Through a bizarre set of circumstances, Rowdy returns to the States after the war, turns his life around, and falls into the only job he can find-preacher at the sparsely populated community church in Cut Eye, Texas, a dusty highway town situated at the midpoint of nowhere and emptiness.
The town's lawman, suspicious that Rowdy has changed his ways only as a cover up, gives an ultimatum: Rowdy must survive one complete year as Cut Eye's new minister or end up in jail.
At first Rowdy thinks the job will be easy, particularly because he's taking over for a young female missionary who's held the church together while the men were at war. But when a dark-hearted acquaintance from Rowdy's past shows up with a plan to make some quick cash, Rowdy becomes ensnared due to an irrevocable favor, and life turns decidedly difficult.
When I first started this book, I wasn't too sure it was going to be for me. The book begins with a crime and then following Rowdy on journey that eventually lands him right back where he started - Cut Eye, Texas.
Once Rowdy gets back to Cut Eye and his life as a preacher begins, this story gets interesting and eventually turned into a page turner for me. Rowdy's life in Cut Eye is full of twists and turns. He meets some characters along the way, but eventually finds a way to make himself fit into the small town life that he has. He find a way to earn the respect of the people in the town and grows the church using some of the most unusual ways imaginable.
Along the way Rowdy becomes very close to the former leader of the church, a female missionary who just happens to be the Sheriff's daughter. Their relationship also spins around in different directions and it is not until the very last paragraph of the book that you learn their true feelings.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the transformation that Rowdy makes in his life. His story begins as a criminal, but through preaching and reaching others he truly becomes a leader in the church. His heart is changed and we see the effects of that in many circumstances throughout the story. It is during the high-stress events towards the end that we see proof that God has changed Rowdy and made him a better person.
I enjoyed this book and do recommend it as a read.
Meet the author: Marcus Brotherton | Twitter
Purchase this book: Family Christian | Christian Books
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