THE LOST EPISTLE OF JESUS

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 288 pages
• Published by: Crown Oak Press February 16, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 160266126X
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1602661264
• Book Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 8 ounces

Product Description
Pilgrims from afar crowding the streets. Moneychangers haggling in the Temple. Jewish Zealots clashing with Roman soldiers. The city can only be first century Jerusalem. There could be no richer setting for an epic love story-a story about the inner healing that turns heartbreak to hope. Nothing terrifies Judith Silva more than the prospect of a passionless marriage. Not even death by stoning. When she becomes entangled in a torturous web of lies and betrayal, she knows she must choose: Does she love Dismas Latronum, the passionate Zealot, or his brother Gabriel, the sensitive merchant? All three seem doomed to jealousy, rage, and despair-until they read an epistle written by an insightful Galilean Rabbi. Here is the path to healing that Jesus of Nazareth discovered through his painful but illuminating relationship with Mary Magdalene. To walk the path, Judith must learn the difference between falling in love and really loving. But her greatest fear stands in the way. Only by overcoming it can she find healing and offer it to the brothers. With three futures hanging in the balance, she will receive help from a surprising source. Like these unforgettable characters, anyone who encounters the miraculous epistle written by Jesus will be changed forever. "Entrancing, enchanting, and one gripping read. The Lost Epistle of Jesus and its characters, both the historical and the fictional, bring the era to life. The ending left me in tears, but Howard's storytelling had me on page one." Victoria Moran, author of Creating a Charmed Life Evan Drake Howard, pastor of the Community Church of Providence, Rhode Island, is the author of Rekindling the Hope of the Manger, From Sacrifice to Celebration, and Centered in God. He and his wife, Carol, have been married since 1978 and are the parents of two sons.

Reader Reviews
"The Lost Epistle of Jesus" is a very good first effort for first time novelist Evan Howard. Howard builds his story around two brothers, Dismas and Gabriel, and the woman they both love, Judith. The story begins with Judith, about to wed Gabriel, running off with Dismas who was leaving Jerusalem to join the Zealots. The Zealots were determined to drive the Romans from Israel and return it to the true worship of God. Judith's little brother, Reuban, had been killed one year earlier by the Romans, leaving her angry and contemptuous of the Romans. She was also infatuated with Dismas. "She could not resist the wildness she saw in his eyes." Her hate of the Jews and her lust for Dismas were enough to choose a drastic change in her path - running off with Dismas on the night before her wedding. And Dismas, by taking Judith, took everything that gave meaning to his brother's life - the woman he loved, his honor, and his hope for the future. Once the book's foundation is set, the story then traces the life journey of each as they encountered real life, the secret letter (the epistle) authored by Jesus, and Jesus himself. Each sees the epistle and is changed by it. And each encounters Jesus where they are in their life - Gabriel as Jesus preached, Judith as she was imprisoned, and Dismas as he was crucified. Mary Magdelene, Nicodemus, Judas, Barabbas, several of the Apostles, and Jesus' mother, Mary, play important supporting roles. And Howard mixes in the message of Jesus, "Jesus had used his pain as an instrument to teach and heal others," to make sure we do not leave empty handed. Howard serves as the full time pastor for the Community Church of Providence, Rhode Island. After "The Lost Epistle," one can only imagine the stories he tells from the pulpit there... His sermons must be something very special.