Gone Astray — John Shivers

The Reverend Denise Mathews is dealt a crushing blow when her husband is murdered during her Sunday morning service. She suffers life-threatening wounds, but far more critical is the emotional death of the shepherd ordained to ministry and service. The murderer, a disturbed church member with whom she had counseled, also destroyed her confidence in herself and her abilities, her faith in the God she had pledged to serve through ministry, and her very purpose in life. Unable to face the future without her husband, and believing that God has abandoned her, Denise rebels against those who seek to reconnect her with life. Instead, she grabs her toddler and hits the open road. Gone Astray is the story of their months-long gypsy-trek around the country, of her return to faith, a return to service, and a renewal of the vows that she made to God and herself. Denise is a new person, serving an unchanging God in new avenues and venues.