This is the third book of a series on the life and legacy of Jesus of Nazareth, as told by his cousin Veronica. We rejoin the story after his death and ascension, at the event known as the Pentecost. His followers had gathered in Jerusalem for the Harvest Festival when a mystical overshadowing reveals the work awaiting them. By the end of that day they know who among them will be taking his teachings out into the world and who will stay behind in Israel. Veronica is called to join the Disciple Thomas on his journey to the east. Along the way she and a few others leave the group to complete a project in Tibet that Jesus had left unfinished during the time he lived there ... eventually reuniting with Thomas in India after its completion. Veronica and her sister Elizabeth eventually go on to Ephesus in Anatolia (Turkey) where they live with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Ephesus serves as the base from which she accompanies the Apostle Paul during two of his trips through Hellas (Greece). Eventually her uncle Joseph (of Arimathea) takes her to live in the Hebrew immigrant communities of Britannia (Britain). And finally, after many years of travel and teaching, Veronica and her husband establish a sister community to Magdalene's in southern Gaul (France). Through Veronica we experience the oppression of the Hebrew people and their increasingly desperate circumstances at the hands of their Roman rulers, culminating in the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Hoping to escape persecution after the death of Jesus they scatter to other lands, suffering hardships of every kind while having to learn to adapt to lands and cultures altogether different than their own. All the while the followers of Jesus (who are a minority among their own people) struggle to bring an accounting of his teaching, his death and resurrection to anyone who will listen. In time these teachings begin to merge with ancient beliefs and practices ... seeding a new people and a new religion from the far reaches of India through the Middle East and into the northern kingdoms. "Veronica: The Lost Years of Jesus," book one of the series, focuses upon the period left out of the Christian Bible, when Jesus traveled and studied with the great masters of the age in Egypt, Persia, India and Tibet. Through Veronica's story we come to know the women who played a crucial role in his later ministry. As members of the Jewish Essene sect many of these women studied with the same teachers in Israel and Egypt as Jesus had. The Essenes, a loosely-knit group associated with an ancient Brotherhood of adepts that stretched across the known world, was often looked upon with suspicion by the traditional Jewish power structure. Book two, "Veronica: Eyewitness to the Ministry of Jesus," chronicles the three years of his public ministry, paralleling accounts in the Christian New Testament. Both women and men number among his followers, accompanying him in his travels as he teaches and ministers to people of every religion and race. The story comes to a climax with his death, resurrection and ascension ... leaving his followers angry, bewildered and frightened as the hand of Rome bears down upon them. Visit www.jacelyneckman.com for more information on the author, the "Veronica" trilogy and Jacelyn's other writing.

These are the so-called lost years in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, the years strangely absent from the Christian narrative before he took up his public ministry at the age of thirty. The story is told from the viewpoint of his younger cousin, Veronica. Their mothers are sisters, and from the outset Mary and Salome's deep bond is reflected in the lives of the young cousins. Two stories are entwined as one; that of the man Jesus as he studies and travels through distant lands, slowly coming to terms with his extraordinary mission. And it is the story of the women who profoundly impacted his life. He often told them he would only accomplish his work if they stepped up to fulfill their destinies alongside him. Veronica narrates her own experiences in Palestine, Brittany, and Egypt, enriched with visionary glimpses of her cousin on his travels. A second voice follows Jesus during those long years when he is far from his family and all that he knows, studying with the Masters of his day, in turn sharing his wisdom and compassion with the many who are drawn to him. When at last he returns to Nazareth, the two voices join, bringing the story to a close at the baptism in the River Jordan. The story finds its heart in the great cultural crossroads of Jerusalem, where the various Jewish sects collide under increasing pressure from Rome. The teachings of the Master Jesus are as relevant today as they were 2,000 years ago.

Eye Witness to the Ministry of Jesus begins where The Lost Years (the first book in the series) left off, with Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan. It parallels the four Gospels, but this story is told through the eyes of his cousin Veronica who recalls their travels together and the teaching and healings that take place along the way. Jesus draws both male and female disciples into his work. This is a patriarchal world, and Jesus' elevation of women creates friction among his followers and condemnation from the Jewish establishment. John (the Baptist) is beheaded and Jesus' ministry takes on a new sense of urgency. He teaches his inner circle ancient rituals he learned in India, Persia and Egypt, integrating them with Jewish traditions and the sacred cycle of celebrations. Some in the Sanhedrin join forces with their Roman occupiers to bring judgment upon Jesus. Until the end, many of his followers believe he will challenge their oppressors. But he knows they'd only pursue him, and chooses to use events to demonstrate the lie of death and eternality of life. The men scatter while a group of women who had been trained in the mystery schools gather at the cross, forming a matrix of support as he travels into the underworld and back, transformed in the light of resurrection. Jesus remains with his followers for forty days, intensively interacting with them and pushing them to step into their own power and authority. He ultimately ascends, while Roman persecution continues to increase. Veronica and James' marriage deteriorates; factions begin forming around John, Paul and Jesus' brother James. Many decide to take the teachings of their Master out into the world. His many followers gather together one last time near Jerusalem to share their plans and say goodbye. The fire of spirit rains down upon a group gathered to hear Paul speak, and later upon Jesus' closest followers, awakening the spark of inner divinity, preparing them for the great work that lies ahead.