Into the Fire

                                   Made me smile. Okay, after I cried. 

Thank you, Lord, for all those parents, single and otherwise, who are devoted to their children and improving their lives. All they truly need is you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Youngbloods had a lot of hits back in the day, some of those songs still familiar today. Their lyrics spoke to me during the dark times of my life without Jesus. Sad to say. 

Father, thank you for allowing us to walk down the dark roads to discover how very in need we are of your light. Thank you for not wasting moments of our lives. We're desperate for you always. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

                            
Carrie Stuart Parks has written the third Gwen Marcey novel and it's a good one. When Death Draws Near takes forensic artist Gwen to a small town in Kentucky where a serial rapist is on the loose. A surviving witness disappears as have others before her. The sheriff of the small town doesn't want Gwen there but is tolerating her presence, and Gwen doesn't trust the sheriff.

Gwen, who has survived breast cancer, receives a frightening phone call from her doctor's office, has her assigned dwelling broken into, and her ex-husband calls and demands she take their daughter with his customary threats and insults after Gwen is transferred to the mansion of close friends of the sheriff's. His "friend" the Congressman has captivating looks and charm with a matching beautiful wife and plans to run for president in the next election.

While at the mansion, she's asked/hired to infiltrate a Pentecostal church group of snake handlers (I can assure you most Pentecostals do not handle snakes in their services) because of some snakebite deaths rumored to be due to this "cult's" practices. This is a pet project and passion of the Congressman's wife who wants to take down this group. They choose Gwen for the job because the pastor and his wife who lead this church have lost their son and Gwen sketched his portrait for them.

What Gwen doesn't know is how everything is connected, but when her death draws near, she puts the total information together and realizes who is responsible for all the deaths. Her harrowing efforts to save herself and her daughter require her ultimate faith and prayer. Finally with the assistance of a swoon-worthy man who initially suspects her of exactly what she's doing, Gwen experiences genuine redemption.

This is an intriguing novel with some laugh out loud internal dialogue from Gwen, complex plot developments, a truly sympathetic heroine, plenty of suspense, and a satisfying ending. I recommend all of Carrie Stuart Parks' novels in this series. If you want the full picture, begin with the first one A Cry from the Dust and continue from there.  

Father, you know every need of Carrie's, every hope, every dream. I pray you would see to all of them for her and continue to bless her life and writing. Please keep her safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,

   prisoners suffering in iron chains,

for they had rebelled against the words of God

   and despised the counsel of the Most High.

So he subjected them to bitter labor;

   they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

   and he saved them from their distress.

He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom

   and broke away their chains.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

   and his wonderful deeds for men,

for he breaks down gates of bronze

   and cuts through bars of iron.

Psalm 107:10-16 (NIV)

From the novel Sweet Release: 

. . . He couldn’t take the casual relationship anymore. He was a firm believer in moving forward—treading water was tiresome and pointless—something you did only when you hoped to be rescued. Clearly, she wasn’t throwing him a lifeline.

Father, every notion, inspiration, right words come from you. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

(Originally posted on August 30, 2012. "Thinking . . . They Almost Always Come Home) 

Libby Holden has lost touch with most everything meaningful in her life since her young daughter Lacey's death several years before the story begins. She blames her husband Greg and estranges herself from him until her marriage is one in name only. Her two college-age sons are traveling out of country on a project, and Greg is about to take one of his wilderness jaunts to do what men do when they need time to just be themselves. The truth is she could care less about what he does or where he goes.

But come time for his return, he doesn't arrive home. Days pass and Libby begins to contemplate a funeral. After doing the paperwork involved in reporting him actually missing, Greg's dad Frank decides he's going after his son, knowing the general route he likes to trek. Jenika, Libby's neighbor and best friend, helps Libby search Greg's office for any clues that might make his absence somehow understandable, discovering a small journal Libby didn't know he had. Libby fears Greg has beaten her to the punch of deserting their marriage, something she's been seriously contemplating. She's more angry – and even vaguely relieved – than fearful when he fails to come home.

This is the scenario that takes us through Libby's first person journey of insisting on accompanying her father-in-law to search for her husband. That her best friend also insists on joining her and Frank with the blessing of her husband gives Libby the comfort she needs to undertake something neither of the ladies are even remotely qualified to attempt.

Cynthia Ruchti's debut novel They Almost Always Come Home manages to deliver a distinctive voice in a heroine who's difficult to root for because of her cynical bitterness. She hasn't quite abandoned God, but she's set Him aside to wallow in her pain. Without creating the goody-two-shoes cheery caricature of a Christian, Cynthia manages to endow Jen with inimitable compassion and a heart after God that exudes His strength when both of them realize the intense demands of this somewhat hopeless journey.

I can't imagine the intensity of pain involved in losing a child (though I know what it feels like just to consider it), and I know the statistics are generally poor for couples who've lost a child staying together. Between guilt and blame many don't survive the tragedy. That doesn't make it any easier to embrace a character who's chosen to indulge the pain and condemn her husband in a passive aggressive way while failing to reason that a man and a father might have to grieve differently and suffer through blaming himself. However, Cynthia somehow manages to inject just enough low-level charisma in Libby as she battles through surviving the physical wilderness of their trip and the utter wilderness of her soul.

About two-thirds of the way through the novel, Cynthia switches to capture Greg's venture in third person, his reasoning and personal pain, his desire for change of all significant kinds. It's clear he's a good man who's suffered every bit as deeply as his wife, and we can't help but wonder how this is all gonna end for this couple.

And that's for you to find out because if you want to read a novel that takes a good hard look at two people who've suffered loss and can't cope, They Almost Always Come Home is a well-written and unique approach to what seems to be a common storyline of late. These characters live on the page, drawing the reader into their psyches, exposing their hard and soft spots, their weaknesses and faith, their sheer pain and loss of hope. Secondary characters are well-developed and draw us to them. The undercurrent of Christianity is solid and organic and is contrasted to religion in subtle ways that deliver gut-level reality checks as the four characters surge deeper into the their own wilderness experiences. Very good first novel.
 

Father, I know you will continue to inspire Cynthia to use the gift you've given her. I pray there are many more meaningful stories to follow this one. Please bless her in all she does to honor you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

There are many, but specifically those of us who blog spend various amounts of time on posts, pictures, videos, etc., to attempt to generate interest in our blogs. Most blogs appeal to a certain audience, and in my case I try to address those who are readers and those who are writers and those who at the least have an interest in God and at the most love Him passionately. Fairly specific. However, I welcome all viewers who dare to tread Into the Fire.

The upside is of course the generated interest and appeal that results in followers and comments. Being an author, that's a good thing. I've had some comments from dear friends (acquired via this blog) make my day – sometimes my week or month!

The downside comes when I feel like I let my faithful readers and commenters down, and I wonder why I'm still doing this blog thing.

The absurd thing is one day the views will shoot into the stratosphere and the next day there will be next to no one tuning in to Into the Fire. Strange. Humbling.

I confess this one thing is the most discouraging: I'll post something that I think has real merit, that I really like, that I can't wait to read the feedback. And then . . . NOTHING! Not a single comment, a few views. Whaaaat? And, yeah, sometimes I'm saddened, frustrated, annoyed, fill in the blank . . . with myself.

Not important. Not whining on purpose. Just a view from this seat in the bleachers of life . . . nosebleed section.

Up . . . and Down . . .

Father, you know. Over sensitive me. I need your perspective. Thank you for every word, every post. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The unique and talented Harry Nilsson with a beautiful song from his many hits.

Lord, thank you for talents and gifts. So many. May each one know that you're the giver of their gifts. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Karin Kaufman has written Book Four in the Juniper Grove Mystery Series, and it's another good addition. Death of a Santa proves to be a quick but not easy solve when one of the "Four Santas", who serenade homes with Christmas carols while consuming massive amounts of cookies as rewards, asks amateur sleuth and mystery writer Rachel Stowe's assistance in finding out who's harassing and scaring his slightly mentally challenged adult niece Sonya. Rachel's prowess for investigating crime in the community after a couple of unusual murders precedes her at the wreath-making party where her neighbor Julia has invited her. The Four Santas stop by and the final words of one of them are made in his secretive request to Rachel.

The fresh romance between Sheriff James Gilroy and Rachel has their communication on the sad event more informative and respectful of her abilities and insights at investigation and his heavy load as Sheriff of the small town. Rachel has that sinking feeling this isn't a natural death. Christmas is coming, and there's a rush to find out if murder is the gift that keeps on giving.  

When Sonya disappears from the party after her uncle's death, Rachel, Julia, and their friend Holly unite to figure out what's going on just in time for a second death.

In Death of a Santa there are multiple suspects as we've come to expect, twists, emotion, unique characters, a little romance, and Christmas goodies galore. Karin does these cozy mysteries so well, and she's knocking them out in a swift fashion so we can have one almost waiting for us as we finish the previous one. These are good stories, easy reads, appealing main characters, and well worth the time it takes to jog through them. She won't convert me to read anyone else's efforts in this genre, but I'll be glad to read all of hers.

Father, you know Karin's heart and soul, what she needs, what she loves. Please continue to bless her life, her writing, her relationship with you. Guard and protect her. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;

  if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Proverbs 9:12 (NIV)