Surviving Sunday

Chronicles of Warfare #1

by Melinda Michelle

Meet Seth, he's part of a soul winning ministry. He has a beautiful wife, Sheridan, and his gift is about to make a name for him in the earth. Everything seems fine until he's accused of fathering a child outside of his marriage. Sheridan is a no-nonsense type of woman. When she gets the results of the DNA test on the baby that she is not carrying, she is ready to lay down her salvation and pick up her pistol. Kadijah has found a place at Kingdom Builders Worship Center and she loves it there but has not found her place in Christ. Someone is determined to see her six-feet-under. While running for her life, she discovers she doesn't really know anything about life. Grey is a woman that has a lot on her plate but not much money in her pocket. Her faith is tested in ways she didn't imagine. She can't see how and why all the pieces of her life fit into a much bigger puzzle. All she knows is that she is tired of being tested. The bigger picture is out of their grasp as they are consumed with their personal struggles but the battle for good and evil rages on. Angles have been assigned to assist them as they face the trials of life, but there are also dark forces determined to see them fail. Will they survive Sunday just to make it to the madness of Monday?

Genres: Mystery

276 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

When you pick up a book by Melinda Michelle you should expect for your eyes to be opened, your heart to race, your emotions to rise and your faith to be taken up a notch. Purpose is her passion and with that passion she weaves a story about the matchless power of the Almighty God through the written word by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is her desire to awaken the Body of Christ to not only the power that they have, but the knowledge that they truly wrestle not against flesh and blood.

Gwendolyn Melinda Michelle Evans (GMME) is a Florida native. She was born in Jacksonville and raised in Sanford. Reading has been a part of her life from a very young age. Growing up in a family of avid readers exposed her to various genres of writing creating an eclectic taste in books.

Graduating from the university on the highest of seven hills, Florida A&M University, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She also holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Accounting from American Intercontinental University. For nine years she worked for financial institutions before deciding to step out on faith and write full time. She is the owner and founder of Global Multi Media Enterprises (GMME), a freelance writing, publishing and media company. She currently resides in Tallahassee, Florida.

Melinda’s stories are designed to connect with Christians, but it is her desire to connect to anyone who likes to read. Her stories are designed to captivate the reader with powerful testimonies about God.

Reviews

[Barbara Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this story! I'm not going to give away the storyline, but it had so many twists and turns that I was screaming as I read. This is the first of seven books in the series, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the drama...

[Nicole Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal read! I have never been so scared/intrigued/excited/curious/baffled at the same time! At first Grey was my favorite, but now she and Monet are sharing the spot for it.
This book changed my life. I'm writing this review after reading the series. I couldn't wait to get to the next one, lol.
I still don't know what to say about Melinda. I'm from the country, so I'll say it like the old people used to say, "Let Him use you daughter!"

[Flye Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surviving Sunday by Melinda Michelle

The church is considered to be a place of refuge in times of trouble, but reality shows us that despite our sincerest motives, the evils of this world sometimes manifest in the hearts, minds, and lives of those who are striving to be dedicated Christians! In Melinda Michelle’s impressive debut novel, Surviving Sunday, the Heavenly Hosts must wage a fierce battle to save man's soul from the demonic spirits of deception, hatred, and jealously - and their human counterparts soon realize the multitude of prayers that are needed to win the war against darkness!

The battle is on at Kingdom Builders Worship Center, as some of its most loyal and faithful members are caught up in the evil crusade of “The Dark One” to destroy their lives! There’s the music minister and his wife, Seth and Sheridan, who are confronted with a deception so deep that it almost causes them to lose themselves, each other, and a powerful weapon in which to defeat the enemy. Then comes Grey, a head-strong woman who is struggling with her faith as her financial situation becomes very “complicated.” And, finally, Kadijah, a young woman on the verge of claiming her salvation but whose life is threatened by those closest to her!

But like any battle, there are also those who fight on the side of good, and Surviving Sunday offers an intimate glimpse into the power of prayer and its ability to protect those in distress! Pastor Josiah, Mother Emma Lee Ellis, and Ms. Ruth prove eager and willing vessels in the fight against the sinister forces that are bent on the destruction of Kingdom Builders and its members. In their secret closets, they offer prayers of protection against “The Dark One” and his army of devilish imps, and even the Angels depend on these “seasoned saints” to provide the necessary prayer covering so that the Truth, which will redeem the saints and bring order back to the church, can be delivered!

Surviving Sunday is the first novel in Melinda Michelle’s Christian warfare series and magnificently brings to life Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places! It is full of intrigue and suspense, and I was blown away by the revelations that awaited me as I read page after page! Will Seth and Sheridan recover from deception? Will Grey continue to be steadfast in her faith despite her circumstances? And what will Kandijah do when she finally comes face to face with her hidden enemy? I couldn’t wait to find out the answers and neither will you as you read this fascinating account of the spiritual warfare that occurs daily on our behalf! I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading Melinda Michelle’s second book in the series, Monday Madness!

Peace!

[Neeko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melinda is a phenomenal writer. She actually brings the spiritual realm to life, vivid and in color. I'm amazed how God uses this woman. I pray God continues to bless the mind of this author for our benefit.

[Tera L. Kirksey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surviving Sunday

Although this was a fictitious account, the drama that unfolded here was shall I say "off the chain."
Melinda Michelle is a great writer with some mad skills. This was a spiritual warfare soap opera with plenty of life lessons and prayers.
My favorite chapter was chapter 8 with PJ sermon, "There is Hope after Failure."
The characters in the book were so relatable to this thing we call Life. With all the drama one had to realize that God is always in control!

[Tricia Mcwilliams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this series. I read "Surviving Sunday" a few days ago. I fell in love with the characters and the way the stories worked together. I purchased "Monday Madness" yesterday and finished it today. So I had to pick up "Temptation Tuesday" today in order to see what joys and battles the characters would face next. I'd highly recommend this series.

[Adrienna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to see an author tackle on spiritual warfare. I was amazed to see the angelic figures were from different ethnic groups. But aside from that, I see that Melinda Michelle is focusing on character development and so far, much to ingest about each character introduced all calling on the name of Jesus in a time of trouble.

Enjoyed reading this quote while Pastor Josiah was giving his sermon: "Hope is the right response to failure. Know how to respond to failure. Hope can take a problematic past and make it a promising future."

Yet I am waiting for the action-suspense to unleash, and after completing, see if you like family-church drama, then you will enjoy this read.

There were minimal parts that didn't fit cohesively for me. Then as I got towards the ending, and thought it was predictable and had to check WebMD to verify specifics on DNA, then a whammy was thrown on me. I wanted to see more about the angels behind the scenes, but then again the demonic forces: deception, stronghold, destroyer and corruption really played their roles in the families and church homes lives...until prayer prevailed and unleashed the angelic beings to fight the spiritual war.

There were a couple characters held their ground and firm with their words like Sheridan and Grey, but oddly I wanted to see more of Monet and Cassia which happened at the bitter end. So I guess one would have to read through the series to see more of them, or others.

I received this Kindle eBook as a gift from an author-friend to read this author since she highly admires this author's work and figured I would enjoy the read. She was right!

Adrienna Turner
Dream4More Reviewer, www.dream4more.org

[Jerry Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this account of what happened "down at the church!"

I enjoy contemporary fiction, but generally have not chosen books in which characters are engaged in spiritual warfare. However, I loved how Melinda Michelle gave an account of what happened in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm when a member of the choir lusted after the minister of music, etc. The story had so many twists and turns, and many intriguing characters: all so well developed and linked together with precision not always found. It appealed to all my senses...I could see every character and feel their needs. I look forward to reading more of her work and seeing how Pastor Josiah keep's the kingdom builders doing God's will as well as more about Seth and Sheridan, their enlarged family since finding more relatives.

[Angela Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW....A MUST READ.
Surviving Sunday was very uplifting, the prayers in this book reminded me just how powerful prayer is. Prayer changes things, and in this story you will see how in the mist of all they was going through prayer will fix it every time.

Surviving Sunday was a great work out tool for me as I went to the gym. It was also an outlet to let me know through all the lies and abuse I endured, I Survived Sunday and is now living in the overflow.

Author Melinda Michelle did a great job in letting us know we have angels and it's up to us to put them to work. I named my angel Daybreak.

Great job, Melinda Michelle-Get your copy today!!!

Angela Y. Hodge-Author of Daybreak: Gaining Strength Through Our Pain

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melinda Michelle is incredible . You think you have figured Out What's going to happen next then there Is a twist or turn you didn't even think about. Her writing draws you in like you are right there with the characters and you know them. This book also has so much spiritual depth all while you are hearing about these situations you are hearing about what is going on in the spiritual realm to turn it around for their good.

This book is about a church family that is taken through test and trials. Something is always testing their faith. There are a lot of characters but they are so different there is no way you can get them confused. Once you pick this book up you won't want to put it down!

[Dawn Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled in the beginning, not because it's not good, but because this was so far what I normally read. I am so glad I pressed through and opened my mind to allow the messages in this book to speak to me. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Surviving Sunday opens your eyes to what spiritual warfare really means and how important prayer really is. The journey through each characters trials gave readers insight to various ways the enemy attacks and how God always has angels around us.

Thank you Melinda for writing a novel that captured my attention and allowed me to step outside of my reading comfort zone.

[Corissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book right here.... This book made me rethink my prayer life. I pray and I know that others stand in the gap for us, but if we REALLY, TRULY PRAY with a passion for the love of Christ we would shake and move those mountains...On amazon now purchasing the next two inline. PLEASE purchase and support this young Godly woman. Amazing. For me as a youth leader this book is deep. Keep letting God move you.

I just wanted to say I was on my church page reading comments of people and I clicked on their page and saw that they read this book (a male) and being the reader that I am I had to look it up.

[A'Sian Starr Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. I loved the prayers and the way it showed the reader that God is love. God can bring you out any situation if you trust and believe in him. I love the suspense build up and the ending was a shocker. As always no spoilers. Four stars because I wished the very end of the book didn't leave you hanging. But overall a awesome book.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! This was MAGNIFICENT! I love Pastor Josiah and his wife Darcy; Sheridan was awesome. I love how she wanted the best for her husband and how he wanted the best for her.

The Sunday dinner was my favorite part, because it showed that even your friends can be considered your family.

This book proved that prayer is powerful and God is always looking out for us.

[K.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABC

Wonderful read Miss Melinda. This was a true eye opener into how many evil spirits burden us everyday. Even the strongest Christians can fall victim to petty human emotions and at a moments notice allow weakness to blur our vision. A must read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I read by author...Awesome job with this book. The enemy will try everything to destroy,kill or steal....Prayer is the key

[BernieMck]

Surviving Sunday is a good read with imperfect Christians, potential Christians, a good plot, a host of angels and a mob of demons. The sequel is definitely on my list of books to-be-read.

[Dynah Zale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Powerful & Prolific Prayers

This should have been a prayer book. You can tell the author has a strong healthy relationship with the Lord.

The book began very Descriptive. I could visualize the demons gathering, but after that scene I got lost.

There was a lot of drama but I felt like I didn’t saw enough of the spiritual warfare. Lots of drama but not enough spiritual intervention.

This story depicted a marriage that had to totally rely on faith to persevere through. This couple literally had to walk by faith when a woman says she’s pregnant and the dna is 99% match and still have faith that your husband is telling the truth when he says the baby isn’t his.

[Ramona Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit, I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. The story line was great! It kept my attention throughout the book and even caused me to pause and reflect as I went along. I love how the author created a fictitious story that gave clear reference to God's word and the reality of what we deal with in our every days lives. The performance was interesting and comical in certain scenes. I appreciate the audible version because it allowed me to get through a book that I've had on my 'want to read' list for quite some time.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed!

I began reading this book on a flight from Florida to California and back. I found myself not wanting to put it down, and read it in a week’s time. It usually takes me 6 months to a year to finish a book as I read several concurrently. This Christian novel is a page turner with a powerful message. Highly recommend. Would also make a great movie! It has mystery, drama, and comedy. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! The author is also a true spiritual prayer warrior.

[Ruth Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surviving Sunday ( Book 1)

This book was inspirational with lots of twist and is turns. Going to church to gossip show your Sunday best is not surviving Sunday. Church people we have to pray to combat spiritual warfare because it's real. The pastor's carry grudge against each others they choose which member worthy of their love and sleep around . I which every church goers to read this book. Well done Melinda Michelle.

[Khara Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This book does a deep dive into spiritual warfare that is a very real thing. The characters showed how daily we must yield our will to our Heavenly Father. This book is a must read for believers and those curious about Christianity. There are a lot of characters in this book and at first it will feel overwhelming, but soon you will become familiar with them all.

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Counting Imaginary Pearls

Whew! The beginning had me shook. The rest was just amazing. I had an idea that there was something, but then when it materialized even bigger, I was clapping and shouting OMG at these characters. I won't give anything away. You have to experience it like I did. Loved it and diving into the next one. Applause to Melinda Michelle. You already know!

[Ziette · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok read

Although there was some human drama, there was not much spiritual warfare intertwined. Sometimes seemed like the interaction of Angels and demons with humans occured in the story at odd times.

[Pam Reaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

This was a page Turner from beginning to end! The characters were so relatable and real. I look forward to reading the series.

[Fairy Lays. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 — ending could’ve been a little better but overall this book was amazing!