Reviewer: Trudy Smith
Title: Potter Springs
Author: Britta Coleman
Publisher: Center Street
ISBN: 0-446-57778-2
Release Date: June 2005
Genre/Sub-genre: Inspirational/Novel
Year/Setting: Present Day/Texas
Overall rating: 4
Sexual content rating: None
Britta's Website: www.BrittaColeman.com
Mark Reynolds, an up and coming associate pastor of a large church in Houston is excited about
the likelihood of being promoted to perhaps senior pastor. Mark is also excited about Amanda
Thompson, his fiancé – or almost fiancé, as soon as he gets up the nerve to ask her. Before
he has the chance to ask her, Amanda blurts out that she’s pregnant.
As you can image, one thing leads to another and Amanda and Mark are married in short order. The one thing that hangs over their head is Mark is let go from the church in Houston. He doesn’t have a job. Mark can understand why, he knows it boils down to him not being able to keep control of himself. It’s just that he’s loved Mandy, as he calls her, from almost the first time they’d met. She is so beautiful and she’s all he’s every wanted.
After they’re married, Mark can’t find a job but Amanda is working and getting more excited about the coming baby. They seem to be having problems because of the lack of funds. Mark decided to look for work in outside of the church, though he’s not sure this is really what he wants. He’s always felt God’s calling.
It’s about this time that Mandy looses the baby and Mark doesn’t know the right things to do or say to make it better, so he basically ignores the situation and urges Mandy to get better. Mandy needs Mark – she loves him so much. Why can’t he understand how she’s feeling and more than that, why isn’t he mourning their baby the way she is?
Through the senior pastor from their "old" Houston church, Mark is given a name of a pastor in Potter Springs that is looking for an associate pastor. Should they go, leave Houston for a tiny town and tiny church in Texas’ panhandle? What are their choices?
They leave for Potter Springs as Mark hopes that this is just what Amanda needs to get her back to normal. The people of Potter Springs are friendly and open their arms to the couple. Nothing is ever mentioned about the miscarriage, it’s a secret. Amanda can’t seem to get through her grief and Mark is ignoring his. How will they ever get back to where they used to be?
Amanda’s is called back to Houston, her father has had a heart attack. She stays with her parents while he is recovering, telling herself that she is needed here. She doesn’t have to go back to Potter Springs just yet. Maybe this is the time she needs to grieve and work through the things that seem to be standing in the way of her and Mark.
Mark is at home in Potter Springs waiting for Mandy to come home. It’s been weeks, when will she come home and what can he do to make things better for them? Mark gets into circumstances with a single, attractive church member that he can’t believe goes so far. Fortunately, he comes to his senses before anything really happens but not before others notice and call Mandy to let her know.
Amanda decides to leave Houston for Potter Springs in the middle of the night. Taking a wrong turn she’s headed for Mexico. Maybe it’s for the best; she can have a vacation and really think about what she wants to do. Does she want to fight for Mark and her life in Potter Springs?
God has mysterious ways of bringing people through difficult situations and Britta writes of this very thing. Besides the surprised pregnancy and almost immediate grief that the couple experiences, some of the things that Britta writes of are overbearing parents, family sickness, a very beautiful and single church member and a hurricane. It’s through all of these situations that Britta paints the picture of real people and how, through prayer and God’s help we, or Mark and Amanda, can make it.
I found that Britta’s writing was so descriptive that I could feel the depth of the grief of both Mandy and Mark, how each one faced the loss in a different way. I could feel the on-going pain of Mandy and the helplessness that Mark felt. Britta also painted scenes so vivid that I could see in my mind’s eye the colors of the trees, as it was Fall, and the intense force of the hurricane.
Britta’s style of writing kept me hanging on the edge. I wanted to know what the next chapter had in store. How Mandy would react to the next person who tried to pull her out of her grief – though they didn’t know it was grief at first. How would Mark react to the circumstances that seemed to be constantly thrown in his path? Britta brought to life real circumstances that real people live through every day. Some may react differently than Amanda or Mark but, I felt that Britta gave strength to the characters that showed their reactions were real. We’re only human and God works with us anyway.
The scene that touched me most was after Amanda lost the baby and Mark walked into the hospital room. He didn’t react in a way you’d think a husband should react to his wife in this situation. Reading on, Mark describes what he’s feeling and the depth of his hurt not only for the child they lost but for his wife was very moving. It tore at the heart. He just couldn’t verbalize it to Amanda.
New author, Britta Coleman is sure to give all who read her book, Potter Springs, a very enjoyable experience. Britta is an author to watch, she’ll give all she has and then some. Thanks, Britta for a heart-tugging story.
Trudy
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