Book Review: Betrayed by J.M. Windle

Book Review: Betrayed by J. M. Windle

Tyndale, paperback; 365 pages; © 2008

Reviewed by Glenda Mathes


Jeanette Windle is one of the authors who has left traditional “safe” Christian fiction in her wake to sail into the relatively uncharted waters of contemporary suspense, and she cruises the genre extremely well.

Windle is a master storyteller whose imaginative and investigative skills create suspenseful plots of unparalleled authenticity. Part of her authenticity in writing about the politics and places of third world countries is rooted in her missionary childhood and adult experiences. But she also takes time to thoroughly research her subjects.

Her subjects in Betrayed are corruption, murder, and mystery in Guatemala City and the cloud forests of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere. Although Windle’s writing is nail-bitingly suspenseful (and therefore, not for everyone), it is not gratuitously graphic (which makes it more appropriate than many murder mysteries). Windle leads the reader through a riveting story that demonstrates plot progression and character development.

When Vicki Anderson arrives in Guatemala City to research a ministry for street children on behalf of an American charitable foundation, she immediately becomes entwined in a tangled web of international intrigue and personal tragedy.

As Vicki comes to a better understanding of the people and events swirling around her, she also comes to a more personal understanding of the Christian faith.

The light of the gospel shines through Windle’s accurate portrayal of dark places and dark hearts. And occasional humor relieves the strain of suspense.

When Vicki asks a local man about his church, he responds by saying that they “sing and praise God….read the Bible, which is God’s Word” and “pray to our heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, who is our Savior from sins.” When she persists by asking what denomination and explaining that there are many church groups in her country, his face lights up and he says, “Ah yes. We are Christian, of course.”

Although some plot developments seem almost too coincidental, it’s impossible to fault the author for this since she clearly points to God’s providence in all the twists and turns of this well-told story.

Jeannette Windle

On Sunday (and early Monday morning!) I read Jeannette Windle's novel, Betrayed. I was familiar with her as an author since I had placed two of her books, CrossFire and its sequel Firestorm, in our church library. But I learned a lot more about her when I attended some of her seminars at the HAWCN writer's conference in November. I ordered more of her books and finally had the opportunity to read Betrayed.

Windle is a master storyteller whose creative skills are matched by investigative skills that create unparalleled authenticity.

If you're interested in authentic depictions of third world countries and politics, check out her adult novels. She's also written an exciting series for pre-teen readers about the Parker Twins as well as a young adult novel, Jana's Journal.

This morning I visited her website and blog. The regime history and assessments of her January 10 and 19 blog entries are well worth reading. I've added a link to her blog on my "blog" sidebar. Check it out!

Autograph Book

When I was in grade school, autograph books were popular. They were small albums with blank pages and one asked one's friends to write in them. I was thrilled when my mom bought me an autograph book. I could hardly wait to ask my friends to write in it.

After several of my friends had each written one of the many witty rhymes making the rounds, I thought I would do something different: I would ask my teacher to write in my autograph book.

My teacher solemnly accepted the book from my hand and told me she would give it back after the noon recess. When I stopped by her desk after recess, she handed it to me with a face that seemed even more serious than usual.

As class began, I surreptitiously snuck a glance in my autograph book to see what she'd written. In her beautiful and perfect handwriting, she had written:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5

I quickly shut the book and put it away. I can still feel the hot blush on my face. I confess that I thought writing a Bible verse in an autograph book was a little strange. I was both slightly angry and slightly embarrassed.

Know what? I can’t remember a single one of those witty scribblings or even which of my friends wrote in my autograph book. But I remember my teacher’s serious face when she handed the book back to me. And I’ve never forgotten the verse.

In God’s providence, she chose a scripture passage that was just right for me. I was one of the “smart kids” and I knew it. I liked to be a leader and boss other students around because, after all, my ideas were the best!

My whole life has been a series of events that continue to teach me the great truth of learning to lean on the Lord and not on my own understanding. I constantly must remind myself to seek his guidance in all things.

Total dependence and seeking God’s guidance are not without reward. In miraculous ways, I’ve seen time and again how things I thought were the worst possible scenario were God’s way of working for my good. He has taken the most convoluted, twisted paths of my life and made them straight.

I'm still learning to lean on the Lord and seek his will in all things. But I've learned that the more you lean on him, the more you will see his will in your life and your paths will become straight.

Gin raisins

A couple of weeks ago, I made my first-ever foray to the local Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits store. Row after row of shelves stocked high with huge bottles of alchohol immediately overwhelmed me. I mentally latched onto signs hanging over sections like a drowning person grabbing a life preserver. While the "GIN" section was not as larges as some others, it still contained a myriad of different colored and shaped bottles. Each of them looked as large as a two-liter soda container.

Just as the prices on the shelf edge were putting me into sticker-shock, the customer at the counter walked out and the clerk asked if she could help me.

"I'm looking for a small bottle of gin," I said.

"How small? A pint?"

"Sure."

"They're back here, behind the counter," she said. "Did you have a particular brand in mind?"

"I'm only using it to soak raisins," I admitted sheepishly.

"It doesn't have to be expensive then," she said. "One of the cheaper brands would probably do."

Visions of horror associated with the phrase "cheap gin" filled my mind and I quickly said, "Perhaps a moderately priced brand."

"Well, I would say that Seagram's has a moderate price."

Seagram's. That's a familiar name.

"I'll take it."

I left the store feeling like a Skid Row addict, carrying a narrow plain brown paper bag that proclaimed: "I CONTAIN ALCOHOL!"

I was using the gin as part of an arthritis remedy. Gin is poured over a pound of golden raisins in a shallow dish; the dish is covered with a paper towel and set aside until the gin evaporates. Then the sufferer eats nine raisins every day. Paul Harvey made the folk remedy popular when he mentioned it on his radio program several years ago, and I'd finally decided that anything was worth a try.

As I poured the gin over the raisins, a wonderful smell wafted up. It reminded me of mountain forests and Christmas. I touched a finger into the clear liquid and tasted it; definitely not like either mountain forests or Christmas.

I've been stirring the raisins and checking on them daily. When the liquid had almost completely evaporated, I used a spoon to pick out nine raisins and ate them. Their taste could not be remotely associated with mountain forests or Christmas. They tasted like juicy raisins.

I've been eating nine gin-soaked raisins daily for the last few days, and I must admit that I am having less than normal arthritis pain, especially considering today's below zero temperatures.

Being a bit of a skeptic, however, I'll need more evidence before I become convinced that it's more than mere coincidence.

An Image of Peace

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

This morning, while praying the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6, an image came to me of a sun-warmed tan wall with dark green shutters.

The image originates in last year's visit to Old San Juan, whose pastel buildings are set against a gorgeous sky and sea backdrop of vibrant blues. As I walked through the narrow streets on a warm evening, breathing the tropic air and hearing the rhythmic surf, the setting sun glowed on the buildings' bright colors and gilded a silver cloud above purple hills.

It was a wonderfully relaxing moment, saturated with peace. The tan wall with green shutters represents this world's peace.

But why were the shutters closed? Other than glass storefronts, most ground-floor and even second-level windows in Old San Juan were shuttered. I doubt the shutters were closed against heat or insects. They appeared to be permanently closed. On the bus ride to Old San Juan, I noticed most apartments in San Juan had protective railings sealing their balconies. Crime is obviously a problem.

The tan wall image is the epitome of peacefulness: warm sun, rhythmic surf, and glowing colors. But it is an image of this world, where shutters are barred against prowling evil.

True peace is found only when one has peace with God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ; who died for our sins, was raised by God's power, ascended into heaven, and will return again one day to judge all people and bring his children into endless joy and ceaseless peace.

New Year's Psalm

It's amazing how often regular reading straight through the Bible yields scriptural gems that are extraordinarily apt for one's current circumstances. It frequently seems that the scripture read "just happens" to fit one's particular trials or times.

In our regular devotional reading through the Psalms, we "just happened" to read Psalm 67 as the new year dawned. Along with one of my all-time favorites, Psalm 90 (which was the text for our church's New Year's service), Psalm 67 (ESV) seems particularly appropriate for a new year:

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

In a year filled with even more uncertainty than usual, this psalm begins by verbalizing my prayer for God's blessing in language that reflects God's ancient and continuing words of covenant faithfulfulness.

The psalm continues by describing the purpose of God's blessing in his people's lives: that God's ways and his salvation may be known throughout the earth and among all nations.

It continues with a prayer that all earth's people will praise God and all the nation's will sing for joy because of God's equitable judgments and his guidance. In every nation throughout the world, God is guiding and directing all events of the new year. His judgments will guide events toward their ultimate fulfillment, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The psalm concludes with a reminder of the abundance that the earth has yielded; amber grain, brilliant gems, and useful oil, all have been given from God as blessings to humanity. God has blessed his people throughout the centuries and he will continue to bless his people with his providential care throughout the new year. All who dwell to the very ends of the earth do well to fear God by acknowledging his power and sovereignty, and Christ's salvation and lordship over all of life!

New Year's Prayer

Invocation

O Lord, if only You might pour on me
Abundant grace of Milton's heavenly muse!
That this gray mind would empty shadows flee
And into golden praise itself would lose.

But Lord, I'm paralyzed with Barak's fear
and blinded by my Pharasaic sight.
My hearing's grown as hard as Pharoah's ear,
While empty echoes rise to Babel's height.

You, Lord, gave Milton songs of worthy praise
And You alone can cause me to grow bold—
Explode in reminiscent rhythmic phrase—
That I, like him, might sing a song of gold,

No deathly talent hid or Lord denied,
But God in every line be glorified!


© Glenda Mathes