A Hopeful Heart and A Home, a Heart, A Husband: A Hopeful Heart

A Hopeful Heart and A Home, a Heart, A Husband: A Hopeful Heart
Lois Richer

A hopeful heart Melanie Stewart knew her recent contest money would allow her to fulfill her dream of helping others.Until brilliant, handsome Mitch Stewart came along and claimed the prize was his! The town's matchmakers set to work, yet maybe it was God's own plan to join their two hearts in love.A home, a heart, a husband Widow Maggie McCarthy struggled to raise twin daughters and maintain the family farm–until Grady O'Toole showed up at her door, bringing kindness, strong shoulders and second chances. But for Maggie, rebuilding shattered dreams required something doubly precious–faith.

A Hopeful Heart

&

A Home, A Heart,

A Husband

Lois Richer

Contents

A HOPEFUL HEART

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

A HOME, A HEART, A HUSBAND

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

A Hopeful Heart

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on…. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

—Matthew 6:25-30

This book is dedicated to my grandpa John, and to Papa Richer. Both of them would have loved Melanie’s refreshing attitude toward seniors and her efforts to improve the lives of those spending their last years in a nursing home. To you who devote your days and nights to caring for someone’s spouse, mother, grandparent or friend, may I say “Thank you.” Your labors do not go unappreciated.

Chapter One

Melanie Stewart slipped out of her battered tan car and slammed the door shut, hoping it would catch.

“You’re doing fine, Bessie, old girl,” she murmured, patting the ancient car’s rusty fender. “I know. You need a paint job and new tires, but that will wait. It has to.”

She grimaced at the thought of the number of high-priority items on her to-do list that seemed to multiply daily. Oh, for a little spare cash!

“The love of money is the root of all evil,” she repeated to herself. “Remember that, and be glad for what you have.”