Tracie Peterson What She Left for Me

What She Left for Me

Tracie Peterson

Bethany, Oct 2005, $12.99

ISBN: 0764200992

Pregnant Jana comes home following a three week missionary trip to Africa, only to find her pastor husband dumped her for his secretary, emptied their finances, and took anything else of value, including her jewellery, left to her by a relative before vanishing. Jana is further stunned when she learns he explained all to his parishioners including those that Jana knew.

Feeling stripped of any decency by a man of God she thought she knew, and with the new pastor arriving shortly to take over her current residence, Jana returns home, in spite of an estranged relationship with her mom Eleanor. Also residing in her mother's house is her lovable eccentric Great-Aunt Taffy. Through Taffy's manipulations, the kindness of a minister, while the pregnancy progresses, Jana and Eleanor begin to heal the past, as both turn to God to help them find forgiveness as each realizes "to err is human". Still Jana has further tribulations to cope with, hopefully with her mom at her side and the Lord everywhere to guide her.

Though obviously an inspirational tale, WHAT SHE LEFT FOR ME is much more, as Tracie Patterson delves into taboo subjects like adultery by religious leaders, and rape by adult family members of a child. Jana is a terrific central character who learns that probably no bond is stronger than that of a mother and daughter, except with the Lord. Eleanor and Taffy strengthen the strong insightful family drama that focuses on various interrelationships. This includes negative impacts caused by "loving" third parties, that like some politicians, prefer sanitizing, insisting this only occurs in liberal hot spots like Boston. This is a thought provoking eye opening relationship drama.