The Terror Trap (Department Z Book 7) Read online

  Betty J. Mann

  Wife of the late musical composer, arranger and conductor Johnny Mann

  As the Tanneberg’s pastor for the last sixteen years, reading Sacred Journey is like sitting over coffee with two deeply authentic people who know what it means to be on a journey with God, and live what they preach. It is a touching mix of personal stories and sage, heart-filled advice and encouragement for all ages and stages on the journey. Read it and receive fresh and deep perspective into your own life.

  Gary Gulbranson, Senior Pastor

  Westminster Chapel of Bellevue Washington

  Jacque and I had the honor of knowing and working alongside Dixie and Ward as a couple, both in life and ministry. Death has a way of stopping us in our tracks and when Dixie died, it caused pause: ‘Is my faith strong and courageous enough to handle life and death with the same joy, hope and peace Dixie exhibited?’ Ward has written many novels but this one is non-fiction, the true love story of a man and woman who genuinely loved, respected and complimented each other in the home, the church and the marketplace. Laugh and weep. Read and learn.

  John Coulombe, interGen and Pastoral Ministries Pastor,

  EvFree Fullerton California

  Ward Tanneberg’s latest book, Sacred Journey, comes from the hearts and souls of two who experienced many of life’s ups and downs and still held onto their faith in God, who is forever with us. As you read, you will be inspired and encouraged on your own sacred journey.

  Dr. Roger E. Bowman

  Retired Pastor/District Supt. Church of the Nazarene

  CASA Network Board Member, ret.

  I just read the beautiful allegory, THE SONG SPARROW AND THE HUMMINGBIRD, included in Sacred Journey. Phenomenal. Thank you for singing Dixie’s songs. Keep on singing Dixie’s songs! One cannot experience you without experiencing Dixie. I experienced Dixie. I heard her songs. One cannot experience Dixie without experiencing God. I felt His Presence.

  ~ Ed Germann

  Regional Director, International Students, Inc.

  Some touch the surface of your life briefly, others touch more deeply leaving a lasting impact. Ward and Dixie Tanneberg touched us in deeper places, and even the tyranny of distance could not keep us from being drawn into their sacred journey of love, courage, faith and hope that springs eternal.

  Richard and Shirley Pearce,

  Churches of Christ in Queensland

  Fresh Horizons Ministry. Australia

  Life is a sacred journey that needs guides. Ward and Dixie Tanneberg are wise guides that help you navigate the unpredictable minefield of life. In Sacred Journey you will receive insight, encouragement, tested wisdom, honesty, and much more for the uncharted course of your own personal journey.

  Peter Menconi, author of The Intergenerational Church:

  Understanding Congregations from WWII to www.com

  C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth, and you will get neither.” Ward and Dixie Tanneberg long ago set their sights on heaven, where Dixie now resides. Their love for Jesus and passion for people made them dearly beloved friends to thousands who have known them as pastors, confidants, and mentors. Ward’s telling of their remarkable love story will inspire you to believe that God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people who learn to find strength in weakness, gain in loss, and joy in sorrow.

  Don Detrick, D.Min.

  Associate Network Leader :: Corporate Secretary/Treasurer

  Northwest Ministry Network (NW District Assemblies of God)

  Without question, Sacred Journey is a courageous and heart-wrenching story. We really do see ourselves best when we see us in someone else. Ward and Dixie give us this chance as we journey with them into a “Valley of Shadows” where surprising discoveries are made. I plan to put Sacred Journey in the hands of our 46 chaplains, as a practical pathway companion, articulated with honest passion and vulnerability. A powerful story of faith, hope and love, and the decision to “not waste our cancer.”

  Rev. Ross Paterson M. Div.

  Pastor to Senior Adults and Congregational Care

  CrossPoint Community Church, Modesto California

  Dixie was a creative, talented wife, mother and best friend to her husband, Ward. In her lifetime she gave counsel and spiritual help to many. Hers is a story of faith, perseverance and triumph in a valley of dark shadows, helping light the way for us on our own sacred journeys.

  Bob & Charlene Pagett

  Founders of Assist International.

  Sacred Journey is authentic, honest, and inspiring—because the life of Dixie Tanneberg is all of those words and more. This book will teach you what real living looks like. Ward’s words paint a picture that every reader will want to hang in their home and heart forever.

  Jeff Mattesich, Lead Ministry Pastor

  Lake Ave Church, Pasadena California

  Sacred Journey is a heartwarming life-and-death saga. Ward Tanneberg wields a pen educated by experience and practical wisdom. Ink flows with grace-filled truth, and joy mingles with sorrow as he comes to grips with one of life’s greatest traumas; the impending death of a beloved spouse. The narrative is uplifting and, at times, spellbinding. In a compelling true story, framed by the final eighteen months of a beloved’s mortal life, we are introduced to an eternal perspective of light and life, and a Father who loves deeply.

  Douglas Anderson, Psy. D.

  Owner and CEO, Life Directions Financial

  She was and will ever be my spiritual mother, my mentor, and my friend--and so it is. I miss her as spiritual mother. Perhaps because it’s possible to have other mentors and other friends, but you only have one mother. There will not be another Dixie in my life.

  Bev Beckendorf

  Retired in Oregon

  Dixie always looked fashionable and lovely, even in jeans and a sweatshirt! She dedicated herself to mentoring women, young and old, and her presence gave the minutes value and purpose. I don’t recall ever leaving her without some sort of a challenge or gentle insight. She had a gift for speaking truth in love. She had discovered the sacred and gave it the central place in her life.

  Bobbe Evans

  Retired in Washington

  About the Author

  Ward believes story remains our best device for truth telling. The skillful blending of love and hate, inspiration and faith, uncertainty and danger is a daunting challenge. Ward is loved by readers for inviting us to a stage on which compelling characters portray “the God who is there and is not silent,” in an irresistible page-turning style.

  In fiction, allegory, essay or memoir, his worldview is Christocentric. His stated mission, “listen well, write creatively, speak to influence, stir the glowing embers of my peers and turn the Light on for the next generations” embraces that worldview. When writing or speaking at retreats, conferences and churches, he addresses key questions for every person: “Who is God in my life right now? Who am I at this time in my life? What shall I do with the years that remain?”

  Ward’s literary works include inspirational thrillers Without Warning, Vanished, Pursuit and 2015 Illuminations award-winning Redeeming Grace. You can also follow his blog, Perspective.

  He has been an evangelist, denominational youth and men’s ministries leader, Christian college public relations director, guest lecturer, adjunct professor, writer, novelist, and pastor in three churches. Ward lives in Bellevue, Washington. A widower, he has 2 married children, 3 grandchildren, 4 step-grandchildren and 2 great grandsons. His interests and ministry have taken him to over 50 countries of the world.

  Second of two pages (may extend for more than one formatted page):

  More from Ward Tanneberg:

  Without Warning: When ancient hatreds explode, John Cain is thrust into the middle of a precise, coordinated jihad where he will look straight into the abyss and discover whether or not his God is big enough to see him through.

  Vanished: This electrifying and heart-pounding sequel to Without Warn
ing combines a profound understanding of a broken world with realistic portrayals of how Christ can still make a difference in our age of terror. Held hostage by radical Islamic terrorists in Israel, Jessica Cain’s survival hangs on a chance encounter with a total stranger and the possibility that her father can save her.

  Redeeming Grace (Illumination Book Awards Winner): Seven years ago, Grace Grafton died in a boating accident while partying on the Georgia, South Carolina coast. Was her death the result of alcohol and drugs or something more sinister? Nobody knows: her body was never recovered. Now years later, a woman reads in disbelief the note addressed to her: Hello Grace, did you think we wouldn’t find you? Those nine chilling words end Grafton’s self-imposed sanctuary of witness protection. Now she and everyone she loves are in grave danger. Long believed dead, she has a secret that can change the world. She knows the man running for president is guilty of a double murder! But who will believe her? When a murderer moves into the White House no one is safe—not even the dead.

  If you enjoyed Sacred Journey, you might like these titles from other Hartline authors:

  Kimberly Rae’s Why Doesn’t God Fix It?: Have you ever wanted to ask, “Where are You, God? Why are You letting this suffering continue? Don’t You care?” If you have, you’re not alone. Join Kimberly Rae as she struggles through the hard questions about living with illness, and discover truths in God’s Word that offer hope, peace, and joy.

  Kimberly Rae’s Sick and Tired: Nearly one out of every two Americans has a chronic health issue, so it’s safe to say you either have a health condition, or you care about someone who does. How do you live with the day-to-day struggle? Is it possible to have joy despite saying no to activities/food/opportunities/parties when you’d rather say yes? How do you explain your limitations to people who don’t understand? In Sick and Tired, author Kimberly Rae takes you on a journey toward personal peace. With humor and transparency, she offers encouragement and practical tips for the daily struggles. Find out how God’s truth will change your perspective, giving you strength beyond yourself and sight beyond your limitations. Come along and enjoy, knowing you are not alone . . . and there is hope!

  ENDNOTES

  5 Song Sparrows and Hummingbirds

  1Published in 1905: writer Civilla D. Martin; Composer Charles H. Gagriel.

  8 Looking for My Father

  2A Shelter in the Time of Storm, Paul David Tripp. Crossway Books 2009.

  3For information on C3Leaders, visit www.c3leaders.com

  9 The Numbers Game

  4The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis. HarperCollins. 2009.

  11 Love Unexpected

  5Heaven, Randy Alcorn. Tyndale House, 2004.

  26 Seeing with the Eyes of God

  6~ an excerpt from The Great Republic by the Master Historians, Vol II, edited by Hubert H. Bancroft.

  28 Lifting Weary Hands

  7Humility by Andrew Murray. fig-books.com 2012.

  38 The Thousand-Year Day

  8Mark Buchanan, Your God is Too Safe, Multnomah Books, 2001.

  44 The Thing Between God and Us

  9When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty, Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes. Zondervan, 1997.

  10The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott. IVP Books, 2006.

  50 Traits of the Long Distance Runner

  11Your Performing Edge, JoAnn Dahlkoetter. Pulgas Ridge Press, 2007.

  56 What I Learned from Dixie

  12Nancy is the wife of Earl Heverly, senior pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Sacramento CA. She is an ordained minister, directs church small group ministry and oversees the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team. Earl and Nancy and their three daughters came to us from Illinois to begin their pastoral ministry at Valley Christian Center of Dublin California.