THE ENCOUNTER BY Stephen Arterburn

Thomas Nelson Publishing

Jonathan Rush was given up for adoption when he was 4 years old.  He went to an orphan's home in Fairbanks Alaska, where he spent several years, before he was adopted. He has since become a wealthy businessman and along the way, married 3 times, all of which have failed.  His anger at his birth mother for not loving him, and giving him up for adoption has grown so much that he's even attempted suicide.  His minister has suggested he go to see if he can find anything about his mother, and if she had a reason for giving him away, and try to find forgiveness.
He arrives in Fairbanks, unprepared for the winter climate, and is met with the rumor that he plans to move his business operation to Alaska.  He meets a young reporter who asks questions, for which he refuses to give answers.  Before long, she convinces him to let her help look for information on his mother.
They find Mercy, a woman who knew his mother, but refuses to give him information other than his mother loved him, which he is unwilling to believe.

This is a short book, 167 pages, and once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Though it is written as fiction, and the characters are fictional, I'm sure at some point, this story has it's base in truth.  The author, Stephen Arterburn, is the founder of WOMEN OF FAITH, which I am sure you have heard about, at some point.

I received a copy of this book from Booksneeze, to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own, and I am not required to give a positive review.