Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Day 2 With Janet Lee Barton



As I walked the streets of Guthrie the idea of I'd Sooner Have Love quickly came to life. It's the story of Faith Anderson and Gabe Logan - two lonely people who believe they'll never have a family of their own.

A year after Faith's husband passes away; she's given up on having a good relationship with his parents. They never liked her because she was unable to give them a grandchild and they have made it clear that the only way she'll ever inherit her husband's share of their wealth is to let them control her life. She feels totally smothered by them and their unending lists of what is acceptable and what is not for an Anderson. She doesn't care about their money...nor does she really need it. Her husband must have known how his parents would treat her, for he'd made sure to provide her with enough to make a new start somewhere else.

Resigned to the fact that she can't have children and will never marry again, she takes her widowed brother, Ben Thompson, up on his offer to go to Oklahoma Territory with him and his two children. She takes the next train to Arkansas City where her brother and his children have been living for the last six months, waiting for land to open up. When Ben decides to go to the front of the line, Faith and her nephew and niece make the run alone to meet him in the town that begins with a sea of tents on the prairie.

Gabe Logan has been waiting for the government to open up land in Oklahoma for several years. The economic collapse in Kansas had taken a toll on his business as a builder in Wichita, and the death of his fiancee in a bank robbery had taken the joy out of his life. All that had mattered from that point on was finding the man. For a year, Gabe had hunted him down. When Gabe caught up with him, he wanted to take him in, but the man shot at him and Gabe shot back, wounding the man but not killing him. However, he'd spent several months in jail until a trial proved that the man was his fiance's assassin. Now, Gabe is more than ready to leave Kansas, start a new life and try to get over the pain of the past.

Gabe is certain no woman would want to marry a man who'd spent time in jail and Faith is just as sure that no man would want to marry a woman who couldn't give him a child. But the Lord might have plans of His own.

Have there been times in your life when the Lord has shown you He had a plan much different that your own - one that was so much better than anything you'd planned that you had no doubt that it came form Him?

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great story, Janet! Isn't it cool how you can walk through a historical town and burst with ideas? Like little presents of God's surprises just for you, and now for us as we read your stories. : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a wonderful, exciting setting for your book. I can't wait to be transported back to that time and grow with Faith and Gabe as they turn their lives over to God.
    I hate to admit it, but I'm so rebellious I often fail to listen for that quiet voice. At times, even when I know what I should do, I do the opposite. The amazing thing is how He makes something beautiful from my life in spite of my faults. We serve an amazing Lord.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Erin! Little presents of God's surprises--that's exactly what the ideas He gives me are. And what a great way to think of it--I love that! Thanks for visiting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Robin PatchenJune 15, 2011

    Hi Janet,
    Your story sounds fascinating! The question you pose today intrigues me. Two years ago I was a full-time homeschooling mother of three. When I "hit the wall" that autumn, my husband decided--much to my chagrin--that we were putting the kids in public school. (Gasp!) But within just a few weeks I knew my husband made the right decision--apparently God was leading him to lead his family, and it was my job to get out of his way. And now I'm a full-time mom and a part-time novelist. Since neither putting the kids in school nor writing a novel had entered my mind, I'm certain it was all God. And it's all good. Thanks for the reminder today.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Diane and Robin!
    Thanks for visiting today. Diane, I know what you mean. Same here. And we do serve an Amazing Lord!

    Robin, thanks for sharing, too. Sometimes its that getting out of the way that we have a problem with, isn't it?
    But the Lord always knows whats best for us doesn't He?
    If only we'd let Him show us sooner sometimes. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. When I was young I wanted to be a writer, but to be honest it was more about having my name on a book. Then God led me in a different direction. When the writing did happen, things had changed and I wanted to do it for Him. His plans are always best. Thanks, Janet, for another wonderful post!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Aaron! Isn't it wonderful how He can put us on the right path to do His will? I will always be thankful for the day I was given a CBD catalogue and realized Christian fiction was out there--all kinds of it-- and that I could write romance--as long as I do it His way. :) What a blessing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJune 15, 2011

    Janet, the story sounds very intriguing! Can't wait to read it. I confess I spent years trying to forge my own path--ironically away from writing--until finally allowing God to lead me down the road He wanted me on and, Thank You Lord, it was doing something I couldn't stop doing anyway--writing. Yes, His way is the best Thanks for the great post.
    Ginger Vaughan

    ReplyDelete
  9. Janet you've made me look at Guthrie through new eyes! I can't wait to read the book.

    Terri

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Ginger and Terri!
    Thanks for visiting. I really enjoyed writing this story--and being able to visit Guthrie while writing the series! Hope you both enjoy the story!

    ReplyDelete