UPDATE: A winner has been emailed!
What do a former suicide bomber, a relief worker, and a special forces veteran have in common? They’re all trying to live out the call of Isa Masih in the war-torn land of Afghanistan. Not familiar with Isa Masih? You probably know Him by another name: Jesus the Messiah.
Jamil, Amy Mallory, and Steve Wilson are characters from Jeanette Windle’s novel Freedom’s Stand. In one way or another, these characters pay a high price for following Isa Masih. Though their story is a work of fiction, the lives and events depicted serve as vivid reminders of what our brothers and sisters in Christ are undergoing in a volatile part of the world.
Dr. Tom Little
Just last summer, we here in New York were reeling over the death of Dr. Tom Little, a Christian optometrist from my hometown, who had spent more than thirty years bringing medical care to remote parts of Afghanistan. One day while returning from an arduous trek to a small village, Dr. Tom, seven other foreign workers, and two Afghans, were gunned down by the Taliban. I didn’t know Dr. Tom as my older sisters did, but I saw how an event that happened half a world away affected many back here in the States.
Not only is Freedom’s Stand highly relevant. It’s also a story that can strengthen faith as it entertains. Therefore, I would label Freedom’s Stand a must-read.
However, be forewarned that it is not an easy book to experience. Oh, there’s nothing graphic or gratuitous within its pages. However, knowing how realistic the plight of the characters was made the story difficult to bear at times. I especially ached when reading about one young girl named Farah, who at age sixteen had come to believe that love was an illusion, no man could be trusted, and pain and heartache were a woman’s lot in life. I was left wondering, how many others in the world feel the same? And how can we help them hear about Christ?
How would I describe this story? Suspenseful. Riveting. Convicting. Hopeful. Why hopeful? Because in the end, the love of Isa Masih changes lives, renews hearts, and gives meaning to every sacrifice. A few of the characters even experience romance. Just enough to remind us that God puts the lonely in families and gives helpmeets to share the load as His children journey through life together—no matter where in the world that might be!
***Thanks to the Tyndale Blog Network for providing this book for me to review.
Follow this link to purchase your copy of Freedom’s Stand.
Follow this link to read more about the author, Jeanette Windle.
Now It’s Giveaway Time! I’m giving away my copy of Freedom’s Stand to one fortunate follower. (US and Canada only) Let me know two things in a comment. 1. That you’re interested in winning the book. 2. How you follow my blog–either through RSS feed, GFC, email, Facebook, Networked Blogs or twitter. The contest will run until Monday, May 23rd, at 11:59 pm, and I’ll announce a winner soon after.
(But, seriously, if you don’t win, you should treat yourself to this book!)
