Into the Fire

May those who seek my life

  be disgraced and put to shame;

may those who plot my ruin

  be turned back in dismay.

May they be like chaff before the wind,

  may their path be dark and slippery,

  with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net for me without cause

  and without cause dug a pit for me,

may ruin overtake them by surprise —

  may the net they hid entangle them,

  may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord

  and delight in His salvation.

My whole being will exclaim,

  "Who is like you, O Lord?

You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,

  the poor and needy from those who rob them." 

Psalm 35:4-10 (NIV)

We haven't done the 5-thing for a while. What are five of your favorite miscellaneous "things" . . . Here are five of mine in no particular order:

         Mitch Rapp, favorite novel hero. 

      2. I love the smell of fresh-cut alfalfa.

      3. My favorite boots were soft black leather and went all the way up to the top of my legs. Awesome boots. Wish I still had them. 

      4. The oldie song "What does it take (to win your love for me)?" 

      5. Early autumn mornings just before dawn with a good novel in front of the fireplace. 

Pretty random. How 'bout you? Got five? 

Father, the multiple, innumerable, endless blessings you've provided – thank you is never enough. Please help me to always give you the glory for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Available for e-books only. 

"Love is just a four-letter word until its true revelation hits hard in the hearts of six people who have yet to experience it in its purest form. The journey these individuals make to realize the origin and reality of genuine love is both gut-wrenching and rapturous, searching to find the sweet release to love freely. A film critic, an architectural designer, a rape victim, a computer wizard, a lonely divorcée, and a longtime bachelor pastor discover love is far more powerful than anything they’ve experienced in their pasts."

Father, thank you for every word in all of my novels. Thank you for the characters and stories. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

We're able to see both of these views of Mt. Rainier from our home. I call it "The Chief" because if you look closely from this side of the mountain in the second photo, it looks like the Chief is lying in repose with the small "bump" on top being his nose just above his chin, and the widening part of his head on the left is his headdress. Anyway, it's a gorgeous mountain and view, and part of God's magnificent creation.

Father, thank you for the beauty. Amazing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen 

Remember this one? I loved it. Must be the romantic in me. Hahahaha! 

Father, you know us, you knew us, you knit us all together in the womb. May we all recognize who you are. Every knee will bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Redaction is Book 12 of A Rachel Hatch Novel Series by L.T. Ryan and Brian Shea. 

And I don't know how I missed it! I read and reviewed Mirage (Book 13) here before I realized I'd missed Book 12.

Rachel Hatch is given what seems like an odd assignment by General Thorne who personally steps into a Talon conference to organize this special directive. (Talon is Hatch's workplace/a private security firm which holds a unique history for her.) Oddly enough it's to assist the already appointed security for a senator who's speaking in a smaller town meeting where there's been some serious property and water issues caused by a company who's been making threats to its citizens to acquire land and water rights. Once Hatch arrives and introduces herself to the cold shoulder of the head of the senator's security, she notes that the whole scene and venue seem off. When she makes a quick visit to see it for herself the night before his appearance, a strange individual not fitting the mode of everyone else currently present makes a quick exit after she spots him. When she walks outside to see where he went, she takes in the surroundings and finds the dangerous locations giving sightlines to an easy target for a sniper. 

The morning of the event Hatch mentions her concerns and is basically ignored. The crowd that gathers is a hostile audience, feeling the threats of their properties and water rights being commandeered by an outside company. When the senator doesn't give the reassurances they need, things get heated and the senator is rushed toward his vehicle. Hatch hears the unmistakable shot and the senior aide to the senator goes down. Hoping to save him, Hatch applies pressure to his wound but the shot was perfect. His last word is "Maggie." 

This sets the stage for the local Sheriff Tuck and Hatch to form an alliance and a private search for the sniper. Hatch's orders change and the intel she gets from two of her Talon associates collide with the narrative she was originally given. Since she trusts them more than she trusts Thorne, everything in the search changes. 

Intensity, struggles, surprises, and a great ending follow all the deceptions about who's who and what's really going on.

Highly Recommend the A Rachel Hatch Novel Series. 

(Some profanity.)  

Father, as I always say, you know hearts and minds and only you save us. Please bless L.T. and Brian and give them more stories you have just for them to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV) 

So where do we go from here? 

Have you ever asked yourself that question? If you're a Christian, you've found yourself waiting on the Lord. The only time waiting is even a little bit tolerable is when you really don't want to contemplate doing what you know you must. Anyone can be impatient. Christians are not immune even when we're instructed to be. 

Is there something new on the horizon, but you're not sure what it is? Are you restless? Are you waiting for an instruction, a specific direction? 

Where do you go from here? 

As an author, I tend to know where to go with each novel I've written. That's not to say I don't come up blank once in a while and must take a break. When I return, the story takes its usual pace and hastens to put words on "the page." Up to this point, it's worked every time. 

Right now, it's a different story to use a well-worn but appropriate cliché. So, where do I go from here? Guess I'll find out. Hope it's sooner, not later. Waiting is not my favorite thing. 

Father, I know one thing: I can count on you. Thank you for that. Please bless this current story, help me to finish it well. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Crazy natural curly hair days when you work seven days a week at the racetrack. Oh well. A very long time ago. 

Father, you watched me throughout my life and finally when I'd had enough of myself, you stepped in and said, "Have you had enough yet?" I was empty, and you saved me. Thank you, Jesus. The best thing I've ever done, the best decision I've ever made, and thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Mirage by L.T. Ryan and Brian Shea is Book 13 in A Rachel Hatch Novel Series. 

Rachel Hatch goes by "Hatch. Just Hatch." Former military, she's worked private security, and she's seen and faced all kinds of danger having the vicious scars on her left arm as a constant reminder. No longer officially working in private security, she's promised an old friend she'd deliver a covert message to his sister (Emily) in a tiny blip on the map town of Riverton, Texas. Emily is the single mother of a 10-year-old daughter "Cass." Just prior to Hatch's arrival, Emily had seen a newsfeed about her brother's death and is trying to hold herself together in order to tell her daughter.  

Hatch's assurance that her brother is alive is a welcome relief even if the circumstances can't be explained. 

Before the threesome can get to know each other, all the power goes out. Hatch's car won't start, Emily's generator won't work, zero phone service, and it seems particularly different than a normal outage. 

Hatch has already had one confrontation before even getting into town, and now another problem has presented itself. Something's off, but she has no idea what. When she, Emily, and Cass decide to walk into town, they learn the town is not functioning, the sheriff is missing, and people want answers. Cass spots her school science teacher and when she introduces him to Hatch and her mom, he and Hatch have an interesting conversation. Before long, in comes a powerful Humvee, the only operating vehicle, with a familiar survivalist family of three, Dad and two adult sons, one of whom lost the confrontation with Hatch before she arrived. 

The Dad (Rick) takes charge as the mayor willingly hands the bullhorn he'd been using to attempt to calm the crowd. Rick assures the crowd they'll get through it, and his family will help.

Hatch observes it all: the grateful, helpless mayor, the crowd wanting to hear what Rick has to say, and still nothing is sitting right. 

When Cass reminds her mom who's suffering from a migraine that they need to get her prescription, the three of them head for the pharmacy, hoping to find it available. Inside, looters are bagging drugs and threaten them. Hatch makes sure Emily and Cass get back out of the way before she does what she must. Rick and sons find their way there in order to collect all the drugs for safekeeping and realize what has just taken place.

Amidst all of this, it's learned that the electrician who made a visit to the power station before all of this happened is also missing. 

It's a town in chaos in desperate need of rescuing. Little do they know what this "just passing through" gal specializes in. 

Without communication available, she and the science teacher must pool their intellects to figure out who has made this happen and how to fix it. 

Rachel Hatch is a unique and near-perfect heroine for every story L.T. and Brian have created for her. Not as hard nor as brutal as Ham from Dustin Stevens, I think she's my favorite next to Raleigh Harmon created by Sibella Giorello. 

Mirage leaves us in a bit of a cliffhanger that demands a reckoning. 

This series is a very good one with a strong but sensitive heroine who does everything she can to stay disciplined in every factor of her life. Well-written, action-packed in appropriate places, with meaningful connections along the way. Highly Recommend but start from the beginning if you can. 

Father, only you know hearts and minds. Although it's hard for many to realize, apart from you we can do nothing. Please bless L.T. and Brian with more stories you have just for them to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.