Sunday, March 4, 2012

Faith at the Darkest Moment by Haley Whitehall





Faith at the Darkest Moment
By Haley Whitehall

Keeping faith at the darkest moment is perhaps the hardest thing a person can do. Many times people lose a loved one, experience a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, fight to eek out an existence in a poor economy and blame God. Some go farther and even turn their back on Him. They wonder, “Why would He let me experience such pain? If He was there for me, He would have kept this from happening.”
God is there for us even in our darkest moments. He doesn’t protect us from pain; because it is from the pain we learn and grow. He has a plan for us. Our lives affect so many others. We can make a difference by sharing what we have learned. There is a divine purpose for each of us.
Faith at the darkest moment can take many forms. Some people are only fair weather Christians. Others do not think about God until the dark moment. Their life flashes before their eyes and they cry out to Him for help.
When experiencing a dark moment, we have two choices: gain strength by relying on Him and trusting Him, or turning away. Even if we turn away, God is there for us. He is patient and waits for us to return.
Zachariah, the protagonist in my debut novel Living Half Free, struggles with his faith. As a slave in the antebellum south, each day of his life is filled with pain. He witnesses and experiences abuse at his master’s hands. His mother raised him to be Christian, took him to church, but when he is sold and separated from her, his faith wavers. Each day is like a dark moment. He doesn’t know how much he can take.
But, God never gives us more than we can handle. Zachariah discovers his true strength. With the guidance of a Lillian a headstrong Cherokee woman, he takes on the racist south. Changing the minds and hearts of society would be like moving a mountain. But, even changing the views of one person makes a difference.
Sometimes we want it all, we are so occupied with the big picture that we are blinded to the little blessings. Zachariah learns to be grateful for each day. Have you?

Book Teaser for Living Half Free:

When Zachariah, a naïve mulatto slave, is sold to a Kentucky slave trader, and separated from his ma and sister, he realizes the true meaning of not having rights. Seeking escape, he falls in love with a Cherokee woman, under whose direction he learns to pass as white. But, he must find his voice, and the courage to stand up for his beliefs or else lose everyone he loves forever.

Bio: 

HALEY WHITEHALL has a B.A in history and has been studying the Civil War era since the 5th grade. She likes to write out of the box stories that feature an underdog. LIVING HALF FREE is her debut novel. Released February 29, the ebook can be found at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. Find out more about Haley through her website or connect with her on Twitter @HaleyWhitehall or Facebook.