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Resurrection: Home Before Dark
Michael Parker turns tragedy into triumph and finds love and liberty when he leaves prison. His life is once again threatened, but he becomes an author and evangelist and travels to the set of Criminal Minds in Hollywood to sign books and witness to the lost. Gangsters and corrupt politicians from his past show up to say farewell or ask how they find forgiveness, schools adopt Michael's books, and his stories make it to Jerusalem. Michael experiences great loss, but God opens doors, as only He can, and Michael speaks again to captives of all kinds of prisons and begins to find a deeper purpose in pain as the road of life begins to run out..
364 pages, Paperback
Published July 13, 2023
2 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Merle Temple
14 books34 followersMerle Temple, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, came of age in the South in the wake of Elvis, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War. He worked for the FBI in Washington before returning to Mississippi to earn two degrees at the University of Mississippi where he would later receive the Distinguished Alumni award.
One of the first "New Centurions," as they dubbed the first wave of college criminal justice graduates, he signed on with a new agency, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics which was created to mirror the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) when Nixon declared his “War on Drugs.”
A graduate of the DEA academy and the New England Institute of Management as class president, he went deep undercover and infiltrated drug distribution cells as and was held hostage by dealers who planned to kill him. As an investigator, he uncovered a conspiracy to use drug profits to corrupt local officials, and in the aftermath of a raid on the headquarters of a Dixie Mafia syndicate, a conspiracy emerged to assassinate him, and he was lured out by two contract killers in a standoff near Memphis.
He eventually became the first Captain in the Bureau and at the forefront of holding the line against a plan by politicians and organized crime to undermine the MBN, the nation's top state drug agency.
Striking at organized crime elements who were distributing high grade heroin to college students, he and his agents were ambushed by a sniper protecting a heroin deal. A pitched gun battle ensued with the dealers whose syndicate had local police protection.
He was appointed Special Internal Affairs investigator of the plan to infiltrate the MBN with agents loyal to a political order sympathetic to organized crime. He left the MBN as retribution became intense against him as a result of the investigation, even as extralegal wiretap specialists began to tap his phones.
He was appointed as Bell System Security Manager in Mississippi, and advised to refuse all interview requests by the media. He became active in political campaigns as State Criminal Justice Chairman for Ronald Reagan, hosted the White House Deputy Drug Czar at his home, and crossed paths with U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, ambassadors and heads of state.
He was promoted to Business Manager, Long Range Planning Manager and eventually to District Manager for External Affairs where he coordinated public relations and lobbied for telecom legislation and economic development.
U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell named him Drug Free Georgia Chairman, and Merle became a high profile fundraiser and board chairman for many nonprofits, Chairman of the Quality Council, a business league in Georgia, and the subject of a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
He received numerous awards from BellSouth and the nonprofits he chaired, and was a sought after speaker and writer, an adjunct criminal justice instructor, and was appointed to a national panel setting education standards for schools across the nation.
Always at the eye of the storm, Merle managed a reformer’s campaign against an incumbent state representative in what was called "the biggest political upset in Georgia in fifty years." After many threats related to that campaign from politicians, media moguls angry at the defeat of their ally, and executives within BellSouth, he chose to retire early.
He was nominated for a Federal appointment as U.S. Marshall. That fell through with the sudden death of his friend, Senator Coverdell, and he accepted an appointment as Georgia Deputy Superintendent of Education for Legal, Public Relations, Transportation, Buildings, and the Constituent Call Center.
This led to a confrontation with both political parties and the White House as they conspired to divert millions of federal dollars to illegal uses--a time that would change his life.
His life has provided endless fodder for books. A Ghostly Shade of Pale is based on hi
One of the first "New Centurions," as they dubbed the first wave of college criminal justice graduates, he signed on with a new agency, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics which was created to mirror the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) when Nixon declared his “War on Drugs.”
A graduate of the DEA academy and the New England Institute of Management as class president, he went deep undercover and infiltrated drug distribution cells as and was held hostage by dealers who planned to kill him. As an investigator, he uncovered a conspiracy to use drug profits to corrupt local officials, and in the aftermath of a raid on the headquarters of a Dixie Mafia syndicate, a conspiracy emerged to assassinate him, and he was lured out by two contract killers in a standoff near Memphis.
He eventually became the first Captain in the Bureau and at the forefront of holding the line against a plan by politicians and organized crime to undermine the MBN, the nation's top state drug agency.
Striking at organized crime elements who were distributing high grade heroin to college students, he and his agents were ambushed by a sniper protecting a heroin deal. A pitched gun battle ensued with the dealers whose syndicate had local police protection.
He was appointed Special Internal Affairs investigator of the plan to infiltrate the MBN with agents loyal to a political order sympathetic to organized crime. He left the MBN as retribution became intense against him as a result of the investigation, even as extralegal wiretap specialists began to tap his phones.
He was appointed as Bell System Security Manager in Mississippi, and advised to refuse all interview requests by the media. He became active in political campaigns as State Criminal Justice Chairman for Ronald Reagan, hosted the White House Deputy Drug Czar at his home, and crossed paths with U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, ambassadors and heads of state.
He was promoted to Business Manager, Long Range Planning Manager and eventually to District Manager for External Affairs where he coordinated public relations and lobbied for telecom legislation and economic development.
U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell named him Drug Free Georgia Chairman, and Merle became a high profile fundraiser and board chairman for many nonprofits, Chairman of the Quality Council, a business league in Georgia, and the subject of a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
He received numerous awards from BellSouth and the nonprofits he chaired, and was a sought after speaker and writer, an adjunct criminal justice instructor, and was appointed to a national panel setting education standards for schools across the nation.
Always at the eye of the storm, Merle managed a reformer’s campaign against an incumbent state representative in what was called "the biggest political upset in Georgia in fifty years." After many threats related to that campaign from politicians, media moguls angry at the defeat of their ally, and executives within BellSouth, he chose to retire early.
He was nominated for a Federal appointment as U.S. Marshall. That fell through with the sudden death of his friend, Senator Coverdell, and he accepted an appointment as Georgia Deputy Superintendent of Education for Legal, Public Relations, Transportation, Buildings, and the Constituent Call Center.
This led to a confrontation with both political parties and the White House as they conspired to divert millions of federal dollars to illegal uses--a time that would change his life.
His life has provided endless fodder for books. A Ghostly Shade of Pale is based on hi
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 28, 2023
Merle Temple’s writing is full of the colorful characters, vivid descriptions, and heartfelt sentiment that characterize the true Southern classic literature, with the addition of a deep, meaningful faith. His stories pull you in so you live them along with his characters. I truly believe he will join the ranks of Southern Classic authors.
I have truly enjoyed Michael Parker’s journey from victory to tragedy and through his redemption. I’ve been following these books since book one. As he has faced challenges in his career and intense spiritual battles. In Resurrection, Michael is attempting his biggest comeback ever. He’s hit his rock bottom, coming out of prison. He has become an evangelist and author and is traveling to the set of Criminal Minds to sign books and witness to the lost. Despite obstacles in his path, God continues to use Michael to bring hope to those who enter his life. Gangsters and corrupt politicians from Michael’s past emerge to ask how to receive forgiveness and, some, to try and gloat over where life has taken Michael. It’s truly amazing to see how God continues to use Michael, not in spite of but because of his path. The people he encounter, demonstrate that no matter how far we’ve gone, we are never too far for God to reach us. Merle, thank you for sharing your story. God has used you in my life and in the lives of so many others through your story and I know He will continue to do so. Keep lighting up the darkness, my Friend.
I have truly enjoyed Michael Parker’s journey from victory to tragedy and through his redemption. I’ve been following these books since book one. As he has faced challenges in his career and intense spiritual battles. In Resurrection, Michael is attempting his biggest comeback ever. He’s hit his rock bottom, coming out of prison. He has become an evangelist and author and is traveling to the set of Criminal Minds to sign books and witness to the lost. Despite obstacles in his path, God continues to use Michael to bring hope to those who enter his life. Gangsters and corrupt politicians from Michael’s past emerge to ask how to receive forgiveness and, some, to try and gloat over where life has taken Michael. It’s truly amazing to see how God continues to use Michael, not in spite of but because of his path. The people he encounter, demonstrate that no matter how far we’ve gone, we are never too far for God to reach us. Merle, thank you for sharing your story. God has used you in my life and in the lives of so many others through your story and I know He will continue to do so. Keep lighting up the darkness, my Friend.
Displaying 1 of 1 review