Chapters 4 through 6 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 4: Spiritual Awakening

Attending church back home had new meaning for Mary. The predictability of the sermons that used to bore her were now comforting to her. She expanded her church attendance to include the Catholic church and Lutheran services. She appreciated the variety of religious denominations that provided the opportunity for people to find their religious identity. While Mary attended the University of Kentucky, however, she rarely attended services. Her plans were to apply for medical school after finishing her undergraduate studies. In addition to her studies, she spent a lot of time as a member of the varsity swim team. She gave little thought to God or prayer.

Mary took a part time job in a scuba shop. She became interested in the sport and gave up a paycheck in exchange for diving lessons. She went on...