David Liberty is trapped within the walls of a nursing home, inside a failing body. No longer able to move, speak, or respond to communication, David longs for escape and welcomes his impending death. His plans are changed when he is confronted by an angel, Joelle, who questions his past and irrevocably changes his future. David is given a second chance at life, but not in the manner he had hoped. His renewed body and unchanged self are thrown into the lives of others, and he is commissioned to assist them in their struggles and bridge the chasm that separates them from God. As a penalty for a lifetime of merely “talking the talk,” David is unable to speak; instead he must use actions to demonstrate his love for God and others. David’s first task is to help a major league baseball player put aside pride and once again place his family above money and fame. Next, he is thrown into a new family, in which envy threatens the life of both siblings. In the climactic conclusion, David encounters a young boy whose family is held captive to sloth and anger.
A physical therapy clinic and fitness center owner, Bryan Hathaway has dedicated his life to helping people heal. In an effort to reach individuals at a spiritual level, Bryan has taken his knowledge of scripture and love for fiction and combined the two in his own series of novels, The Guardian Angel Chronicles. Recipient of “The small business of the year award” in 2003, Bryan has been a guest at local schools and churches where he speaks on subjects like: “Winning in sports and winning in life,” and “Success after school.” His speaking topics are all inspired by tragedies in his own life where he learned firsthand about the fragility of life and that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. Bryan writes to depict faith, love, honesty, and character so that one day his children could know these truths in life, even if their father was no longer around to physically teach them. Bryan enjoys his family and faith, the outdoors, sports, physical fitness, writing music, and a good philosophical debate. Bryan resides with his wife and four children in upstate New York.
My Impressions:
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead (James 2:26). For David Liberty, these words will awaken his body and his spirt.
Bryan Hathaway’s new novel, David and Goliath, explores the Biblical principal of faith and works. David Liberty once was a motivational speaker that encouraged thousands to improve their businesses and marriages through sacrificial actions. However, he didn’t live what he preached. Slowly his body began to shut down, leaving him finally unable to move or speak. But his mind was still sharp and he faced a bitter life alone with his own thoughts. Then through an encounter with a supernatural being, Joelle, he finds himself placed in other’s lives, teaching them to put action, not words, to work in their relationships. Ironically, the man that used words so well in his former life, cannot speak.
David and Goliath is a book with many lessons: the reality of spiritual warfare, the destructive nature of sin and most importantly the call of the believer in Christ to live out his faith. It calls believers to stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions (1 John 3:18, The Message). On the surface, Hathaway’s novel is a good read: a thought- provoking plot with believable characters. Yet as the reader gets deeper into David Liberty’s life, he will find himself thinking about his own actions as they illustrate his own faith walk. I heartily recommend this book to anyone wanting to examine his faith journey — watch out for your toes!
Recommended.
(Thank you to Bryan Hathaway and the publisher for giving me this book to review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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