Overview
While working on a project close to her heart--building a center for inner-city kids--contractor Kyla Justice is faced with many obstacles and must call upon her faith in God to help her through this difficult time.
Publishers Description
Nothing's going to stop Kyla…
until the ground crumbles beneath her feet.
Kyla Justice has arrived. Her company, Justice Construction, is one of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful companies in the Pacific Northwest. And yet, something is missing. Not until she's called on to build a center for inner-city kids does she realize what it is: her sense of purpose. Now nothing can stop her, not the low budget, not supply problems, not gang opposition, not her boyfriend's suggestion that she sell her business and marry him–and most especially not that disagreeable Rafael Murphy.
Rafe Murphy understands battle. Wounded in action, this Force Recon Marine carries the scars–and the nightmares–to prove it. Though he can't fight overseas any longer, he's found his place as a warrior in the civilian world. So he soldiers on, trusting that one of these days, God will reveal to him why Rafe survived the ambush in Iraq. That day has arrived.
Kyla and Rafe both discover that determination alone won't carry them through danger and challenges. When gang violence threatens their very foundations, there's only one way to survive: rely on each other, be real–and surrender to God. In other words, risk everything…
Karen Ball is the bestselling author of over seven novels and four novellas, including Shattered Justice, Kaleidoscope Eyes, and The Breaking Point. Her powerful writing blends humor, poignancy, and honesty with God's truth. Karen lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, and their “kids”–a mischief-making Siberian husky and an indefatigable Aussie-terrier mix.
1. Kyla, Annie (Annot), and Dan (Avidan) share a unique characteristic: Their parents named them intentionally with the prayer that God would show Himself true in their lives to the meaning of their names. Avidan means “God is just,” so he dealt with issues of justice. Annot means “God is light,” and she struggled with seeing herself through the light of God's grace.
Kyla Marie Justice had a lot to live up to. Kyla means “victorious”; Marie means: “the perfect one.” And yet, in her own eyes, she was anything but victorious or perfect. What do the following Scriptures tell us about the source of our “perfection”? 2 Samuel 22:32—34; Psalm 18:29—31; Matthew 19:20—21; Romans 12:1—3 2. How important is the name we're given? Do you know the meaning of your name? What, if any, impact has the awareness of that meaning had on your life? 3. Kyla struggled with making a serious mistake when she was younger. In light of such Scripture as Psalm 24:3—6, how can those of us who haven't lived up to the requirements in this passage learn to forgive ourselves for wrong behaviors or decisions? 4. What Scriptures help you when you need to forgive yourself? 5. Rafael Murphy knew he was doing what was right in God's eyes through his service in the Marines. And yet he was injured and disabled, unable to continue to fulfill that role. What plans or dreams have you had to let go of? What helped you do so and move forward into a different future than you'd envisioned? 6. What do the following Scriptures tell us about trusting God with our plans and dreams? Psalm 9:18; Psalm 33:10—22; Acts 2:25—26 7. Sam Ballat was consumed with bitterness because of his parents' seemingly meaningless death. How do we reconcile the truth that God calls people to the mission field, and that may well mean they pay for that call with their lives, with the reality of His love and provision? 8. Gangs are an ever-increasing problem in our cities today. Why do young people join gangs? What can we, as believers in Christ, do to help keep the young people in our lives from falling into this kind of violence and darkness? 9. King Killa told Kyla that once you're in a gang, you're in for good. Blood in, blood out. You kill to get in; you die to get out. What answer can we give to someone who feels he or she is trapped so completely? 10. Kyla had a difficult time trusting Rafael, or even herself, because of the way Berto hurt her and broke her trust. Has there been someone in your life who hurt you deeply? Broke your trust? What helped you open up to trust again? 11. Kyla judged Tarik (King Killa's younger brother) lacking simply because of his appearance. But Rafe saw something else in Tarik. He saw a young man willing to do what it would take to walk away from the life that trapped his older brother. Too often, we look at someone and assume because of how he looks or where he lives, that he's lost. What do the following verses say about how we should see and help others who may not look or live like we do? Deuteronomy 10:17—19; 15:10; Psalm 82:3—4; James 1:27; James 2 12. What can each of us do to help young people like Tarik? Have you ever considered getting involved in a ministry that deals with inner-city youth or even a prison ministry? If not, what holds you back? 13. The Justice clan was given a legacy of faith, not just in their names, but in the examples of their parents' lives. What can we do to leave a legacy of truth and faith for our children, or for the young people in our lives? |
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