Leaving Darkness Combines Ministry and Fiction to Provide Hope
FRANKLIN, Tenn., Dec. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the novel Leaving Darkness (WestBow Press), Franklin, Tennessee author Greg Schaffer hopes that, by blending fiction with ministry experiences, readers may be helped through the story of a young man on the brink of suicide who, through participation in a small group ministry, finds a path out of the darkness of depression.
"I've seen firsthand the healing power of small group ministries," explained Schaffer, a volunteer for several years with Nashville, Tennessee-based Restore Small Groups. "The key is reaching those who want to change but don't know how or where to look for answers. My goal is that some struggling can possibly relate to Leaving Darkness and that the novel may trigger within them the motivation to reach out for help."
Leaving Darkness follows Lowell Ferguson, a 28-year-old long-haul truck driver living in a world of isolation to numb himself from his past. His Chihuahua, Rufus, provides his only lifeline, but when he finds out Rufus may have cancer, he considers his own end is near, as without Rufus he believes his life is meaningless. While awaiting the diagnosis, he happens on a flier for a small group ministry promising the fullness and meaning of life he missed. Reluctantly attending his first group meeting opens a faith-based road to finding the life he is meant to live.
"I was in a place similar to Lowell many years ago," Schaffer continued. "Well, not as drastic, but I was certainly down. I knew I wasn't the 'happy-go-lucky' person I used to be. And, like Lowell, I stumbled upon a flier for a small group ministry that promised a path to change. Sure enough, that group experience changed my life forever. This process works for those willing to find a way to make a change. That's why I was called to write about it."
Leaving Darkness is available in paperback, hardcover, and eBook from major Internet outlets and directly from WestBow Press. Schaffer will be signing copies of Leaving Darkness at the Franklin Art Scene, Merridee's Breadbasket, Friday December 7th 6pm-9pm (110 4th Ave S, Franklin, TN); Dickens of a Christmas Saturday and Sunday December 8th-9th 10am-4pm (Middle Tennessee Authors Circle booth, Franklin, TN); and Logos Christian Bookstore Saturday December 15th 11am-1pm (4012 Hillsboro Pike #6, Nashville, TN). For more information, visit leavingdarkness.info.
About the Author: Greg Schaffer participated in his first small group with Restore in 2011 and became a facilitator with the ministry to help others find their direction toward a purposeful life. An executive at an information security consulting firm, Greg's firsthand experiences of seeing lives changed through such healing groups led him to write Leaving Darkness, hoping the tale of transformation through God's grace may encourage those lost in their own darkness to reach out for help. The author of two previous novels, Greg lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his wife and three rescue dogs.
Media Contact:
Greg Schaffer
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SOURCE Greg Schaffer
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