When fourteen-year-old Eliza Healy is dumped on the shores of Sitka Bay, Alaska, in 1867, it's a long way from Wisconsin and her grandmother's warm cozy kitchen. Eliza believes the idea of helping her family establish a new Evangelical Brethren Church in the Alaska Territory is exciting, but she soon realizes serving God is much more difficult than she imagined. The harsh living conditions among rough men and a shortage of food make her wonder about her family's purpose in Alaska. The icy waters of the bay, a shaman, and a grizzly bear are the least of Eliza's worries the summer she arrives. As Katrina, a Russian girl, and her friend, Erm, a Tlingit girl, question and challenge Eliza's fundamental Christian faith, she learns more about different cultures and religions. But God's presence seems far removed from Eliza as her baby brother, Amos, and her mother become deathly ill. These new hardships and responsibilities threaten to overwhelm Eliza, but a ruggedly handsome gold miner named Jed may just be her saving grace. Through all of her experiences, adventures, and family crises, she comes to understand God is always there and watching over her.