Ten Thousand Charms

by PITTMAN, ALLISON K.

• ISBN13: 9781590525753
• ISBN10: 1590525752
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2006-05-01
• Publisher: Multnomah

Summary

Unfit for Love? Pregnant-by a man who will never know or care. Gloria, born into a life of prostitution, sees only one solution: get rid of the child. But then she meets John William MacGregan, a miner, left with a newborn daughter and no one to care for her when his wife died during childbirth. So John and Gloria strike a deal. Gloria will care for Kate, and John will eventually raise her son. There is no offer of, nor seeking for, a hand in marriage. When John leaves the mines to seek his fortune in the new Oregon Territory , Gloria, Kate, and baby Danny must go with him. Yanked away from a life of prostitution, Gloria must finally face the pain that has always plagued her, and her longings for a home, a family, and a life free from shame.Ten Thousand Charmsis a beautiful tale of an empty heart flounderinghellip;and falling straight into the arms of Christ. A woman with no future. A man with no hope. A God who knows the key to their deepest need lies in each otherhellip; WyomingTerritories, 1860.Gloria is in trouble. A mining camp is a merciless place when yours"re young, pregnanthellip;and a prostitute. No matter. Life willnotdefeat her. John William McGregan is in despair. His beloved wife died in childbirth. And while John is a resourceful man, raising an infant daughter on his own seems impossible. Thrown together by a seemingly cruel fate, Gloria and John William make a pact: She will nurse his daughter; he will raise her son. Neither asks for marriage. They are joined by necessity, nothing more. But after a move to the new Oregon territory, facing John Williamrs"s faith day after day, and receiving an older womanrs"s motherly mentoring, Gloria longs for something more. For the love shers"s been denied all her life. If only that life hadnrs"t made her unfit, not only for John Williamhellip;but for God. Then tragedy strikes-making even the resolute John William question his faith. Terrified, Gloria turns to the One she has never been able to trust. But can even God save what now means more to Gloria than life itself: her newfound family? READERrs"S GUIDE INCLUDED "If you took Fran cine River 's classicRedeeming Loveand merged it with Janette Oke's quaint prairie style, you could almost envision the masterpiece Allison Pittman has created with her poignant tale of God's redemptive power. If you're in need of a fresh touch of God's grace,TenThousand Charmsis the story for you." Janice Thompson, author ofHurricane "Are you thirsty, weary, or heavy laden? Come-rest and let Allison Pittman take you to another place and time where you will find joy resting in the arms of Jesus." Lauren L. Briggs, author ofThe Art of Helping,What to Say and Do When Someone is Hurting,Making the Blue Plate Special, andThe Joy of Family Legacies {include James Scott Bell endorsement on front cover} "Ten Thousand Charmsis a terrific debut for writer Allison Pittman, a tale of love and redemption that grabs you and wonrs"t let go. It will leave you like it left me-anxious to see this authorrs"s future work." James Scott Bell, bestselling author ofPresumed Guilty Story Behind the Book "Having grown up watching reruns ofGunsmoke, I knew all about Miss Kitty and the prostitute-with-a-heart-of-gold clicheacute;. But when I looked at those women, I couldnrs"t imagine their hearts full of gold. Their hearts were just empty. Thatrs"s when Gloria was conceived. The story itself came about much later, when at church we sang ls"Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy.rs" The chorus promises, ls"In the arms of my dear Savior there

Author Biography

Allison K. Pittman teaches English at Judson High School in Converse, Texas. An avid writer’s group member for seven years, she and her peers celebrated her book contract with Multnomah not as a starting point, but a blessing along the way. Allison is also the director of drama ministry at First Baptist Church of Universal City, where she has written and directed the Christmas service for the past five years. She and her husband, Mike, have celebrated fifteen wedding anniversaries and enjoy three sons, Jack and Ryan, twin ten-year-olds, and six-year-old Charlie (voted “most entertaining” on his soccer team).