The book Jabez fits into the AFTER series written by Joy Ohagwu. Book 1 tells the story of Candace and JB Patrickson. That book is an inspirational romance. Once Candace and JB are married, he then feels confident enough to tell his life story to her. So this book is the story he tells Candace on the way to their honeymoon. That would make this book 2, although I think of it more as book 1.5. It could be easily incorporated into book 1 as part of JB’s back story.
When Jabez was ten, he was well used to the drunken rages his father would get into. He had a hiding place, and his mother had a hiding place. It was not enough to keep them safe, however, and eventually Jabez was beaten senseless and woke up in the hospital. Things only got worse from there when his father returned to their home. No one else knew the situation they were in. His father owned a reputable construction company and seemed like a straight up guy to everyone else. But JB and his mother often went entire days without a meal. His father had to control everything. When JB was old enough to work for his father, he was expected to work in construction and live at home.
One day, he and his mother found a safe place across the street to hide. They slept in the pews at night in the church to avoid getting beaten. Then he met Pastor Yohanna who began to help them in subtle ways. He encouraged Jabez to find his own path and became a role model for him. For the first time in his life, Jabez saw a father figure the way it was supposed to be. He began to attend church and special meetings the pastor set up for a few other young people who had challenges in their lives that blocked their successful entry into the world. His transformation was not an overnight success. It was a huge struggle far into JB’s adult life.
This author writes in an understanding manner about the impact of abuse this type of experience has on a growing child and on an emerging adult. When a person has heard their entire young life they will not amount to anything good, they tend to believe what they hear, even though their minds can tell them otherwise. Parents are the first authority figure a child experiences, and what they are told is often taken for the truth. It’s extremely difficult to shake off that first voice in spite of good influences in their lives afterward. The author does a great job showing us what this type of struggle to overcome abusive programming is like.
It was the faith of the Pastor that leads him to step out of his comfortable place to lend an understanding ear and a shoulder to lean on for the young people in JB’s group. And it was faith in Jesus Christ that finally brought JB over the edge from abusive thinking to victorious thinking. This could be so many peoples’ stories. I pray that this short novella helps many people to understand how difficult it is to shake abusive influences, but that it is possible.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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