In the summer of 1926, Colleen Spencer is a young girl of mixed heritage living in Senoia, Georgia. The elder women in her family have always taught Colleen to follow certain rules to avoid attention and perhaps even attack in the American Deep South. Despite moments of fear, her life is a happy one, but with maturity, so too come obstacles and distress.

Proud of her mixed heritage, Colleen finds that God, family, and her own insights are some of the best anchors she implements as she tries to survive. She remembers the song Big Ma wrote about being engraved on God's palm. He loves Colleen so much that He will never leave her nor forget about her, no matter what happens.

Still, the Spencer family struggles in a culture that would shun them, surrounded by people who might hurt them, all while clinging to their Christian values in an antiquated time of racial dissention.