Necessary Heartbreak
A Novel of Faith and ForgivenessBy: Michael J. Sullivan
Published: March 2010
Format: Trade Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1439184232
ISBN-13: 9781439184233
Publisher: Gallery Books
Micheal Stewart lived a difficult life, and experienced his share of painful events. He feels he is doing the best he can, as a single father, at raising his teenage daughter Elizabeth. As a result of his past and difficult current circumstances, he has undergone a a crisis of the spirit, and turned his back on his faith. That crisis is put to the test when Michael and Elizabeth, while helping at a church food drive, find a hidden passage beneath the church basement. With this remarkable discovery, Elizabeth and Michael are transported back to first century Jerusalem, at the time of the crucifixion of Christ. Their arrival in that distant time forms the catalyst for a transformation for Michael and Elizabeth in the captivating first novel, in a moving spiritual trilogy, "Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness" by author Michael J. Sullivan.
When Michael and Elizabeth find themselves in first century Jerusalem, they encounter all of the violence and danger of that society first hand. Through the eyes of Michael, we meet Judas Iscariot and Jesus Christ himself, presented in a respectful manner. For Michael, the crisis of Christ's life becomes the basis of his own reaffirmation of his spirituality, as he confronts the sacrifice made by Jesus for all of humanity. For Michael and Elizabeth, accompanied by a widow named Leah, who serves as their spiritual guide, the sense of awe at the message and actions of Jesus and the disciples is transformational. They undergo the painful but necessary heartbreak of the crucifixion, knowing that what Jesus does for humanity transcends His own humanity. The impact on Michael's crisis of faith is profound and powerful.
Michael J. Sullivan (photo left) presents a striking parable for faith in our time as Michael and Elizabeth learn the deepest lessons in faith and Christianity. With the device of the hidden passage way, the author takes Michael on a journey that is at once a transporting into another world, but also a voyage into his own subconscious mind. When meeting the people of the first century, the spiritual guide Leah, provides the symbolic inner self for Michael. As he shares conversations with Judas Iscariot and Jesus Christ, Michael reassesses his own faith and the critical importance of forgiveness, love, and understanding in his own life. Michael faces the pain of his past, and of his present, and comes to terms with the people in his life.
The symbolic story, of Michael and Elizabeth in the Holy Land, is one of them confronting their own faith within their own hearts. The people they meet exist both outside of time, and within their own soul, as Jesus shares his timeless message of love and forgiveness. He also helps Michael to realize that heartbreak and sorrow are necessary before a rebirth in a new life of love and understanding. Michael discovers his inner strength, made even more powerful by the words and actions of his Savior. With the inner peace that grows out of the necessary heartbreak, from the example and sacrifice of Jesus, Michael and Elizabeth reaffirm their own faith and love.
I highly recommend the profound and deceptively simple parable "Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness" by Michael J. Sullivan, to anyone experiencing a crisis of their own faith. The author shares a symbolic tale, that probes the depths of Michael's mind and soul, to find once for himself the value of love and forgiveness; and of letting go of old pain forever. Through an acceptance of his faith, Michael is reborn into a deeper and more meaningful understanding of life and of his purpose as a human being.
Read the delightful and spellbinding novel "Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness" by Michael J. Sullivan, and rediscover your own faith, in this tale of pain, heartbreak, and profound reawakening into a new and richer spiritual life.
Tags: Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness, Michael J. Sullivan, spiritual literature, fiction book reviews.
