Greetings,
It’s been a while since I’ve posted something other than a book review, hasn’t it? Those reviews have kind of taken over this gathering room in more ways than one. Well, today I’m not writing a book review (though I have an interesting one in the works) today is about sharing more of the story behind my upcoming 2026 novel, A Broken Embrace.
This story is something else. Originally, my next novel was going to be Faith and Obedience, a Kedoshim story taking place in Caesarea around the time of the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 AD, bringing to life the story of Philip the Evangelist and Cornelius the Centurion.
A Broken Embrace is not that story.
For a long time, fear and anxiety kept me silent about the realities below the surface of my life. As I tried to force a follow-up to my 2025 novel, The Hope of Inheritance, I ran headfirst into blank page syndrome. Every line felt purposeless. I was caught between my desire to keep writing and the call to walk humbly with God, feeling a familiar frustration when my efforts seemed to fall flat.
Then God gently blocked my path to redirect my heart.
He reminded me of the Psalm prayed over me as a boy, encouraging me to act justly, love mercy, and trust that my story matters. Reading the pastoral letters of John, the "apostle of love", who endured profound grief, I realized that suffering, healing, and storytelling are deeply intertwined.
It is why I wrote a devotional called Through the Night which takes readers through a 7 day journey with John and the idea that grief and love often intertwine. If you are interested, the unpolished version of the devotional is free to my followers on REAMStories. Finishing that devotional unlocked the path for A Broken Embrace and reminded me to write with God, not just for Him.
The seed for this new book was planted unsuspectingly. One evening while reading John 5 to my youngest daughter, Hannah, I wondered aloud about the backstory of the man at Bethesda. I brushed the thought aside, but over the following weeks, persistent nudges kept appearing: a writing contest ad popping up repeatedly, followed by a podcast sermon on Bethesda.
Finally, I prayed: Lord, why do you keep bringing this to me? I have nothing to write.
In the quiet, words appeared on the blank page in my mind:
“The cross was marked with the sweat of his brow, and the man who saved me from myself left the road behind him stained with blood.”
They sounded strikingly familiar. God suddenly brought back a song lyric I had written 13 years earlier for my oldest daughter, Leyla:
“The road was marked with suffering, his tears were stained with blood…”
God had been laying the groundwork for this story over a decade ago.
Within fifteen minutes, the first page of Rahmiel’s story was down. I submitted the opening to the contest in obedience. While it didn't win, it made the shortlist, and the judges’ feedback confirmed what God had already revealed.
There was something meaningful in this story and I needed to write it. I pondered this idea for months asking God “where should I go from here?” Eventually the story started unfolding and the blank page in my mind continued to fill. This week I revealed the cover for A Broken Embrace and my goal is to release it in December of this 2026.
A Broken Embrace is a story born of grief, patience, and unexpected grace, and I cannot wait to share it with you. As the story unfolds Rahmiel (the man healed at Bethesda) and his sons meet up with characters like Simeon Cyrene and his sons, John and Mary, Lazarus, Levi (also called Matthew), and so many others. The journey is one of healing and acceptance, mercy and spiritual growth, understanding and revelation. That's all for now though!
See you in the pages,
MJE
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