Shaken Awake - The Complete Trilogy
"If a homeless man froze to death on the steps of a church, what would it change?"
Shaken Awake - The Complete Trilogy is three books in one (Shaken Awake, Awakened, and Woke!)
“A dreadful chill ravages the city and a homeless man is found frozen to death on the church steps…
The city of Atlanta had weathered a thousand wet and chilly days in winter with occasional snowfall… but never one like this. A snowfall that begins in the noon turns into a vicious ice storm by evening, obliterating everything in its way. People are stuck into the whiteout, and trying to look for a way out.
Now, as the Peachtree Church opens its door to those out in cold, the church members come face to face with a stark reality.
As uncomfortable truths make themselves known, this storm will prove be to an eye opener for many.
Enlightening and compelling, Shaken Awake brings to surface a truth we either ignore or just don’t know. With richly textured characters, haunted by the memories of their past, Shaken Awake is both a deeply engrossing novel and a thought-provoking piece of social commentary. “
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"In Madding’s fictional account of a blizzard in Atlanta, Georgia, members of a church seek to better serve the homeless in their community.
The Rev. Samuel Matthews is awakened early one morning by a call from the police, informing him that a man died on the front steps of his church the previous night. When the pastor goes to the hospital to identify the body, he learns that the man froze to death and was likely a member of Atlanta’s large homeless population. When the death is reported in the newspaper, parish members Phil Portman and Alvin Smith have a conversation about how the church could step in to better serve the homeless community. Phil is concerned about the church’s lack of funding for such endeavors, but Alvin asserts, “If we cannot afford to do the work of the church...we should close the doors and stop calling it a church.” All three men soon find their dedication to service challenged by a freak snowstorm that inspires the pastor to open the church as a temporary snow shelter. As the storm brings together the homeless and others temporarily stranded by the storm, the pastor begins to think critically about how to replicate the good deed and offer continual aid for Atlanta’s homeless of Atlanta. The book also offers final questions for reflection and an appendix of resources. Although the three-part story is set largely at a church and invokes faith, it’s never sanctimonious in tone, and it can be enjoyed by community-minded non-Christians. The author clearly establishes and develops each character, which will compel readers to take a genuine interest in their lives. Madding’s prose is clear and readable throughout without seeming overly informal. He also appears to be well acquainted with the city of Atlanta, as his descriptions are precise and easy to visualize. His overall approach to service is refreshing as he coaxes readers into examining their prejudices and selfishness.
A call to serving the homeless, couched in a novel about a community coming together." - Kirkus Reviews
"Want to be inspired to do good? Allen Madding has helped provide thought provoking content in which encourages the heart of an individual and proactively pushes us to action. Allen does this in his own personal life and his work reflects his own heart." - Andy Thompson, Church Middle School Director
"A timely, heart-warming story of a church working through what it means to be the Church. Peachtree Street Church could very well be any congregation, and following their journey is both a joy and an exercise in introspection." - Shawn Smucker, author of The Day the Angels Fell
"Allen Madding reminds all of us that while we are playing checkers, God is playing chess. Shaken Awake reminds all of us of the power of keeping our eyes and ears open to God's next move in our lives. Powerful!" - Mike Kalapp, Pastor
"This book is vital for our Christian culture right now. The plot draws us into the plight of homeless people and before it's over, you know exactly how you can work to end homelessness in your area. So helpful! This book is like nothing I've read before, and I cannot recommend it more. It's a well written, captivating, hope-filled story." - Priska Jordan, Christian Faith Blogger, priskajordan.com
"Allen Madding's SHAKEN AWAKE is an effective and convincing (if sometimes overly optimistic) argument in novel form for a new method of helping the homeless by building community." - IndieReader
"Shaken Awake is a heartwarming Christian novel about a church waking up to change the world in necessary ways.
Allen Madding’s gripping Christian novel, Shaken Awake, imagines what might happen if a local church really tried to help with homelessness.
One cold night, a homeless man dies on the steps of Peachtree Street Church in downtown Atlanta. The church’s pastor, Reverend Samuel Matthews, takes this as a sign that the church ought to consider what they are really doing; more personally, it seems that is time for him to retire... " -ForewordReviews
