Brush of Angel's Wings (Heaven on Earth, 2, Band 2) - Softcover

Reid, Ruth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1595547894 ISBN 13: 9781595547897

Verlag: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2012

Inhaltsangabe

He doesn’t plan to stay Amish. She doesn’t have a plan.

Then an angel draws their hearts toward God . . . and each other.

A buggy-racing champion, a hardworking field-hand, and a terrible cook, Rachel Hartzler does not fit her Amish community’s standards for an eligible bride. Hurt by their rejection and still grieving the loss of her brother, Rachel is ready for change.

She’s not, however, ready for Jordan Engles. Rachel’s father hired him to help tend the fields so Rachel can learn to cook and sew, thus increasing her chances of finding a husband. She can’t understand why her father doesn’t want her help and blames Jordan for trying to replace her beloved brother.

Jordan plans for his time on the Michigan farm to be short. Before his mother passed away, he promised her he'd give her Amish roots a chance. Upon her death, uncertain about what else to do, he came to stay with his Uncle Isaac in Hope Falls. He's curious why his mother left the community she obviously loved. But it doesn't take Jordan long to conclude that the strict lifestyle and the three hour church services are not for him.

But there isn’t just human interaction at play. Nathaniel, an angel of God, sees the potential in Jordan and Rachel’s hearts from heaven’s perspective. His goal is to shepherd them toward the path of healing and love.  

When tragedy strikes, then strikes again, this angelic being is sent to guide them toward the healing and abundant life promised in God’s Word – if only they will listen.

 

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA bestselling author of the Heaven on Earth, the Amish Wonders, and the Amish Mercies series. She's a full-time pharmacist who lives in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending Ferris State University School of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life. Visit Ruth online at RuthReid.com; Facebook: Author-Ruth-Reid; Twitter: @AuthorRuthReid.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Brush of Angel's Wings

A Heaven on Earth NovelBy Ruth Reid

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2012 Ruth Reid
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-59554-789-7

Chapter One

Rachel Hartzler wove through the wedding crowd, then dashed toward the line of parked buggies. Now that her sister Iva's wedding ceremony had ended, Rachel needed to rush home and help with the meal preparations. It wouldn't be long before the throng of wedding guests migrated from her aenti's house to her parents' home to continue celebrating.

She hitched her horse in haste, hoping to avoid the guests and their comments. Several had already mentioned that she would be the next Hartzler married. The last Hartzler, she'd inwardly corrected. She wasn't holding her breath. Marriage wasn't around the corner for her. At age twenty, well past the prime time to court, she had yet to be offered a ride home after one of the youth singings. Lately she'd been praying about becoming a teacher. A good job for a maydel.

Rachel climbed into the buggy and fastened the canvas leg covering over her lap. Despite the clear sky and sun overhead, Michigan's early spring wind produced a teeth-chattering chill.

"Geh on, Ginger." She tapped the reins. The horse obeyed and the buggy lurched forward. Once on the main road, she gave the horse a free head. The mare, feeling her morning oats, picked up the pace. A retired harness racer, Ginger ran faster than any of the other horses in her father's stock.

As a steady clopping of hooves from behind them grew louder, Ginger must have sensed competition approaching and her pace automatically increased. Rachel dismissed the fleeting notion to rein in the mare. After all, the icy winter had kept them both off the roads. With only a thin layer of slush on the pavement, it wouldn't hurt to let the horse burn her energy.

She glanced out the window opening at an approaching buggy. Shaded inside, the male driver's identity wasn't visible. His sorrel gelding came alongside her, nostrils flaring from the quick pace. The horse didn't have the zest to pass, despite his driver's calls to go faster.

It had been a long time since her last race. A flash of pride spurted through her veins. Ginger could win without an ounce more energy. But strategy was important.

Rachel caught a glimpse of how close the other buggy's wheel was to hers. Too close. Any connection would tangle them both into a heap. A good excuse to move faster. She clucked her tongue and Ginger happily obeyed. Her heart rate increased to match the faster clopping of Ginger's hooves. The brisk air burned Rachel's cheeks and a chill traveled down the back of her neck. She'd never gone so fast.

The stiff breeze caught her winter bonnet and slipped it off her head, saved from blowing away only by the loosely tied strings around her neck. Her flimsy prayer kapp flapped as a few of the pins holding the head covering in place loosened. She shifted the reins to one hand and used her free hand to grasp the strings of her kapp.

A few of her aentis had skipped the ceremony to prepare the meal, so she certainly didn't want to arrive home with her hair askew and her covering in disarray. Buggy racing was only something that happened between the boys, and even then the elders did not always overlook their boyish pranks.

The last buggy race she'd won caused some undesirable attention. She shouldn't want to risk spoiling her sister's wedding festivities just to prove she could handle a fast horse. Still, the excitement surging inside spurred her on. She would pull back on Ginger and drop her speed when they reached the bend on Northland Drive where the dirt road leading to the farm came into view. Continuing the race around the corner wouldn't be wise.

"Get over, there's a—" The man's muffled yell was swallowed by a blaring horn.

Rachel stuck her head out the side opening. A semitruck driver laid on the horn again as he sped past. The truck's draft pushed Ginger off the road and onto the dirt shoulder. The shuddering buggy wheel dipped into a large hole. Rachel slid across the seat and slammed hard against the door. Another jolt lifted her off the bench and hurled her toward the window. Something solid thudded against the side of her buggy and kept her from catapulting out.

She clambered to get back into position and held the reins tightly in her hands. She leaned back and pulled steadily on Ginger's reins. "Come on, girl, whoa!" she shouted, her voice shrill with fear. Finally, the horse stopped. She held her hand over her ribs and inhaled a few quick breaths. Her muscles quivered, but she didn't dare release her grasp on the reins, not with Ginger pawing at the ground.

Squeezing her eyes closed, she whispered, "Denki, God. You spared mei life."

"You got that right."

She jumped, startled by the appearance of the man and the harshness in his tone. She opened her eyes to come face-to-face with Jordan Engles.

"You nearly killed both of us." He cocked his head to gain full view of the inside of her buggy, narrowing his mossy-green eyes.

"I did? You were certainly intent on racing." She bit her tongue to keep from adding, And you lost.

He rubbed his neck while cranking it side to side. His expression relaxed and he cleared his throat. "Are you okay?" The edginess was gone from his voice.

Reality of the near accident sank in and rendered her speechless. She couldn't offer more than a mere nod. She rubbed her sweaty hands against the folds of her dress. Her palms, raw from the leather reins rubbing them, burned.

He squatted in front of the wheel, poked around a bit, then rose. "You've damaged the wheelbase."

Ach, her father wouldn't be pleased with the news. "I heard a loud thud. What did I hit?"

"Other than a hole? Nothing."

Before she had a chance to respond, he opened the door and made a short jerk of his head. "Get out. I'll drive you."

She flipped off the leg covering and lowered herself to the ground. Ginger lunged forward and the buggy shifted. Rachel jumped back inside, scrambled over the seat, and set the brake. Something she should've remembered the moment the buggy stopped.

"Take it easy," Jordan said.

Not knowing if he meant her or the horse, she moved with caution. With the buggy on the edge of the ditch, and his unwillingness to stand aside, there wasn't much space to step out. When she did, her arm brushed against his chest. She followed the hooks and eyes on his dark vest to his thick neck and snug-fitting collarless shirt. Then she lifted her eyes and focused on the dimple indenting the center of his chin.

He grinned. "You think you can move aside now?"

"I ... uh ..." If she could find a deeper hole, she'd bury herself. The entire incident left her stunned. But so did staring into his eyes.

Looking more closely at him, she realized his teeth were clenched and he'd pinned his shoulder against the wheel. When she glanced at the soft ground, reality of the situation soaked in like a stale slice of bread sponging up milk. Her movement threatened the buggy's stability.

"Move away from the buggy." He tossed his head, knocking the straw hat sideways on his head, revealing a thick mass of auburn waves.

She inched passed him. Instead of waiting for him at his buggy, she went around to the other side to calm Ginger, who hadn't stopped stomping the ground.

"Easy, girl." She glided her hand down the horse's neck and along her back to the harness...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Thomas Nelson Publishing
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2012
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1595547894
• ISBN 13: 9781595547897
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Auflage: 1
• Anzahl der Seiten: 368
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Reckitt Benckiser Deutschland GmbH; consumerhealth_de@reckitt.com; ; Darwinstrasse 2-4; Heidelberg; 69115; Deutschland