"This book I believe is now my favorite of this author. What compassion, love, spiritual warfare, Gods grace and mercy, real life situations, heart breaking scenarios and all around gripping book. All wrapped up in one book and so well written. I cried throughout the book, found myself cheering for the outcome, stopped and prayed several times while reading it and really felt The Holy Spirit touched my soul. Excellent book! Would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Worth every dime." Amazon reviewer Amy
My fifth book and the most heart -wrenching book to be written so far-Life's Journey our Greatest Test is finally here!
I feel so proud of this book. The characters became so much apart of me, I felt the pain they struggled with and I prayed that I would never endured some of what they did. If I should tell you how I came up with a story that deals with issues such as interfamily rape, struggling with drug abuse or imprisonment, I would be unable to.
I cannot recall anyone in my family experiencing rape but I won't say that it never happened. Such things, persons usually find it hard to open up about unless it's to someone they feel a sense of trust around. I had to dig deep into my own experiences and also visit a Facebook group that supported victims of this, to get a feel of their hurt to add to that of my own. (I wrote a post recently about how to overcome the hurt of the past which is tied to my previous book-Her Treasured Love and you can read more about that here.)
As to drugs or imprisonment-the only person I knew encounter these was my husband who died nearly twelve years ago, and whose life inspired the first half of the main character Brady's life.
God gave me the title for this particular book in a dream and in that dream he showed me an image of a young man leaving prison and looking back on where he had spent a portion of his life. When I woke from this dream, I asked the Lord how am I going to write this story seeing I knew no one who experienced prison, and the Lord brought to light my deceased husband's struggles. All the other issues, the Lord brought those and that is where he added my own experiences to build some characters.
Because I know that what I write about aren't stories to just uplift and entertain readers, but my calling to bring healing, salvation and deliverance through stories, I ensure that I pray before I write. This book is the first that God had me write with a male leading character where most of the story is centered around him. This book will impact young men in a deep way. I implore those of you who have sons that have struggles and have gone far from God to buy them a copy of this book. Gift a copy to a male friend you have. But don't forget about the female lead who overcame issues of family rape. This book is a good sure of healing and shows the power of forgiveness.
Take a journey with Brady and Gabriela and see God with you through your struggles, feel his love and get courage to embrace his forgiveness and his healing for your life.
Here is an excerpt of the book you can read:
Chapter 1 – Freedom
Brady O’Connor stood outside the Lexington Prison’s entrance and stared at the fortress that influenced his life’s perspective. His time inside also helped him turn away from the destructive path on which he was.
To many who had heard of Lexington Prison, it brought chills to their spines, and for others, the very thought of going there kept them on the straight and narrow. A mere passerby walking alongside the walls of Lexington Prison would not get the impression of it being a terrible place. But like many things in life, where the outer appearance often deceives many, so did Lexington. The walls stood majestic and tall. They glowed with a radiant reddish-brown. On top of its perimeter walls was barbed wire, which infused security in passersby, leaving the prisoners incapable of escaping and troubling society.
Brady turned his back towards the prison’s entrance and looked out onto the busy street, watching the vehicles as they passed one by one.
He had no idea what he was to do with his life now.
Throwing his duffle bag over his shoulder, he flagged down an approaching bus. The bus stopped a few paces from him at what seemed to be the designated stop, causing him to chase after it. Once he paid his fare, he strolled past the few passengers and sat at the back of the bus. He leant back against the seat and closed his eyes. Thoughts of his grandmother, Ruth, popped into his head. He smiled.
Ruth had always believed a lot of good was inside the darkened shell of a man he had been. She would always encourage him and often used Bible verses to convey her messages of hope to show him that God, the Father, was never far from him, even in the darkness that had surrounded him.
Brady loved her and always listened to her, even if he could not understand her faithful devotion to God, who he thought had failed him the day his brother, John, died. In Ruth’s last letter, she had not informed him of her illness or that she was nearing death. Her words were only of encouragement and about the painting he created for her when he was fourteen.
Brady, she wrote, God has, indeed, blessed you with a special gift, and looking at this painting, I can see the man whom He called you to be. Sometimes it seems I can feel His presence more when I’m looking at your painting. There is such a light in you that I don’t ever want to see go out. And, for that reason, I haven’t stopped praying for God to deliver you from all your troubles. Take heart, my dear; the eyes of the Lord are always upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. Trust in Him always.
A few teardrops slipped from Brady’s eyes. He averted his gaze to the window to escape the passengers’ glares, who would often glance in his direction after seeing him get on at Lexington Prison. The journey to Ruth’s house was exactly twenty-five hours after transferring to a Greyhound bus, with three bus transfers. His muscles ached, and the long drive made him anxious. Nonetheless, he smiled in appreciation for the scenic view, which relaxed his mind for most of the journey. He felt pleased about being one of the last passengers to disembark the bus that he turned to face the driver once he disembarked.
“Thank you, Sir, for a pleasant drive.” He smiled with a slight nod. “Have a good night.”
The driver reciprocated by tipping his hat, “You, too, young man.” He then closed the bus door and drove out of sight.
Brady took a deep breath. The walk towards Ruth’s house would take him off the main road and onto a quiet, little track that snaked through the wooded area of Memphis, Tennessee’s countryside. After walking for a couple of minutes, he pulled his hoodie over his head to protect his cheeks from the chill in the air. He stopped and smiled. Memories of when he and John used to run through the woods, playing hide and seek in the trees and playing cowboy and Indians surfaced.
Flickering lights from the neighbouring houses switched his thoughts to that of the last letter he had received. Mrs. Walsh, his grandmother’s best friend, and a next-door neighbour had informed him of Ruth’s passing and of what she had left him.
As he approached the front door to Mrs. Walsh’s house, Brady wondered if her granddaughter, Clara, still lived there. Clara had been a friend of his and John’s since they had visited their grandmother as kids. A sudden nervousness overcame him as he knocked on the door. He pondered what she would think of him, knowing he’d been locked up in Lexington Prison for the past seven years, knowing that only the most unpredictable of criminals ended up there. He felt the shame of it taking hold of him. He shook himself as to not entertain any negative thoughts.
She might understand, like Gram, he thought, trying to reassure himself..... to be continued.
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