“Daniel...”

      He threw another half-dozen rocks into the churning river before he acknowledged Kimberly’s presence.

      Dusting off his hands, his gaze met hers. “Can we not talk about this, Kimberly? I just—I just can’t. When I’m with you, I want to tell you...everything. Every last detail.”

      Setting his jaw, he started back up the trail, determination in every line and crease of his face.

      “I promised to protect that young girl all those years ago and I intend to keep that promise, at least until I’m released from it. And nothing—not all the sweetest kisses in the world—is going to change that fact, even though I wish they could.”

      Dear Reader,

      Each year, thousands of girls and women across the US struggle with a bleeding disorder that they may not even realize they have. For women with bleeding disorders, it takes an average of sixteen years to get an accurate diagnosis, according to the National Hemophilia Association on their Victory for Women website.

      Bleeding disorders are frequently underdiagnosed, but they can have deadly complications. For more information, check out victoryforwomen.org.

      Like Marissa in Man of His Word, my daughter has a rare, mysterious bleeding disorder that doctors have struggled to diagnose and treat.

      Whether it’s a bleeding disorder, a food allergy or any other life-threatening condition, such an issue affects an entire family.

      Like Kimberly, I’ve struggled myself with how to let go while trying to protect my daughter, something every mother must learn. And like Kimberly and Marissa, we are blessed to have a strong “Daniel” in our lives—my husband and my daughter’s dad, who keeps us grounded and always has our backs.

      Hope you enjoy Kimberly and Daniel’s story!

      Cynthia