Kristi Johnson is certain the only way to escape her pain is through death or divorce. She’s a busy, stressed out stay-at-home-mom of three, facing the challenges of a workaholic husband. Between her teenage daughter’s demands and a clingy toddler, she finds solace volunteering at her middle child’s school until one day, Jim Collins joins the staff. Kristi thinks he’s annoying as he uses humor to divert her attentions from her work as PTO president. Jim Collins is just one more obstacle to her exhausting days.
When her toddler ends up in the hospital while her husband is on a drinking binge, Jim fills her need for support and comfort. Soon, Kristi finds herself day dreaming about a life with Jim. He becomes a source of escape for Kristi (if only in her thoughts), and seems to fill a void her husband has left by not prioritizing his family. Kristi isn’t sure of Jim’s motives and is struggling with the feelings she is beginning to have for him. She has also been dealing with chronic pain and fatigue, creating yet another challenge which gets in the way of her making rational decisions for herself and her children.
Then, Kristi finds herself an instant single mom due to circumstances beyond her control. She is thrown into a tailspin of anger toward her husband and God for allowing such a thing to happen. Her pain and depression worsen until her best friend, Janice, comes to the rescue and offers to let Kristi and her kids stay with their family. But all Janice and Ben remind her of is what she never had. Despite their house being a mess and barely scraping by financially, the love between them and their happy, yet chaotic family are something beyond what Kristi could ever hope for herself.
When Janice suggests that Kristi joins them at church, Kristi is against it. She says it’s because she’s mad at God, but really, it’s because she is guilt ridden for even thinking about having an affair with Jim Collins—something she won’t even tell Janice.
Kristi later gives in, an unexplained pull telling her that church may be her only hope of freedom from the physical and spiritual burdens she bears. She starts to feel better until one Sunday when Jim Collins shows up at church.
Confused, Kristi can’t understand why this man keeps entering her life. Is God giving her a chance for true happiness or is there some other force at work determined to remind her of all her faults and failures?