This book goes there. I did my best not to be terribly graphic, not to take you too intensely to places you would never want to go. But the truth is, the victims lost to trafficking don’t want to be there, either. Maybe there’s some way you can get involved in stopping this scourge. Check with your local law enforcement agencies and churches. They’ll have ideas for you, if you’re interested.
A Distant Shore is complex and unforgettable. A story just like this has certainly never happened, and for a while I wondered if it was too far-fetched to write about. But then the tale of Eliza and Jack became an allegory—like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Because the great Aslan still roams about today, fighting on our behalf. On behalf of Jack and Eliza.
And so I had to write this book. I couldn’t escape it.
I could read A Distant Shore again and again. The way God wove hope into the most hopeless story line I’ve ever written about. I hope you feel the same way.
There is one thing I pray you take away from A Distant Shore. No matter how broken your life, God is the giver of a new day, a second chance. He is the God of redemption and restoration. He can take your shattered pieces and make them into a beautiful creation. That’s the point of the cross. You can find new life. You can rise again. I’m praying for you.
As you close the cover on this book, do me a favor. Think about who you can share this with. A friend or a sister. Your mother or a co-worker. The librarian at your local high school. Someone struggling to make sense of a loss or someone who needs to believe they can find life again. Maybe just a person who loves to read. Please… give this book away when you finish it.
Remember, a story dies if it is left on the shelf. So please pass this one on.
By now you may have heard about the TV series—The Baxters. This was something I only dreamed about back when God gave me those very special characters. The series has the material to go on for a very long time, so look for it. I know you’ll love it like the rest of us do.
To find out more about The Baxters on TV or any of my other books, television series or movies, visit my website, www.KarenKingsbury.com. There you can enter your email address to sign up for my free weekly newsletter. I make my big announcements in my newsletter first! These emails come straight to you and include free short pieces and devotions written by me, also news about my events. And always a little something to encourage you.
Like I said, the biggest news will be in my newsletter first, so sign up today!
At my website, you can also find out how to stay encouraged with me on social media or how to attend one of my Karen Kingsbury Virtual Conference events.
Finally, if you are seeking a faith like Jack and Eliza’s, find a Bible-believing church and get connected. There is a reason you came across this book. God is always at work connecting, speaking, helping us see Him and hear Him. Maybe reading this book was that moment for you.
Until next time. Love you all!
READER GUIDE
A DISTANT SHORE
KAREN KINGSBURY
1 Jack’s life changed in a single moment, the instant he saw Eliza drowning out in the ocean. Have you ever taken part in a sudden rescue? Or have you ever been rescued by a stranger? Talk about that time. How did it change you?
2 Sex trafficking can look a lot of different ways. It happens to children and adults, male and female. If you ran the world, what would you do to solve this problem?
3 What advice would you give parents of children, so their sons and daughters wouldn’t ever become victims? If you or someone you know has ever been trafficked, what are three things you would teach all children to protect them?
4 Eliza thought she saw God at the far edge of the ocean. Where do you most easily see or feel God’s presence? Share about that.
5 With much loss comes much testing of one’s faith. Talk about a loss you or someone you know has gone through. How did that event change or affect your faith?
6 Jack’s parents were loving and kind, but they were too busy to spend time with their boys. Share about a season when you or someone you know let work take away from family time. What was the outcome?
7 Jack was one of the best undercover agents at the FBI because he wasn’t afraid to die. But he also wasn’t interested in truly living. Are you afraid of death? Why or why not?
8 Do you think the life you’re living now is one where you are truly living? Why or why not? What would you like to change about your life? Be specific.
9 Ike Armstrong never gave up hope that his family was still alive. His adamancy was one of the reasons Jack never gave up looking for Susan and Daniel James. What is something you’ve prayed a long time for? Talk about that situation.