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1. Will's Uncle Fred questioned their decision to buy a remote, run-down resort. If you were Uncle Fred, how would you have advised the couple, and upon what would you base your advice? 2. When Michael is on his way home from serving in Iraq, he wonders if he will be able to forget the horror of what he saw and experienced. Does he ever forget? If not, what or who helps him he most? Is it realistic to think we can forget our worst memories? How does God deal with our unpleasant memories? What does Isaiah 61:3 say about God's methods? 3. In the beginning of the book Stephanie asked herself if God had anything exciting for her life, fearing she was stuck in her hometown for the rest of her life. What did God send in answer to her prayer? Have you ever felt stuckin a place or a situation? What's the difference between being stuck and being faithful? How can you tell the difference? And if you do decide you're stuck, what's the best way to get unstuck? 4. Explain Michael's motives for tearing down the poster with his picture, hanging on the wall at the tire store. Do you think his motives were proper? What's the best way to respond when people call attention to your accomplishments? When does modesty become false modesty? Can you think of a Scriptural basis for your opinion? 5. At Merit's book club, everyone seems to know that Bernice is a Christian. Why do you think that was true? Did she get away with it because of her old age? Are people in everyday social settings aware of your faith? 6. At her going-away party, Merit made her friends repeat the words 'I solemnly promise that I will come to visit Merit and Will, and that everything will be like it always was.' What motivated her to do this? In a similar situation, would you make your friends promise the same thing? Can anyone expect to maintain a long-distance friendship, after one of the friends moves away? If so, how can it be doneor should it? 7. Merit and her older sister Sydney drifted apart over the years. What kept them apart, and how did each sister specifically try to rekindle the relationship? Were their methods similar? For yourself, is it harder or easier to maintain a relationship with a close relative? What should we do if we find ourselves far apart in issues of faith? What if it gets especially heated, as in chapter 24? 8. When Will first hears the news of Merit's condition from the doctor (page 135), he admits to himself that he had been ignoring his relationship with God. At that point, how did he pray? Do you ever fall back on memorized prayers? What are the advantages, or disadvantages? 9. This book revolves around a decision Merit makes in chapter 17 (page 139). Although it seemed to the doctor that she made a snap decision, what went into Merit's stand? How important was it for Will to back her up, and how close do you think she came to reversing her decision without his full support? (See page 157.) If Merit were your friendor your daughterwhat would you tell her to do? 10. Will said he was 'not okay' with Merit's decision to refuse medical treatment (page 146). As a husband, was he justified in saying this? As a father, could he also make the same claim? Can you think of times when your obligations have conflicted, depending on which role you assume? In those cases, how do you resolve the conflict? 11. Pastor Bud tells Will about the case of Rita Fedrizzi, a real-life example of someone who faced a choice similar to Merit's. In a sense, Mrs. Fedrizzi's case inspired this fictional story; her moral courage was the model for Merit. Whose moral courage serves as your model? 12. In chapter 22, Stephanie explains how her mother had always pointed out landmarks, significant places because 'it was important for her to know where she came from.' Does Stephanie follow that pattern? Why or why not? How important are those reminders in your life, and why are they important? 13. In chapter 22, Will wonders 'what to say that God didn't already know or that (He) hadn't already been begged for.' (page 174) Explain what part this wondering plays in his spiritual
