Brother Word

In "Brother Word," Derek Jackson delivers a warm message of faith. Through a tragic event, Chance Howard discovers that God has bestowed the gift of healing upon him. But Chance is grief-stricken and mourning the loss of his dearly loved wife. He does anything but appreciate this gift. In spite of himself, Chance roamed the countryside for two years praying over those in need of healing. The big question here is can Chance come to terms with himself and embrace his gift wholeheartedly or will he abandon God and lose himself in the process? I am thankful that I read this book for review. If not, I would have never known what a heartwarming and engaging story this turned out to be. Derek Jackson begins the introductions with a series of disconnected chapters. Meaning the characters are unrelated in any fashion and there is not even the benefit of the theory of "Six Degrees of Separation" to relate the characters. This technique is one that has never grown on me. I am like, "Am I supposed to remember all these people or even give a care?" With the memory of his wife's death as fresh in his mind as the day that it occurred, Chance at times was far too whiny for my taste. I felt that I could lay hands on him...right upside his head! Travis Everett is a reporter who seemed to have less than love for God and his job. It takes a threat from his superior to get the fire beneath him burning. To get ahead in his profession, Travis gets it in his head that he has to reveal the identity of the mystery man that is going around town healing people. Travis wants to spin the story to make Chance look like a villain out to defraud the naive, but he passes up the perfect opportunity to tarnish Chance's image to meet a deadline. "What's up with that?" I must admit by the time little Eddie demonstrates his new God given abilities to his doubting uncle Travis I was all choked up. I also enjoyed the many quotes from scripture and their application. Overall Mr. Jackson has done well and I look forward to reading more of his work. Marian E. APOOO BookClub

Chance Howard has been given the awesome gift of healing. He uses this gift to heal a heart attack stricken pastor, a child with an incurable disease, and a blind woman. But then he quietly vanishes almost into thin air leaving people to wonder just who is this man with this God given power? Chance is still questioning why would God give him this gift and why he couldn't prevent a past tragedy. Chance is also dealing with a skeptical reporter trying to put his own twisted spin on the gift of healing and someone from his past that wants to destroy him for good. Brother Word is an uplifting novel by Derek Jackson. Jackson does an excellent job of showing the awesome power of prayer, faith and God's love. I felt the wide range of emotions from the characters as they went through their various trials and tribulations. This author did a masterful job in including the gift of healing as a central theme of this novel. Although Chance was given this gift, he had to go through some of his own healing which made him a very real character. I was refreshed and spiritually fed after reading this novel. Brother Word is full of faith, hope, and good spiritual food for the soul.

Christian author Derek Jackson has written his second novel, BROTHER WORD, an inspiring story of faith and the power of healing through God's Word. Chance Howard has been blessed with the gift of healing, yet isn't quite healed himself. Shortly after his wife's death, he leaves the town he grew up in and starts to criss-cross across the South, visiting various churches. Following the guidance of God, he lays hands on those afflicted then silently disappears, without introducing himself. After several incidents, one in which he heals a pastor who has a heart attack mid-sermon and another where a crippled deaf child is cured from a life-time disease, the word gets out and he is nicknamed "Brother Word" by the locals. Lynn Harper has always believed in the teachings of the church and lived her life accordingly. She is the Outreach Director at the Faith Community Church and works hard to minister to others. When she is in an accident and loses her sight, she begins to question things, yet she falls back onto her faith, praying for understanding and healing. After several months and what is believed may be a permanent loss of her vision, she goes to a revival seeking recovery. Shortly afterwards, she encounters Chance and regains her vision. Newspaper reporter Travis Everett is getting pretty desperate for a career-making story. When he hears tidbits abojut the mysterious healer, especially after his nephew is healed and a blind woman regains her vision, he jumps on it. With the monkey of success urging him forward, Everett decides to spin the story into one that will have the town waiting on his follow-up and also move him to the front-page spot he needs to secure his job. What he doesn't count on is how much effort he'll have to expend to get to the truth, and then once he does, is it really the story he wants to print? BROTHER WORD is a remarkable story which lauds the power of having faith and how God can not only heal, but bless others with the gift of healing; if only we believe. It also shows that even those who know the Word sometimes have trouble fully committing to it, may question it or fail to reach out for healing when they need it. Through the characters mentioned above and several others, the reader is allotted a message that will renew faith and touch souls. Jackson's writing is strong, evokes emotions, and leaves the reader looking forward to his future works. I enjoyed how he delivered the story without being preachy or becoming repetitious and will definitely be going back to read his debut novel, A Man Inspired. Reviewed by Tee C. Royal of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Although Brother Word is contemporary fiction, author Derek Jackson uses this story to bring home the question that many Christians face in their daily walk with Jesus. How can we, as God's children, suffer such devastating loss in our lives and yet come to a place of healing in order to bring glory to God? Chance Howard is a drifter with a past filled with pain. He's also a man gifted with God's healing power. So how does a man deal with the healing gift God has placed in his life when he is anguished and confused that he couldn't save his own wife from cancer? Chance is representative of most Christians; he's a man who's lived a life filled with hopes, dreams, love, death and heartache. When Chance loses his wife Nina to cancer, and his mother-in-law chases him out of town, Chance takes to the road, hoping to leave the past behind in order to make sense of the future God has in store for him through the healing ministry. Chance's journey brings him to the understanding that the healing powers he's been given are a blessing that allow him to experience the awesomeness of God's power as it flows from his hands and into the bodies of suffering believers. What so captivated me about Brother Word was Jackson's ability to connect with me as a Christian. Like Chance, we Christians aren't protected from pain, we don't live a life without heartache, sheltered from life's trials. But, like Chance, we can come to understand that as God's children, we have the ability to suffer through heartache and loss so that we may bring Him glory and He in turn can turn our pain into full bounty and bless us with gifts that will touch other's lives. We needn't live in the past, questioning the "what ifs," but we, like Chance, can walk in faith, knowing that the life God has planned for us, will be filled with happiness, abundance and prosperity. Armchair Interview says: Powerful message to Christians.

What do you do when you have the gift to lay hands on people and they are able to see again, walk again or be saved from a fatal heart attack but you could not use this same gift to save the one woman you love? And who does the Healer turn to when he needs a healing touch? Chance Howard (aka Brother Word) has the gift. Quiet and unassuming, he lays hands on people and they are instantly healed. Then he vanishes, leaving behind people who are restored and ready to share their remarkable testimony of faith and healing. And although Chance has lost faith and is deeply tormented by the loss of his wife, the one person he was not able to save, even he cannot deny that he has the power to make a difference in the lives of those he touches. But now those he has helped are after the truth. With a skeptical reporter hot on his trail and someone from his past seeking vengeance, Chance is a man on the run. The only way to save himself is to reach out for help no matter what the risk-and put his life and his fate in God's hands... Derek Jackson has written a spirit filled and engaging book is for anyone who has every doubted that God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Highly recommended! Reviewed by Tonya S. Hall for GoodGirlBookClubOnline & The Good Girl Book Club Worldwide