Wednesday, November 2, 2011

A Christmas Journey Home: Miracle in the Manger

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Book Description Publication Date: October 5, 2011

During Isabella Alcantara’s seventh month of pregnancy, her parents and siblings are murdered in gang- and drug-related violence, simply because their home was targeted by mistake. Isabella knows she was spared only because she now lives in a different location, but she knows too that the same thing could easily happen to her and her husband, Francisco. When her grandfather offers to hire a “coyote” to bring them across the border to America, she agrees. But Francisco and Isabella are abandoned by the coyote and left to die. Francisco then valiantly sacrifices himself to get Isabella to safety. Homeless, nearly penniless, pregnant, and alone, Isabella determines to find a way to honor her promise to her beloved husband.

 Living on one of the smaller spreads along the Arizona border, Miriam Nelson becomes furious with God and turns from her faith when her  border patrol agent husband, David, is killed in a skirmish with drug smugglers. Though her mother and young son do their best to woo her back from the anger and bitterness that have overtaken her, they make little headway.
Two widows—one driven by fear and a promise, the other by bitterness and revenge—must make their journeys along different pathways, but with the same destination: a barn full of animals that stands waiting for them on Christmas Eve. Forced to face their personal demons, Isabella and Miriam soon discover a common yearning that will bind them together in a most miraculous way.


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*****

This was the best Christmas story I think I have ever read. It is not a warm fuzzy gooey book but it is a very powerful story with a clear Christian message.
I found this book to be riveting - I read it in less than 24 hours. I found that I genuinely cared what happened to the characters, and found myself engrossed with the story.
At first I was a little unsure about a Christmas story dealing with such a hot political issue, but I found that it really helped me see all sides of the issue with much better understanding. The book is not for or against illegal immigration - there is no "winning side" - but it does bring to light, in a very powerful way, many of the issues on both sides.

I would highly recommend this book!



1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much for the wonderful review of A Christmas Journey Home. Blessings to you and your readers/followers!

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