Life’s Journey our Greatest Test Blog Tour

Updated: Jul 13, 2023

About the Book

Title: Life’s Journey our Greatest Test

Author: Marshalee Patterson

Genre: A Contemporary Christian Novel

Release Date: October 3, 2021

Synopsis

When Brady lost his brother, John, he felt his entire world crumble. All their plans went up in smoke, and soon his life took a turn for the worst; one he had not seen coming.

When his uncontrollable rage landed him in the Lexington Prison, he lost all will to live. However, his grandmother Ruth, being the devoted Christian woman that she was, never gave up on him and kept praying for him.

Walking around town shortly after his release from Lexington, Brady was pleasantly surprised when he stumbled upon Sara in a partially burnt abandoned building. Thinking that being a good Samaritan to her, could help him make right with God for all the wrong he had done in his life, he later discovered Sara was more of a blessing to his tortured life than he was to her.

Will this unlikely union bring them peace and seeing God’s promises fulfilled in their lives?

An Excerpt

They spoke no words as they walked towards the house.

While Brady inserted the key to the front door, Sara stood a few paces behind him, basking in the surroundings. Nice and peaceful, she thought to herself, not too isolated in case he turns out to be crazy. Finding someone to come to my rescue wouldn’t be that hard.

Brady pushed open the front door then turned to glimpse Sara smiling to herself as she admired the place. “Sara, come on,” he called softly.

“Nice and homely,” she said to herself, stepping inside. It does have that feminine touch, she thought. She looked around while she followed Brady further into the house.

“Let me show you which room is yours,” Brady shared as he ascended the stairs. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, he turned to face her. “You need to take a looong bath and get some of that stink off, Sara,” he teased, pinching his nose, trying to get her to laugh at herself.

As if at impulse, Sara raised her arms, smelled her armpits, and giggled at Brady’s comment. Soon, the smile fell from her face.

“Brady, . . . this is all the clothes I have, and I have no money either,” she confessed.

“Come on,” Brady led her to the bedroom door, “just go inside; everything you need is in there. However, if there is anything else you need, I’m in the next room,” he said with a reassuring smile.

Sara nodded before she walked into the room, and then Brady left her. It was such a pleasant room; she loved it. It smelled of fresh pine. It had been a while since she had a room for herself, much less one so lovely. The walls were painted baby pink, which had always put her in a happy mood.

Sara smiled as she walked around the room, surveying everything. She glowed after spotting a writing desk stationed in front of the room’s window. She could not resist the urge to run her hand across its smooth surface when she approached it. It reminded her of those old, romantic war movies, where the woman would sit by her window. The woman would write her one true love, hoping her letters would give him the motivation and encouragement he needed to stay alive and come back to her.

Drawn to the beautiful bed lamps that stood on both sides of the bed, she dashed over to test each one. Disappointment spread across her face when she tried the first, but then her smile soon returned when she tested the other and saw its illumination.

Excitement bubbled through her. She fell backwards onto the bed, closed her eyes, and absorbed its softness. She felt such bliss that she hadn’t noticed the shopping bag that lay at the foot of the bed. As she sat up, her feet knocked the bag off the bed, the sound of the contents tumbling onto the floor alerting her.

Sara jumped off the bed. Her eyes widened when she saw the feminine products that lay on the carpeted floor. She now understood why Brady told her everything she needed was inside. She knelt and began to pick up the contents one by one. Staring in amazement, her eyes welled up with tears when she realised the kind gesture Brady extended to her.

Why would he trust a stranger like me . . . when I could rob him and vanish? She thought to herself.

Q& A

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I am a born and bred Jamaican from the city of Kingston. Went to an all-girls high school and had the best principal-Mrs Martin. Although she was strict, she taught me how to value myself. I was married but now a widower and I love Italian food, nature and Spanish ballads.

2. How did you become interested in writing?

I loved reading stories since I was very young. However, high school was where I began to write stories and loved doing it. That creative side of me came to life when I was introduced to classic literature such as Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two Cities, which are still two of my favourites.

3. What compelled you to write a book on this subject?

The subject matters in this particular book did not come from me but from the Holy- Spirit. To be honest, I didn’t know what this book was about when he came with the image of a young man leaving prison. But as I allowed the Holy Spirit to work through me in building this story and bringing the two subject matters to life, I can say that for anyone who has been a victim of interfamily rape and drug abuse, this story is meant to bring you healing and restoration.

4. What is the main theme or point that you want readers to understand from reading your book?

That being a victim of drug abuse or rape means that you stay in that place of isolation and feeling rejected. God sees you and is with you and he used me to write this book to bring you healing. It was not an easy book to write, took me to emotional places I didn’t know, as my deceased husband was a drug addict at one point in his life too and I was there through that.

5. Are there any other themes present in the book?

Well, you will see the theme of forgiveness, redemption and restoration in this story as well.

6. Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

Yes, don’t let your beginning determine your end. Use the tragic circumstances to build yourself up and lift others when you get stronger.

7. What makes your book different from any other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?

Well, I think because God put this particular seed in me to bring forth, I am the only one who could bring this story to life the way it needs to for the right readers to find the message it carries and be healed and delivered by it.

8. How does the book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him?

Writing is my ministry and not just to entertain but to bring healing and deliverance to reader's lives, and this book reflects exactly that. What I have learned since my first book is that, the Holy Spirit is my partner in writing and he comes with the ideas for each story. I have to rely on him and prayer has to be first, before I can start a book and when that is done the story flows.

9. Do you have a favourite Scripture verse?

I love the entire Psalms 27 but verse 1 is one I stand by a lot. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

10. When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?

I like to spend time in my garden. I find that planting helps me understand how to have better faith and waiting.

About the Author

When Marshalee Patterson left high school and started working, she thought she was cursed. She would look at her life and compare it with some of her high school friends who seemed to be achieving the things she wanted. That is—marriage and kids.

That desire led her to seek things her own way and not wait on God and it resulted in many shameful and painful experiences that she hid from everyone. She struggled to forgive herself and to also embrace God’s mercy, thinking she wasn’t deserving because of her weakness to the flesh. She felt cheap and not good enough.

Years later God revealed his plan for her life and it was to write books; books that would bring healing and deliverance to people’s lives. Each book she wrote she realized had a theme and that they were drawing from her own past experiences- the same past she wanted to stay hidden and buried. But as she wrote each book she saw herself healing from whatever trauma mentioned in that book. It was then that she realized, as shameful and painful as her past was, that God had a plan for it.

They were the blueprint for her stories, experiences readers can relate to and the process through which God carried her to find healing and deliverance was how her readers would as well.

Marshalee Patterson is a Christian Fiction Author of life-changing books that have spiritual warfare and romance. Her goal is to see her readers gain the advantage of how to be victorious against Satan’s tactics and exposes some of the devices he uses.

She is a lover of nature and its tranquillity. She finds nature refreshing and peaceful. She loves different cultures, especially Spanish, which she feels make us learn to appreciate ours a little more in areas where we have been ungrateful or unappreciative. She loves salsa music very much and dances it well too. She is a proud Jamaican.