Book excerpt: The Vision of a Mother's Heart is the story of Isabel Greene, an ordinary ten-year-old girl from an ordinary southern family that is living off the land in the 1920s. They are hardworking, God-honoring, fun-loving people who are considered poor by some but think of themselves as quite happy. Isabel's Mama teaches her the joys of cooking, sewing, doing laundry, and taking care of children, while always turning each chore into a time of singing and laughter and striving to instruct her children in the truth by planting seeds of faith in their hearts. When tragedy strikes, life drastically changes for the Greene family. Although the family attempts to press on, they are faced with further calamity when a fire ravages their home. Despite their escape, they are left with difficult questions: Where is God in tragedy and suffering? Why does He allow people to face hardships when all they want to do is honor Him? What if their worst fear-separation from one another-is realized? Can the Greene family trust God when everything around them is falling apart? The Vision of a Mother's Heart was inspired by the author's grandmother, Isabel. Her mother's life, love, and instruction sewed seeds of faith in the hearts of her children that now have been passed to the next generation. The story weaves a heartwarming tale that will leave you thinking about the long-term impact of your everyday decisions.