Songs of Deliverance
January 31st, 2010. Filed under: This & That. 
She returns to her hometown with a suitcase full of regrets,
Songs of Deliverance
by Marilynn Griffith
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3279-0
$13.99; November 2009
and a heart yearning for so much more…
ISLAND BREEZES
Ron, Zeely, Grace and Brian. High school friends who went their separate ways and are now back to support the teacher who refused to give up on them.
Now they have to learn to quit giving up on themselves and the love for which they yearn.
So many secrets. Will they continue to let the secrets tear them farther apart or share them and grow closer?
Yes, yes, yes. You need that box of tissue. This very touching book can leave you reaching out for your own song of deliverance.
***Special thanks to Donna Hausler of Revell Books for sending me a review copy.***
Songs of Deliverance is the latest novel from popular author Marilynn Griffith, who is known for her rich and heartfelt storytelling that will stir readers’ emotions.
Four childhood friends have been torn apart by the mistakes and tragedies of their past. Now as adults, they are reunited in their hometown of Testimony, Ohio, where they sort through the messy, real-life struggles of secrets kept hidden, lost loves and unknown futures.
Zeely Wilkins is the one with the beautiful voice that earned her the nickname “Birdie,” when she was younger. Now engaged to marry Jerry, her life seems to be back on track, though she struggles to bury feelings for her high school sweetheart.
Grace Okoye can make you hold your breath when she dances, but ever since that night more than a decade ago, she has pushed that dream—like so many others—aside.
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Ron Jenkins, the lone white guy who once used to preach in the black church, has returned to Testimony, now as a lawyer. He questions whether he should be here, and when enough is enough when it comes to matters of the heart.
Brian Mayfield, with his long dreadlocks, had walked away from the church awhile ago. Only recently has he started to turn back to God and find strength for healing and patience. He never knew his biological mother but is determined to make a difference in the lives of the students at Imani Academy, with the help of his assistant, Grace Okoye.
Having grown up together, they now must help and encourage one another as they begin to address the pains, heartaches and tragedies of their past—and get a second chance to make things right. Though never easy, the friends experience a spiritual awakening as they begin to face their secrets and sorrows and offer their struggles over to God. They learn the beauty and strength in friendship, and the inexhaustible depth of God’s healing grace and redemption—no matter how hopeless or doomed things may seem at first.
Marilynn Griffith’s fresh voice and masterful storytelling make this rough yet tender story come alive. It is sure to touch readers’ hearts and keep them turning pages until the very end. Fans of Griffith’s previous novel, Rhythms of Grace, will be delighted to know that Songs of Deliverance picks up with that storyline and can be read as a sequel, though it is intended as a standalone for new fans.
“Griffith’s dialogue is engaging and her characters deeply memorable;
she deserves a wide audience.”
— Publishers Weekly
“With poetic description and compelling storytelling,
Marilynn Griffith delights readers with every sentence.”
— Stephanie Perry Moore, author
Marilynn Griffith is a freelance writer and conference speaker whose online columns and blogs reach thousands of women each year. She is the author of the Shades of Style series and Rhythms of Grace. Marilynn lives in Florida with her husband and their seven children.
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.
For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.