Adversity - Keeping the Faith

ADVERSITY – KEEPING THE FAITH

BOOK 2

FAITH CHRONICLES

TEXAS HISTORY

From the pen of Sidney St. James—author of over 100 novels—comes the unforgettable beginning of a powerful legacy.

Adversity – Keeping the Faith is more than a historical novel. It's a soul-stirring journey rooted in truth, drawn from the lived experiences of the Struss family, German pioneers who left behind everything familiar in 1845 to chase hope across the Atlantic and into the unbroken wilds of Texas.

This is the story of Johann, his devoted wife Mary, and their sons Johnnie and Carl—names and places not plucked from imagination but etched in the annals of Texas's early settlement history. From the fog-laced cemeteries of Frelsburg to the wind-swept prairies of Columbus, their courage shaped the land that would one day shape them.

Set against a backdrop of war-torn Europe and unfolding frontier uncertainty, their voyage aboard the Johann Dethardt is nothing short of epic. Battling violent Atlantic gales, a deadly yellow fever outbreak, and the spiritual weight of leaving home behind, they press forward—driven not by the promise of ease, but by the power of faith.

Here, readers will walk beside them—through the perilous heart of Indian country, through tear-streaked nights of loss, and into the dawn of new community, forged by prayer, plow, and perseverance. As they raise homes with their neighbors, celebrate under starlit Texas skies, and cling to one another around candlelit Christmas trees, the Struss family's triumphs become timeless.

This is Texas as you've never seen it—not just cattle and Comanches, but creeds and convictions. Not just rugged survival, but the sacred act of starting over.

If you cherish stories that stir your soul, if you believe in the strength of family and the power of God's promises, then Adversity – Keeping the Faith is your next must-read. A historical epic with a beating heart, it reminds us that in every trial, there is triumph—and in every dark night, the light of dawn.