Lydia Eldredge longs to provide a sanctuary for her son, Nicky. But a constant threat comes from Nicky's drug-addicted father, who wants the boy and seems willing to do whatever it takes to get him. Dr. Micah Hatcher serves the immigrant population in Queens, but under cover of darkness he provides another service that must not be discovered lest his and his brother's lives be in danger. When Lydia and Micah's paths cross, they are suddenly wrapped up in each other's callings. Through unforeseen twists and turns, they seek a refuge of safety--for Nicky, for themselves, and for the needy people God unexpectedly puts in their lives.

"Jeremiah Hatcher witnessed war's atrocities while serving as a missionary in Poland. No one knew of his secret missions to hide Jewish children on Red Cross ships, sending them to homes in New York. The childhood bout of polio that made Jeremiah a cripple and weakened his heart forced him to leave Poland earlier than he wanted, and now he's being sent to a small church in the hills of Arkansas to fill in for the minister while the man recovers from an operation. Tessy McCleary grew up in Shyler's Point. Although her father served as the local minister, superstitions surrounding her birth have made her a pariah to the townsfolk. To escape the town's scorn, Tessy spends a great deal of time on her own in the mountains, finding joy in sketching images of the beautiful flowers and wild creatures she encounters while traipsing through the woods. Jeremiah is immediately drawn to the sad-eyed young woman, and he wonders if God brought him to the community to help the townspeople overcome the

"Tessy knows it's futile to fall in love with a minister. What preacher-man would want a woman like her, one thought to carry bad luck, who always has leaves in her hair and ink on her fingertips? But she can't help but love the man who uses crutches to walk and whose eyes always hold warmth and acceptance. There's something else in Jeremiah's eyes, too -- a deep hurt. And Tessy wants to help ease the pain out of him." -- page 4 of cover.