Josiah - Chain Breaker

Josiah was far more than a hansom boy-king. He was a revolutionary, a dynamic mover and shaker. His courage and decisive leadership left its mark on history, for which we can all be grateful. But, he was born into a mess of a family and granted all sorts of excuses for failure. Read how he overcame each deterrent, broke his personal chains and the chains of the nation. We can thank God for such a man! 

Many people today regard themselves as VICTIMS. Victims of the times, of family failures, victims of poverty, of poor education, of politics, of bad luck, and any other thing we might single out to take the blame off ourselves. Josiah proves us all wrong. Of all the chains that could have kept him trapped - he broke them all. Yes, with God's help he broke the chains in his own life, he broke the chains of his family, his people, his nation, and his religion. He was courageous, deliberate, and God-directed in all he did. Josiah, son of Amon, broke all the chains and cleverly found his way through the maze of life. He is a man, a leader, a king worth learning from. Josiah - Chain Breaker is a unique example both of creative nonfiction and of true collaborative writing. The historical events (Josiah lived from 640 to 609 BCE) are described from a variety of voices that cumulatively present the person, the settings, the events, the implications, and ongoing significance of the outstanding life of Josiah, king of Judah. These were desperate times for the fledging nation of Judah, its very existence was threatened on many sides. The political turmoil of the day is described. The religious and moral decline is demonstrated. And Josiah's response to the host of difficulties facing him is detailed. His life was heart-led, intellectually driven, and a credit to noble councilors and written wisdom that was studied carefully and adhered to in full. The life of Josiah offers a roadmap for achievement, significance, and victory in life for all who pay attention. The book includes color photographs of Israel and historical information of the nations and religious practices of the day, and of the family line of Josiah.

Five authors gathered in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, to choose, research, plan and write this book (this was in March, 2011). It is part of an ongoing initiative by Christian Books Melanesia and Redeemer Lives Ministry to train and develop indigenous Christian authors to write meaningful literature within their own context of life and worldview. The late Auwi Muki was a pastor and Bible School Teacher, Joanna Pile is a trained journalist and media officer, Kepas Ben is an ambulance driver and lay preacher, Nakapo Konde is a publications assistant and typesetter, Reggie Howard is missionary and author trainer. This group deliberated and chose the topic to study and write about. Each author, with their diverse interests and original ideas, has valuable input toward this final product. They were each challenged by the historical context and family situation in which Josiah was born and grew up. The challenges he faced are similar to challenges faced by young people in Papua New Guinea and around the world. The deeper look into person, character, life and decisions of King Josiah proved to be fascinating, challenging and rewarding for each of the five.