John 3:16 [Paperback]

Nancy Moser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2008

Five people looking for a reason to keep living are about to find it in the last place they expected. After the loss of his wife, Roman Paulson's life revolves around his son Billy. As a football hero at the University of Nebraska, Billy has a promising life ahead of him. As Billy's coach begins encroaching on Roman's relationship with his son—especially when he brings God into Billy's life—Roman starts to fear he'll lose Billy forever. Nothing could prepare Roman for what is about to happen. Roman isn't the only one whose life has been turned upside down. He's one of five people whose lives are about to intersect on a bright, fall day, when one of them will hold up a sign at a football game with a short message: John 3:16. This simple act of faith will have the power to change lives forever.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With a large cast whose lives weave together throughout the book, the Christy Award–winning Moser (Time Lottery) turns the mere act of holding up a sign at a football game into a transforming catalyst for her many characters. Tragedy in a football-crazed Midwestern town leaves grave doubts in Roman Paulson's mind about God's existence. Bitterness, greed and ambition for his son to play football have driven him to push others, and God, away. The tragedy also upsets the lives of several college students, whose decisions are openly discussed with believable dialogue and strong action. Moser uses sensitive and vivid descriptions of how characters might experience grief and lays out the plot's dilemmas expertly. College-age students will enjoy the book for the recognizable binds the characters get into, and cheer when they find ways to redeem poor decisions. The football setting is only window dressing: readers expecting strong riffs on football culture only get a shined-up plasticized coach and a few players saying nice things. However, plenty of plot twists and just that touch of sport setting make this a fitting read for autumn. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels that focus on discovering our unique purpose. Her genres include both contemporary and historical stories.  Her historical bio-novels allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: Just Jane (Jane Austen), Mozart's Sister (Nannerl Mozart), Washington's Lady (Martha Washington) and How Do I Love Thee? (Elizabeth Barrett Browning.) Her newest historical romance, Masquerade, comes out in August 2010. Her time-travel novel, Time Lottery, won a Christy Award, and Washington's Lady was a finalist. Her contemporary books are known for their big-casts and intricate plotting. Some titles are John 3: 16, Crossroads, The Sister Circle, and The Invitation. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She's earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She paints canes voraciously, kills all her houseplants, and can wire an electrical fixture without getting shocked. She is a fan of anything antique--humans included. Find out more at nancymoser.com and sistercircles.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (September 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141432054X
• ISBN-13: 978-1414320540
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty novels that focus on the characters discovering their unique purpose. Her genres include both contemporary and historical stories. Her latest release "An Unlikely Suitor" was named to Booklist's "Top 10 Romance Novels of 2011". Both "An Unlikely Suitor" and "Masquerade" are set in the Gilded Age of New York City (see a book trailer for "Masquerade" below.) Coming out in 2012 is a Christmas/Quilt antholgy,"A Patchwork Christmas", containing three novellas by Moser, Stephanie Grace Whitson, and Judith Miller. Moser's contemporary books are known for their big-cast utilization of multiple points-of-view and intricate plotting. Some titles are "John 3: 16", "The Sister Circle", "The Good Nearby", and "The Invitation." Her historical bio-novels allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: "Just Jane" (Jane Austen), "Mozart's Sister" (Nannerl Mozart), "Washington's Lady" (Martha Washington) and "How Do I Love Thee?" (Elizabeth Barrett Browning.) Her time-travel novel, "Time Lottery", won a Christy Award and "Washington's Lady" was a finalist. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She's earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Said So Sister Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She paints canes voraciously, kills all her houseplants, and can wire an electrical fixture without getting shocked. She is a fan of anything antique--humans included. Find out more at www.nancymoser.com, www.sistercircles.com. and her historical fiction blog at: http://footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God's eye view of the threads that tie us together, September 29, 2008

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: John 3:16 (Paperback)

3:16 by Nancy Moser is about what can happen when one person holds up a sign at a football game. How many times have you seen someone at a football game hold up a John 3:16 sign? I've seen them for years and always thought of it as pointless. Who is going to take the time to pay attention or even look it up to see what it means? But Moser's book made me re-evaluate my thinking. When Jesus died and God lost his only son, the world was changed forever. What could happen when a man who loves Jesus dies, taking someone else's only son? How many people could one person's faith change? Moser's novel attempts to answer that question by writing the stories of several people: 33-year-old Maya who is so desperate to have a child she has sacrificed her integrity, Roman the father of a college football player who in his hatred of God has chased away his only son, Velvet the 40-something head of concessions at the football stadium who is suddenly confronted by the sins of his past, Lianne her daughter who is making her mother's mistakes all over again, and Peter a college student who has veered away from his values in order to please a girl. All of these people are so different, and yet they will all be forever changed by the death of a man. Moser captures each of the stories with compassion and honesty, even when the characters are often unlikable. She presents a view of life that I think sometimes only God gets to see. The reader can see the threads connecting each person and how one event changes everything. It's a poignant book about change, sacrifice, and love.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No Surprises Here, March 8, 2010

By 

In My Opinion... (NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John 3:16 (Paperback)

How does everything suddenly go from okay to despair? For so many people? Even our acting for the good of another, could cause despair in the lives of others.

Roman lives football vicariously through his son Billy (William). He isn't happy with Billy's choices.

Velvet's past choices collide with the present.

Lianne is faced with new choices.

Peter might not get a choice at all.

How much thought went into Maya's choices? An old friend changes Maya's thoughts to a new direction.

I neglect to tell why I give this a 2 star since I don't want to give away the story. Suffice it to say that fairy tales have similar endings. I don't find myself running back to this. Some romance but nothing gooey.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Six Degrees of Separation, September 28, 2008

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: John 3:16 (Paperback)

Nancy Moser has lately become one of my new favorite authors. She is gifted in writing in several different genres but is able to maintain wonderful storytelling throughout. I thought it was absolute brilliant how all the characters were somehow connected to each other, even the minor ones. There was one character I could not figure out how he was connected until halfway through the story. Then I was like "Aha!" and felt like I had solved a mystery. As powerful as the story was, I found myself having trouble with some of the characters. They were understandably flawed which would eventually tie into the story. I just didn't like the way their attitudes came across. I really did not like Lianne at all. I understood that she was not living in a happy situation but I detested her attitude. Like Peter said, did she not know the meaning of tact? I didn't agree with everything Peter's parents did but if I was meeting my boyfriend's parents for the first time I would be polite. At least make a good first impression. She was downright rude and seem to want to make them not like her from the beginning. Also when she told Peter her news that involved their future, I did not like the way she treated him afterward. I mean if you heard news that would change your life, you would be in shock at first. She treated him horribly in my opinion, especially with her revelation at the the end. Honestly she was one of the most annoying characters I have ever read in a book.Which thus goes to show how good of an author Nancy Moser is. To make a reader feel so deeply about a character shows how well the writing is. As I said before, the story is brilliant. It really moves you as you read it and you can almost picture yourself being there in the football stadium on that day with the rest of the crowd.

Ironically Nebraska was playing football this weekend and we watched it on TV. Sadly though we were rooting for the other team, Virginia Tech. But since the game was held at Nebraska, I could picture the characters at the game with the faithful sign being held up for all the world to see. This is one of Moser's best words to date. HIGHLY recommended.