Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Follow to get new release updates and improved recommendations
About Josh McDowell
Customers Also Bought Items By
Are you an author?
Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.
Author Updates
-
-
-
Blog postJon spoke up, "This is my friend and roommate from Los Angeles, Ben Hernandez. Several people around Ben welcomed him with a handshake. Jon formally introduced Ben to Stevie, Shawna, and Collin. Then Stevie pulled Ben close to the sofa. "Ben, I would like you to meet a dear friend of ours, Wes Bellardi." She smiled. "You two have more in common than you might think."
"Hey, man," Ben said, sticking out his hand, seemingly unfazed by Wes's appearance. -
Blog postStevie rose just as Jon appeared, making his way through the crowd with Shawna and Collin hanging adoringly on each arm. Stevie welcomed him with an embrace and a kiss on the cheek. "You finally made it," she said, unable to conceal her joy. "How was your flight?"
"Bumpy," Jon replied. "But at least it's over." Stevie suddenly realized they were the center of attention. It was up to her to handle the introductions. "Everybody, this is Jon Van Ho -
Blog postWes turned toward Stevie and smiled. "My favorite person," he said. "Even if you are a hard taskmaster. I guess you'll be leaving for Los Angeles today," Wes said, the smile fading from his eyes. "I'll miss you."
Stevie swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'll miss you too." As she gazed at her young protege, she recalled the long hours they had spent together in the hospital as Wes fought through his pain to question her about faith and forgiveness. -
-
Blog postFinally Stevie found the person to whom she did not want to say good-bye. Wes Bellardi was sitting on the leather sofa in the family room, still appearing thin and fragile, but growing stronger every day. He was sufficiently healed from his life-saving abdominal surgery but burns had left him badly scarred. He wore a soft knit cap over his skull where as yet little hair had grown back. But thankfully he still tested negative for HIV.
As soon as he had been well enough to talk, he had told -
Blog postThe governor-elect had telephoned Stevie four times in the last six weeks trying to convince her to accept a staff position. She felt flattered and appreciated, but each time she politely declined. "Thank you, sir. As I've said before, it would be an honor to serve with you, but God is leading us in another direction right now. I believe North California is an ideal environment for Christian families. But not everyone can move here. And not everyone should move here. Believers in New York C
-
Blog post"How are the preparations coming along for the new administration?" Stevie asked the governor-elect. "Very well, thank you. Robert is working extremely hard to get us ready for the inauguration—too hard, in fact. He'll probably miss Christmas." Stevie nodded. That sounded like Robert.
"So I suppose your team is already busy working on legislation." "Yes. But thanks to you, we're now much more sensitive to the people for whom the laws are written. We'll s -
-
Blog postHello, Stevie." Senator Bellardi's smile was warm and genuine. “I'm so glad you decided to come by on your way out of town." Collin appeared at his mother's side, looked up at the senator and spoke with bold, boyish innocence. "Are you the governor now?" "Just barely, but I don't start until January," the senator replied still smiling. "A slim majority of the people in this state have asked me to serve, so I will serve."
Indeed, after the senator's s -
Blog postLooking as elegant and refined as ever, Patricia Bellardi answered at the door. "Stevie, we've been expecting you," she beamed. "And the children are with you. How wonderful. Please come in and have some treats."
Stevie was relieved to find Mrs. Bellardi lucid and conversational. There were other days, she had heard, that the senator's wife wandered through the house not knowing who she was or where she was. Advancing Alzheimer's played its cruel tricks on the lovely l -
Blog post"There are millions of people in this country who don't believe everything the Bible says, including me," Terilyn stated. "I know, but I still want to be your friend. If I write to you, will you write back?" Terilyn seemed surprised. "You really want to write to me?" "Sure. I like to keep in touch with my friends."
"Are you going to preach at me in your letters?" Terilyn asked with half a smile. Shawna laughed. "No. All I' -
Blog post"Hi." Terilyn said tentatively. "We're moving today," Shawna said. “Back to L.A?" "Right.” “Terilynn, why wouldn't you return my calls or answer your door when I came over? And you won't even look at me at school." Terilyn shook her head. "What's the use? You ran out on me at the party and embarrassed me in front of everyone there. You don't come to the leadership meetings anymore. We live in two different worlds." "Yeah, I gue
-
Blog postStevie checked the clock. It was exactly 12:15 p.m. "Senator, the press conference," she said, puzzled. "I ...postponed it," he said. Stevie suddenly felt like an intruder. She moved to step past the senator and leave Wes' hospital room. "Wait, Stevie," Bellardi said, grasping her arm gently. "Please stay."
Robert stood twenty feet down the hall. Stevie wondered how long it had been since he had slept. She wondered why all she could think of was the -
Blog postDespite Wes's grave condition and the dismal prospects for his future, Stevie was filled with awe at the sanctity and significance of this one human life.
In a soft whisper, she told Wes everything that had happened to him in the last twelve frantic hours, events he would not remember. She would tell about something, then wait, as if giving Wes time to process the words and to respond. She knew he could not hear her, but the approach seemed more like a conversation to Stevie.
The wal -
Blog postJon was still in love with Stevie—maybe more now than he had ever been. Because now he saw things so much more clearly. It was not Dougie's death that had driven them apart; it was their lack of understanding of their differences. God had meant those differences to complement each other, but they had allowed them to divide and destroy. Their discussion earlier that morning about justice and mercy and love had solidified that understanding in Jon's mind.
Stevie, he thought silently, I under -
Blog postSitting behind the wheel, Stevie sensed clouds of discouragement rolling over her. Did he hear anything I said? Did he care at all, or is he hopelessly blind and calloused to mercy and compassion? Did I just waste another fifteen minutes of my life after having thrown six months into the garbage?
Driving out to the road, she criticized herself for being too direct in her approach, calcifying the senator's resolve to ignore his son. Then she criticized herself for not being dir -
Blog postStevie bit her lip, wishing she did not have to say the next words. But it was right to say them, so she pressed on. "I also discovered only hours ago that I almost did the same thing to my fourteen-year-old daughter, Shawna. Right here in North California, in the name of the dream you and I share for this state, I've been neglecting her. I've been so busy trying to do what's right that I forgot to spend time showing her that I love her." Stevie held her breath to control a swell of em
-
Blog postStevie talked to Daniel Bellardi about her admiration for Wes and his writing talent and related her shock at the contents of his email revealing his identity as AntiCrist. She expressed her disbelief upon hearing the senator's decision to sweep the affair under the rug. She shared fresh insights about justice, mercy, and humility, confessing her own shortsightedness to fight for the right thing while overlooking the importance of love and mercy for people in the wrong. Bellardi listened impassi
-
Blog postStevie breathed a prayer and began. "Senator Bellardi, I moved my children from Los Angeles to Redding six months ago because I believed in your vision for North California. I volunteered to assist in your campaign and accepted every opportunity to serve for the same reason. It has been an honor and a privilege for me to play a small role in the propagation of your dreams and goals for my family and the people of this state. Your vision has become my vision.”
Stevie continued, “But I' -
Blog postStevie was not exactly sure what she would say to the senator. She had been alone for two hours after Jon left, but she had not used that time to frame a speech. Instead, she puttered around the apartment asking God to give her the right attitude. She felt very confident, as if Jon's prayers had enveloped her with peace.
She harbored no anger toward the man she was about to confront, nor did she fear his response. Instead, Stevie saw herself as the bearer of great good. Daniel Bellardi was -
Blog postStevie stood and began to pace, instantly anxious at the prospect of confronting the senator. "I already said my piece to Robert. I thought I was done." Jon said, "I'm not saying you have to do this. It's up to you." Stevie responded, "That's just the point. I know you're right. I'm the one who received Wes' email. I'm the one who should talk to his father."
"One more thing," Jon continued. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to pray for you -
Blog postJon said, "Stevie, there's still time for you to convince Senator Bellardi—or at least try to convince him—to come clean and not cover up the fact that his son is AntiCrist." "And you think I'm the one to do the convincing," she responded. Jon nodded. "The senator knows you and trusts you. You're in the inner circle of his campaign."
"He doesn't really know me, Jon. I'm just another gear in the machine." "But he must realize by now that you're -
Blog post“Mercy is the vital quality missing when I look at Dan Bellardi," Jon said. "He knows how to act justly, but he has a lot to learn about expressing mercy and compassion, beginning in his own home. He may be a champion for what's right, but he seems incapable of humbling himself when he's wrong. He knows how to deal with crime, but he doesn't know how to deal with the criminal.
"Juanita Dunsmuir and her kind are just the opposite: high scores in their view of mercy, low score -
Blog postJon said, “I admire Bellardi's dogged commitment to Judeo-Christian values and his vision for North California. But there's something missing in his approach to righting the wrongs of society. It bothered me then, and it bothers me now. I think it ran across your grain, too."
He continued. "When I think of someone acting justly, like the Bible talks about, I think of Senator Bellardi. I believe he sincerely wants to do what's right under God for North California. But that verse a -
Blog post"Robert, what kind of life does Wes have if the senator tries to cover up the truth about him?” Stevie asked. “Does the senator forbid him to go back to college for fear of his son's lifestyle being exposed? If he contracts or develops AIDS, does he isolate him like a leper? And will the senator make amends for ignoring his son when he needed a father so desperately? Or will he still be too busy?"
"You're talking as if the police have already confirmed Wes to be AntiCr -
Blog post"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." The words from Jeremiah 29:11 suddenly returned to her with a clarity she had never seen before. Of course God's plans for her were good. Of course He wanted to give her a future and a hope. But she would never realize those plans by running away. The only way those plans would be fulfilled was by running to God, finding safety in His love.
-
Blog post"I agree that the senator needs to be transparent about the whole AntiCrist situation," Robert said. "But not prematurely. If he makes announcements before we know them to be factual, then our vision for North California could be lost forever." He reached over and covered her hand with his. His eyes bore into hers, pleading with her to understand. "Is that what you want, Stevie? You came to North California six months ago because you wanted your children to grow up in a
Titles By Josh McDowell
$19.99
$7.49
Who is Jesus . . . Really?: A Dialogue on God, Man, and Grace (The Coffee House Chronicles Book 2)
Jan 1, 2011
$4.99
Other Formats:
Paperback
