More praise for A Fragile Hope
“Five-star, award-winning author, Cynthia Ruchti, writes A Fragile Hope with the depth that leaves a lasting imprint. Ruchti delivers a heartwarming/heartrending drama filled with wisdom and inspiration closely in tune with God. A must read!” —Dianne Burnett, Publishers Weekly reviewer
“Books either grab you or they don’t. A Fragile Hope grabbed me by the throat with the first line and never let go. Cynthia Ruchti always writes heart books, but I was not sure if this was going to end the way I wanted. I so feared for those characters. Try A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti and then go after her other books.” —Lauraine Snelling, best-selling author
“This book grabs you in the first chapter, and never lets go. You’ll care for the people on these pages, and you’ll grow with them as their hidden hearts are exposed. Honest truth: as I read A Fragile Hope, I laughed, I cried, I prayed and pondered, and I stopped and forgave someone. This book exposed my heart too, and I am grateful. Reading this book will herd you toward change and hope. Although this is fiction, it is a story of truth—a sturdy story of redemption and answered prayer. Read this book and breathe in hope.” —Betsy A. Barber, PsyD, Associate Director and Associate Professor, Institute for Spiritual Formation (Talbot School of Theology)
“Master storyteller Cynthia Ruchti demonstrates a unique ability to weave tenderness with life-changing truth in her novel A Fragile Hope. It offers more than a good read. It offers answers for those seeking the path to forgiveness and longing for hope in the midst of seeming impossibilities.” —Grace Fox, international speaker and author of Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation
“Exquisite storyteller Cynthia Ruchti has accomplished the seemingly impossible feat of beautifully portraying the inner struggles of a man on the edge of decisions that will forever change reality for all those he loves. I simply could not put down A Fragile Hope because, after all, everyone is seeking hope in the end. Must read!” —Lucinda Secrest McDowell, author, Dwelling Places, EncouragingWords.net
“A Fragile Hope is like reading the intimate diary of a marriage in crisis. Without losing an ounce of impact, Cynthia Ruchti gently navigates through the heart-wrenching journey of one man’s crash course in faith, hope, and everything his books and degrees tell him he knows about marriage. A Fragile Hope is a story of triumph through pain, even when the outcome looks nothing like you imagined it could. Well done!” —Allison M. Wilson, Lifepoint Church of Palm Bay, FL, Marriage Ministry Team
“Josiah Chamberlain’s climb to success is interrupted by tragedy compounded by bewilderment. I disliked him but couldn’t stop turning the pages because my heart empathized and identified. Ultimately, I cheered him forward. A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti takes you to depths and heights and ultimately to truth and hope. This book is your must-read this year.” —Karen Porter, author, speaker, coach
“Captured by each nugget of wisdom in A Fragile Hope, I suddenly realized—this is more than a novel. While it is the gripping story of a self-absorbed, self-righteous man and his unexpected journey out of despair and crippling fears, it’s also a powerful means to help us confront our own hypocrisy, insecurity, and struggles when we ‘do life’ in our own strength and with our own agenda. Cynthia calls readers to hope-filled choices today that will change their lives, homes, and ministries for years to come. She scattered seeds of hope in my own heart that are already taking root. And I am grateful.” —Dawn Wilson, founder, Heart Choices Today, and writer at Crosswalk.com
“Transported into the lives of Cynthia’s characters, it’s as though I walked by their side through the pages. A Fragile Hope is filled with deep nuggets of faith, relationship, and love. I will never be the same.” —Martha Brangenberg, co-host of iWork4Him Radio and marriage mentor
“A Fragile Hope is an emotionally gripping story of a man’s realization of his own failure in his marriage. Through trauma and life’s difficulties, lessons are learned regarding faith, hope, and love. This is another excellent story woven with life application by Cynthia Ruchti.” —Susan Titus Osborn, author of more than 30 books
“For anyone who needs to know that the struggle is real, who feels fragile or flustered, who needs encouragement as you seek answers for yourself or your loved one: find, in this illuminating novel, a treasure of wisdom and light for the journey and a handhold of hope as you fill in the missing pieces.” —Marcie Gribbin, MA, family/mental health therapist
“What a book! Cynthia Ruchti has done it again with A Fragile Hope. Don’t miss this outstanding read.” —Gayle Roper, Special Delivery, A Fatal Arrangement
a fragile
hope
CYNTHIA
RUCHTI
a novel
“Cynthia Ruchti has earned a permanent place on my must-read list.”
— Deborah Raney, award-winning author
A Fragile Hope
Copyright © 2016 by Cynthia Ruchti
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission can be addressed to Permissions, The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN, 37228-0988 or e-mailed to [email protected].
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ruchti, Cynthia, author.
Title: A fragile hope / Cynthia Ruchti.
Description: Nashville : Abingdon Press, [2017]
Identifiers: LCCN 2016037705| ISBN 9781426791505 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781501837449 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Marriage—Fiction. | Marriage counselors—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3618.U3255 F73 2017 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016037705
The persons and events portrayed in this work of fiction are the creations of the author, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Published in association with Books & Such Literary Agency.
Macro editor: Jamie Chavez
Some Scripture quotations are from the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. The rest are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission. www.CommonEnglishBible.com.
Song lyric on page 172 from “Here I Am to Worship” by Tim Hughes, Copyright © 2001 Thankyou Music.
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MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To those who have chosen to walk this storytelling journey with me. Thank you for your companionship.