Glory to the Lord on High! His truth is marching on! 

Please, Lord, we're desperate for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The Handler by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray is Book 1 in A Maddie Castle Thriller Series. 

Maddie Castle lost it all when she was shot and her dog was killed. Her injured leg temporarily crippled her and the damage caused her way-too-soon retirement from the police department. The pain is excruciating, and she's gotten to the point where prescription opioids are the only relief she gets. Her job as a private investigator isn't flourishing, and she isn't doing well. 

When a detective she knew is murdered after cornering a man who works for the kingpin of drugs in the area, his loyal service K-9 who is injured in the incident has become a problem. Maddie is the best at training the canines for service, and she is asked by a former cop to see if the dog's salvageable. Maddie knows how the dog's former partner finished off her training, and Maddie disapproved of his methods for precisely the reason the dog's become unmanageable. She carefully considers taking the dog home to see if she can be rehabilitated and decides it will give her a worthwhile goal. 

Maddie gets a call from a woman whose son she helped in the past but is now missing. As it turns out, he straightened out his life since then, and the fact that he's missing is pointing to something very wrong. 

When searching for him leads to some former school associates, the reunion is unpleasant at best but uniquely helpful. 

Dirty cops, drugs, an innocent boy, a special dog, an impossibly intertwined mystery all connect for Maddie when she needs it most. 

I've always enjoyed L.T. Ryan's writing and stories, having read a lot of his series, and the authors he's chosen to work with together present seamless entertaining novels. The Handler is no exception. 

(Some profanity.)

Father, please bless L.T. with all that he needs to continue to write good stories with others who complement his style. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Matthew 6:27 (NIV) 

Outside of your own work – if you're an author – who are three (or more) of your favorite fictional heroes? Here are some of mine:

#1 is Mitch Rapp (over all others)

Mike Romeo

John Milton

Jon Reznick

Atticus Priest

Runners up: James Reese and Scot Harvath 

Father, thank you for authors, for gifting them with the amazing abilities to tell fantastic stories with interesting characters. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Way back at Sun Lakes State Park with my BFF's family. Some of the best times of my youth. 

Father, thank you for my best friend, our times together, our laughs and joys, horses and boys, fun in the sun. Being able to be a kid. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Have you ever felt isolated? Alone? Insignificant? Tiny as a nano-speck in the big picture? 

Have you ever considered that these feelings can be both true and false? 

Isolation can be a factor in our lives no matter how much people traffic there is. Isolation is a state of mind that makes us feel like no one "gets" us, or no one can seem to recognize how we feel, or that we can't understand why we seem to be singular in our approach to whatever it is that brings us to the conclusion that we're isolated.

Alone? It's not hard to imagine that sometimes we're going to feel alone. The difference between isolation and feeling alone is slim, but actually being alone means either we've chosen to be without people in our lives – whether temporarily or for a season – or there's a reason for being without others that we initiated – or they did.

Insignificant? It would be unusual if we never felt insignificant just because there are so many reasons in this world that can make us feel that way. The key phrase there is "in this world." 

"A nano-speck in the big picture?" Imagining the heavens, the stars, planets, moons, etcetera, who are we? How can we possibly matter in this universe? 

All of the above "feelings" are indicative of our humanity. The human condition. In and of ourselves, we can experience them all. The only true validation to who we are is from our Creator. He created us for a purpose. That "thing" that seems to matter to us more than others? We like it, we're good at it, or we become good at it, and we enjoy it in spite of sometimes thinking we're only so good at it. We are beings of flesh and blood with a unique spirit that must be redeemed. Apart from God, we can do nothing. He gives us life and for "X" amount of time, we can choose to live our lives with or without Him. However, since Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me," without Him, we shall remain all of those things listed above. The truth is in Jesus, we're never alone or isolated from Him. He gives us the Holy Spirit who dwells within us as believers. No longer isolated, alone, insignificant, and we do matter in the big picture because God's purpose for us is what makes our lives important. Is it fun and laughter from that point of acceptance onward? No, not always. Suffice it to say, now our actions have meaning both in this world and in the supernatural. But with the power of the Holy Spirit, we are equipped for the good and the great that God has planned for us.

No matter how much money, fame, comfort, family, friends, and good associates we acquire in this life of ours, without Jesus, we're hell-bound. And if that's the case, none of this life will matter. Eternity waits. 

That's where I wandered this Wednesday. 

Father, you rescued me from myself and this world. Thank you will never be enough, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

There were a lot of dysfunctional bands "back in the day," but this great band had to be near the top of the list. Nevertheless, they truly were an amazing group, very talented. 

Father, you're the only who can decipher hearts and minds, from the inside out we are unmasked before you. And, whether we ever know it or not, we ARE desperate for you. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice for the worst of us and all people. Please keep rescuing the lost. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Granite & Gloss by LR Strong is Book 1 in the Rescuers Series. 

Before I review this story, let me say this: There is "Christian" Fiction and then there is Christian Fiction. Some Christian novels touch on what it means to be a Christian. The characters "offer up a prayer," attend church, and basically the story is conveniently labeled "clean" whatever-the-genre-is. L.R. Strong's story is equivalent to the evangelical gospel told in novel form. Some readers – Christian and non – would label it "preachy." But really it's a story of life and death circumstances which produce the necessary reliance on God Almighty to intervene in a miraculous way. 

Sculptor and painter, lovely Tarina "Gloss" is on her way to meet a California billionaire (Douglas McCavent) under the pretense of him commissioning her for a sculpture. She has no idea of his true intention. Jake Granite works for a private firm investigating elusive criminals of which this man is a major one. Tarina is an accomplished artist trying to build her name. Jake is a successful and tough investigator whose one mistake cost him too much. Inside he's raging and broken, damaged and hurting. On the outside: smooth and determined. When he sees what's going down on an assignment to finally get McCavent, he interferes to find a confused and scared Tarina in the back of a car driven by one of McCavent's muscle. 

Thus begins the story of Jake and Tarina, Jake quickly adopting the role of bodyguard and Tarina catching on that she's going to need one. They're spirited away to a private plane where they're not told anything other than they're headed to a party. When a very young girl is called to bring McCavent a drink, Jake sizes up the ugly picture. 

From the moment of first trauma to the last, Tarina's faith and spirituality is brought to the forefront while Jake's jaded view of God challenges her repeatedly. He assumes the typical argument among unbelievers that if this God is good, why is there so much evil and cruelty in the world? That IS the question, isn't it? Tarina persists in her prayers for him and their encountered situations where God's obvious answers are clearly demonstrated. 

The Gospel is laid out in this book as Jake relents on his hard-hearted approach and begins to question Tarina. They've confided their darkest secrets to each other over the days they've spent together. As much as Jake fights it, her faith is beginning to impact him. She's confessed a couple of her visions to him without his disputing them. He's added significant knowledge to her condition of synesthesia, something only he now knows about her. Although so many things are unclear to both of them regarding their situation, they've managed many triumphs and witnessed some real miracles.    

If you're a reader who longs to hear the beautiful (and true) account of The Gospel detailed in story form, Granite & Gloss is the book for you.  

Pay close attention to the "Author's Notes" before the story begins. 

Father, you give gifts and talents in abundance. Thank you for giving LR so many! Please continue to bless her in every way and particularly in the stories you have given just for her to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

. . . For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

     But, you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this commandment without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time. God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen. 

1 Timothy 6:10-16 (NIV)

Romeo's Fire by James Scott Bell is Book 9 in A Mike Romeo Thriller Series.

Mike Romeo is one of my all-time favorite characters, uniquely written with amazing intelligence and incomparable wit. Romeo's history is fascinating and you get bits and pieces of it throughout the series. In this book his friend and employer, Attorney Ira Rosen, has taken on a young man (Coby) who's accused of murdering a homeless man called "Zon" when the action Coby took was clearly self-defense. Zon was a friend of his who shared a tent with Coby, but Zon went crazy on some kind of drug high, screaming, "Lucifer's coming!" 

Ira hires Romeo to investigate the crimes his clients are accused of, and this one leads to a rehab facility for street people, a shelter with rules and encouragement to accept Christ to help them through their various addictions and problems. The man who runs it (Rev. Tatum Walker) deeply cares for the patrons of his facility, but he's well aware that not all of the men who come will choose to stay. Ira negotiates in court for Coby's presence at the facility, and all's well until Coby disappears.

All hell breaks loose and surrounds the case as Romeo sets out to discover where Coby's gone. Things get crazier when the Reverend is attacked and Romeo is thought to be involved. 

Through all of this, Romeo is in a state of emotional turmoil over the feelings he has for his girlfriend Sophie. His life is a roller coaster of events that seem to always erupt in violent circumstances causing him to wonder how any woman would want to spend her life with someone like him.

There's a molten lava that fires up beneath the surface of Mike Romeo at times, creating an inferno of rage that can shed the bindings of control. It happens when someone pokes at the wrong thing in his life and ignites the fire in his soul.  

As usual with a James Scott Bell novel, the dialogue is sensational, the characters sharply drawn, the drama often surreal, a significant dash of violent encounters to spice things up, and just a terrific series created by its author. If you enjoy very well-written stories with truly unique characters that capture you in their adventures, squabbles, intensity, and pondering the often confusing seasons and events in life, believe me when I say this one's for you. Truly a great and entertaining series. 

Father, please continue to bless James with more stories using the incredible talent you've given him. Encourage him as only you can do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.