“Don’t worry yourself. It is better that you are cautious and safe than to be accepting and sorry. Trust must be earned. I hope I have now earned yours.”

“If trust must be earned, hasn't God unequivocally earned our trust with the bark on the raw wounds, the thorns pressed into the brow, your name on the cracked lips.”

“Meanwhile, I work the route. I don’t quit, I don’t complain. Each day I learn more than I earn. Things are going to get better.”

“If you are not learning while you’re earning, you are cheating yourself out of the better portion of your compensation.”

“I still don’t get why I have to eat breakfast if you don’t,” Josie muttered.“Because you have to be a certain age to earn the right to ruin your own life.”

“I think real forgiveness is a gift someone has to earn, and I don’t even have to worry about Kalona asking for my forgiveness unless he’s worthy of even considering it, and I just don’t see that happening.”