass—but he ignored it, and with serious consequences. Kennedy was just as guilty of sinning, but she wasn’t yet a believer in Christ and didn’t have the same moral compass or the power of the Holy Spirit to help her appropriately deal with her deep grief over losing Reza.

It’s important that we don’t point only to sexual sin to find examples of moral compromise. Most employee theft starts small, and usually leads to more and more stealing, often with the thief feeling justified because they “aren’t paid enough.” And then there’s taking sick days when you’re not sick because you think you deserve more vacation time. And then there’s cheating on tests because you’re too lazy to study or just didn’t make the time. Not returning something you didn’t get charged for. Or taking something that isn’t yours. We all make moral compromises of some kind. But the point is that every grave sin starts out with something small and deceptive. If only we would listen to our moral compass, we would avoid so much heartache. Few people start out compromising with the belief that one day it will cause heartbreak. Most think they’ll never get caught. Some don’t. But a believer in Christ will come under the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit, who will not turn a blind eye. Who will not allow us to deceive ourselves for long. Hawk learned that the hard way. And were it not for the mercy and grace of God, he might never have fully recovered.

We believers have a strong and accurate moral compass—the very Word of God. Let us fill ourselves with His truth and refuse to blend it with the lies and deceptions of the world, lest it become for us a treacherous mix.

Oh, friends, it is bittersweet having to say good-bye to the characters I have grown to love and respect. Perhaps with this series, more than any previous, I have delved more deeply into their hearts and minds and exposed their true motives, both good and bad. I was so proud to see them grow.

I’ve loved every moment spent in Foggy Ridge, and at Angel View, high atop Sure Foot Mountain, where Beaver Lake, like a million blue sapphires, sparkled beneath the lush Ozark hills, forming a maze of inlets and islands as far as the eye could see.

This series was born out of my love for that region and my many happy experiences there with my late husband, Paul, with my mother-in-law, my sister Pat, and several friends over the years. For anyone who has ever looked out over the Ozark Mountains, especially at sunrise when the billowy fog that settles over the White River turns the color of lava—and a handful of sunrays fan out across the pristine expanse of earth, water, and sky—there is no doubt that it was God breathed.

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In Him,