In a complicated, busy world, do you feel overwhelmed and insignificant? The heartfelt stories in this collection will take you to a quiet place and remind you that simple acts of love can make a lifetime of difference.

The men, women, and children in these stories experienced love in ways they’d never have thought of, from people they might not normally have noticed, and in surprising places:

• On the wrong side of the tracks in small-town Ontario
• Beside a wood burning stove in the Central African Republic
• In the words of an old letter in a New Brunswick house
• Next to a burned-out Saskatchewan farmhouse
• Upon a deserted country road in British Columbia
• Adjacent to a chopped-down jackfruit tree in the Philippines
• Over a table in an empty Alberta restaurant
• At a bus stop in a Quebec city
• From the bombed-out ruins of a house in the Netherlands

• "Chapter Book" by Bobbi Junior
• "Mary's Dream" by N. J. Lindquist
• “Angel At Our Door” by Heather Rodin
• “Until Death Do Us Part” by Ray Wiseman

Other Shortlisted Stories

• “Your People Will Be My People” by Christine Kenel-Peters with Marguerite Cummings  
• “My Mother’s Gift” by Carol Ford 
• “My Mother, My Hero” by Les Lindquist
• “The Girl from the Other Side of the Tracks” by L. June Stevenson  

Can you match the titles with the storylines for our award-winning stories?

• To her mother’s consternation, a four-year-old girl invites a disheveled old man to come into the house. The result is unexpected blessing for everyone.
• As his wife loses her battle with Alzheimer’s, her husband of more than 60 years wonders how their love will survive when she no longer recognizes him.
• A woman whose parents were from Switzerland identifies from childhood with First Nations people.
• After losing touch for many years, a successful businesswoman reconnects with a childhood friend from the other side of the tracks.
• A man recalls how his mother not only tracked down but then took charge of some needy children who had stolen the money from her wallet.
• A woman who was adopted as a young child faces the imminent death of her mother, who has never let her daughter forget how much she owes her.
• A young bride questions her decision on the morning of her wedding day.
• A second-grade student hides in the bathroom to read a book, but she is found by the intimidating fourth-grade teacher.

While N. J. Lindquist is the editor of this book, it was written by 67 writers, all of whom identify themselves as Canadian, although they all weren’t born in Canada, and they don't all live in Canada now. Some are experienced writers and journalists; others are being published for the first time; many are somewhere in between. They live in a variety of locations, from farms and small towns to medium-sized or large cities. Some have families around them and some are alone. Some write in the midst of joy and some write in the midst of struggles. But they all write about the human experience, and they all write about finding unexpected love—something readers everywhere will be able to relate to.

Not only are these books positive and inspirational, but the short pieces make them very easy to read. Many people have told us they keep the books on their side table or nightstand and read one or two stories each day, bookmarking their favourites so they can reread them.

We hope the stories in this book will encourage you to make a difference in the lives of the people around you by showing love toward them, even when you don’t feel particularly loving.

Note: We accept bulk orders from individuals, churches, ministries, etc. Please contact us.