“No Atheists in Foxholes”
A peek at In My Father’s House by Brock and Bodie Thoene

Have you ever heard the expression “There are no atheists in foxholes”?

That widely-quoted axiom, noting how even those who are indifferent to God call on his name in times of trouble, sprouted from World War I—the so-called Great War that was supposed to bring the world together in peace, but turned out to be one of the most devastating conflicts of all time. Not only did the war cause unspeakable bloodshed and destruction around the world, it also radically changed the political, cultural and social landscape. Even after the guns fell silent, nothing would ever be the same.

Brock and Bodie Thoene, masters of weaving historical fiction with a strong message of faith, wrote In My Father’s House to convey the effects of the war and the workings of God in the lives of four ordinary men: a young Jew from New York, a midwest Irish doctor’s son, an Arkansas farm boy, and a black sharecropper’s son.

In My Father’s House (Book 1 in The Shiloh Legacy series) brings these four men together, dresses them in Army fatigues, and puts them in trenches dug in foreign soil. While the men are fighting overseas, the lives of their families back on the homefront are woven together in shared worry, joy, grieving, hope, and faith.

When the war is over, the men return to an America that has been changed forever. There is no going back to easier times. Some, like Jefferson Caulfield the sharecropper’s son, find that the country has not been changed enough—he put his life on the line for his country, but his country is not willing to show him the respect or even basic decency he deserves.

“As an African-American in the racially prejudicial America of 1919, Jefferson Caulfield faces overwhelming odds,” the authors explain. “But he did not allow those odds to affect his spirit or his beliefs. Jefferson was secure in the knowledge that he would forever be in his Father’s arms and that someday he would take his place in his Father’s house.”

“Have you ever felt unloved? Unworthy? Scared? Deperate? Bitter? Alone? Brokenhearted?” the authors continue. “Then you’re not alone. Throughout In My Father’s House, [the characters] face a barrage of these emotions.”

Based in part on stories passed down through Bodie Thoene’s own family, The Shiloh Legacy series is a stirring, emotional journey through a pivotal time in American history, from the rumbling guns of World War I to the faith-testing times of the Great Depression and World War II. In My Father’s House is followed by A Thousand Shall Fall and Say To This Mountain. All are available in fresh softcover and audio editions at your local bookstore.