Disclosure: I am a member of the Litfuse blogger group; opinions shared here are mine.

Two years ago, a family very dear to us moved to Saudi Arabia.  They were invited to be teachers of an elite, progressive private American school.  When the initial plan was announced, the rest of us were all atwitter with worry. Why would they move across the world? What would they do with all their belongings? Would we ever see them again? These brave friends gave away all that they owned, made arrangements for their pets to be adopted, and followed their wanderlust to distant lands.  We keep in touch through texts, photos, and blog posts.  They visited the US over the summer and threw a huge pizza party to reunite with friends.  Their children have taken amazing field trips to Nepal and China.  Following the nudge from God was exactly what they were supposed to do.  My sweet friend recently posted on her blog:

Sunshine all the time makes a desert.

That quote really spoke to me.  Doesn’t that apply to the seasons of our spiritual walk, too?

The book Mercy Triumphs by Jana Kelley is a unique spin on traditional Christian fiction.  The setting in a Muslim country makes a huge impact on the story. For most of us, that region is only familiar through glimpses we see on the  media.  It usually isn’t a generous view of that part of the world, but the Christians there ARE our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We should be praying for them as they face the struggles of living in an oppressive land!  Extending mercy doesn’t just mean within the confines of the US borders, right?

I appreciated that Mercy Triumphs contains a glossary of Arabic words, which helped me to better enjoy the story.  This is the third in a series and I haven’t read the others.   Enough background is given to help me piece together some events from the previous books.  Aside from the plot, there’s an important message about prejudice and misconceptions.  No matter where you live, that’s a big theme to keep in mind.

About the book:

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.

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.

Thanks to Litfuse for including me in the blog tour for Mercy Triumphs.