Moon over Montana is a story that comes from my heart. The story speaks of real life events, hardships, sorrows, and struggles. Heroine, Megan Donovan, is suffering from an unexpected tragedy. Hero, David ‘Cam’ Campbell shut down at an early age due to tragic losses in his life.
This led me to reach deep inside myself, and dredged up a sad memory that shattered my own family. Grief is all consuming. Sometimes it feels as if it swallows you whole, with no way out. It doesn’t even seem possible that there is a way out. The toll grief can take on a person pitches them in a pit of sorrow, anger, and confusion.
My family suffered such a soul shredding grief in 2007, when my brother lost his five-year-old grandson. I’ll never forget him saying, “This is a pain I would never wish on anyone. Not even my worst enemy’.
Grief can leave us floundering. Angry at the circumstances, and yes, angry with God. We sometimes lose trust in Him. Sometimes, we even blame Him. Grief is crippling, causing a person to shut themselves off from the world, and even love. We sometimes make decisions we come to regret.
The message I would like to convey is that no matter what comes our way in this life, God is there to help us through. God never promised a perfect life, but He did promise to bring us through our trials. God is there for the broken hearted. We must learn to put our trust in Him, and accept His time, and His will. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, but it truly is the only way. But we must let Him in.
Forgiveness is another key factor in this story. Forgiveness for yourself, and for those who hurt us. That was really put to the test in my family, and I carried that over into my writing. How can you forgive someone who caused you so much pain? Whether it is through the loss of a loved one, or suffering brought on by abuse.
In our darkest moments, it’s hard to understand that forgiveness brings peace. One will never forget, but one can forgive. If Jesus went to the cross so our sins could be forgiven, how can we go through life refusing to forgive another?
The two main themes in this book are forgiveness and grief. With the help of our Lord, we can find the strength to overcome both. In Jesus’ name.
By Mary Marelli
