When You Must Start Again
By Rev. Augustine Z. Kotee, Jr.
What happens when loss changes the direction of your life and the future you once imagined is no longer possible?
A contemporary inspirational story about grief, courage, loyalty, and the possibility of building a meaningful life after loss.
Coming Soon on AmazonAbout the Book
Beginning again is not always a choice. Sometimes loss, disappointment, or painful changes leave us facing a future we never expected.
When You Must Start Again introduces Hawa, Grace, Fatu, and other fictional present-day characters who encounter questions about grief, hope, responsibility, and rebuilding their lives.
Their stories are imagined, but the emotions and questions explored in the novel reflect experiences many readers may recognize.
The biblical experiences of Ruth and Naomi provide a foundation for reflection, especially concerning loss, loyalty, difficult decisions, provision, and the possibility of a new beginning.
This book does not suggest that suffering is insignificant or that a person should quickly forget the past. Instead, it encourages honest grief, wise decisions, compassionate relationships, and hope grounded in God's grace.
Questions the Story Explores
When Loss Changes Everything
How can we acknowledge grief honestly without believing that our lives have lost all meaning?
When We Must Begin Again
What role can faith, wisdom, practical opportunities, and supportive relationships play as we rebuild?
When Others Need Our Care
How can loyalty, fairness, compassion, and responsibility influence the way we serve others?
The Biblical Inspiration Behind the Novel
The Book of Ruth — Chapters 1–4
Ruth and Naomi experienced painful loss and faced difficult decisions about their future.
Their biblical account explores loyalty, grief, vulnerability, provision, and the relationships through which practical help and new possibilities emerged.
Their experiences provide opportunities for reflection alongside the fictional characters' modern situations.
Important distinction: Hawa, Grace, Fatu, and the other present-day characters are fictional. Ruth and Naomi belong to the biblical account and are not the modern characters in this novel.
Biblical episodes are drawn from the Book of Ruth and supporting biblical passages. Readers are encouraged to study Scripture in context.