Swords into Plows is the story of an Ohio boy who wanted to be a blacksmith. In the nineteenth century when this story takes place, it was the custom to work for someone in the trade you wanted to learn. However, because John’s father enlisted in the Union Army, John was left to take care of the farm. He farmed and found some time to work at the blacksmith shop too. In the three years that John’s dad was fighting in the South, John did a lot of thinking about war and peace, facing at home the daily reality of change. Having few options, he chose to find his inner strength and grow in reliance on God. “I wrote Swords into Plows in memory of my own grandfather, John Fremont Dellinger, whose life somewhat parallels the story. Deciding to write the story, I found William Dellinger’s war record. As I merge historical facts with family lore about my grandfather, and watch families become separated by war today, it is my hope that children like John are also wondering how peace happens.” —Lillian Gardner