He loved her without reservations. Without keeping a record of her wrongs. As far as the east is from the west, that's how far He'd removed her sins from her. He loved her. And He forgave her.

When Willow took the long view of her dad's story, she could see plainly how God had taken her dad's failures and sorrows and created something beautiful out of them. Why was it so hard for her to accept that God could do the same for her? Was her faith too small? Or was her regret too big? Perhaps her regret was so big that it had kept her faith small these past four years.

Loving someone wasn't about their perfection. It was about coming to accept every part of them, their good qualities at their weaknesses and flaws--looking on everything they were and loving it all.As she looked on everything Jake was, right down to his center, she loved him.

He wanted desperately to stay, just a little while longer. But he couldn't be here, in this place, with her. It was calm here. She was innocent and beautiful and perfect. He was not. He didn't want his mess or his mental illness or his past anywhere near her. He wanted to protect her from a lot of things, but most of all from himself.

He'd sacrifice even his sanity for her. If it came down to it, he'd let her break his heart.Because he loved her.

In God’s strength he could do the one thing within his ability. He could stay.

Women who've made peace with living alone," she started, counting off on one finger, "and women with healthy self-confidence . . ." She counted off a second finger, then cocked her head at Kate. "Are you getting this?"Kate nodded. "Women who've made peace with living alone and women who have a healthy self-confidence . . .""Can always, BUT ALWAYS, afford to be picky.