Author! Author!

My second book, To Fill A Home, is now published.  I'm an author!   What an awesome title:  Author!  It still seems that should mean someone else.  All I can say is that I wrote the words, but Someone else inspired them.

Is that the way most authors feel?  They penned (typed) the words, but the inspiration came from outside themselves?  I can attest to that on many of the pages of my two novels.

Have you ever thought that the writers of the Bible must have felt the same way?  I'm by no means comparing myself to them.  However, the principle seems to be the same.

The Bible contains 66 books, was written by 40 different authors over a period of 1,500 years, in 3 different languages, and on 3 different continents.  Yet, all of them share a common storyline:  creation, fall, redemption; and a common theme, God's universal love for all humanity. 

 Every Scripture is God-breathed--given by His inspiration--and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness [that is, in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action].  II Timothy 3:16 (Amplified)

 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power--making it active, operative, energizing and effective; it is sharper than any two-edged sward, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [that is, of the deepest parts of our nature] exposing and sifting an analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.   Hebrews 4:12 (Amplified)

One of the young women in our church has become friends with a well-known author and her family.  She had loved reading the author's books, but getting to know her personally has made the words and characters seem more real.

Do you ever re-read a favorite book?  Seeing things you missed the first time?

Isn't that just like God wanting us to know Him better?  Getting to know the Author of the Book?  We do that by reading what He said.  Every time I read the Word, I see something that I hadn't seen before, or see it in a new way.  It is truly alive.

When people ask me about writing, where I got the ideas for the stories, how I put the words together, I tell them it was truly a God-thing.  To actually sense the inspiration as the words appear on the screen without having gone through my mental processes is incredible. 

Reading my words may bless you.  But I can guarantee that if you read the Bible, God will bless you.

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You can find my books at:  www.WestBowPress.com  www.Amazon.com www.BarnesandNobel.com

If you do buy Green Glass or To Fill A Home,  please be kind enough to leave a comment, a review and/or a rating.  (That helps to sell books!)  Thanks.

Who's Your Daddy?

That title was used by our associate pastor awhile back, and seems to apply here.  Who is your daddy?

Recently, I started reading again a book that transformed my life when I read it in the middle 70's. The book is falling apart, has many margin notes and many words underlined. 

The God of All Comfort, by Hannah Whitall Smith, was written long ago, but the truths of it are timeless.  The edition I have is from the early 50's.

One of the chapters I'd like to expand upon today is called, He Spake to Them of the Father.

What kind of a relationship have or did you have with your earthly father?  Was/is he loving, kind, caring, available, encouraging? or distant, mean, harsh, uncaring, or unloving?

My earthly father was mostly absent from my life.  Due to divorce and then death, I barely knew him.  My grandfather who helped raise me, with my gramma, until I was ten, was there, but not the nurturing kind.  His thoughts were only on what he wanted from me.  Then, my step-father was distant and uninvolved.  He would rather laugh at me than encourage or nurture me.

As you can see, thinking of God as a Father was a real stretch for me.  My idea of Him was of a gray-headed old man with His thumb ready to rub me out if I displeased Him or did something wrong. 

Even though I became a Christian in high school, I was never taught about the Father.  That was one reason why this book impacted me so much.  The chapter mentioned begins like this:  One of the most illuminating names of God is the one especially revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ, the name of Father.... while God has been called throughout the ages by many other names, expressing other aspects of His character, Christ alone has revealed Him to us under the all-inclusive name of Father--a name that holds within itself all the other names of wisdom and power, and above all of love and goodness, a name that embodies for us a perfect supply for all our needs.

Christ told us that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father.  How had I missed that?  To continue:  Sometimes earthly fathers are unkind, or tyrannical, or selfish, or even cruel, or they are merely indifferent and neglectful; but none of these can by any stretch of charity be called good fathers.  But God, who is good, must be a good father or not a father at all.

Galatians 4:6 it says:  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 

The word, Abba, in Aramaic means Daddy!  Although we are to reverence the Father, we are also called to see Him as our Daddy, our provider, the one who loves us more than we deserve, and who knows us better than we know ourselves.  He wants the best for His children.  He's not out to get us!

One more quote from the book:  And in calling our God by the blessed name of Father, we ought to know that, if He is a father at all, He must be the very best of fathers, and His fatherhood must be the highest ideal of fatherhood of which we can conceive.

He is also called the helper of the fatherless in Psalm 10:14.

There is much more in this chapter about Father God, but I think you get the idea.  Other chapters include:  Much More vs. Much less, The Lord our Shepherd, and God is Enough.

Maybe you have no need to think better thoughts of Our Father, and for that, be grateful.  But, if like me, you have had a bad impression of that name, I would encourage you to get this book.  Read it slowly and thoughtfully.  Though the language is a bit stilted because of the time in which it was written, nonetheless, the messages are clear. 

So, who's YOUR Daddy?

Update:  My second book, To Fill a Home, is ready to be sent to the publisher.  Thank you for all the kind comments on Green Glass, the first book in the series.  I'm planning a third book.  We'll see where that leads.  I'll keep you posted.

Facts vs. Truth

      Several years ago, Aglow Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Nancy McGuirk spoke about the difference between facts and truth. 
      Many of the things we take as fact, are in reality, only partially true.  But truth never changes.
Let give you  some examples:

• Fact:  the sun is shining; it's raining; it's daylight, it's nighttime.
• Truth:  in other parts of the world the sun is not shining; it's not raining; it's nighttime; it's daytime.

      Most of the time, we equate facts with what we can see, feel, or touch.  And for us, that denotes our reality.
       But what about those things we cannot see?  Can we see the entire world to determine the weather?  Or the time of day?  For others, their reality is much different from ours.  Thus, their facts do not equal ours.
       There is only One Who can see everything and be everywhere all at once.  The omnipresent God. 
        There is only One Who can know everything everywhere about everything at once.  The omniscient God.
        There is only One Who can do any and everything at any time.  The omnipotent God.
        Let's compare what we say are facts with what God says is truth.

• Fact:  "I have no friends. 
• Truth:  "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."  (Proverbs 18:24 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "I'm lonely."
• Truth:  "...for He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support.  [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let [you] down, [relax My hold on you].--Assuredly not!"  (Hebrews 13:5b -- Amplified Bible)
• Fact:  "I don't know what to believe."
• Truth:  "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved and your household."  (Acts 16:31 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "I don't know which way to go."
• Truth:  "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  (John 14:6 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "I'm sick."
• Truth:  "Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.  Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."  (James 5:13-15 -- NKJV).
• Fact:  "I hate my job."
• Truth:  "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  (Colossians 3:17 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "I need ...."
• Truth:  "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:19 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "I can't do...."
• Truth:  "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "I'm anxious, unsettled, etc."
• Truth:  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6-7 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "What is truth?"
• Truth:  Jesus, praying to the Father for His disciples--"Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your word is truth."  (John 17:17 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "Which way shall I go?"
• Truth:  "As for God, His way is perfect.  The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him."  (Psalm 18:30 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "Where is God?"
• Truth:  "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork."  (Psalm 19:1 -- NKJV)
• Fact:  "Nothing stays the same."
• Truth:  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  (Hebrews 13:8-- NJKV)

       These are only a few examples of truth recorded for us.  But it's up to us if we will grab a hold of them or not.  Either we believe just what we can see, feel, touch, or we believe what has been proven to be true for centuries.  Times change.  The Word of God never changes.  It's tried and true. 
When you feel like speaking your facts, remember that God's truth trumps facts every time!

Update on "To Fill a Home":  My second novel is finished!  I'm waiting for some editing comments from a couple of people before sending it off to the publisher.  Will let you know when it's on it's way.

        If you've already read my first novel, Green Glass, please comment here or on the web site where you purchased it.  All reviews help sell books!  Get the word out!

Mistakes

Thanks to everyone who has purchased and read Green Glass.  I appreciate all the nice comments.  If you have read it, please add your comments below, or on the web page where you ordered it.  This will help, as the publisher looks at the feedback.  http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-000686722/Green-Glass.aspx 

As some of you have noted, there are mistakes in the book!  Wonder of wonders!  I'm not perfect!  Even after Leon and I re-read the book about six times, both in typed and galley form, we missed them.  I appreciate your letting me know where the mistakes are so that I can be a better editor next time.

On the subject of mistakes, how do you feel when you make them?  There was a time in my life when making mistakes as those in the book would have mortified me.  Being perfect was so important at that time.  I've learned over the years that perfect means mature, not without fault.  Whew!

There are at least three words that the Bible uses for what we call mistakes.  We are all familiar with them, but I wanted to give a little insight here on what the words really mean.  For those of you who have the Spirit Filled Life Bible, you'll recognize the Worth Wealth definitions. 

Sin:  Literally means "missing the mark," failure, offense, taking the wrong course, wrongdoing, sin, guilt.    This is found at John 1:29.

Transgression:  Abandoning a trust, departing, stepping aside, overstep, violation, rebellion, aberration, apostasy, disobedience, deviation from an original and true direction.  This is found at Acts 1:25.

Transgression:  Rebellion, transgression, trespass.  Whether as noun or verb, trespass had to do with revolting against law, God, or government, and was a transgressing, that is, going beyond established limits.  "Rebellion," or "breaking out against," might also describe (this word).  This is found at Ezekiel 18:31.

Iniquities:  Evil, fault, sin, iniquity, guilt, blame; moral illness, perversion, crookedness.  Derived from (word) to "bend" or "distort."  Thus iniquity is the "evil bent" within human beings, or the "crooked" direction or "warped" deeds of sinners.  This is found at Psalm 130:3.

In other words, we are all sinners and transgress.  But there is hope!  Here's what Psalm 32:1-2, 5 has to say:  Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.  I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden.  I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

So, mistakes will happen.  Sometimes because we chose to make them, or sometimes just because we are human.  But we have Someone Who knows all about it, and loves us anyway.  When you find yourself making more than your share, here's the answer.  Go to Jesus and ask forgiveness.  That won't take away your humanness, but it will take away your guilt.  God already knows that we are sinners.  We miss His mark or standard.  Jesus came to enable us to be set free from the sin that so easily besets us (Heb. 12:1).

Most of our mistakes are unintentional, like those in my book.  The sin that was in us at birth, can be erased by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  Do we want to carry around all that weight of guilt, or do we want to be free?  It's our choice.

Happy mistaking!

Your heart's desires

Green Glass is published!!!  Praise God!  You may find it on the publisher's web site: 

http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-000686722/Green-Glass.aspx

(Also available on amazon.com but the royalties are better for me if you purchase the book from the publisher.)

It's been a labor of love, but worth it in the long run, despite the hours in editing and rewriting.

I started reading Christian fiction about twenty years ago, give or take.  The first books were by Michael Philips, and with those, I was hooked.  Since then, I've read more than 800 novels of many types and genres.  At least the list I have chronicling those books is over that number.  It does not account for those books that were sold at yard sales or given away at Aglow retreats or elsewhere before I decided to make a list.  So the total is really many more.

Six or seven years ago, Green Glass began as a story line in my mind that just would not go away.  When I would try to go to sleep at night, I kept adding details, characters, names, etc., none of which had been in any of those multitude of volumes I'd already read at that point.  My dear friend, Paulette Holloway, with whom I was serving in Aglow at the time, encouraged me to write down what seemed to be coming to me.  The first few ideas were then added to over the course of the following months until it just sort of ran its course and I let it sit for a few years. 

Two or three years ago, a friend from church, Robin Gailliot, asked me to help her edit a book she was writing.  When I mentioned that I had also written a book, she wanted to read it.  Up until that point, I didn't want anyone to read it because I wasn't sure if it was worth their time or effort.  Plus, I wasn't ready for any criticism, good or bad!  But I took a chance, and sent the as-yet unfinished, unedited, manuscript.  She liked it!  From there, I had three other people read it to get their feedback. 

One day, I was on a website and saw an ad for WestBow Press.  The rest, as they say, is history.  The final copy bears some resemblance to the original, but has gone through many changes and deletions.  My husband, Leon, willingly did what he does best and edited it for me.  More than six read-throughs later we now have the final copy. 

If you do get the book, and find mistakes, please let me know.  If you like the book, please tell your friends.  If you don't like it, please tell me.!

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 37:4

Are you cracked?

I'm cracked.  How about you?  My devotional this morning was about our weaknesses  as mere human clay.  Jesus shines through these imperfect vessels.  "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."  (II Corinthians 4:7--NKJV)  How can He shine through us if we don't have cracks and flaws through which His light shines?

(Side bar:  If you are looking for excellent devotional books, I recommend the following by Sarah Young--Jesus Calling, Jesus Today, Jesus Lives and Dear Jesus.  They are  written from the perspective of Jesus talking to us through use of conversation and the Word.   Even though I've been through all of them several times, they never get old.  Sounds like the Word!)

Matthew 5:48 says,  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.  When my son was young (and so was I), it was very hard to keep up that admonition.  I tried to make him perfect (flawless, without anything that would bring complaints or make me look bad), and I even told him that's what he had to be!  Oh, how wrong I was!

For one thing, the word "perfect" really means mature, not without flaws.  I certainly wasn't without them myself, but was blinded to that possibility.  I was more concerned with how his behavior reflected on me as a parent than I was on how my behavior reflect my Lord.

It goes back to cracked pots.  We will never be perfect--sinless--faultless--in this life.  That's why we need His help every day.  I quote from Jesus Lives:  "By letting your humble, hurting parts be exposed, you allow My Light to shine through you into others' lives."  If we are closed up, with the lid on, so to speak, how can His Light be seen.  Isn't it in our true humanity with all our flaws and weaknesses that we come to Him, asking for His help?  That's when He has the best opportunity to shine brightly.  Even if we don't think we have any faults, everyone else around us knows differently!  Just ask them!  Why not admit it, seeking His Presence every day?  Then what shines out through our cracks will be glorious!

Book update:  Today, I sent off the galley corrections. It shouldn't be long now.  Once I approve all those corrections (see how cracked I am?), publication can take place.  Soon and very soon!

Believe

No, I'm not a Macy's spokesperson, but I do identify with their ad slogan.

What do you believe?  There are several definitions of the word:  to accept as true or real; to credit with veracity; have confidence in; trust; to expect or suppose; think; to hold a religious belief.

At this time of the year, those of us who believe in the Christmas story, hold it as fact and try to tailor our celebrations around the Reason for the Season--Jesus.  We truly believe that He, the Son of God, was born to a virgin and her husband, and laid in a manger.  That's only the beginning of the story.  You have to add the Cross and the Resurrection to complete the message.

But what do you believe?  It is said that if you don't believe in anything, you'll fall for everything.  We all have the free will to choose what we will believe, accept as true or real, or credit with veracity.  But do you have confidence in, trust in, and think that what you believe is true?  Has it proven itself to you in some tangible way?  If not, why not?  Maybe it's time to do an evaluation.

I can't help wondering about those who say they don't believe in God, but they freely use His name as a swear word.  Why is the world, especially here in America, becoming so anti-God, anti-Jesus, and anti-faith?  If there is nothing valid in any of them, then why the uproar?  Just let us have our beliefs and leave us alone.  Could it possibly be due to the fact that Jesus is coming soon, and consciences are being pricked?  That's at least one possibility.  Other religions are more or less left alone.  Only Christianity is getting the hits.  Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

The Bible has  a multitude of verses about believing.    Here are just a few:

Genesis 15:6  And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

 

Psalm 27:13  I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

 

Matthew 8:13  Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

 

Mark 9:23-24  Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

 

Mark 11:24  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

 

Luke 1:45  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

 

John 3:15  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

 

John 11:25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

 

Acts 16:31  So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

 

It looks to me that believing is a key element in our Christian walk.  We either believe, or we don't.  It's as simple as that.  But if we do believe, we will benefit from that belief.  Do you benefit from yours?  I trust you do.

 

Book update:  "Green Glass" is at the galley proof-review stage.  I've been extremely busy, out of town, preparing for an early Christmas, and catching up.  Now I have to go over every detail, carefully, and submit my findings back to the publisher.  So, it looks like January or early February for publication.  I'll keep you posted.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!