Raising four strong-willed younger siblings after her mother’s death and her father’s imprisonment, seventeen-year-old Lanie Freeman never knows what new adventure will roll into view―such as her brother’s wild idea to turn the family’s old truck into a traveling store.The Freeman Rolling Emporium could provide the financial security Lanie and her family so desperately need, or it could tear them apart. Yet it’s only a prelude to other changes. Author Brent Hayden’s arrival in Fairhope breathes fresh life into Lanie’s dream of becoming a writer. And then the hammer descends …Lanie’s father is diagnosed with cancer, and the faith and unity of her family are stretched to the limit. And on top of this shattering news, a crisis is about to strike that will rock the whole town of Fairhope―and shatter Lanie’s dreams of love.The Miracle continues the story of a young woman’s valiant struggle to uphold her faith, her family, and her dreams during the height of the Great Depression. Raising four strong-willed younger siblings after her mother's death and her father's imprisonment, seventeen-year-old Lanie Freeman never knows what new adventure will roll into view--such as her brother's wild idea to turn the family's old truck into a traveling store. The Freeman Rolling Emporium could provide the financial security Lanie and her family so desperately need, or it could tear them apart. Yet it's only a prelude to other changes. Author Brent Hayden's arrival in Fairhope breathes fresh life into Lanie's dream of becoming a writer. And then the hammer descends … Lanie's father is diagnosed with cancer, and the faith and unity of her family are stretched to the limit. And on top of this shattering news, a crisis is about to strike that will rock the whole town of Fairhope--and shatter Lanie's dreams of love. The Miracle continues the story of a young woman's valiant struggle to uphold her faith, her family, and her dreams during the height of the Great Depression. Gilbert Morris is one of today’s best-known Christian novelists, specializing in historical fiction. His best-selling works include Edge of Honor (winner of a Christy Award in 2001), Jacob’s Way, The Spider Catcher, the House of Winslow series, the Appomattox series, and The Wakefield Saga. He lives in Gulf Shores, Alabama with his wife, Johnnie. The Miracle By Gilbert Morris Zondervan Copyright © 2007 Gilbert Morris All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-310-25234-4 Chapter One A grinding cold had settled down over Stone County and most of northern Arkansas. As Lanie Freeman hurried to slip into her dress, she noted the frost on the windowpanes and shivered. Her upstairs bedroom had a small wood-burning fireplace, but she only used it when she stayed up late reading or writing. Her dress was made of gray lightweight wool with long sleeves, a high neckline, and a fringe of black lace around the edges. Even so, it did not provide enough warmth against the early morning chill. Moving over to the mirror above her dresser, she studied herself with a critical eye. A faint memory brushed the edges of her mind, pulling the corners of her lips into a smile. The memory brought back a day when she had cried because she was so skinny. One of the boys at school had called her "Rake handle," and she had flown at him in a rage. Only Davis had been able to pull her off of the boy. "Well, I'm not skinny anymore." The young woman gazing back at her from the mirror certainly was no rake handle! As Lanie considered the lissome curves clearly outlined by the dress, she remembered an entry she had made in her journal when she was much younger. Moving to the pine chest of drawers against the wall, she opened the bottom drawer and pulled out one of many notebooks concealed beneath her folded clothing. She opened the book and, ignoring her shivers, read the entry dated April the twelfth, 1928: I had to kill Lucille today, and it broke my heart. I hated to do it, but I had to admit she was delicious. I fried her for supper, and we ate all of her. Mama only ate a little bit of the breast and some of the gravy. I'll be glad when the baby comes and Mama's strong again, and I'll be glad if I ever fatten up a little bit. Lanie felt a keen sense of pain as she remembered her mother, who had, at the time, only a short time left on earth. She was carrying Corliss and would give her life to bring the baby girl into the world. She leafed through the journal, sometimes smiling as her words brought touching memories, sometimes frowning as her words brought with them pangs of sorrow. When she came to an entry where a letter marked the place, she smoothed back the page and read her words again, just as she had many times before. They're going to put us in a foster home if something don't happen. But I've heard about my daddy's aunt who's in a nursing home in Oklahoma. We're going to try to get her to come and live with us so the government won't break our family u