Pura - The face of heaven. #2

Murray Puras first Harvest House novel The Wings of Morning stole the heart of reviewers

From Romantic Times

Pura has created one of the finest stories of Amish fiction I have ever read. The WWI-era Amish religious practices engage the reader, as does the dramatic love storyThe reader will be applauding the exceptional writing, and the cast of characters demands an encore performance.

From Publishers Weekly.

Pura has penned a meaty story dealing with complex issues as the impact of WWI and the Spanish influenza epidemic affect a Lapp Amish community in Lancaster, Pa., during 19171919Pura, who has been a pastor and author in Canada for more than 25 years, masterfully balances depictions of simple Amish living with the harm that can be caused when religious ideology overrides compassion and understandingPuras nearness to historical and Amish accuracies makes for a plausible and intriguing tale. Puras previous works have been shortlisted for several literary awards; this entry into historical fiction is noteworthy as well.

From Eugene H. Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, B.C., and author of more than 30 books, including his Gold Medallion Book Award winner The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language

Murray Puras novel of an Amish community facing an unprecedented world war is accurate and winsome. But his portrayal of the two main characters, young people of integrity and maturity, is absolutely riveting. A book to be relished by any age, from young readers to their elders.

From Connie Cavanaugh, author of Following God One Yes at a Time

Murray Puras first foray into Amish fiction does not disappoint. As a novelist of some distinction, Pura has already established himself in other genres, and his ability to tell a great story is as evident in this book as in his others. Pura weaves romance as well as spiritual depth into a challenging plot that will keep readers turning pages and leave them sweetly satisfied when all is said and done.

From Christian Manifesto reviewer Rachel Ropper

I completely fell in love with Murray Puras take on the Amish during the First World War. The Wings of Morning wasnt simply an attempt to break out of the typical mould of Amish romances by sticking the story in front of the backdrop of WWI. Murrays writing showed that hed researched not only military camps and bases, the treatment of conscientious objectors and the role that aeroplanes played in WWI, but the actual flying of these planesI never thought Id enjoy reading flight sequences but Jude and Lyyndayas descriptions of their experiences surprised me and made me think about what it would have been like to fly in one of the open-cockpit planes that were flown in this periodMurray Pura shows the beginnings of being a popular voice in inspirational fiction and I look forward to reading more emotionally stirring and well-researched depictions of history in the next volume in his Snapshots in History series.

From Amazon.com Hall of Fame reviewer Harriet Klausner

This excellent fresh WWI era Amish thriller provides wonderful unique perspective of the community at a time when aeroplanes and electricity are so new they have not been banned yet; even Bishop Zook demands a flight. The seemingly star-crossed romance between the shunned hero and the woman he cherishes enhances a great period piece that will have readers wanting more historical tales like this winner from Murray Pura.

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

The Scripture quotation on page 8 is from The Bible in Basic English version.

Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota

Cover photos Chris Garborg; iStockphoto/Taylorhutchens, WilliamSherman, Jpecha

THE FACE OF HEAVEN

Copyright 2012 by Murray Pura

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pura, Murray

The face of heaven / Murray Pura.

p. cm. (Snapshots in history ; bk. 2)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4949-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4951-4 (eBook)

1. Married peopleFiction. 2. AmishFiction. 3. United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865Fiction. I. Title.

PR9199.4.P87F33 2012

813'.6dc23

2012002226

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

For Lyyndae Levy Pura, RN, BN, graduate of Dalhousie University School of Nursing, 1983, and for all the nurses of America, Canada, and the world, whose skill, dedication, and compassion have saved millions of lives.

And for the men of the Iron Brigade.

L IBERTAS SUPRA OMNIA

I prefer the tumult of liberty to the quiet of slavery.

T HOMAS J EFFERSON

This is not a history of the American Civil War. Nor is it a history of one of the Union Armys most famous units in that conflict, the Iron Brigade, or of the 19th Indiana, one of several illustrious regiments that made up that brigade. It is instead a story of a young man and a young woman who sought love and God and forgiveness in the midst of Americas greatest trial and its greatest tragedy.

But in answer he said to them, At nightfall you say, The weather will be good, for the sky is red. And in the morning, The weather will be bad today, for the sky is red and angry.

You are able to see the face of heaven, but not the signs of the times.

J ESUS, IN M ATTHEW 16:2-3

W henever she thought back to that morning years later, or told friends about how life was before the whole world changed, it was the warm spring sunshine and the brightness of the sky Lyndel spoke of the most. That and the green scent of the grass over which a morning rain had just come and gone, the opening of red snapdragons, and the talk of the men on the porch being lost to her ears as robins and larks opened their throats on that second day of April, 1861, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

The cows had already been milked and Lyndels three younger sisters were hard at work with the butter churn in a room just off the kitchen. She was heading to the barn to open the doors and lead the dairy herd out to their spring pasture. A sudden pause in the birdsong allowed the mens voices to reach her as she crossed the yard.

Jacob, they have seized the federal forts in South Carolina and Mississippi and Georgia. Their intent is clear. I see no hesitation on the part of the states that have left the Union. They mean to have their own country.

Just wait. Its only a ploy to force President Lincoln to take their demands seriously. All will be right as rain by summer.

Im not so sure, Jacob. They mean to keep their slaves. They are afraid of Lincoln.

So you dont think the president can stop the Southern states, Samuel?

I dont know. Only I dont think theyre merely spinning tops and playing games. They will have their slaves and they will have their own country.

Lyndel was surprised to find the cows pushing against the barn doors, more eager than usual to make their way to the pasture. Once she opened them, the herd rushed out, almost knocking her to the ground. Without Lyndel having to say a thing, Old Missus rapidly led the way to the pasture gate so that the young woman had to run ahead and swing it wide.