Amazing Grace
Through The Shadows by Karen Barnett is the third book in the Golden Gate Chronicles. It is a Christian historical novel set in 1908 in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
The novel is all about new beginnings. No-one is too far from the hand of God. “You’re never beyond God’s love.” Whatever the past, God can take lives and redeem them. “All around you… you can see God bringing life from the ashes… And He’s redeeming these girls from the ruin of their lives too.” The story centres around a Chinese mission to rescue young girls and women from a life of slavery and/or prostitution. The centre is run by Miss Cameron who will stop at nothing to give the girls a new start in life.
Through The Shadows continues the theme of rescue throughout. One can be physically rescued or spiritually rescued. This all ties in with the theme of grace. Everyone has sinned but Jesus went to the cross for all our sins. We all need grace and we all need to dispense grace. If we close our eyes to suffering, it is as if we are turning our backs on Jesus.