September's book.
Prussia, 1937:
Baron von Dortmann cares for his family with the same passion and devotion with which he tends the roses in his beloved garden. He brings his beautiful daughter, Sabina, to the garden and through his stories, teaches her his wonderful life lessons about God, creation, and love. Already she has caught the eye of the young American, Matthew, and their neighbors’ son, Gustav.
Amid the placid rhythms of his life, the baron looks over his estate with both a father’s and a gardener’s eyes. Unfortunately, he's not the only one watching...
Suddenly a storm sweeps over neighboring Poland—the thunder and lightening of the German blitzkrieg—and it will change the Dortmann’s life forever.
The baron will be left with a most difficult decision. Sabina will be left with the secret of the rose.
We had a wonderful night tonight ladies and were able to dig deep and discuss “The Secret of the Rose.” For those that missed tonight, we missed your faces and your comments. We would love for you to still be able to respond. Here are the questions that we asked ourselves to meditate on. We hope that you too can find these questions (provided by Kelly – thank you Kelly!) helpful in understanding God’s love and desire for our lives as Christians. Print them out to meditate on or blog your comments below. There are no wrong answers! Only what God shows!
ReplyDeleteMain Characters:
Baron Heinrich von Dortmann – landowner of Lebenshaus, the Dortmann estate
Baroness Marion von Dortmann – Heinrich’s wife
Sabina von Dortmann – Heinrich’s daughter
Heidi – maid at von Dortmann’s estate
Otto von Dortmann – Heinrich’s brother, a banker in Berlin
Bridgette von Dortmann- Otto von Dortmann daughter, Heinrich von Dortmann’s niece
Thaddeus McCallum – American Assistant Ambassador
Matthew McCallum – Thaddeus’ son
Count Ernst von Schmundt – the Dortmann’s nearest neighbor
Countess Ingrid von Schmundt – Ernst’s wife
Gustav von Schmundt – Ernst’s son
Emil Korsch – self-serving Gestapo agent, hiding the fact that he was Russian born
Heinrich Himmler – Chief policeman for the Third Reich, head of Gestapo & SS
Dietrich Bonhoeffer – true-life German pastor, Christian leader, writer, activist
Dr. Aaron Abrahams – a Jew doctor in von Dortmann’s village
Rabbi Heziah Wissen – Jewish rabbi, escapee, “underground railroad” for Jew’s, professor
Helga Wissen – wife to rabbi
Ursula & Gisela Wissen – daughter’s to rabbi (early teens)
Jakob Kropf – Jew, escapee in “underground”
Ulrike Kropf – wife of Jakob (children: Dieder & Angela)
Luddoff – part of “underground”
Discussion Questions:
1. Read the description of Heinrich von Dortmann at the bottom of page 37 (last paragraph that continues at top of page 38). How does this description relate to each of us? How does Heinrich’s awareness of this true birthright influence the way he lives?
2. Take a moment to scan Chapter 8 – The Mystery of the Garden (pg. 38). What insights speak to you from this chapter that lead to a deeper understanding of God’s truth?
3. Read the conversation between Sabina and her father on page 63. What does this conversation reveal about Heinrich’s faith and his understanding of God?
4. Heinrich and Marion also shared deep, meaningful conversations. Scan Chapter 23 – Husband and Wife (pg. 119). Note the contrast between “cheap grace and “costly” grace as explained by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Regarding the situation of the von Schmundt family desiring marriage between Sabina and Gustav, what is Heinrich and Marion’s response?
5. In Chapter 26 – Outburst (pg. 235 – 241), Gustav tried to humiliate Sabina at his birthday party. How do you feel about the way Heinrich and Marion dealt with their daughter’s experience?
6. Heinrich is a man who refuses to hide his faith. Take a moment to scan page 285. What do we learn about how Heinrich believes his faith should be shared?
7. In chapter 55 – Testimony of Urgency, Heinrich asserts that all people will face moments of decision in their lives when Jesus says, “Follow me,” and the choice must be made whether or not to follow. What insights do you gain by reviewing the conversation between Baron von Dortmann, Thaddeus, and Matthew on pages 288 – 291?
8. The Sacrifice came in Chapter 95. Review the moment of Heinrich’s capture by the Nazi’s on pages 447 – 450. What insight into God’s truth did you gain from this account?
9. At the end of Chapter 12 – A Morning in the Garden, Heinrich enters the kitchen at Lebenshaus, kisses his wife, and whispers in her ear. She smiles. What do you think he said? What is the “Secret of the Rose?”
In response to question 8, Kelly brought a wonderful object to our attention. I will find out the name of the devotion that it is from but the synopsis of the sheet is as follows:
ReplyDelete1. God is always at work around you.
2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
3. God invites you to become involved with Him in his works.
4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
5. God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.
The name of the Bible study is Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God , by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. - Thanks Kelly!
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