Suffering is a pile of stones. You can carry them, let them lay upon the ground, throw them at others, or you can build an altar.
Build an altar, my son. Always.
Jonathan read his mother’s words again before allowing the scroll to reroll and then tucking it beside their coin pouch. In the light from the single flame of the oil lamp, he studied his wife as she slept.
Only then did he understand the last part of his mother’s letter.
Jonathan had floundered on the stones. He’d hurled them at others in his anger. He’d tried to carry them alone until they crushed him. It had taken Nessa to show him how to build an altar of the suffering they’d both known.
More stones would come. He knew enough of life to know that they would. He knew enough of God and himself this time to build the altars. A gladiator no more, but a warrior still. Jonathan extinguished the lamp and returned to his wife, praying the Lord’s work for both of them would not be finished for a long, long time.
Acknowledgements
I’m blessed to be the one putting my name on the cover but Jonathan’s story would never have made it to you the reader solely by my own efforts. Thank you to my family for your sacrifices and encouragement every step of the way. I owe immeasurable gratitude to Joan Deneve—best friend, critique partner, and tireless champion of both me and this story. Only God could have brought us together. To my colleagues in American Christian Fiction Writers and Writers on the Storm, thank you for your inspiration and encouragement. Special thanks to Whitney and Darren whose praise and encouragement chapter by chapter in those first days and draft gave me more courage than you know. Thank you to my editor, and now friend, Ellen Tarver for her finishing touches and passion for this story. To my fans the “K-Squad”—your love for Jonathan and my novels keeps me writing. Thank you.
There were many sources of research I gleaned from but I must formally acknowledge those that were indispensable to me: Fik Meijer’s The Gladiators: History's Most Deadly Sport, the BBC Film Colosseum - A Gladiator's Story, and Ancient Rome: A Complete History Of The Rise And Fall Of The Roman Empire by Nigel Rodgers and Dr. Hazel Dodge. My deepest gratitude to renowned gladiatorial expert and Harvard University’s James Loeb Professor of the Classics, Dr. Kathleen M. Coleman, for her generosity in providing me with requested offprints of her research. Jonathan is left-handed as a tribute to Dr. Coleman and her work to preserve and deepen our understanding of gladiator history.
Thank you to Chad Arnold, for graciously allowing me to take his words, “Suffering is like a pile of rocks. You can choose to carry the load, throw them at someone, just let it lay there, or you can build an altar,” and give them to Jonathan’s mother in the final chapter. I first heard those two sentences of truth at a time I was facing that same choice, and was forever changed by them.
Lastly, to T. Your support and encouragement as I chased this dream down, and admonishment when I wanted to give it up, will forever echo in the victory.
Nancy Kimball
Ezekiel 36:33-36
Nancy Kimball
Fiction from the Ashes
Author, avid reader, and shameless hero addict, Nancy Kimball loves books, Ancient Rome and all things gladiator. She makes her home in Houston, Texas and is the former president of her local American Christian Fiction Writers chapter, Writers on the Storm. Her industry accolades include a two-time ACFW Genesis finalist (Chasing the Lion – 2012 / Unseen Love – 2013), and a Romance Writers of America Lonestar finalist in the Inspirational Category (Adrift No More – 2013). In 2012, her best friend and critique partner bestowed Nancy with the nickname "Phoenix" after hearing her personal testimony. Nancy loved the name and adopted the Phoenix symbol to embody her life verse, Ezekiel 36:33-36. It later came to represent her brand, Fiction From the Ashes, symbolizing stories of characters that rise from brokenness to victory.
Visit Nancy at her website, http://www.nancykimball.com for more on Jonathan and Nancy.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Running
Chapter 2 – First Meeting
Chapter 3 – Worthy
Chapter 4 – Rescue
Chapter 5 – Taken
Chapter 6 – Slave
Chapter 7 – Lost
Chapter 8 – Stand
Chapter 9 – Sons
Chapter 10 – The Ludis
Chapter 11 – Shards
Chapter 12 – Histories
Chapter 13 – Choices
Chapter 14 – The Lion
Chapter 15 – Lied To
Chapter 16 – Sacramentum Gladitorium
Chapter 17 – Teach Me
Chapter 18 – Yours
Chapter 19 – The Games
Chapter 20 – Misused
Chapter 21 – Hour
Chapter 22 – Old Friend
Chapter 23 – Tremble
Chapter 24 – Going Home
Chapter 25 – Life
Chapter 26 – For That
Chapter 27 – In Remembrance
Chapter 28 – Respect
Chapter 29 – What He Had
Chapter 30 – Champion
Chapter 31 – A Different Game
Chapter 32 – Silver
Chapter 33 – Defiance
Chapter 34 – Aftermath
Chapter 35 – Healing Arts
Chapter 36 – Scars
Chapter 37 – Assassins
Chapter 38 – Sacrifice
Chapter 39 – Reckoning
Chapter 40 – Forgive
Chapter 41 – Surrender
Chapter 42 – Free
Acknowledgements
About The Author
Chasing the Lion Page 36
