Loving (33 page)

Dear Friends,

As a novelist, the Bailey Flanigan Series has taken me on the craziest journey of all. From the beginning, the character of Bailey Flanigan was inspired by my own daughter, Kelsey. Not so much her actual life, but her kind heart for others and her genuine love for God, her desire to remain pure and her belief that the Lord had great plans for her life. Also, Bailey shared Kelsey’s determination to wait for a godly man before she truly fell in love. The man God had set apart for her.

Of course, for many of you, this resemblance between the fictional Bailey and the real-life Kelsey comes as no surprise. Because the entire Flanigan family was inspired by the real life that happens between our four walls every day. Nothing in all my life has ever or will ever compare with the sweet joy of writing about these fictional people and injecting real-life personalities, stories, and details along the way. From the beginning I could see those similarities and how they would play out in this series.

But I never could’ve seen the way real life would mirror the story lines in each book. As I wrote
Leaving
, the first book in the Bailey Flanigan Series, Kelsey was headed off to California for college. Something she hadn’t planned to do. And here, as I finished writing
Loving
, we are planning Kelsey’s wedding to Kyle, the young man we’ve been praying for since Kelsey was born. A year ago the two of them had only just met, and even as we shot the cover of this book, a wedding was the furthest thing from our minds. I love how God surprises us that way, and I can only say it made the emotional writing of this book very, very close to home.

Anyway, thanks for joining me on the journey of Bailey Flanigan … and yes, the journey of one more ride with the Baxter Family. As always, I look forward to your feedback. Take a minute and find me on Facebook! I’m there at least once a day — hanging out with you in my virtual living room, praying for you, and answering as many questions as possible. On Facebook, I have Latte Time, where I’ll take a half hour or so, pour all of you a virtual latte, and take questions live and in person. A couple hundred thousand of us hang out and have a blast together. So come on over and “like” my Facebook Fan Page. You all are very special to me.

Also visit my website at www.KarenKingsbury.com. There you can find my contact information and my guestbook. Remember, if you post something on my Facebook or my website, it may help another reader, so thanks for stopping by. In addition, I love to hear how God is using these books in your life. He puts a story on my heart, but He has your heart in mind.

Only He could do that.

Also on Facebook or my website, you can check out my upcoming events and find out about movies being made about my books. Post prayer requests on my website or read those already posted and pray for those in need. If you’d like, you may send in a photo of your loved one serving our country, or let us know about a fallen soldier we can honor on our Fallen Heroes page.

When you’re finished with this book, pass it on to someone else. If you let me know, you will automatically be entered to win a signed novel through my “Shared a Book” contest. Email me at [email protected] and tell me the first name of the person you shared with! In addition, everyone who is signed up for my monthly newsletter through my website is automatically entered into an ongoing once-a-month drawing for a free, signed copy of my latest novel.

There are links on my website that will help you with matters
that are important to you — faith and family, adoption and redemption. Of course, on my site you can also find out a little more about me, my faith and family, the writing process, and the wonderful world of Life-Changing Fiction™.

Also follow me on Twitter, where I have an ongoing “Tweet a KK Quote” contest. You tweet a quote from one of my books and include my Twitter name — @KarenKingsbury — and the book title. I retweet many of these throughout the week, and will give away a signed book to a winner every Monday.

Finally, if you gave your life over to God during the reading of this book, or if you found your way back to faith in Him, please know I’m praying for you. Tell me about your life-change by sending me a letter to [email protected]. Write “New Life” in the subject line. If this is your situation, I encourage you to connect with a Bible-believing church in your area, pray for God’s leading, and start reading the Bible. But if you can’t afford one and don’t already have one, write “Bible” in the subject line. Tell me how God used this novel to change your life, and then include your address in your email. If you are financially unable to find a Bible any other way, I will send you one.

One last thing. I will donate a book to any high school or middle school librarian who makes a request. Check out my website for details.

Again, thanks for journeying with me through the pages of this book. I can’t wait to hear your feedback on
Loving
! Oh, and look for my biggest Baxter Family book to date later this year: The Baxter Family —
Coming Home
.

Until then, keep your eyes on the cross.

In His light and love,
Karen Kingsbury

www.KarenKingsbury.com

  1. Did you hope Bailey would end up marrying Brandon or Cody? Explain your feelings.

  2. Why do you think Bailey ended up deciding Cody wasn’t the right guy for her?

  3. Why do you think Cody ended up deciding Bailey wasn’t the right girl for him?

  4. How do you feel about Cody finding a relationship with Andi?

  5. Andi has a broken past, same as Cody. Why is their story so important for people reading this story? Explain what you know about God’s grace and forgiveness in your own life?

  6. Did you have a Cody or Bailey type character in your teenage years? What happened to that person?

  7. How has God led you to the place where you are today?

  8. True love makes sacrifices for each other. How did Bailey and Brandon sacrifice for each other?

  9. How did Bailey sacrifice for her friendship with Andi?

10. Talk about a time in your life when someone hurt you, and when forgiveness brought healing to the situation.

11. What did you think about the reconciliation between Brandon and his parents? Have you ever seen something like that in your own life or the lives of one of your friends
or family members? Discuss that situation and how it turned out.

12. Read Colossians 3:13. Jesus tells us to bear with each other and forgive each other. When have you seen this truth work in your life or the lives of others? Discuss this.

13. People refer to 1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible as the “love chapter.” Read it now. What stands out to you about the idea of loving the people in your life?

14. How have you seen the idea that love always hopes at work in your life?

15. How about the idea that love always perseveres? Give specific examples.

16. And finally, talk about how love never fails and how you have seen that at work in your life or the lives of those around you.

17. The song “Forever Love” speaks of the love God has for us, but also the love we might have for our spouse. What does the idea of Forever Love mean to you?

18. How would you have written the ending to Bailey Flanigan’s story? What do you think the future will look like for Bailey and Brandon?

19. Tell about a special wedding in your life. What were the details you remember and why were they special?

20. If you could give Bailey any advice about married life, what would you tell her? Be specific.

N
O BOOK COMES TOGETHER WITHOUT A GREAT AND TALENTED
team of people making it happen. For that reason, a special thanks to my friends at Zondervan who combined efforts with a number of people who were passionate about Life-Changing Fiction™ to make
Loving
all it could be. A special thanks to my dedicated editor, Sue Brower, and to Don Gates and Alicia Mey, my marketing team. Thanks also to the creative staff and the sales force at Zondervan who work tirelessly to put this book in your hands.

A special thanks to my amazing agent, Rick Christian, president of Alive Communications. Rick, you’ve always believed only the best for me. When we talk about the highest possible goals, you see them as doable, reachable. You are a brilliant manager of my career, an incredible agent, and I thank God for you. But even with all you do for my ministry of writing, I am doubly grateful for your encouragement and prayers. Every time I finish a book, you send me a letter worth framing, and when something big happens, yours is the first call I receive. Thank you for that. But even more, the fact that you and Debbie are praying for me and my family keeps me confident every morning that God will continue to breathe life into the stories in my heart. Thank you for being so much more than a brilliant agent.

Also, thanks to my husband, who puts up with me on deadline and doesn’t mind driving through Taco Bell after a football game if I’ve been editing all day. This wild ride wouldn’t be possible without you, Donald. Your love keeps me writing; your prayers keep me believing that God is using this ministry of Life-Changing Fiction™. Also thanks for the hours you put in helping
me. It’s a full-time job, and I am grateful for your concern for my reader friends. Of course, thanks to my daughter and sons, who pull together — bringing me iced green tea and understanding my sometimes crazy schedule. I love that you know you’re still first, before any deadline.

Thank you also to my mom, Anne Kingsbury, and to my sisters, Tricia and Sue. Mom, you are amazing as my assistant — working day and night sorting through the email from my readers. I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. Traveling with you these past years for Extraordinary Women, Women of Joy, and Women of Faith events has given us times together we will always treasure. The journey gets more exciting all the time!

Tricia, you are the best executive assistant I could ever hope to have. I appreciate your loyalty and honesty, the way you include me in every decision and the daily exciting changes. This ministry of Life-Changing Fiction™ has been so much more effective since you stepped in. Along the way, readers have more to help them in their faith, so much more than a story. Please know that I pray for God’s blessings on you always, for your dedication to helping me in this season of writing, and for your wonderful son, Andrew. And aren’t we having such a good time too? God works all things for good!

Sue, I believe you should’ve been a counselor! From your home far from mine, you get batches of reader letters every day, and you diligently answer them using God’s wisdom and His Word. When readers get a response from “Karen’s sister Susan,” I hope they know how carefully you’ve prayed for them and for the responses you give. Thank you for truly loving what you do, Sue. You’re gifted with people, and I’m blessed to have you aboard.

I also want to thank Kyle Kupecky, the newest addition to the LCF staff. Time and again you exceed my expectations with business and financial matters, and in supervising our many donation programs. Thank you for putting your whole heart into your work
at LCF. At the same time, I pray your music ministry becomes so widespread and far-reaching that you can one day step down and do only that. In the meantime, just know that I treasure having you as part of the team.

Kelsey, you also are an enormous part of this ministry, and I thank you for truly loving the reader friends God has brought into our lives. What a special season, when you and Kyle can head into marriage knowing that you also work together doing ministry from our home office. God is so creative, so amazing. Keep working hard and believing in your dreams. Along the way, I love that you are a part of all God is doing through this special team. Tyler, a special thanks to you for running the garage warehouse and making sure our storage needs are met, and that we always have books to give away! You’re a hard worker – God will always reward that.

Thanks also to my forever friends and family, the ones who have been there and continue to be there. Your love has been a tangible source of comfort, pulling us through the tough times and making us know how very blessed we are to have you in our lives.

And the greatest thanks to God. You put a story in my heart, and have a million other hearts in mind — something I could never do. I’m grateful to be a small part of your plan! The gift is yours. I pray I might use it for years to come in a way that will bring you honor and glory.

Featuring members of the popular

BAXTER FAMILY

The answers Bailey Flanigan once longed and prayed for are finally clear.

In
Loving
, the fourth and final book in the Bailey Flanigan Series, Bailey is making decisions that will shape her future, decisions that will ultimately lead to a wedding no one saw coming. Bailey begins a new career and still finds time with Brandon Paul while Cody faithfully coaches his team on and off the field. But has she agreed to marry the right guy? Will she spend her life with Brandon Paul in Los Angeles, or will her heart draw her back to Bloomington, Indiana, and Cody Coleman, her first love?

Bailey has learned much and grown over the years, but the greatest challenges, the richest joys, and the deepest heartaches are still to come.

Featuring members from Karen Kingsbury’s popular Baxter family, Loving completes the stories of Bailey and Cody–the finale readers all over the world are waiting for.

N
EW
Y
ORK
T
IMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
K
AREN
K
INGSBURY
is America’s favorite inspirational novelist, with over 20 million books in print. Her Life-Changing Fiction® has produced multiple bestsellers, including
Leaving, Take One, Between Sundays, Even Now, One Tuesday Morning, Beyond Tuesday Morning, and Ever After
, which was named the 2007 Christian Book of the Year. An award-winning author and newly published songwriter, Karen has several movies optioned for production, and her novel
Like Dandelion Dust
was made into a major motion picture and is now available on DVD. Karen is also a nationally known speaker with several women’s groups. Karen and her husband, Don, live in Tennessee with their daughter and five sons, three of whom were adopted from Haiti.

Find out more about Karen, her books, and her appearance schedule at
www.KarenKingsbury.com or on Facebook.

Also available in unabridged audio CD edition

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