The Bible tells us all who live godly in Christ will suffer. Trials are inevitable. As Christians, we should expect them. If you are not facing a trial now, I can guarantee at some point, you will encounter one. In my Christmas romantic suspense novella, 12 Days, the hero, Scott Newton, has trust issues stemming from growing up in a home with an alcoholic father. With God’s help, Scott’s faith grows.
Trials in 12 Days
Scott works as a deputy with the fictional Chanckoc County Sheriff’s Office in Blanchardville, Ohio. He and his partner, Cole Linville, are shot by a suspect. Scott is injured and recovers, but Cole dies. Cole’s death tests Scott’s faith again. As the story progresses, Scott will have to learn to trust God again as he faces yet another trial—the disappearance of his girlfriend.
Trials in my Life
In my own life, I have faced many trials, including experiencing infertility. Trusting God can be hard because unlike some Bible characters, like Hannah, for instance, we may not have a specific promise from God. We do have wonderful promises such as God’s promise never to leave us or forsake us. But when we pray about a specific situation, we usually don’t know the outcome. We have to trust God no matter what. When we read the Bible, we find sometimes God was there with His people and rescued them miraculously, like with the parting of the Red Sea. At other times, God didn’t provide a rescue, like with Stephen being stoned to death. Stephen died, but even in the face of death, God was still with him. Sometimes, when we feel let down by God, it’s because we trusted God, but only to provide the outcome we desired. We have to make sure our faith is in God regardless of the outcome of our situation.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
12 Days by Heidi Glick
Scott Newton retires from the sheriff’s office after a fellow officer is killed. Wracked by sorrow and the need for justice, Scott grows distant from his girlfriend, aspiring crime writer, Lindsay Billings. But, when Lindsay goes missing, and Scott discovers her research on the missing person cases thought to be the work of a serial murderer known as the Christmas Killer, Scott vows to find her at all costs. Police have never found the bodies of the people who went missing many Christmases ago, and Lindsay won’t become just another statistic.
Then, someone kills again in Blanchardville. Police locate a corpse atop one of seven inflatable swans on a pond, and another body in a pear tree. Scott receives odd texts from Lindsay’s phone and deduces they’re from the killer.
In order to save Lindsay, Scott agrees to meet the madman and play his game. As time runs out, Scott must learn to trust in God again, no matter what.
12 Days is available from Amazon, Pelican Book Group, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, and Kobo.
Congrats to Heidi on 12 Days!