Healing Sands by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn

I just finished reading Healing Sands by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn. This is in the Sullivan Crisp series. It tells of the struggle that photojournalist Ryan Coe is going through now that she is divorced and her 2 boys have chosen to live with their dad. She moves to New Mexico to be near them, and has a difficult time controlling her anger. While at an accident scene for work, she finds her son being arrested for a crime that she is sure he didn't commit. She knows she needs helps for her anger and goes to Dr. Sullivan Crisp, a well-known Christian counselor, who himself is dealing with pain from his wife's death over a decade ago. Ryan wants to solve the case on her own, and wants to be in control of the whole situation. She is frustrated with her son, her ex-husband, the legal system, and her own actions. While in counseling Ryan learns about herself and begins to build friendships with other Christian moms that help her through this time. This is a mystery novel, but also something of a counseling one as well. I at first thought I wouldn't like it, but the authors slowly reeled me in, and I found I needed to know how the mystery was solved. Although, set in the southwest, in places I have never heard of nor can imagine, I liked the court "scenes" and also the in-depth dialogue between counselor and patient. The author added the characters thoughts as well as what they said. The characters came to life and it made me feel like I really knew Ryan and her family personally. An excellent story of surrender and learning how to let God have control of your life!