Introduction

IS IT REALLY DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN? OR IS THE DEEPEST DARKNESS FOREVER? The answer has been kept secret. Until now. A corrupt stockbroker on the run...

An economy in turmoil...

And a mysterious pendant sought by the richest woman on Wall Street.

Terrified of going to jail, Justin Connelly faked his death and fled the seductions of Manhattan for the quiet corners of Providence, Rhode Island. His only keepsake was an antique pendant engraved with strange markings.

But then a sailing accident almost kills him for real. In his near-death state, Justin is taken into the darkness of hell itself, where he sees things that drive him out of hiding and back to his abandoned wife in New York.

But Tori has moved on, and his old enemies on Wall Street are not happy to see him. They want the pendant, which, in the wrong hands, could destroy humanity--and Justin's former boss definitely has the wrong hands.

The only way out is to swallow his pride, and his doubt, and work with Tori and her new fiancé to expose the truth.

As world economies--and his own soul--hang in the balance, Justin must decide whether to sacrifice everything for the light he has found.

A spiritual thriller for the crises of our time

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Excerpt

1
The Graveyard Shift
April 2, 1996
New York City
1:37 A.M.
The dreaded moment struck without warning.
It unfolded in slow motion as if in a dream. For forty-three-year-old Franklin Scott, the dream was a nightmare. Everything went silent, as it always had whenever the nightmare had disturbed his sleep during his twelve years as a subway motorman. This time the terror was real. The E train approached the well-lit World Trade Center stop as a man fell from the platform. Franklin grabbed the brake handle and slammed it forward. No! Dear God, please, no! ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Justin Connelly is knocked unconscious in a sailing accident and, while in a coma, taken to the depths of hell itself. Do near-death experiences provide reliable information about the afterlife? Read I Peter 3:18–22 and reflect on Justin’s encounter with Jesus Christ in hell. How does his encounter relate to this passage of scripture and to the statement in the Apostles’ Creed that Jesus “descended into hell”?

2 The terrorist attacks on September 11th, the suffering Justin brings on himself and others, and the horror he endures while he is in his coma are all examples of the experience of hell. How do these examples either support or challenge your ideas about whether hell exists and/or what it might be like?

3 The title of the novel is a reference to September 11th, 2001. The day began with blue skies and brilliant sunshine in the East, but the terrorist attacks turned the morning dark and filled it with suffering. How does the “take back the morning” theme apply to Justin Connelly? To other characters? To the Seven Challenges of a Transformed Life? (See Genesis 1:1–5; John 1:1–5; 8:12).

4 The complications of romantic love is a major theme in the novel. Discuss the ways in which you empathize with and/or question the romantic choices that Justin, Tori, and Paul make. How might the predicaments faced by the men and women of the Bible inform this discussion? (See Genesis 21:1–21; 29:1–30; 2 Samuel 11:1–27; Matthew 1:18–25; 2:13–15).

5 Justin, Tori, and Paul each suffer heartbreak in their intimate relationships. How do they find healing and reconciliation, and what can we learn from their individual stories? (See 2 Corinthians 5:17–21).

6 Candace Donahue and Quentin Rathbun are entangled in an intricate web of deception, greed, and lust for power. What do their stories reveal about the problem of evil and how the problem plays out in everyday life? Are Candace and Quentin evil to the core or are they in any way sympathetic characters? (See Genesis 36; Matthew 4:1–11).

7 Reflect on the role of the pendant in the novel. In what ways does it drive the plot? If such an artifact were actually discovered today, do you think it would create a scenario similar to the one dramatized in the novel, or would you envision a different scenario. (See Exodus 4:1–20; 7:6–24; 8:5–19; 9:22–26; 10:13–15;14:15–22; 17:1–7).

8 When Justin encounters Reverend Robert Sherman in St. Paul’s Chapel, he asks the priest, “Do you believe that a person can ever be so bad that God stops loving him?” Do you agree or disagree with Reverend Sherman’s answer? Is Justin redeemed by the end of the novel? If not, why? If so, does he still have to suffer the consequences of his actions? (See Ephesians 1:3–10; Colossians 1:9–14; Hebrews 9:11–15).

9 Corporate greed, religious fanaticism, and cultural decadence are among the contemporary problems addressed in the novel. Is the spiritual vision it presents capable of solving these problems? Why or why not? (See Mark 3:20–30; Ephesians 6:10–20).

10 As Justin speaks under the power of the pendant, he reveals the Seven Challenges of a Transformed Life.
Discuss each challenge and the scriptures that support it.

1. Accepted Acceptance: Luke 15:11–31; Matthew 20:1–16; Romans 5:1–11

2. Healed Emotions: John 4:1–30; Luke 5:27–32; Luke 7:36–50

3. Awakened Intimacy: Mark 12:28–34; Matthew 5:43–48; John 13:34–35 382 Ta k e Bac k the Morning

4. Reimagined Abundance: John 10:7–10; 2 Corinthians 9:8–9; Ephesians 3:14–21; Philippians 4:19

5. Liberated Service: Mark 10:35–45; Luke 22:24–27; Philippians 2:1–11

6. Inspired Creativity: Acts 2:1–47; I Corinthians 12:1–11; Ephesians 5:15–21

7. Transformed Faith: James 1:19–26; James 3:13–18; Romans 12:1–21

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