Newton and Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace

by Jody Hedlund

“We will always encounter danger when we stand up for what’s right,” Father said, “particularly when we try to expose the ills of our society. But I’ve learned I must fear God more than man. If he calls me to challenge evil, then I can no more resist his call than I can be content with complacency.”

“As long as men continue to harbor hate and greed in their hearts, unfortunately we will continue to have war.”

“True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them.”

“There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions, but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man.”

“Yet if he satisfies his desires, remorse of conscience overwhelms him because he followed his passions and they did not lead to the peace he sought.”

‘He who follows Me, walks not in darkness,’ says the Lord. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.”

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.”

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.”

Maybe right living was hard. Maybe at times it was even excruciating. But the reward of knowing he’d lived with integrity made the sacrifice all that much more fulfilling.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?…If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

“If anyone would tell you the shortest, surest way to all happiness, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming calamity befalls you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing.”

What drives people to abandon belief in God?

I think that it's generally anger at God not answering prayers like a genie answering wishes from a bottle.

When we’re in difficult situations, why is it often so difficult to trust God’s higher purposes?

Because it's so hard to see past the pain of the moment.

Why is it so easy to give up when we don’t see results right away? How can we persevere in prayer and planting seeds?

It's easy to give up because we live in a culture of immediacy. If it (whatever IT is) doesn't happen right now, we give up. The way to not give up, is DON'T GIVE UP. Preserve no matter how long it takes. If it takes until your 12 year old boy is a 38 year old man, so be it. I know that full well. But the joy of the answered prayer is all the sweeter.