Into the Fire

Two of my absolute favorites! Hey, what did you expect from this romantic? 

Father, music is a gift. May all who make it thank the One who's given them their talents. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (NIV)

An excerpt from my novel Seeing . . . 

Taken from Chapter 32

Reminder

     Jean July had the luxury of being born into a holy house with two parents who managed to praise God’s love and provision in spite of her father’s disability and eventual amputation and even when the young and vivacious Jean was told there was nothing that could correct her heart condition at such a tender age.

     He heard her words of explanation after she took him to their favorite spot up above their hideaway homes, high in the evergreens with an occasional pine, alder, or maple draping over them like a primitive shelter. They called it Eden—this place of beauty and stillness. This place where their lips first touched.

     She huffed and stopped along the way, and he asked if she was okay. She just smiled and pushed herself to get there.

     “Micah,” she said, settling into the seat of an ancient root system of a long-fallen fir. “We know God. You’ve even seen our Lord.”

     He remembered she labored over the words, reaching for more air as she spoke. “We don’t have much time left together. They—” She stumbled then. “The doctors can’t help me. It’s my heart.”

     The tears came fast then, and he panicked. He almost lunged for her but pulled her gently to himself and started to tell her they didn’t know what they were talking about. She was too young to die, and no way would he allow it. But as he struggled to speak, the Lord made sure he understood this would not be compromised. Jean July belonged to Him and what He intended for her was more and better than anything Micah or anyone else could provide. Micah wept as he held her and made no grandiose statements of her miraculous healing.

     When he could find his own oxygen and stop his wretched sobbing, he found a way to whisper, “Marry me.”

     She pulled out of his embrace and looked with wonder at his statement. “I’m going to die, Micah.” She said it so sweetly as if bestowing some noble gift upon him.

     “I know. So marry me.” He grabbed her hands. “I love you, Jean. I’ll always love you.”

Father, sometimes I marvel at the stories you've given me, the words that capture characters I love. Thank you is never enough, ever. Please continue to give them to me and provide me with the discipline to write them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

                          High-school, my school. Senior picture. 

Lord, thank you for being patient with me and protecting me from myself. You rescued me several years later and I'm forever grateful. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

(I'm not sure how long ago I posted this, but I think it was in 2011. For me, it provided a reminder of perspective.)

All in good time . . .

Those of you who “know” me are aware of my two self-published novels. The first one Hope of Glory was begun in 1993, finished in 2002, published in 2005. My second novel The Famous One was begun late in 2004, finished in 2005, and published in 2008.

My third novel Sweet Release was started in 2005 and finished in 2005. My fourth novel Wounds . . . and Healings was started in 2005 and finished in 2005. My fifth novel Destination was written in 2006. My sixth novel The Fixer was begun in 2006 and finished in 2007. And the seventh novel Breath of Life was written in 2006. I have started the eighth novel, but it is progressing more slowly than I thought it would which is okay at this point.

Recently an individual who shall remain nameless picked up Hope of Glory after setting it aside some time ago. This person had read somewhere around 200 pages of the 744 page monster when he put it away for a considerable period of time. When he elected to start over with the book, he reread those pages and finished the book. He called to tell me that upon picking up the novel again and reading it through, he experienced a long desired healing. Called it a miracle. Said there was significant weeping involved, but he continued through to the end of the story and, although he didn’t explain the type or circumstances of the healing, let me know without a doubt, he was “healed”.

I’ve been getting some wonderfully positive feedback from those who’ve read The Famous One. And, if you have a copy of the novel and are not feeling positive about it, I’m sorry. Believe it or not, some readers have been truly moved by the story.

All in good time . . . the Lord ministers to and through us if we are willing to receive and pour forth from His supply and bounty. He gives us all we need to do what He assigns to us. If we can control our selfish desires and curb our lusts for fame and fortune, He will accomplish great things in us and through us because of who He is. And although our definitions of “great” and “successful” often clash with His, if we can sustain a willing heart to adhere to His desires for us, we will experience a profound sensation of value to His kingdom.

“He has made all things beautiful in His time . . .”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

Living in what we consider “real time” it becomes so difficult to understand the significance of time beyond us. The “I want it now” culture has always existed. It isn’t new to this generation or even to this society. We can’t help ourselves with our greed or yearnings unless we want to make an effort to sacrifice the constant demands of the flesh, spiritually crucifying them. Rising above our wants restricts our self-centered ways and steers us away from conforming to the empty philosophies of a world that is self-serving and as a result self-destructing.

It kind of amazes me when we forget that our successes are a result of the benevolence of a loving God with a purpose so much more divine than we have in mind, so much farther reaching than we can imagine, and so much more worthwhile and multi-dimensional than we can figure it to be. And that the first priority of those successes is spiritual.

Writers, serving the Lord is your highest order and your greatest honor. When the priorities become confused, and you find yourself serving man—hence serving yourself—ultimately your writing will be wasted. Christians know that only those things done in obedience to God remain untarnished and eternal. The rest of our “stuff” is so much chaff, burned in a wasted bonfire at the Judgment Seat of Christ. What if that “stuff” outweighs our collection of the “Done in Obedience” stack? The shame of it will be unbearable.

The “glory” of the arts is not in the objects themselves but in the direction taken by the heart immersed in obedience to the God who gives the inspiration for creation. We simply cannot create without Him.

The time to write is when He gives you the story. The time to continue through the hard places is when you determine to follow Him through the deep waters. The time to complete what He has given you to do is when you hear His instruction urging you forward. The time to stop is when He tells you to stop and not before. Listen carefully. Write on. Timing is everything.

Father, you are the Master. We are your servants and yet you call us friends, joint heirs with Jesus. Help us to be willing to serve, loving, and obedient. We’re desperate for you, and we need you to push us, prod us, nudge us, and never give up on us. We know we can count on you. If only you can count on us . . . I continue to ask: please, help me to be the one you want me to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Here's another oldie but a goodie! Great old song! 

Father, so much talent you've given. Let each one know from whom their talent comes. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Christian readers of novels are an enigma. It's not that they're readers of many genres. It's not that they are of all ages. It's not that they favor reading series over standalones or vice versa. 

What amazes me about some Christian readers are these two factions: the legalists and the refusers. I'll explain. First, the legalists expect clean fiction that adheres strictly to their doctrinal tendencies. They tend to be intolerant of those authors who expand their stories with supernatural events, conversations, or confrontations. They also seem to be repelled by any real depiction of how the worldly act or what they do even though it's not glorified in the story (and never graphic). They shun certain words and rarely fail to demonstrate how appalled they are in reviews noting that the author occasionally used unseemly words such as "hell" or "damn" without true profanity. But, in their favor, Christian literature offers many, many novels to fit their strict criteria. 

Other Christian readers of novels have proclaimed they never read Christian fiction because it's too preachy, too unrealistic, too boring in whatever genre they favor. It's quite possible they haven't been introduced to the right Christian novels to suit their tastes.

There are so many fabulous, multi-talented fiction writers in the Christian Fiction genre. However, to find Christian authors of true thrillers is difficult. Maybe it depends on one's definition of "thriller" or type of thriller. 

If you're a reader of Christian novels, where do you stand on this subject? 

Father, thank you for the stories and characters you've given me. Thank you that I've been writing since childhood. Thank you that you made it a part of my life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

     Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

    Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NIV) 

Do you have a favorite novel? Is it a classic, a romance, a thriller, a historical, a mystery, a sci-fi, a fantasy? Can you name the author? Do you have a top five list of favorite novels? 

Do you categorize your favorites in each of your preferred genres? 

Do you have a favorite author? Do you have enough favorite authors to make a list of five?

Here are two of my favorite novels in two different genres: The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers and Consent to Kill by the late great Vince Flynn. 

Father, thank you for all the wonderful novels out there. Thank you for your Christian authors who've done all they can to honor you with their stories. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of writing novels. I can never thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

A very long time ago in the Liberty Lake area of Spokane, Washington. Times of life when you feel very small . . . 

Father, thank you for always watching over me even when I had no idea how to live my life. Thank you for patiently waiting for me to turn to you for it all. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.