The Forgiven

In the first novel in the Keepers of the Promise trilogy, an Amish woman discovers a story from the past that provides inspiration for her own life. Central Pennsylvania, current day. Rebecca Fisher gladly accepted her husband Paul''s dreams as her own, but now that he has passed away, she''s struggling to keep their home and raise two children. Renting her stable to carpenter Matthew Byler offers a partial solution - even though Matthew has a reputation as a man who sometimes fails to embrace Amish beliefs. As Matthew seeks to prove himself, Rebecca realises how dependent she has become on others. Where can she find the courage to grow and change? Lancaster County, 1941. As war threatens, Anna Esch pours her experiences into her diary. Her world seems to crumble as neighbors turn against the Amish and her love, Jacob, is sent to a camp far away for refusing to fight. She can''t know, as she grows from a girl into a woman during a time of trouble and grief, that one day another Amish woman will gain strength from the words she writes and will learn that she, too, can become a keeper of the promise.