James Optic, a veteran and convicted felon who went on to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and find employment through the government, has completed his new audiobook "Sixteen Years in Captivity": a thought-provoking autobiographical tale that explores the way in which Optic broke free from a life of sin and darkness to turn his life around and live a life as God intended for him.

"I was raised by a single mother, and she loved God with all her heart," writes Optic. "So many times, we would fall asleep to the sound of gunfire. Out of this chaos, God chose me. I fought against Him and His will for so long. Every time I was knocked down by life and Satan, God and all His love would stand me up again, stronger than before. I sought acceptance through friendship, and many of those friendships proved dangerous and destructive to my soul. I went on to fight in the Iraq war and for a country that never wanted to accept me. I saw the horrors of war and then returned to the never-ending horrors of gang violence, drugs, and poverty. I knew something had to change, and it had to start with me, giving God my soul and my love.

"Not every preacher speaks the will of God. Each of us has the power of the Spirit to reach out and help our fellow man. We must look outside of ourselves and our community and help all our brothers and sisters in need.

"My hope is that this book serves as a testament to the mercy and love of God and the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. All of us as believers have access to the gifts God has promised to us. Let us use them to bring glory to the name and power of God. Amen."

Published by Audiobook Network, author James Optic's new audiobook is an enlightening story that details how devoting one's life to God and centering the Lord in all actions can bring about positive change. Listeners will find a raw and compelling account of all good things that can flow from the Lord when one truly accepts Him and follows His divine plan.

Listeners can purchase the audiobook edition of "Sixteen Years in Captivity" by James Optic through Audible, the Apple iTunes store, or Amazon.