Reading Group Guide
1. When Mark and Emily reconnect after many years, it’s as if time has melted away. Have you ever experienced this kind of reunion? What are some reasons this can happen? What might it say about the future of that relationship?
2. Do you think the guilt that prompted Mark’s leave from the HRT was valid? How would you advise him to deal with it? Have you ever been in a situation where you tried your best to do the right thing, only to have it backfire? How did you feel? How did you cope?
3. When Coop tells Mark he’s leaving the HRT, Mark is shocked. The team has always been the center of his partner’s life. But now Coop’s priorities have changed. Why? Have you ever realigned your priorities? What prompted it? Did your faith play a role in that decision?
4. Did you consider Dale a “bad guy” in the traditional sense? Why or why not? Have you ever known anyone who had a stress-related breakdown? How did it manifest itself? What can we do to help a friend or family member who is under a lot of stress or pressure?
5. Emily hosts a radio program for teens who are seeking guidance. The teen years are a particularly vulnerable time of life, and peer pressure can be enormous. What are some ways parents can foster a young person’s independence during this challenging period, yet help them help stay on track?
6. Dale was clearly misguided in his efforts to avenge the deaths of his family members, misinterpreting a number of biblical passages. What does scripture teach about justice, vengeance and forgiveness?
7. Although she’s a psychologist, Emily finds it hard to take her own advice and remains afraid to risk another heartbreak. Fear can be a powerful force that separates us from others and holds us back from trying new things. Have you ever lost someone or failed at something? How did that affect your behavior going forward?
8. Even after two decades, Wren Lake holds a special place in the hearts of Emily and Mark. Do you have a place like that? What made it so memorable?
9. Emily thinks she’s created a safe, secure, predictable world for herself --- until a gunshot shatters it in a heartbeat. Temporal security, as she realizes, is always an illusion. But her faith helps her carry on. Talk about the power of spiritual security. How can that sustain us through difficult times?
10. Emily tells Mark that the journey to faith is rarely a road to Damascus experience. Do you think that’s true? What has your faith journey been like?
11. When Mark gets the letter from Jason Wheeler’s parents, he’s overcome by emotion. But he doesn’t want Emily to see his tears. Why do many men consider tears a sign of weakness? How do you view male tear? Why are women’s tears more acceptable than men’s? Do you think this is healthy?
12. Emily is clearly committed to her job, her patients and her counseling work at the shelter and with teens. In fact, it consumes her life. Do you think this is healthy? Why or why not? Do you know anyone who’s a workaholic? What are the downsides of this, even if the work is worthwhile? Why is it important to have balance in your life?