John grows up in Minneapolis during the Depression, fifth child of six. His family is religious, goes to church every Sunday. His dad works for the railroad. After high school, John and a friend ride the rails to look for work. He returns home, joins the National Guard and meets Marva, whom he marries after Pearl Harbor. He goes to fight in Europe and during a German attack, he cries out to God. After the war he and Marva struggle and her sister invites them to church where they pray for salvation. He leads his sister to the Lord but the rest of his family is liberal. Now a retired pastor.