Into the Fire

     . . . The people were amazed when they saw the dumb speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

     Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."

     His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"

     "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.

     "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."

     He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children. After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

Matthew 15:29-39 (NIV)

Five uniquely beautiful sounds:

The whispered words of the Holy Spirit.

The absence of wind.

Chris Botti's trumpet.

The gentle snoring of my dog.

The custom exhaust on my Explorer when it starts.

Thank you, Lord, for the senses. Thank you for the different sounds that present the melodies of life. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

I           

Just another day in Paradise – Paradise Cove, that is, Los Angeles – for Mike Romeo. Meeting with a former fellow cage-fighter(Reggie) who shoots down shots of Bushmills Black at a hipster bar like there's a competition for speed and accuracy, Mike hears about a former grisly cold case dubbed the Hollywood Hunk Murder. Only this time there's a real connection to the case. And a dead girlfriend. 

Turns out most of what Reggie reveals is fact – enough to make this a case for Ira Rosen, also a Rabbi, attorney, and former Mossad, when Reggie's charged with the murder of his girlfriend. When Ira gets to interview Mike's old acquaintance, it doesn't go well. Nothing smells right about the case to Mike from the beginning and only gets more confusing after the interview. 

In the middle of it all is Zane Donohue who wants Mike to fight his latest and greatest which Mike refuses to do – at first. When everyone associated with Zane becomes a convenient witness and sets up Mike to find another for the girlfriend's murder, miscellaneous information, a particular necklace, a terrible beating, hidden photographs, the original Hollywood Hulk case detective, and an unwilling witness all complicate the solution to these combined cases.

In the middle of it all, Mike's pet project (C-dog) gets himself in all kinds of trouble and requires Mike's assistance and tutoring to help him get out of it. 

Some people are given natural wit by the Creator, and it seems the Lord God has saturated James Scott Bell with a surplus of it. He has laugh out loud moments amidst critical situations. Such utterly clever dialogue at times displaying intellectual prowess, an incredible vocabulary which mystifies those who listen to his character, and crazy, cunning shrewdness with a broad spectrum of intelligence behind it all. I love Mike Romeo and the interchanges between Ira and him are priceless. Bell's descriptions of characters bring a picturesque reality to each one and his details of fight scenes are flawless.

It seems Mike Romeo is always having to decide when to and when not to fight. In a way he's always fighting – philosophically or physically. In Romeo's Fight there are so many irons burning in this hot fire of a plot, but somehow Bell manages to put out all of them while allowing Mike Romeo to experience the measure of satisfaction for which he fought so hard. 

Highly recommend this Mike Romeo Thriller Series (Romeo's Fight is Book 4) – if for no other reason than to experience the incredible, crafty wit of James Scott Bell. 

Father, you have truly gifted James with incredible and multiple skills. Please continue to supply him with stories and help him to serve you in the process. Bless him and keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

        Free for a limited time on Kindle

     (Print copies will remain at $11.99 on the Redemption Press website.)

Lord, you've helped me through every book – I needed so much help with this one. Thank you is never enough. I'm so grateful for every word. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. An ageless song for broken hearts. 

God, we all know this life can be hard, and most of us experience a broken heart or two, but you are always faithful to love us in spite of us, and when we can count on no one or nothing else, we can always count on you. Thank you for redemption and your grace and mercy. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Wind, lost power for 24 hours, generator did its job, and now the peace after the storm. Thank you, Lord, for protecting us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

     After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. 

Mark 16:19-20 (NIV)

Catapulted from an exploding jet, Nicholas has no memory of being found in an avalanche even though the FBI wants to believe he is somehow responsible for whatever potential act of terrorism brought the commercial airliner to its ugly end. While burned and hospitalized, his sister and attorney Jean Silver has everything under control where her healing older brother is concerned. Her caustic tongue lashes the feds with examples of extraordinary wit and smarts, and her organization of his transport when his condition begins to improve proves to be prophetic.

Nicholas, an engineer by trade, is sneaked off to Haiti with his Christian boss who's involved in ministry to the poorest of Haitians and children. He has no idea what he's supposed to do to help, is slightly limited as his healing continues, but he's willing to a point. Not a believer in "religion", Nick has experienced some confusing images in his head which he can't yet equate to personal purpose. He soon realizes his new appearance since his hair's grown back has created a movement where he is referred to as Papa Noel (aka St. Nicholas, St. Nick, even Santa Claus). And it turns out he's been given supernatural gifts of healing and authority in spiritual warfare. As he becomes aware of this, he resists defining what's happening to him until he is used in a demonic battle in a particularly dark city where the group has gone to minister.  

The supernatural tug on his life and heart results in Nicholas turning to God, allowing his friend and protector on the island (Andre) to give him a crash course on the Word of God. From that point on, the intensity of his personal mission is revealed to him in unique ways and unusual journeys. Andre remains a key factor in securing the things and people "Papa Noel" needs to do what God has asked of him.

Nicholas of Haiti by Joseph Courtemanche is a fascinating contemporary equivalent of the ancient account of the original St. Nick with Joseph's poetic license adding some of the story's captivating elements, location, and spiritual battles. It's a tale of supernatural warfare, the power of prayer, events, spiritual gifts, mercy, depravity, sorrow, and a suitable although heart-wrenching conclusion. If you're at all interested in the miraculous and supernatural from the position of Christianity, Nicholas of Haiti is the book for you. Written in his unique voice, the talented Courtemanche brings Nicholas, Haiti, the children, the angelic and demonic forces to life on the pages. In these present days where evil can seem to prevail, it's encouraging and even necessary to become aware of the power of God used appropriately to ward off encroaching spiritual darkness. Joseph Courtemanche handles it well. 

Highly recommend this second novel by Joseph Courtemanche. It's genuinely inspirational, and I loved this book. 

Father, you know exactly what Joseph needs to do the work and tell the stories you have just for him. Please provide all that he needs and watch over him and his loved ones. Please keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

New release for Book #3 in the Raleigh Harmon P. I. Series!

The best female character in literature today, Raleigh Harmon is IT. This is a spectacular opportunity to pre-order this soon-to-be-released novel. Do. It. Now. Cannot wait. Another striking cover.

(Books 2 and 3 here. But starting at the beginning is a great idea.)

Lord God, continue to bless Sibella with more stories to honor you. Encourage her as only you can do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

If you're goal oriented and need to make lists of probable intentions, I salute you. It's not that I'm anti making goals. Rather it's that making them immediately spikes a certain form of rebellion in me that disputes the necessity of either having or conquering any such goal(s). You can tsk tsk me all you want, but that's the truth of how it works for me.

Now I can tell you what I hope to do in the immediate future, but it has nothing to do with the year taking on a new digit. It has everything to do with what my heart's direction is pressing me to do. There's a novel that's half-finished which simply must be completed because it got stuck in the revolving door of my newest release and the bad habits formed in the consternation of writing that one. The stop/start/stop/start of these last three books has been challenging, frustrating, and just plain hard. Now is the time to continue, to proceed, and to finish. The Lord will see me through the adventure. 

Feel free to tell me if you're a goal-setter, a resolution-maker, a planner, over-achiever, or if you possess that same revulsion to making New Year's resolutions as I do. Make a list in the "comments" section if you like. I'll cheer you on and encourage you. I have no problem with your goals. Please, tell me. 

Father, you built and wired us all as individuals with sometimes similar tendencies. Your imagination and creativity is endless. Thank you for allowing us to be who we are without condemnation. Most of all, thank you for rescuing us. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.