The Bible explicitly records the life of Jesus, with one exception-his life between the ages of 13 and 30. Yet, ancient Buddhist scripture records the life of Saint Issa, which astoundingly parallels the life of Jesus of Nazareth. ISSA is a story of Jesus's life during the missing years, his journey through Asia, the power within he had to master and the tests of the heart he had to pass before he could change the world.

"“Lois Drake’s gift for storytelling takes us on a journey for the discovery of timeless spiritual truths. Readers will love Issa!” —Paul Davids, writer and director of the film Jesus in India The Bible explicitly records the life of Jesus with one exception—his life between the ages of 13 and 30. Yet ancient Buddhist scripture records the life of Saint Issa, which astoundingly parallels the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Weaving together a dramatic tapestry of people, places and events, this novel envisions Jesus’s life during the missing years, his journey through Asia, the power within that he had to master, and the tests of the heart he had to pass before he could change the world."

This story began with a Kashmiri princess, Miraan, looking out in the early morning dawn towards a chariot of light being raised towards the heavens, face aglow with a flaming radiance, heart bursting with gratitude and love for all the years she was allowed to share with this most magnificent of men. And as this story began so it ends. For I am Miraan who shares this story with you, as I have heard it from his own lips, and as I have witnessed in the years I spent with him. I did not think such a love was possible; a love that grew stronger the more it was shared with all the world. He was a great healer and king, a simple monk and prophet, an extraordinary lover and friend. He was a man like any other, except that he dared himself go where few men had been before. Lovers were never meant to close themselves off from the rest of creation in isolated fantasy. Lovers find each other in every face they encounter, wherever they may be in this world. And so as I come to the end of this story, I see myself staring back at you, each of you who reads these words and makes this story your own, for my soul knows you. This story will not end until you find yourself mirrored in these words and these acts, touching the human as well as the divine spirit that dwells within. Issa was not afraid to declare himself a Sun of God, one with the Father of Light. Find your own true heart, likewise... set yourself free.

A black boy named Issa, travels during the 'lost years' as he prepares for his mission. An African Jesus story.

In The New Testament, Jesus is missing for nearly seventeen years. From the time he is twelve until age thirty, there is almost nothing known and certainly nothing written. Until now. Former US Army Sergeant Dennis Wicks is doing a walkabout around Asia after a rough tour in iraq. He's looking for answers to life's many mysteries and some peace after war. In India, he comes across an ancient Buddhist Alms Bowl, with a hidden, secret compartment. In it are handwritten scrolls, a diary of sorts, from the Buddhist Saint ISSA. A language specialist, Wicks begins decoding the scrolls and researching the immutable ISSA. What he discovers will change the course of human history. ISSA, is none other than Jesus Christ and Dennis is holding in his hands the first and only documents that were actually written by the hand of God. Soon, operatives from the CIA, the Mossad, The Vatican, The Russian mob and a ruthless Israeli billionaire are after Dennis in a race to secure the bowl and the scrolls before anyone finds out the truth. The scrolls are absolute proof that Jesus spent the lost years with the Buddhists in India and Tibet, and now, two thousand years later, forces are at work to make sure that this earth-shattering information is never made public. Dennis elicits the help of his archaeologist sister and a prominent religious studies professor. From India, to Pakistan, to Athens and Tel Aviv, the trio attempt to safeguard the bowl and the scrolls at all costs, so they can tell the world...The Good News. They just simply have to stay alive long enough to do it. ISSA, raises the question to the ultimate "what if" and provides convincing documentation to answer the world's greatest mystery. It's a heart-pounding thriller...with a message. ISSA is a must-read for anyone that enjoys a good historical thriller. (includes the actual english translations of the original documents discovered by Nicholas Notovitch in Ladakh, India in 1890.)