Friday, September 15, 2017

Mercy Triumphs by Jana Kelley

Three women. Three impossible circumstances. One merciful God.
Mia, an American Christian, has lived in Sudan so long that persecution, harassment, and danger have become commonplace for her. Her tough outer shell threatens to harden her heart while her newly Christian friends, Halimah and Rania, former Muslims, are forced to live in exile outside Sudan. All three quickly discover that escaping danger in one place only means facing even greater challenges elsewhere. As God's mercy becomes evident in their lives, they must choose whether or not to offer mercy to those who don't deserve it.
Third in a trilogy, Mercy Triumphs opens the reader's eyes to modern-day persecution and the life of Muslims in Sudan. Based on real-life events, 
Mercy Triumphs reveals some of the struggles Christians face when living under Islamic law. The reader will be inspired to pray for new believers, those who are persecuted for their faith, and even for the salvation of the persecutors.
Mercy Triumphs is the third novel in the trilogy written by Jana Kelley. Picking up a little while after A Door to Freedom, this novel focuses in on some different themes than the first two novels did. The focus shifts from persecution of believers to the struggles of new believers and to trusting in God no matter what the circumstances. Halimah struggles with how to embrace her new freedom Christ yet at the same time not lose sight of the reason why she is free and who her identity is in. Her dilemma is one that is faced by believers in many different cultures, and it was thought provoking to see first her gradual acceptance and then her eventual conviction from the Word and other believers. Rania struggles with the desire to stay safe yet at the same time share the truth with members of her family who do seem interested. I was drawn into both sisters' situations, how they turned to the Word, and the eventual resolution. 
Mia's case was a little different. I cannot say too much without giving away part of the story, but I was convicted by Mia's initial lack of trust in God, in two very different settings, and how in both cases she had to remember to turn back to God and to trust in His guidance. It was also thought provoking to see her realization that she can show mercy, kindness, and share God's love no matter where or with whom she is. Overall, I highly enjoyed the themes of this final novel. The writing style still is choppy at times, and even three books later I still have trouble relating to Mia's character, but the message of this book is very clear and important for believers to remember. 
 I received this book from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review. Read more reviews of Mercy Triumphs at http://litfusegroup.com/author/jkelley. 


About the author:


Author of the captivating novel "Side by Side," Jana Kelley is a Texan who hardly ever lives in Texas. Raised in Southeast Asia, Jana developed a love for cross-cultural living early in life. Her love for writing came soon after. Jana returned to Texas to attend East Texas Baptist University. She and her husband married a month after she graduated, and by their second anniversary, they were living in a remote African town. After 13 years living in Africa and the Middle East, Jana, her husband, and their three boys moved to Southeast Asia where they currently live.
Find out more about Jana at http://www.janakelley.com.