Badge of Honor (15 page)
Authors: Carol Steward
- Broken trust is sometimes more damaging because it's as much an emotional pain as it is a physical pain. It's like comparing a skinned knee to a broken femur. So what are some of the bandages that we put on to keep from being hurt again?
- What are some steps a person can take when trying to build trust in someone else? What are some of the things Sarah does to try to get Nick to trust her?
- Nick felt betrayed by people he worked with and trusted. What are some ways he opens himself up to trusting others again?
- Why is it so difficult for Nick to believe Sarah when she tells him she's not working for Internal Affairs? Do you think he acts irrationally? What would you do in Sarah's place if someone didn't believe your truths?
- Sarah acts very self-confident in many ways, but there are a few times when she tries to disguise her true self. Do you think she was really as confident as she acted? Why or why not?
- Many times we are afraid to voice our opinions or beliefs. Sarah is learning from past experiences when to speak up and when to be quiet. Have you ever had to make the choice to keep quiet about something rather than hurt someone? How do you think God feels about these kinds of “secrets”? How do you think Sarah's choice is a sign of her growing faith in God?
- Much of Sarah's struggle is yet to come. She's a take-charge kind of woman who is afraid to let any weakness show. How do you think God could help her to balance the demands of her career and personal life?
- Do you see a willingness by the end of the book for both Sarah and Nick to make the necessary changes in order to have a Christian marriage? Give a few examples of the alterations they'd need to make.
- Nick is torn between his feelings for Sarah and his career. How often do you think people are forced to make difficult decisions that mean choosing between something uncertain and their income?
- Is there a right and wrong way to make such a difficult decision? Do you believe Nick was right to handle it the way he did? Did you understand Sarah's reasoning for wanting to handle it the way she suggested?
- Sarah turned to law enforcement after a crisis hurt someone in her own life. Do you believe that was a coincidence, or do you believe this career suited her? What other jobs do you think she would have excelled at?
- Police work is dangerous and emotionally challenging work, and it is often difficult for couples to deal with the obligations of the job. How do you feel being a Christian would help, or hinder, a police officer's ability to carry through with his or her duties? How do you think it could help to have a spouse who is also in law enforcement rather than some other line of work?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2237-7
BADGE OF HONOR
Copyright © 2008 by Carol Steward
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.
® and TM are trademarks of Steeple Hill Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
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In the Line of Fire
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In the Line of Fire