A Test of Faith (A Journey of Faith, Book Two)
a novel by Richard Hartzer
Several months after narrowly escaping death, eighteen-year-old Faith Webber is still hiding from Chancellor Sloane, the man who tried to execute her for treason. Desperately low on supplies, Faith and her family must find a way to escape and continue the fight for religious freedom that nearly took their lives.
When Faith and her associates decide to take the fight directly to Chancellor Sloane, the conflict grows more complicated than she could have imagined. Along the way, unexpected allies and new adversaries emerge, turning Faith’s world upside-down. Suffering from the effects of her harrowing experience and finding herself growing more distant from her loved ones, Faith begins to question the true motives of everyone around her.
Once her eyes are finally opened to see the truth, Faith is faced with one impossible test after another, driving her to her breaking point.
A Confession of Faith (A Journey of Faith, Book One)
a novel by Richard Hartzer
Faith Webber is your typical 18-year-old girl who faces the same issues most young adults face…with one exception. The Chancellor has sentenced her to be executed for committing treason. As she faces death, Faith recounts a journey filled with suspense and mystery, that began when her father moved her close-knit Christian family to a country where religion is outlawed. Now that her father is away on business more often, Faith grows tired of his secretive activities, and longs for the relationship they once had.
When a handsome young man named Jakob, and his family move in across the street, Faith immediately falls in love, unaware of the secrets her new boyfriend is harboring. As Faith and Jakob grow closer together, she and her father continue to drift even farther apart. When a series of shocking revelations about Jakob and her father shakes Faith’s world, she doesn’t know who to trust, or what to do.
When Faith finally learns the truth, she finds herself trapped in an impossible situation with no easy way out. Doing the right thing will endanger those closest to her, and could force Faith to make the ultimate sacrifice.
An Excerpt from “A Confession of Faith”
Most people don’t know when they’re going to die, but then again, I’ve never been “most people.” I’m going to die in four days, two hours, and approximately eleven minutes. How could I possibly know this? Because the Chancellor himself sentenced me to die for committing high treason. Now, you might be wondering, “Why was an eighteen year old student charged with such a crime?” and honestly, I’m still trying to come to grips with the whole thing myself. This roller coaster ride has been filled with emotional highs and devastating lows; but through it all, God’s hand has been upon me. Even during those times when I couldn’t see it.
When I was younger, I read a classic novel titled The Diary of Anne Frank. Anne was placed in an unthinkable situation, but she was wise enough to record the events of her life during that time. After she died and her diary was found, it gave people a personal insight into a horrific event in human history. After I read her diary, I knew I was destined to become an author myself. I went on to write short stories, poems, essays, and eventually I wrote for my very own website.
However, I have never had an opportunity to attempt the novel I’ve always wanted to write—until now.
The government is eager to obtain as much information from me as possible, which is why they have given me a computer to write my confession. They want me to give them evidence of my guilt so they can justify my punishment and identify my accomplices; but instead of a confession of guilt, this will be a Confession of Faith.
I was more than a little surprised to hear that they would give me a computer, considering my history with them—but they disabled everything other than a word processing program. That way, I couldn’t cause any trouble.
As I write my story, I will try my best to record the conversations as they actually took place. The wording in the dialogue may not be exactly as it occurred in real life, but it should be close enough to convey the significant conversations. I probably won’t have much time to proofread this document, so I apologize in advance for any grammatical or spelling mistakes that may slip past me. I seriously doubt any of this will ever be published, but the process of reflecting and writing should prove to be therapeutic for me.
If anyone actually does read my story, I pray they are inspired to keep their faith when they, too, face impossible situations. After all, that’s when we need our faith the most. All of those reasons for writing are important, but if I’m completely honest, a part of me also hopes this activity will be enough to keep my mind off of what will happen in four days, one hour, and approximately thirty-seven minutes.
What Shall I Write About Today? 