Book excerpt: About the Book Beyond All Appearances follows Josephine as she develops from adolescence into adulthood and her marriage to Major. Faced with the unexpected death of her young son, Samuel, Josephine's cloak of confidence begins to unravel. She remains close friends with her former mother-in-law, Naomi. The impending death of Naomi provides an opportunity for Josephine and Major to meet again as he fulfills Naomi's last wishes. Through a twist of fate, on the anniversary of Samuel's death, Josephine meets a young boy, Micah. Josephine and Major discover the common thread to help them redefine their relationship. Gradually, the three of them begin a new journey as a family as they find what they had been seeking to add meaning to their lives. Beyond All Appearances is a powerful story of devastating loss, release, restoration, hope, and authenticity. Woven with exciting twists and turns, this story reminds us that the journey of life can be truly fulfilling and authentic, but to move forward after a loss, you must acknowledge the loss, mourn appropriately, release the pain, and firmly grasp the vibrant future awaiting you. It quickly draws the reader in and keeps them interested until the end. About the Author Joan R. Griffith is a sister, mother, grandmother, and retired military officer and physician. Over the past five decades, she has held various positions with increasing responsibility. She is intimately familiar with the twists and turns of everyday life that lead to moments of joy and disappointment. Griffith has had to weave many cloaks of confidence as she faced repeated challenges and needed to move beyond all appearances of contradiction. She acknowledges that faith in God was a strong influence in her life. But she readily admits that one of her most life-altering disappointments weekended her faith as she coped with misleading fundamental attribution errors. It was an exhausting, years-long struggle to regain her faith and move forward. Today, Joan lives a quiet but active life in Central Kentucky. She looks forward to exploring the next phases of her life with the confidence that beyond all appearances everything will work out in its appointed time. She enjoys bike riding, reading, and watching old western movies, and she attends her local church regularly.