Written in the first person from the Roman perspective, DeVos takes the reader on a journey which begins ten months before the crucifixion of Jesus when the centurion is ordered by Herod Antipas to supervise the beheading of John the Baptist. Before doing his duty, this warrior of Rome is challenged by John to put his trust in John’s God instead of in his Roman deities. While the centurion rejects John’s plea, doubt arises in him, haunting him in the months ahead as he faces an appeal from a trusted friend, the words of an old Jewish man, and many others who speak about a man named Jesus of Nazareth who is spreading the word of God.
Ed, a retired Army infantry officer, relates that the idea for the story came to him about 15 years ago. Motivated by his personal military experience and his strong Christian faith, he wanted to show how Christ’s life impacted many people, both Jews and Gentiles, before and after his death on the cross.
The author said he used The Bible as his primary source of information when writing The Stain which appeals both to Christian believers as well as those struggling with faith in the story of Jesus. The Stain speaks to those asking “Who is Jesus,” and “What makes Christians believe in Jesus?” DeVos said. The title is metaphoric for the blood of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ stain both the sandals and the soul of the centurion as he is challenged anew after Jesus’ death with the crisis of conscience welling up in his heart.
Halo International Publisher Lisa Umina said readers will get inspiration from The Stain. “The way the story is written in the first person from the perspective of the centurion is unique and a creative way to tell about the life of Christ and the conflicts Christians often have with their faith,” she said.
DeVos spent 20 years in the Army and worked as a financial planner after retiring from military service in 1989. He has a Bachelor’s degree in business and a Master’s degree in military arts and science. He honed his writing skills some years ago by writing a series of articles on South Carolina’s role in the Revolutionary War for a local newspaper. The author hopes to continue writing and develop a series titled “The Almighty Warriors,” about other soldiers who experience their own crisis of conscience on other battlefields of history.
Ed and his wife, Susan, were raised in Lake Worth, Florida. They now attend a Baptist church near their home in McCormick, South Carolina. They have two adult children and four grandchildren.
