Season of Joy. Virginia Carmichael

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      Shelter For Everyone

      As the holiday season approaches, wealthy CEO Calista Sheffield wants to give instead of receive. So she volunteers at a downtown Denver shelter, never expecting that her own scarred heart will be filled with hope and healing. The mission’s director, handsome Grant Monohan, has devoted his life to helping those in need. But his harrowing past—and what he sees every day—makes him wary of Calista. Unless she shares her painful history, he’ll never believe they can have a future. But a future with Grant at the shelter is the only Christmas gift Calista truly wants.

      “After spending the day with business people, these kids are a treat,” Calista said.

      She turned serious for a moment. “They’re honest. And they don’t care what you’re wearing or what kind of car you drive.”

      Grant wanted to say something, but he couldn’t seem to form words. Calista’s face shone with that fragile sweetness he’d seen the first day she came to the mission.

      “And they don’t care who your parents are,” he added, his voice sounding huskier than he intended.

      “Exactly.” Her gaze locked on his. “I always thought that verse about being like little children meant we were supposed to be gullible. But it really meant that we needed to believe first, and doubt later.”

      “Sort of the way that little kids love you first and ask questions later?”

      Her face lit up at his words. “That’s just what I mean.”

      Love first, and ask questions later. Great for kids, but it was the very worst advice he’d heard for adults.

      And still, that’s what was happening in his heart.

       About the Author

      VIRGINIA CARMICHAEL was born near the Rocky Mountains, and although she has traveled around the world, the wilds of Colorado run in her veins. A big fan of the wide-open sky and all four seasons, she believes in embracing the small moments of everyday life. A home-schooling mom of six young children who rarely wear shoes, those moments usually involve a lot of noise, a lot of mess, or a whole bunch of warm cookies. Virginia holds degrees in Linguistics and Religious Studies from the University of Oregon. She lives with her habanero-eating husband, Crusberto, who is her polar opposite in all things except faith. They’ve learned to speak in short-hand code and look forward to the day they can actually finish a sentence. In the meantime, Virginia thanks God for the laughter and abundance of hugs that fill her day as she plots her next book.