Winds of Destiny E-book: Relgious persecution, dangerous convictions, intrigue and a treacherous escape across northern England in the mid 1600s fill the pages of this first novel by author Jayne Bullock. Published by AuthorHouse, the novel introduces readers to Catherine Grafton, whose adventurous journey into an unfamiliar forest brings her face-to-face with the beliefs and actions of a Puritan family. From them, she begins to understand the importance of faith, family and love.
Catherine has returned to the home of her youth, once a beautiful manor house and farm in northern England. As she gazes on the disintegrating structures, she recalls a long-ago life filled with wealth and ease. In the bright fall sunshine of 1641, about to celebrate her 18th birthday, she saddles her horse Maudie for one last adventurous fling before becoming the "responsible young woman" her father requires. Little does Catherine know that her jaunt across the English countryside is about to be interrupted by fate, altering her life and the very foundations of her religious beliefs. Destiny takes hold during a terrible thunderstorm, which spooks Catherine's horse. She is thrown and awakens with a fever, injuries and amnesia. She is found along an unused trail and taken to the cottage of a Puritan family deep in the woods. These are the Ringolds, who nurse her back to health and, because her amnesia persists, name her Lucky. Catherine learns the Ringolds have been harboring two Puritan exiles, and she becomes involved in helping them escape from England. When a soldier is found dead near the hideout, arrangements are made to expedite the escape, but during the move another soldier appears, who Catherine shoots to save her own life. Now it is imperative that Catherine and the Ringolds join the exiles in the quest for religious freedom. Each leg of the journey through the northern English hills and woodlands is fraught with danger as they encounter friends and enemies. The Puritan family's dedication to their goal echoes across the land, making an indelible impression on Catherine. Further danger, intrigue and surprise await them when they reach the coast and attempt to escape with their fellow Puritans. Throughout Winds of Destiny, Catherine meets the challenge of each new adventure and discovers what is important in her life: a new faith, a new family and the love of her life.
Excerpt
"Lord, be my rock of safety, the stronghold that saves me. For the honor of your name, lead me and guide me." Psalm 30:3-4
The book is quite relevant for today, in many ways.
First, it can give us a better understanding of American history. What were the struggles of people of conscious in a land that did not tolerate religious freedom? What events in mother England drove the Puritans to such places like America?
Second, Jayne conveys the message of tolerance and understanding, much like the parable of the Good Samaritan. The heroine finds compassion from an unlikely source - those who are “the wrong religion.”
And last, in the uncertainty of the 1640s, Providence takes the heroine on a journey she could not have foreseen. Likewise, are not these uncertain times in twenty-first century America?
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