A Christmas Gift
by Kathi Macias
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Pub Date Oct 06 2014 | Archive Date Dec 02 2014
Description
Julie had always longed to travel and teach
abroad but she only went after husband’s death. Against her families’ wishes,
she went to Chiapas, Mexico. Now, she was teaching and
falling in love with her students. What she didn’t count on was what happened
in the short days leading up to Christmas, Ramon—a
local pastor, and a simple Christmas Eve service. Would this simple man and his
faith be enough to cause her to stay when she now had every reason to leave?
Advance Praise
“I love how Kathi Macias’s books take me away to exotic places on an adventure. But that adventure unfolds to reveal secrets and social injustices her characters have to navigate and expose. Through the eyes of Macias’s fictional characters, I grow as a person. I love the rich settings and deeply moving situations in A Christmas Gift.”—–Angela Breidenbach, Christian Authors Network president, author, and national speaker
“A Christmas Gift shines with endearing characters, in particular, Julia. She will sing your song—of the loss one cannot bring back, the adventure that beckons, the adjustment that is inevitable. But through the heart-tugging journey, A Christmas Gift plays the melody of hope. The never-ending hope for a new life, a new land, and the sweetness of a new beginning.”—Janet Perez Eckles, author and international speaker
“Sometimes the only way out of our grief is through the doorway of serving others. In A Christmas Gift, Kathi Macias tells the story of a woman who left her pain behind, and everything familiar, not to disconnect, but to connect with her true self, her true calling, the true meaning of love, and the truth that gave birth to the Christmas story. With moments of tenderness and others of raw fear, Macias invites the reader to come along for a journey that may serve as a connecting point for them as well.”—Cynthia Ruchti, award-winning author of All My Belongings
“What if a widow steps out of her comfort zone to serve in the volatile world of Mayan Mexico only to find that God’s plans for her are far different than hers—and seemingly far more dangerous? This page-turning, cultural thriller is packed with compelling and sobering truths about the broken and sometimes evil world around us as well as the reality that God’s plans are, ultimately, good. Kathi Macias delivers a heart-stopping and intriguing story of redemption that you won’t soon forget.”—Susan G. Mathis, author of The Remarriage Adventure and Countdown for Couples
“A Christmas Gift drew me in from the first page. I’ve been on over a dozen short-term missions trips in Mexico. I’ve not been to Chiapas, but I have been to areas much like the one that is the setting for the story. I love missionaries, and I love the Mexican people. All of these elements in the story were so true to the life that I’ve personally seen and experienced. I fell in love with the main characters, and the suspenseful storyline kept me turning pages until the end. I highly recommend this book.”—Lena Nelson Dooley, award-winning author of the “McKenna’s Daughters” Series, and screenwriter for the Higher Ground Films movie, Abducted to Kill
“The La Paz mission compound in southern Mexico could be exactly the change of scenery that high school teacher Julia Bennington needs. Certainly, they need her. But more awaits her in the remote jungles than wildlife and beauty. A sinister grappling for her very life forces her to consider the reality of God’s promises—and whether He will save her from imminent death.
“In A Christmas Gift, Kathi Macias takes her readers to the stunning rain forests of southern Mexico where American teacher Julia Bennington tries to do the right thing. The very thing that may end up taking her life.
“In the tradition of Kathi Macias’s life-changing fiction, A Christmas Gift grips the heart as one woman’s effort to do the right thing lands her in the clutches of unspeakable evil.”—Davalynn Spencer, author of The Snowbound Bride
Marketing Plan
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781596694163 |
| PRICE | $15.99 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 98309
A Christmas Gift is completely different than what I expected. I was expecting a sweet Christmas story but it went much deeper than that. There were some sweet moments in it but much more suspense and action. The story line was good just not centered around Christmas as I had initially thought. I did like it though.
4 stars.
Calla J, Reviewer
Trusting God in all things is harder done than said. Indeed, many miracles did occur & growth in faith through a real relationship with God. We don't see the whole picture or understand why GOD allows certain things to happen in our lives,but we need to trust God in all circumstances.
Marnie C, Reviewer
Julie, a school teacher and widow from California, seeks a change in her life to help her find a new balance. Her children are young adults in college, her parents are able to take care of themselves, and Julie has spent too much time depressed. By a stroke of God’s timing, a known-to-the-family missionary couple has need of a teacher for a compound in Southern Mexico, deep in the Mayan culture. Julie feels compelled to go, even though she would say her faith is shaky.
The new life and job in the compound certainly challenge her faith and she is kidnapped by an evil man with even worse intentions. During captivity God reaches Julie with certain messages. No matter the outcome, her faith is renewed.
Arlena D, Reviewer
Title: A Christmas Gift Author: Kathi Macias Publisher: New Hope Publishers Reviewed By: Arlena Dean Rating: 5 Review:
"A Christmas Gift" by Kathi Macias
Book Description:
"Chiapas, Mexico, had proven to be the distraction and escape Julie needed. As a teacher, she had longed to travel and instruct abroad. Now, she was teaching and falling in love with her students. But what she didn't expect happened in the short days leading up to Christmas. She didn’t know that her freedom would depend on Ramon, the local pastor. She didn’t anticipate the emotions this man of God would stir deep in her spirit. This Christmas Eve service would be unlike any other she had ever experienced. Would this simple man and his faith be enough to cause her to stay when she had every reason to leave?"
What I liked from this novel...
This was indeed a heartwarming Christian story that will capture your attention and keep you reading not wanting to put it down till the very end. Now, don't get me wrong this author brings out the dark side too in the novel...an example would be like telling the scary things that can and do go on in Mexico. I am sure you are now wondering what I am referring to and all I will say is you will have to read "A Christmas Gift" to see for yourself. I will say at this point this is not a read for the faint hearted or for children. However, this author really does a good job giving the reader some very interesting characters who were all for the most part well developed, captivating and believable. You will find from the read that the heroine Julie who was deeply depressed after the death of her husband and decides to do a long buried dream of hers and that was to take a job teaching abroad...in Chiapas, Mexico (the rain forest of southern Mexico) for a year. It was there she meets a local pastor and this story will take off from there where you will see it was there in Mexico that Julie had her life changing experience that turns off to be quite a spiritual as well as a physical journey for her too. I was caught with that surprised ending!
"A Christmas Gift" was a good Christian read that I would gladly recommend to you rather if it's Christmas or not.
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