Yahshua's Bridge Read online

  Acclaim for Yahshua’s Bridge

  “Sandi Rog has done it again. With Yahshua’s Bridge, the sequel to the enjoyable and award-wining The Master’s Wall, Rog proves that her first effort was no fluke: This lady knows how to spin a page-turning adventure that is at once heartwrenching and uplifting. Yahshua’s Bridge has that rare and immensely satisfying quality of being a wonderful story, brilliantly told.”

  Robert Liparulo

  Bestselling author of The 13th Tribe, Comes a

  Horseman, and The Dreamhouse Kings series

  “Sandi Rog’s novels are sneaky good. She has an excellent understanding of the first century and is able to convey the details of New Testament culture without making it feel like a history lesson. Like her debut novel, Yahshua’s Bridge is complex without being confusing and teaches truth without being preachy. With a story that hooks you and encourages you in your own life, Yahshua’s Bridge is a fast but engaging read that is sure to please any lover of historical or Biblical fiction.”

  Alison Strobel

  Author of Composing Amelia and many others

  “Yahshua’s Bridge is a powerful story about forgiveness and loyalty to the Christian faith. Sandi Rog draws you into the story so deeply that you feel each character’s pain and you hurt along with them. Well-written and fast paced, Yahshua’s Bridge has the potential to heal hearts and touch many lives because it doesn’t soft-step or minimize human suffering. The greater the darkness was, the more the light of Christ shone in this book. I loved it!”

  Michelle Sutton

  Author of more than a dozen inspirational novels

  “Wonderful book. Fantastic story. Sandi Rog has done it again! Written a heart-rending human drama set in Biblical times that is impossible to put down once you start it. I didn’t think it could be done, but this author has written a Christian love story with all the kohl-eyed mystique of a Middle Eastern Bedouin with flowing robes, flying across the desert on horseback, leaving me breathless and wanting more. I believe this book could be another award-winner.”

  Christine Lindsay

  Author of the award-winning Shadowed in Silk

  “With words as her medium, Sandi Rog paints a tale of honor and valor, forgiveness and redemption in Yahshua’s Bridge. Carefully woven research combined with quiet but powerful testimony creates an unforgettable story with equally unforgettable characters. Be prepared to weep and to cheer for the characters and to renew your own relationship with the Lord.”

  Jane Choate

  Author of more than 28 novels

  “Once again, Sandi Rog paints an absorbing picture of life during Rome’s glory days with a compelling story that will stir your emotions.”

  Mike Yorkey

  Co-author of Chasing Mona Lisa

  and the Every Man’s Battle series

  “Yahshua’s Bridge, with its themes of mercy and grace, forgiveness and faithfulness, will grab your heart and refuse to let go. Sandi Rog has written a brilliant story, one that will resonate in your spirit long after you turn the last page.”

  Ellen Tarver

  Editor

  “Stupefying, stunning, and stirring—Yahshua’s Bridge is a tale that takes the reader from the darkest valley to the highest pinnacle of hope. For anyone yearning to go deeper, this story of hearts broken and promises kept will take you there, and leave you astounded by the beauty of our Savior.”

  Roseanna M. White

  Author of A Stray Drop of Blood, Jewel of Persia,

  and Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland

  “Yahshua’s Bridge is a wonderful story. I was especially impressed with the beautiful pictures Sandi created in my mind as she described the landscape and people of that time period. I felt as if I was right there with those characters. I would highly recommend this book to all readers, both genders, and I think most all ages would love it. Sandi has done a great job and I look forward to more of her awesome stories of love and courage.”

  Paulette Harris

  Author

  “Yahshua’s Bridge is a powerful epic of the world of ancient Rome and the first century Christians. I was mesmerized by the almost poetic writing, brilliant descriptions, realistic characters, and tug-at-yourheart story. From Alexander, the young slave boy, to Elianne the survivor of the Roman persecution of her Christian family, this story is compelling. Sandi Rog is a truly talented historian and writer and I look forward to the third in the Iron and the Stone trilogy.”

  A J Hawke

  Author of Cabin on Pinto Creek and

  Caught Between Two Worlds

  “I was riveted to my chair as I approached the climax of Yahshua’s Bridge. It paints a touching and realistic portrait of life for early Christians in ancient Rome—all the sordid cruelty and spiritual triumphs combined. A very satisfying read.”

  Tracy Krauss

  Bestselling author and playwright

  “If you were impacted by Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series, you’ll be by Yahshua’s Bridge as well. After reading this story, I find myself deeper in the knowledge of God’s love and forgiveness.”

  Lynn Squire

  Author of Joab’s Fire

  “In Yahshua’s Bridge I found an amazing novel full of romance and intrigue just as I’ve come to expect from Sandi Rog. Beyond that, I found an epic struggle of good versus evil played out against a backdrop of martyrs, coliseums, and gladiators. This book illustrated to me more than any other novel the fact that life is but a pale illusion and the glorious reality awaiting us in eternity far supersedes any temporary pain or struggles we might face on this earth.”

  Dina Sleiman

  Author of Dance of the Dandelion

  Acclaim for The Master’s Wall

  “It’s a grand thing to find an intriguing story told by a talented storyteller, and that’s just what we have in The Master’s Wall by Sandi Rog. This story has it all: ancient Rome, authentically depicted; a hero worth rooting for; and a feisty, charming heroine—all flowing through a rousting tale beautifully spun. Rog—and every reader— has a winner with this one.”

  Robert Liparulo

  Bestselling Author of Comes a Horseman,

  Germ, and the Dreamhouse Kings series

  “Powerful, faith-challenging, epic in nature, The Master’s Wall beckons readers to ancient Rome where Sandi Rog delivers a captivating story that transforms lives—and not only those of her characters. Highly recommended!”

  Tamera Alexander

  Bestselling Author of Within My Heart

  and The Inheritance

  “…If you love gladiator scenes—you’ll love this book. If you enjoy coming-of-age stories, you’ll enjoy Alethea’s journey from girlhood to adult. If you thrive on romances, the sweet love story will grasp your heart. A must read for all the right reasons.”

  Darlene Franklin

  Author of The Prodigal Patriot

  “What a compelling novel! I was pulled into David’s world from the beginning of the book and couldn’t wait to get back to it every evening. Rog’s writing is very clean, but not only that, it’s vivid, colorful and emotional. She weaves a strong faith message in without being preachy, and the analogy to Jesus’ sacrifice for us through what happens to David is so touching. I cannot wait to see what comes next from the pen of Sandi Rog.”

  Golden Keyes Parson

  Author of In the Shadow of the Sun King

  2009 ACFW Book of the Year Finalist

  “The Master’s Wall is a meticulously researched story that grips you tighter and tighter with every page you turn. Sandi Rog has a knack for engaging, nail-biting narrative—I’m glad to see this is the first in a series, because I definitely want to read more from her.”

  Alison Strobel

  Author of Th
e Weight of Shadows and Reinventing Rachel

  “…a sweeping tale of pain and healing, forgiveness and redemption, and, most importantly, love. With every word, every phrase, Rog weaves a tale so compelling that readers will not be able to put it down. When they do so, it will be with tears borne of appreciation for a truly inspirational read.”

  Jane Choate

  Author of Bride Price

  “Filled with fascinating details of life in first century Rome, The Master’s Wall is a story that will linger in readers’ memories.”

  Amanda Cabot

  Author of Scattered Petals

  “Sandi skillfully transported me back to the harsh world of Roman rule with this engaging story about David and Alethea that moves at breakneck speed. I also learned a great deal about the courage of the ‘early adopters’ of Christianity.”

  Mike Yorkey

  Co-author of The Swiss Courier

  and the Every Man’s Battle series

  “Can I just say ‘Wow!’? Or maybe ‘Stunning!’? I love stories set in the first century, and The Master’s Wall ranks as one of the best I’ve read to date. The characters are exactly what a reader wants—full of spirit, full of fire, full of temper that leads them into trouble … and faith that helps them through it. The setting is so richly portrayed that you’ll feel like you’ve donned a toga and are wandering through the villa. …There’s so much I loved about it! …This is one I’m going to be recommending to everyone I know.”

  Roseanna M. White

  Author of A Stray Drop of Blood

  “Awesome! Sandi Rog grabbed me from the very first sentence and didn’t let go until the last page. But I wanted more. I wanted to again run barefoot through the villa, climb the master’s stone wall, look out over the lush vineyards, and escape to ancient Rome in the distance. So… I read The Master’s Wall again.”

  Wendy Chorot

  Words To Life Editing

  “I laughed, I cried, I worried, and I forgave as I read to the end of this wonderful story. I am impatient waiting for the next book.”

  AJ Hawke

  SANDI ROG

  YAHSHUA’S

  BRIDGE

  DEWARD

  PUBLISHING COMPANY

  Yahshua’s Bridge

  DeWard Publishing Company, Ltd.

  P.O. Box 6259, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601

  800.300.9778

  www.deward.com

  © 2011 Sandi Rog

  Cover Design by Reuben Rog

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

  Reuben Rog www.rogillustrations.com

  Yahshua’s Bridge is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  ISBN: 978-1-936341-17-7

  Digital book(s) (epub and mobi) produced by: Kimberly A. Hitchens, [email protected]

  To those who suffer.

  Contents

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-one

  Twenty-two

  Twenty-three

  Twenty-four

  Twenty-five

  Twenty-six

  foreword

  Nothing could have prepared me for the gut-twisting pain of discovering Sandi Rog was diagnosed with stage four T-cell Lymphoma. I have never experienced such raw, hyperventilating terror as the realization of what my best friend would endure sank into my heart.

  This diagnosis came on the eve of birthing Yahshua’s Bridge, though she suffered many months prior to its completion. Each word became a struggle as she experienced devastating symptoms of the cancer that threatened to abort Yahshua’s Bridge. But Sandi pressed on, ran the good race, and word by precious word, completed this God-honoring masterpiece. The moment it fell into my hands for editing, I realized God had provided me with a coping mechanism for dealing with the grief of her diagnosis. As I sank further into the story, I realized God had provided Sandi with the same comforting tool. You see, Sandi doesn’t write anything about God that she doesn’t believe. As these characters came alive in the story, each with their own struggles, Sandi weaved truths and promises around them that come straight from our Lord’s Word. Truths and promises her family and friends can echo back to her when she is too weak to read them for herself.

  You, Dear Reader, have in your hands a work of art built on the Master’s teachings. Yahshua’s Bridge will stir your soul, send you to your knees, and then cradle you and pour sweet peace into the corners of your heart. Its depths will leave you breathless for your savior while offering you comfort only His embrace can give. Yahshua’s Bridge carries the marks of suffering Sandi Rog endured to guarantee it touches you forever.

  Wendy Chorot

  FOR WHAT I AM DOING, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND;

  FOR I AM NOT PRACTICING WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO,

  BUT I AM DOING THE VERY THING I HATE.

  … FOR I JOYFULLY CONCUR WITH THE lAW OF GOD IN THE

  INNER MAN,

  BUT I SEE A DIFFERENT LAW IN THE MEMBERS OF MY BODY,

  WAGING WAR AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND

  AND MAKING ME A PRISONER OF THE LAW OF SIN

  WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS.

  WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM!

  WHO WILL SET ME FREE

  FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH?

  —PAUL, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST—

  NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME.

  —YAHSHUA—

  IRON AND THE STONE

  YAHSHUA’S BRIDGE

  Rome, AD 88

  Alexander held his breath as the man he’d never call Daddy forced him underwater. The fist in his hair shook his head from side to side and bubbles beat against his face. His head jerked to the surface from his master’s fierce grip. His mamma’s screams echoed off the nearby columns, and he plunged back into the watery depths of the impluvium. Would this fountain become his grave?

  This ritual of forced drowning had become so frequent that Alexander learned to hold his breath for a long time. With Mamma witnessing this spectacle, he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d rather have the master’s fists pounding her body, as they so often did. But Alexander couldn’t stand by as his mamma suffered a beating from her drunken master. It didn’t matter that he was just a child and could do nothing to overpower the man. The goal was to make him stop. And he wasn’t hitting her anymore, so that was good.

  He released a bit of air to ease the tension in his lungs, to ease the need to gasp. But it didn’t help. It never helped.

  He quit thrashing. Usually if he held still for a long time, the master would pull him out, thinking he was dead. Alexander let his arms float to the surface and his legs relax behind him. With the edge of the fountain pressing against his midriff, it made holding his breath that much more difficult. He wanted to thrash, but he forced himself to go limp like a dead rat.

  And waited.

  Enough time had passed for his act to become believable. But the master didn’t pull him out. Maybe this was it. Maybe this time he’d actually die. Despite his desperation, he remained as motionless as the marble statues on display in the atrium and courtyards.

  All too soon, panic set in. His lungs screamed, crying out for air. Alexander exhaled, but it came out in an explosion. Instinctively he gasped, but stopped when water burned his nose and throat. He swallowed a huge gulp, enough to fill his stomach. It hu
rt going down, and just as he was about to suck in a breath, his head jerked out of the water and his body flew back. He landed on the slick tiles and skidded to a stop. He belched, and water spewed from his mouth. As he pushed up onto trembling hands, he convulsed and vomited.

  “Alexander!” Mamma dropped to her knees beside him. Her hands smoothed back his wet hair and wiped his face. She crushed him to her chest as he coughed and spewed more water.

  The master crouched down next to them and thrust his face close as Alexander fought for air between coughs. “Don’t think you can fool me,” he said, his voice a hot whisper. The alcohol on his breath fouled the air Alexander so desperately inhaled. “I know when you’re faking it.”

  Alexander pushed up and stood on wobbly feet. Mamma took hold of his arm to help him walk, but he leaned on his knees and coughed, trying to get the water out of his throat and nose.

  Master Demetri swaggered from the atrium, his blond hair mussed and reflecting the sun’s rays from above the fountain. He pushed aside the curtain that led to the peristyle and disappeared.

  Alexander turned to leave, groping through the haze.

  “Don’t go ….”

  He would have acknowledged her, but he couldn’t without choking, so he ignored his mamma’s pleas and stumbled toward the door, coughing.

  Once on the street, he blew his nose in his palm. He shivered from the hot air turning cold on his wet body. Water sloshed around in his head, but he stumbled forward, managing to put one foot in front of the other, anything to get himself as far away from his master as possible. A liquid cocoon engulfed his body, his vision, and his hearing, as if he were still in the fountain. He shook the water out of his hair and tripped over the large stones paving the street. Righting himself with his fingertips, he kept on moving. Nothing would stop him. Not the people coming toward him. Not the people bumping into him as they tried to get by, chattering and staring at him with curious gazes. Not his mamma. Not his master.

  His throat hurt, and he held his breath to stop the incessant coughing. Where could he go? He had no destination. He broke into a run. His feet pounded the stones, propelling him forward, making him hack. The marble statues and wealthy houses vanished behind him as he came to mud-brick apartments. His feet carried him by iron-grilled windows, outdoor fountains, and up another hill. If only he could run away. But he couldn’t leave his mamma alone with the master. If he ran, who would protect her? Somehow they had to find freedom.