Ava has a loving family, a beautiful house, and a solid faith. Suddenly, her ideal life will be completely broken . . . in the best of ways. Ava’s life is full of great things. Her daughter is getting married to just the right guy, her husband’s company has kept them financially successful for years, her son is thriving as a high-school football player, and the ministry she started is keeping her busy as she reaches out to those with “broken hearts.” Then it all falls apart. Ava’s safe world becomes unanchored, and she is forced to face the childhood she’s run away from her entire life. Just as she’s trying to sift through the pieces, the doorbell rings and Ava is confronted with the surprise of her life. Ava must set out on a journey that takes her back home. Along the way, she encounters God in new and unexpected ways. She sees she's been hiding her brokenness behind good deeds and the comforts of a safe life. Learning what it means to lose it all is just the start of Ava’s journey—as is the new song God is writing on her heart. Sheila Walsh is a powerful communicator, Bible teacher, and bestselling author with almost six million books sold. She is the author of the award-winning Gigi, God’s Little Princess series, It’s Okay Not to Be Okay , Praying Women , Holding On When You Want to Let Go , and more. She is cohost of the inspirational talk show Life Today with James and Betty Robison, which is seen worldwide by a potential audience of over 100 million viewers. Sheila lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Barry, and son, Christian, who is in graduate school. Song OF THE BROKENHEARTED By Sheila Walsh Cindy Martinusen Coloma Thomas Nelson Copyright © 2012 Sheila Walsh and Cindy Martinusen Coloma All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-59554-687-6 Chapter One "You need to Wake up," Ava told herself as she gripped the steering wheel between quick gulps of the coffee she'd grabbed at an all-night gas station. She turned onto Walnut Street and the directions to the Gibson residence became unnecessary. Her destination was obvious by the cars parked at awkward angles around the two-story stucco house. Tonight was not the night for casseroles, sympathy cards, or flowers. That would come tomorrow, and in the days that followed. This was the time to arrive empty-handed and with as few words as possible. She rose from her car into a warm autumn night, pausing to watch gray puffs of clouds drift across the nearly full moon. The moment gave her the strength to go toward the front door and to become the helpful stranger in a house of deep grief. A bouquet of silver balloons hung unmoving from the lamppost at the end of the walkway. Jars lit by candles lined the path to the house; most had already burned themselves out. A large banner hung over the front door: Congratulations, Joshua and Jessica! Ava wondered if she should suggest taking down the reminder that hours earlier this had been a house of celebration and joy. Perhaps she could do it herself a little later. An older man answered her knock wearing rumpled clothing and a deep frown drawn in the corners of his mouth. "Are you a friend of the family?" he said, studying her in her designer jeans and beige sweater. "No, I'm Ava. Hannah called and asked me to come." His frown softened slightly. "Come in. We had the media stop by already. Sharks. I don't know how they heard so fast. Most of the family is in the formal living room. I'm their neighbor across the street there. I've known Jessica since she was nine ..." His voice trailed off. "I'm sorry. It's very painful." "It is," he muttered. Ava followed the man beyond the foyer and sweeping staircase and toward a silent gathering of people who stood at different places around the room. A half-eaten cake rested on the table. "Hannah? This lady said you called her." The woman from her Bible study stared at Ava a moment, then recognition dawned on her face. She rose quickly from the chair. "Ava. Thank you for coming." "Of course," she said. As they embraced, Ava felt the woman lean heavily against her. For a moment, she feared Hannah would collapse. "She was my only niece, and more like a daughter to me," Hannah said within the sobs that shook her. "Such a beautiful girl, and such a lovely heart. They were so happy ... How can they be gone, just like that?" Ava offered no answers as she held the middle-aged woman while she cried. Ava felt the pain echo in her own heart. Though she often was around tragedies since starting the ministry at church, Ava had yet to become desensitized to the grief. "I can't believe you came out this late at night," Hannah said, wiping the tears from her face. "I'd heard you talk about the Broken Hearts, but I had no idea ... Do you come out in the night like this all the time? Your husband must hate it." "It's not just me. Our team takes turns being on call. But nighttime seems to be when most people need help," Ava said, picki