The Forgiving Jar

The Forgiving Jar is the second book in The Prayer Jar series. While The Forgiving Jar could be read as a standalone, I suggest reading The Hope Jar first. It will provide you with Michelle's complete story and help you understand her motivations. I thought The Forgiving Jar was well-written with gentle pacing. I did find the story to be a little slow in the middle. I was drawn into the story and wanted to find out what would happen with Sara and Michelle. Sara has a hard time grappling with the concept of forgiveness. Her mother kept secrets from her and then Michelle impersonated her. Sara has trust issues and does not understand how her grandparents can easily forgive Michelle for her deception. We get to see how the slips of paper in an old canning jar help Sara understand the importance of forgiveness and being a Christian. The slips in the canning jar were encouraging, inspirational, guiding and thought provoking. With Michelle and Sara living in the same household, it is rife with tension. Mary Ruth talks with Sara about the issue. After that, Mary Ruth prays and leaves the issue in God's hands. There is romance in the story as Michelle and Ezekiel King draw closer to each other. One of my favorite phrases was "turn your cares into prayers." I did have trouble with Sara. She has a giant chip on her shoulder plus she is extremely resentful of Michelle. As time goes by, Sara along with Michelle mature. I liked seeing the women evolve, learn from their mistakes and grow in their faith. I look forward to reading The Healing Jar when it comes out. The Forgiving Jar is a sweet, heartwarming story that will touch your heart.