# 31 Spoiler Alert! The opening story from my book

Celebrating the Publication Day for Parallel Faith

Today seemed like a regular workday filled with meetings, emails, and inducting new staff. However, it also felt like I had birthed something new. Maybe it wasn't so ordinary after all?

Tonight, my wife Leah hung yellow balloons outside our front door for a mini-celebration. I, being less observant, walked right past them. She's always been my number one fan, just as she promised on our wedding day. Thanks…

Leah Boden

Today marks the launch of 'Parallel Faith,' available in the States and soon in the UK. Some lucky UK early birds are already receiving British copies from here. It's also available as an ebook and on Audible WORLDWIDE!

This resource is officially out there, and I hope it inspires many. Listening to the audiobook tonight, I was reminded of why I wrote it. 'Parallel Faith' isn't just for Christians; it's for those who may discover Jesus through Christians walking alongside them on their journey to him.

All around us, there are people who don't yet know what it is like to have seen Jesus.

• There are those who are searching for something, but don't know what they are looking for.

• Some have been looking for so long that they have given up trying altogether. 

• Many have had a glimpse of what they thought was Jesus only to be disappointed by yet another fake.They went to the place they thought he would be and have been so hurt they may never go back there again.

If only there was one who would walk alongside them and point the way again?

Listening to the opening story from my book today reinforced for me why this is such an important message for people to hear. It is never just about you and me.

Here is that story for you to read…

Just off the beautiful Mull of Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland is the secluded Davaar Island, only accessible by foot at low tide. What makes this place so unique is that the rugged shoreline hides seven mysterious caves. Each one is explorable by those willing to relive their childhood adventures and can judge their timing's right. Davaar is a place teeming with wildlife; otters, seabirds and eagles can be spotted alongside dolphins, whales, and even the odd basking shark. It is also an area of Britain rich in spiritual heritage, where ancient saints tell us ancient stories. 

There is one such tale that has always fascinated me. In 1887, a local called Archibald MacKinnon had a vivid dream in which God instructed him to paint an image of Christ in a cave on Davaar. MacKinnon then worked in secret, traveling back and forth over several weeks, painting directly onto the cave wall. When the final glorious image of Christ was first discovered by the local townsfolk, a great excitement gripped them all, as it convinced them this was a sign from God. 

Visitors flocked from all over Scotland and beyond to visit this holy sight. But the delighted crowds soon became a baying mob when someone discovered that a mere mortal had created it. Rather than celebrating his artistry and innovation, the towns-folk exiled MacKinnon indefinitely! 

I first heard this story whilst on a family holiday in the area and was determined to see the painting for myself. On a fine sunny day, we set off across the sandy causeway that led to the island, trying to navigate the shifting tides. I knew I would need a guide to help me find the icon, so I had researched a travel blog that walked you step by step through the entire journey. Turn left at this large shaped rock here; Pass the lighthouse over there; Don't go too far past the Lookout point. The Crucifixion Cave, as it is known, was the last of seven sea caves that ring the southern shore. 

My wife and I, along with all four of our children, Nyah, Joel, Micah and Sienna-Raine, were weaving in and out of the damp mossy caverns, counting them down, until at last we came to cave number seven. Six pairs of eyes darted to and from every darkened rock face as we excitedly rushed inside the triangular shaped cavern to see the big reveal. But within minutes, the sounds of joy and glee turned to grumbles and complaints. We had scoured every inch of the cave walls with a growing sense of frustration that we couldn't find what we were looking for.

Where on earth was Jesus?

We must have stepped in and out of that cave at least ten times, but Christ was nowhere to be seen. My children became disengaged and were ready to start the long coastal trek back before the tide came in. I was confused and wondering where I had taken a wrong turn. And then just as I was about to give up too, I rechecked the guide and walked back into the cave to take another look at a large open space just inside the entrance. 

And suddenly there he was. 

A shaft of light hit a slanting rock in just the right way and I saw his face. His arms were outstretched. His fragile body was held onto a wooden cross against a blue tinted sky. I had been in that place before, but somehow missed what was right in front of me. 

I finally saw Jesus. 

How on earth had I missed the one who had so obviously been there all along?

Seeing Christ for the first time felt nothing short of wondrous and was a holy moment for us all. But I never imagined he would be that hard to find, even when I had been told where to look. Without that guide, there was absolutely no chance I would have ever found him. 

After that experience in Scotland, I had a nagging revelation that has stayed with me ever since. 

What if the people in our world can't find the real Jesus even when they've been told where to look? Who are the guides willing to help others discover Jesus amid all the darkness?

That’s what this book is all about….

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So my friends, as the Publication Day is finally here, I feel grateful…. But above all I feel prayerful…  I long for people to discover Jesus in the way so many of us have.

And I pray that YOU will be inspired to walk alongside others on their journey to Christ. 

Jesus is so worth finding, isn’t he?

Grab a copy of the book

You can find all the links to buy the book over on my new website www.daveboden.uk

I would love to invite you to join the Online Launch Party for Parallel Faith.

Click below to grab yourself a FREE limited ticket to the LIVE online event on October 2nd. Join hosts Matt and Amy Summerfield along with special guests including Literary Agent Don Pape for a fun filled online evening of interviews, insights and inspiration, in celebration of the launch of the book.

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW