cover image Walk to Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless Kid Who Found the Way

Walk to Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless Kid Who Found the Way

Jimmy Wayne. Thomas Nelson/W Publishing, $22.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-8499-2210-7

Abandoned by a bipolar mother and her husband at the age of 13, musician Wayne was bumped from foster home to foster home until he knocked on a door, asking for odd jobs, and met Bea and Russell Costner. The couple gave him the love and stability he'd never known, which saw him through high school and college and into a career in country music and advocacy. Wayne settled into his new life, watching with sadness as Russell Costner succumbed to cancer, observing Bea's strong faith, getting his first job, forming a band, and discovering his voice as an advocate for children who, like himself, were left to fend for themselves or stagnate in juvenile detention centers. Wayne also saw his career in country music take off after he was discovered during an audition for a talent program. Today, he is also national spokesperson for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for children. Wayne's story is one that will reverberate with any who have found themselves without hope, love, or stability. Its message of the importance of faith and fortitude will inspire a wide audience. (Oct.)