In the once-tranquil town of Mt. Carmel, High Point Church teeters on the brink of holy war, stirred by power-hungry members plotting to regain their control of the congregation. Caught in their schemes, Pastor Barry Peters struggles to follow the call of God, while his vibrant wife, Keri, battles grief and temptation to fulfill her most cherished dreams. Will their faith, marriage and ministry survive the harrowing storm that engulfs the cycles of parish life?

The stained glass windows of the neighborhood church hide far more than sacred hymns and hushed prayer meetings, according to author Larry Payne. His inspirational novel, Mt. Carmel Memoirs: The Cycle, reveals the hidden tragedy of conflict that often severs friendships, wounds clergy, and impacts more than 500,000 Americans every year.
“I believe these wounds of the soul cannot be ignored,” said Dr. Payne. “The Cycle breaks the silence to begin a healing journey toward hope for anyone who has weathered difficult times in their community of faith.”
'Mt. Carmel Memoirs: The Cycle' portrays Barry, a hard-working young minister, and Keri, his vibrant, career-oriented wife, bringing new vigor to the church in the small city of Mt. Carmel, Missouri. This debut novel grabs attention with real-life characters so vivid they seem ready to step out the door of the neighborhood church.
“I wrote 'The Cycle' about the hard-nosed, daily issues that bother churches and ministers today,” Payne said. “The book exposes some of the reasons behind the epidemic of church conflict and clergy burnout, yet never loses the hope that burns deep in the heart of faith. I know readers will be challenged for their own spiritual journeys.”