In Sterling City, a spiritual battle unfolds. Darkness clashes ferociously against the brilliance of God’s light. Amidst the conflict, Jesus of Nazareth moves into the old farmhouse at 30 Summit Avenue. His eyes burn with intensity as He fights for those He meets. But the enemy is not happy.
Those on and surrounding Summit Avenue are confronted with a reality most of them did not know existed. Jesus ignites hope, pushes boundaries, and opens doors to redemption and self-discovery. Amidst the struggles and challenges they face, the residents find themselves on a transformative journey, but not necessarily the journey they'd like to take.
Lighthearted and with touches of laugh-out-loud moments, this novel will fill your heart with unforgettable moments, and people that you'll not soon forget. Become a resident of Summit Avenue today.
The novel takes on an incredible what if. What if Jesus of Nazareth moved next door to us? How would that change our worldviews, our faith practice, and our plans about the future? This topic has been explored by other capable writers. With this novel, though, I explore the ultimate neighbor not from Hell but from Heaven set against a backdrop of a spiritual conflict. And although this is evident in the story, its elements are placed carefully, and never to dilute the stories of the people on Summit Avenue. This is a novel full of heart that touches the funny bone despite its heavy subject matter. And it may also touch our minds and cause us to reflect on our relationship with the One.
Having written the book over several years, I found the journies of Frank Bruno and Alyssia Long the most interesting. I like all the people in the book, but those two seemed to take on a life of their own. I also liked Miss Cahva Ayustine and Delante. Most of all, I tried my best to convey the Lord's heart toward us, and to capture His power and identity as the only begotten Son of God revisiting us.
Attack Cat meows from the windowsill, his blue eyes fixed on me. I get up and stroke him which causes him to want only more of the same. “Sorry I failed you, AC.” I rest my forehead against his furry back, just wanting this nightmare to end.
A rumble of gentle thunder rummages across the sky just outside my open window. I look out to see a stiff wind swaying the neighborhood trees, a roar of leaves and branches mashing against each other. A cool breeze wafts against my face.
It’s then I see someone seated on the porch swing. Jesus?
I put on my yellow bathrobe and slippers, and head downstairs. I grab two bottles of chilled water from the fridge. I open the door just as lightning flashes across the darkened sky. I head over to the porch just as an explosion of thunder shakes everything, my ribcage included.
“Hey.” I offer Jesus a bottle of water which he takes with an appreciative nod.
“Thanks, Frank.” His tone’s welcoming. “Trouble sleeping?”
I nod as I sit down on Jesus’ right side, the swing suspended from the ceiling swaying. A steady breeze rushes around us bringing satisfying relief from the day’s heat. Jagged lightning blazes a white path across the sky followed by a jolting clap of thunder shaking the house. I jump out of my skin.
I’m in awe. “Is that your doing?”
Jesus’ eyes find mine, and he smiles. He reaches his right arm past the back of my neck and squeezes my opposite shoulder. I feel safe.
We sit there, the swing swaying, its chains grinding lightly. Across the way, heavy rain pounds the parched ground and sweeps toward us like a liquid wall, pummeling everything in sight. Rain spray, carried by the wind, wets my face, legs, and feet. Delighted after such a sizzler of a day, I squeeze shut my eyes and welcome its tickling relief.
After a minute of living in this luxurious moment, I speak. “Can you see everything? I mean, can you see the other side of the universe at this moment—like a coin-sized meteorite streaking through some planet’s atmosphere?”
Jesus looks at me, the lightning flashes revealing a kind, interested face. “Fascinating question, Frank.” He drums his hand against the top of his thigh. “Yes, I see every miniscule action, great or small, all at once.”
“Every miniscule moment of time, past, present, future?”
“Yes.”
“And you see our thoughts?”
“Yes, like pages of endless books opening before me each nano-second—every iota of thought from all beings in Creation is not missed.”
“I guess that’s comforting to know. And isn’t time a construct of the cosmos?”
“As you, a three-dimensional being, see all of your two-dimensional shadow, I, as eternal, see every detail within the cosmos, including time.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Deep.”
Jesus pulls me closer to him, then directs my head until its resting against his robed chest. At first, my pride resists this, but only for a split second. Look where my pride’s gotten me recently. I rest the left side of my head against his softer-than-silk, cool-to-the-touch robes. His chest rises and falls beneath the weight of my head.
“Get some sleep, Frank. I will watch over you.”
Again, his hand squeezes my shoulder reassuringly, and I do as he says. The rain, wind, and thunder all around us on a swaying swing makes me feel as if I’m in a lullaby. What’s been so long a journey of uncertainty, mounting stress, and so many unanswered questions all fall away. All my thinking slows to a crawl as my eyes grow heavy, and I find myself sinking into slumber’s comfort, next to Jesus in absolute safety.
Soft singing drifts from Jesus’ lips, whether me dreaming or not—I cannot tell.
I love you, Child/More than the years of your life/From before the earth’s foundation/I redeemed you before the same/I answered your call/You are mine and I am yours/I love you, Child.