This Promised Land

By: Cathy Gohlke

Dakota County Library hardcover 342 pages plus author's note and acknowledgements

Published: 2025

Genre: Christian fiction

 

I almost included "historical" in the genre listing because it's set in the 1990s (with flashbacks to the 1940s). Does something set forty years ago count as historical fiction?

 

I really enjoyed this book! Cathy Gohlke may be one of my favorite authors. The characters and story really resonated for me. I look forward to tonight's discussion.

Page 2: "If her older, bossy brother had handed Ginny a gold-leaf-engraved invitation to latch on to the new boy, he couldn't have roused her curiosity more."

Her brother had warned her against interest in Curtis and merely succeeded in piquing her curiosity. Sometimes we humans are so contrary!

Page 8: "But the envelope niggled at the back of her mind for days, a little spider climbing the wall of her brain, spinning dark and silken threads to tempt her, taunt her."

Gohlke is a wonderful wordsmith! She perfectly  captures that sense of not being able to ignore something troubling.

Page 23: "The rain had slowed to a drizzle. Mama, you'd call this a mizzle. Daddy always made fun of you for saying that. Oh, Mama. I miss you so."

I love the word "mizzle," but I also recognize that pang of missing my mother. I can't imagine Ginny's sadness, with so much estrangement before her mother's death.

Page 37: "Ginny shook her head. She couldn't believe it, not after all the years her parents had scrimped and saved and finagled every which way to keep the farm going."

It's both fascinating and mind boggling to me that people who are super thrifty can raise children who make foolish financial decisions. I'm thankful for my parents' example and am glad that I don't crave shopping or risky investments! Ginny here is reflecting on her brother's choices after her mother's death.

Page 50: "She couldn't change or fix the past, but was she responsible? Should she have been? Hadn't they lived the lives they chose?"

This! This is so hard. When you are dealing with people you care about, it can be so hard to draw and keep boundaries. What is helpful? What is enabling? Am I my brother's keeper?

Page 91: "What about them, Lord? I can't supply all their needs. I can't be their savior. Only You. Only You know what they need. Only You can supply their lives. Do you see them? Are You listening?"

I loved Ginny's prayers! Her heart for doing what was pleasing to the Lord was inspiring. She wanted so much to be a blessing to Luke, Bethany, Mark, and Mark's children. I love that she was turning her concerns over to the Lord on a regular basis.

Page 96: "'You can. You can do so much more than you realize, just not in your own strength.' She pulled him to her. 'The thing I learned in taking care of your father is that you can't keep a hard heart when you touch someone, help someone, physically care for someone. It melts the hard feelings inside and that's a good thing.'"

Bethany is a very, very patient wife to Luke. She is wise and sweet and wonderful. I love that she reminded him of Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Page 109: "'It's your home. You're the spiritual leader of your home, son.'"

Mr. Will Skipwith was another gem, like his father before him. 

Page 121: "It's us. We're a family of prodigals. Me. Mark. What about Luke - the older son, never the prodigal . . . but is that true? Is that possible? Aren't we all runaways from God in one way or another, at some time or another? Haven't we all deserted Him, broken His heart, demanded our inheritance - bent on grabbing our wants?"

I love how Gohlke used the theme of the prodigal son story in this scene in church and also throughout the book. I love how Ginny contemplates the different people in the story and expresses a desire to be like the father welcoming home the prodigal son.

Page 143: "'You've turned something meant as an unkindness into something grand, Arlo. Not everyone can do that. Not everyone would try. Maybe you should write your stories down.' Will looked directly into Arlo's eyes until the girl blushed and looked away."

Will again! He had just heard the story behind "Chicken Snot and Hot Shot" and while Ginny grieved what the children had endured, Will had praised Arlo for watching over her siblings and having a positive attitude.

Page 144: "'You see good even where others see trouble.'

'It's not about seeing the good right off. It's about looking for the good, for the image of God in every person.'"

Again, Will and Ginny are talking and Will expresses his attempts to find the good. What a great guy!

Page 187: "The great thing about dogs, Arlo thought as she trooped, is that they never ask questions, never talk back, never nag, never want you to be anything but you. They don't mind who you are or what your pa did or where you came from."

This is so sweet and so poignant. I'm sorry that kids (and adults) can be mean. I love that dogs are generally affectionate and loyal. Bailey was a blessing.

Page 209: "'We all have the chance to be any one of those characters - the runaway, prodigal son who finally wants to come home; the older, selfish, self-righteous brother who doesn't want to forgive or share what there is; or the running father, the one who doesn't hold the past against either son but welcomes them home once they come. I've been both of those brothers in my life, Bethany. I want to be the running father now.'"

There's that theme again. I love that Ginny and Bethany develop such a great relationship and that they are trying to help Luke and Mark reconcile.

Page 271: "But that was the thing about words - once said they were forever loosed."

Bethany recognized that her husband regretted his angry words toward his brother, but she was frustrated with so much anger and sadness. If I hear myself (internally or aloud) saying, "I shouldn't say this, but . . . " I try to bite my tongue and leave it unsaid!

Page 293: "'They can't change what they don't see. God will work in them just like He's working in each of us . . . in His time, His way - not ours.'"

Ginny is counseling Bethany against being upset with uptight, judgmental Louise and the other "church ladies" who are hurtful.

 

Page 300: "Even as she penned the words, she knew that a part of her was remembering Curtis, wishing she could have shared the strength of the Lord with him as she was doing with Mark. She didn't know if it would have made a difference, if Curtis could have understood when he came back from the war. She hadn't known how to do that, not then. She drew a deep breath. I can do this now."

I love that although she thinks about her past and how things might have been different, she doesn't live in the past. Ginny recognizes that she cannot change what happened, but she can learn from it and try to make a difference for her nephew. Praise God He changes us when we look to Him!

Page 307: "'You're looking at this in your own strength, Ginny - what you can do, what you can afford, what you can make happen. You're worried about many things. Let God finish His work. Let Him finish what He's begun and see what happens.'"

Pastor Edwards was another wonderful character. He reminds Ginny that she's supposed to look to the Lord, not to her own limited finances and abilities. I loved how joy came out of tragedy!

There were other post-its, but I've had enough. I really liked the book, even though I cringed at some parts (Arlo not telling about the mean kid at school and what he said, the fire, Mark's reaction to Luke's angry words . . . . ) I'm glad we get to talk about it tonight!