A young West Virginia girl becomes involved in the problems of the family for whom she babysits.

When six-year-old Amanda wanted to help a teacher who had a problem, she wondered what she could do. She thought of making holiday decorations, baking cookies, or entering a contest. Through her efforts to help her teacher, Amanda discovered that helping others gave her the best feeling she ever had.

The last thing sixteen-year-old Carilyn remembers seeing that fateful day almost a year ago was a blinding light. When she realizes she has survived a head-on collisionand her father has nother world comes crashing down around her and shakes the foundation of her faith in God. When Carilyns best friends, Maxwell and Christina, step in to lift her spirits, Carilyn has no idea that Max has a crush on her. After she unconsciously begins to make Max the center of her life, she discovers he has fallen for the school shrew, Angela Hartford. Devastated by Maxs rejection and confused by her own feelings, Carilyn is on the verge of giving up on their friendship. Meanwhile, Christi risks her own relationship with Carilyn by suggesting she find her way back to God and, in her spare time, manages to instigate a big shake-up in the high school food chain. When events begin to unfold around the anniversary of her fathers death that will change lives and finally push someone over the edge, Carilyn begins doubting the concept of faith, friendship, and even love. Only time will tell if she will indeed find the brightest light.

An autobiographical tale of actor Dee Wallace’s spiritual journey, and how she applied those lessons to her life. ,

Combining memoir with oral history, creates a vivid and searing portrait of the Freedom Summer of 1965