A Step Back, A Step Forward by Denisa Claris Cooke

Luella Jones spent her childhood in the back hills of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, living in a very primitive fashion, but with a large, loving family. She ran away from home, was forced to marry at 16, kidnapped, nearly murdered, killed her husbands murderer, and finally escaped from the Ozarks to Wichita, Kansas to live with an aunt and work in an office and take college classes on line. On the way to Wichita, her bus was hijacked and she shot the hijacker. While in Wichita, she was again kidnapped, almost killed, escaped, was nearly raped, and then fell in love with the sheriff from Arkansas. She learned many life lessons through all of this, but especially the one that God loved her and was always there for her. She also learned that love is being willing to sacrifice even your dreams, and that family is more important than self.