The True Father: A Novel

By Tamara Carl

Desperate to escape the religious persecution they were facing in Cuba, eleven-year-old Jonas, his family and friends boarded a small boat headed for Newfoundland. But after falling overboard during a violent storm, Jonas finds himself alone on a deserted island with no food, water, or supplies--and hunted by the Enemies of Christ, who want to kill him for his belief in the one true God.



Will Jonas ever see his parents again? Will his faith in God--his true Father--be enough to keep him alive in the face of impossible circumstances?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Creation House
• Release date: Oct 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781621363835

Book preview

TAMARA CARL

THE TRUE FATHER by Tamara Carl

Published by Creation House Press (CHP)

A Charisma Media Company

600 Rinehart Road

Lake Mary, Florida 32746

www.charismamedia.com

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified Bible. Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament copyright © 1954, 1958, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 60188. All rights reserved.

Design Director: Bill Johnson

Cover design by Terry Clifton

Copyright © 2013 by Tamara Carl

All rights reserved.

Visit the author by e-mail: [e-mail]

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

2013937674

International Standard Book Number: 978-1-62136-382-8

E-book International Standard Book Number:

978-1-62136-383-5

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors or for changes that occur after publication.

DEDICATION

To Dee and Mary, who stood beside me

in the valley.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1: The Escape

2: Survival

3: The Supernatural Father

4: The Friendship

5: The Plan

6: Jonas’ Test of Faith

7: The Enemy Approaches

8: The Confrontation

Notes

About the Author

Contact the Author

Chapter 1

THE ESCAPE

LIGHTNING FLASHED AND thunder roared as the storm sent wave after wave crashing against the small boat. The furious wind shoved the passengers in every direction while simultaneously drenching them with torrents of water. Jonas clenched both fists to the cargo net holding their few boxes of possessions and food rations. The wind whipped his wet hair across his eyes. He squinted in pain from the sharp sting, never releasing his grip. The wind and rain were deafening, and Jonas could barely see or hear anything that was happening to his family and friends, but he clearly sensed the danger of the moment.

His parents, who became born-again Christians during his first year of life, were now escaping persecution for their beliefs. They had prayed they would find refuge for their family in Newfoundland. They were not alone. They had their friends with them. Together they had decided to flee Cuba after much consideration and well-laid plans, but the storm was never predicted by human minds. How could anyone have known?

Jonas was battling fear as he continued to grip the cargo net he so desperately clung to as the water pelted his face. He could hear his heart pounding in his chest as he screamed, God, help us!

The boat continued to move forward with no change in the weather. In his mind, Jonas wondered how long they could all continue to survive the storm before the boat suffered some severe damage. From what he could see through squinted eyes, he knew water was everywhere, and the violent wind was a force to reckon with. Only the adults knew how many more miles were left to travel before they could plant their feet on solid ground.

Minutes seemed like hours, and Jonas was holding on with all the strength he had left in his body. He could feel himself weakening physically, but tried to keep his mind alert. The boat appeared to be slowly moving in a new direction. Jonas could see a bluff off to the right side of the boat, and just barely in the distance ahead he caught a glimpse of a sandy shore.

Suddenly a gust of wind with greater force descended upon the boat and its crew. Waves taller than any they had yet experienced tossed the boat back and forth. As the boat rode each wave, Jonas was afraid it would capsize. The weight of the cargo boxes shifted with the next rolling wave, and Jonas felt the net pull from its anchors. Within a matter of seconds he had lost his grip and was sliding across the deck of the boat. There was nothing to prevent the boxes from sliding into the cold Atlantic water, and there was nothing to prevent them from taking Jonas overboard too.

His feet lost contact with the deck as his body sailed backward suspended in air. Only seconds passed before his body was submerged into the frigid water of the ocean. The shock to his body quickly signaled his brain to take immediate