May you find your abundance in the Lord Jesus Christ, receive the rescue and redemption He paid for with His earthly life, enjoy the friendship to best all friendships, and rest securely in His arms as He offers you a precious eternity saturated in the Love that is God. Happy New Year in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
Tim Moynihan gives the Prodigal Avenger story an authentic feel and with what I consider to have two protagonists.
Jake "Snake" Drecker is on a mission in a burqa with two special operators along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border aiming to take out a major leader in Islamic terror networks. Aside from the size of his feet, Jake's disguise covers his gender and his weapon, and momentarily draws the curiosity of the intended target.
The missions continue with multiple teams, mysterious goat herders, and the capture of an American missionary who is former military. This missionary's rescue is of tantamount importance to Jake and he forms the plan for what could wind up being a suicide mission. Somehow it gets tentatively approved with a fatalistic contingency.
Not too much later in the story the reader becomes familiar with Michael "Pancho" Sanchez, "the Executive and Operations Officer for the Prodigal Avenger project's clandestine special operations task force for operations in Afghanistan and its neighbors" and a man of faith. Pancho is on the eve of retirement as a new Colonel and longs for one last mission even though he knows his behind the scenes directorial prowess – and his age – have slowed him down some.
In the finalized rescue mission for the missionary prisoner, Pancho takes his prized sniper rifle and accompanies the team to the discovered location of the top Jihadist target and the captured American. He watches the plan unfold in his assigned perch and then waits.
Prodigal Avenger is a story of military realism with thriller tendencies, explored faith, sorrows, joy, and an exposé on the differences between those who see missions from a strictly military viewpoint and those who factor in their career and political advancements. Needless to say, there are distinct differences. It's obvious Moynihan has experienced all of these factors. His characterizations ring true as do his situations and conflicts.
Recommended for those who want a real look at conditions and hazards of special operations in the Middle Eastern theater in a fictional account. Well done.
Father, you know Tim's heart for you, his work for your glory. Please continue to bless his life in your abundance. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Luke 2:36-40 (NIV)
So. Five things I got for Christmas and love, love, love!
A second pair of Taos boots, style "Crave". The coolest boots and the most comfortable shoes I own. Two pair and counting!
Two pair of Seahawks gloves! Double cool.
A lightweight Seahawks jacket. Way cool.
Seahawks lounging pants. Very cool.
Two pair of Seahawks socks. Too cool!
See a pattern here? The way to this girl's heart goes through the Seahawks!
God, you keep blessing us beyond belief. We can never give enough thanks to you. Ever. We are humbled by your grace and benevolence. Thank you for rescuing us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
(Originally posted on July 23rd, 2018, as "A time to . . . Send Down The Rain".)
Nobody does broken like Charles Martin. And in his latest Send Down The Rain, there is plenty of brokenness.
I've said before that I was late to the Charles Martin reading party, but now I know for me that's a good thing. His novels tear at the soul, make sadness and pain palpable, heavy, to the point of tasting it. Can't stop reading the story even as it filets the heart.
Characters come alive on the pages and sear our souls with their sorrows. Joseph "Jo Jo" Brooks makes an enormous sacrifice that only he, his brother, and his mother know about. The secret remains hidden until the one person who can in Jo Jo's mind reveal it steps up to do just that.
Joseph Brooks rescues and adopts a dog and a desperate small family and continues to wonder about the only girl (Allie) he's ever loved over 40 years ago. At night he listens to the sultry voice of Suzy True on the radio who talks with veterans like him of the Viet Nam war where she lost her father. When Jo Jo decides to check in on that girl he loved and lost, her husband's life has just ended in a fiery tanker crash, and there's no one she needs more than Jo Jo.
Send Down The Rain is a story of broken people trying to find a way back to "good", of fear and loathing that strafed the hearts and souls of young and older, of wounds carried through years of anguish, of hopes up in flames, of raw hatred and devastating betrayal, cavernous pain and shattered dreams. But then . . .
This novel is classic Charles Martin. Beautiful and symbolic prose, lifelike characters who deeply hurt, and a story that weaves people together in a modern art painting that meshes into impressionist but ends up with the distinctions of a real life photograph. Send Down The Rain is worth every moment it takes to read and every tear that is sure to fall.
Father, you have assigned your writers an awesome purpose. There's no question you've anointed Charles to be one of your wordsmiths. May you fill him with the stories just for him to tell and keep his heart firmly in sync with yours. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Joy to the world!
Thank you for beauty everywhere, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
The gift of God to us. Jesus Christ.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 (NIV)
The most Merry Christmas with God's perfect Love to you.
. . . "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
Luke 2:34-35 (NIV)
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" — which means, "God with us."
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew1:18-25 (NIV)
(Originally posted as "For Women Only . . . Be A Mary")
If you’re anything like me, you have an opinion on a lot of things. And you’re not afraid to express it. In the flesh you’ll jump in with unsolicited commentary and in the Spirit you’ll regret some of what you said.
I grew up—or attempted to—during the heyday of the “drugs, sex, rock ‘n’ roll” generation. I resisted it for as long as I could before I wondered why I was still holding out or holding onto any kind of innocence. I believed in God but didn’t know His Son.
My generation saw the ushering in of the “Ms.” women, better known as the decline and fall of real womanhood. Don’t get me wrong here. If you’re a woman doing the same work as a man as well as or better than a man, you deserve to be paid accordingly. If in your family, you have to work outside your home and put in as many or more hours than your husband, work together to manage your household chores. If you feel called to engage a job or service in a predominantly man’s field of endeavor, go fulfill your call.
But through all these trials and decisions, never ever forget who God made you to be . . . “But for Adam, no suitable helper was found.” (Gen. 2:20) Many women cannot accept their God-given roles, as if it’s degrading to be a “suitable helper” to the man God has for them. God saw the need, and he filled it with the perfect complement, the one who could meet the loneliness, the one who could inspire the desire to lead, to be responsible, to love emotionally, physically, and spiritually, the one who could maximize who he was made to be. Only a woman made just for him could fill that incredible order.
The woman was made from a man indicating she would always be a part of him, and he would always be attached to her. He would be responsible for this one who owned a piece of him. It was a perfect combination.
Enter the temptation to “do it my way” under the beguiling influence of “female reasoning and logic” and insert the male inertia of not wanting to take responsibility for direct disobedience, and the fatal flaw of sin entered a perfect world setting off the ticking time bomb of utter depravity and eventual destruction.
How generous of God to allow a very young virgin woman named Mary to bear the child who would redeem this fallen mess of humanity. He could’ve done it multiple ways—far more creatively than I could ever imagine—and eliminated the use of a female in the process. This young female was strong in her faith and absolute in her worship of God Almighty. Read Mary’s declaration after her encounter with the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:46-55). Humble obedience. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)
Mary would be required to follow her husband to a strange town to have her baby, to a foreign country to protect her son, to return to a new city to start life over again. And she would do it. Because it was her call to do so. She fulfilled her God-given role. Her faith and her obedience allowed her to live the most important role of all women in the Bible. She was allowed to carry and bear the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Never again. Once for all. But the female gender was redeemed by being obedient, first to God, then to her husband. Was it easy? I highly doubt it. How many of you women could pack in the middle of the night to leave for a foreign country where you wouldn’t know a soul and couldn’t even speak the language because your husband woke up with a start after hearing from an angel. Not many of us would be too willing, perhaps arguing it was bad pizza. Life was not ordinary for this family. Because God was directly and actively involved. Someone had to lead. Someone had to follow. Mary followed.
Ladies, this isn’t my idea. I’m a strong-willed, independent woman, and my husband gives me a lot of freedom. He respects me spiritually and often seeks my thoughts, even my advice. But when it comes time for the heavy-hitting decision making, he knows it’s ultimately his responsibility to make them because one day he will stand before Jesus Christ and give an account for his manhood. We women will do the same for our womanhood. Do you really want to stand before the Lord and testify that you acted like Eve when you should have acted like Mary?
Every home is different. Every household has its own order. This Christmas I would just suggest to you women who profess to honor Christ, to take inventory of your willingness to obey the One who made the rules, set the tone, gave you life, who adores you, and treasures you, and desires to guide you through the wicked world with His steadying, encouraging, loving hand. He knows you best, and He knows what’s best for you. May we all say along with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”
Father, it’s been a long and difficult journey for this woman, as you know. But I’m ever more willing with each hour that passes in my life to obey, to seek your face, to be your servant. There is no better place to be. Help me to be the one you want to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
