As the great tribulation begins, a series of puzzling instructions from the branch tests the faith and resolve of Witnesses worldwide. Follow the experiences of Peter, an elder in a congregation in Northern California, his wife Rachel, and their extended family and friends as difficult decisions and heart-wrenching sacrifices are made to be obedient and loyal. == An excerpt from the The five men took their seats around Peter Burton’s kitchen table as an ancient grandfather clock in the sitting room clanged out a low tone on the hour. It was eleven o’clock and the air carried the scent of strong coffee and leftover blueberry pie which had been warmed, sliced, and served on small saucers by Peter’s wife before she’d retired to bed. So far the dessert had been eaten by no one––everyone was full on tension. It wasn’t unusual to be holding the elders’ meeting in a private home. For one, the hall was already in use by another congregation, and for another, the recent tumult between religion and politics had put everyone on edge. While the Witnesses’ activities hadn’t been banned outright, there were already countless instances of harassment, prompting the organization to urge caution. Many of the brothers suspected it was only a matter of time before the usual function of Kingdom Halls was interrupted indefinitely. Peter took a deep breath and studied the four faces around the table. To his right was Jack Reese, the service overseer. The brother was in his mid-fifties with greying hair swept back at his temples. He wore a perpetual frown, the face of an astute man concerned always with the details. Perched on his hooked nose were a pair of thin, frameless bifocals that he now peered over, his eyes darting from face to face before finally settling on his folded hands. Next was Ajay Sharma. Ajay had moved in from a Punjabi group in Palo Alto with his wife, Sheila, and their two small children, once they’d determined that the children needed a spiritual upbringing in English. It had been a difficult transition for the parents, but they had never regretted the decision, and the children were gradually blossoming into stable and mature preteens. Lastly was Marcus Kelly, the coordinator. The oldest member of Monte Vista’s elder body and easily the most seasoned, Marcus was well-respected not just in his congregation, but in the entire circuit, often giving talks and interviews on conventions. He’d served in past years as a missionary and then a circuit overseer, and his wealth of experience was valued by all on the body, but especially Peter. Marcus had been the one to first study the Bible with Peter, just a few months after Marcus and Vivian had come off the road from the circuit work to care for aging parents. Peter had seen firsthand how Marcus’ experiences had enriched and molded him, and rarely wasted an opportunity to glean lessons from the wizened Marcus Kelly. “Thank you all for agreeing to meet on such short notice,” Marcus began after an opening prayer. He took his time to acknowledge each of the elders around the table and continued. “I know it’s late and I’ll do my best to make sure this doesn’t drag on...” Reviews & comments from == "I love the creativity and imagination. I don’t feel as though I’m good at visualizing things, on my own. But, your books have helped me to visualize things in a way I have long desired. I don’t expect things to be the way the book is, but it’s nice to be able to picture something.
