With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin

      With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin tells the story of two people who exchange anonymous letters during WWII. Philomela Blake a flight nurse and Tom MacGilliver an engineer 908th Engineer Brigade both have backgrounds that prevent both of them from finding true friendship with others.  In many ways in today's world of electronic and social network we can develop these kinds of friendships, hiding behind the mask of the internet. But what one finds  as both Philomela and Tom open up more to each other and to those around them we see how God can use who they really are to reach their true potential and find joy in this life. To me this a reminder that the devil wants us to not trust God's craftsmanship. Because, God can only use us when we trust that He made no mistakes when He created each of us in our own unique way to mirror His image and likeness.
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       A couple of years ago I was given this poem called Paint Brush by Bettie B Youngs that describes this universal need to protect ourselves behind a veneer.
                                                    Paint Brush
                                     I keep my paint brush with
                                          wherever I may go,
                                     in case I need to cover up,
                                    So the real me doesn't show.
                
                                  I'm so afraid to show you me,
                                      afraid of what you'll do,
                           that you may laugh or say mean things,
                                 I'm afraid I might lose you.
                             I'd like to remove all my paint coats
                              to show you the real, true me,
                         But I want you to try and understand,
                             I need you to accept what you see.

                           So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
                              I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
                            Please understand how much it hurts
                                  to let the real me show.
                              Now my coats are all stripped off,
                               I feel naked, bare and cold.
                           And if you still love me with all that you see,
                               you are my friend, pure as gold.
     
                           I need to save my paint brush, though,
                                   and hold it in my hand.
                                 I want to keep it handy
                           in case somebody does not understand.

                           So please protect me, my dear friend
                                 and thanks for loving me true.
                           But please let me keep my paint brush with me
                                    Until I love me too.

            
If you like old movies you might want to check out " The Shop around the Corner" with Jimmy Stewart. The idea to write anonymous letters in the book With Every Letter comes to one of the characters due to watching this movie. If you have an e-reader you might want to check out these free  e-books;  Gentleman  of Her Dreams by Jen Turano; Flame of Resistance by Tracey Groot; The Widow of Larkspur Inn by Lawana Blackwell; When Call the Heart by Janette Oke; Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann; and many more.Whether you have a nook, kindle or other e-reader search on the store you use to buy your e-books to download these books for free. Hurry because you never know when they stop being free.
                                               Have a good read, Nina