Into the Fire

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

To the Church in Sardis

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

     These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know what time I will come to you.

     Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Revelation 1:20 and Revelation 1-6 (NIV)

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. 

To the Church in Thyatira

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

     These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

     Nevertheless, I have this against you. You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching, she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am He who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come.

     To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations —

               'He will rule them with an iron scepter,

                        he will dash them to pieces like pottery —

just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

Revelation 1:20 and Revelation 2:18-29 (NIV)

           This is from my WIP told in first person male voice.

Chapter 7

I’m not a great guy. I’ve been a player of sorts and tried to make it apparent to the women with whom I’d played that my intentions were not for the long term. But, like most of the women I’ve encountered along my disreputable journey, each one, who’d survived beyond that first or second liaison, believed they could change that claim and make me their own. I’d like to think it was because I showed them respect in my advances and was at least partly honest with them in my explanations being sure to assure them it was me, not them. I doubt that worked since most of our departures were, shall I say, unpleasant.

     As I re-showered and changed into my writing clothes, old sweats and socks – without holes this time – and a decent long-sleeved t-shirt, I pondered why my past occupied my current thoughts. Probably because I confessed a piece of the past to my “new-hire”. I seemed to enjoy lying to myself when it came down to analyzing my behavior, but deep down in that place some people call the soul, I knew it was because I was intangibly drawn to my new employee. “Intangibly” because I barely knew her. No surprise she met my physical requirements for a very attractive woman, but I wasn’t so consumed with lust that I failed to notice her character. You can’t fake character. I’ve seen enough in my business attempt it, but what they’d compromise for the love of that almighty dollar always exposed who they really were.

     While I contemplated all of this, I realized I stood motionless in the middle of my bedroom staring toward my large bay windows but seeing nothing. I cussed at myself and headed to my office, determining to shut down this meandering mindset and focus on the manuscript that had me frustrated seven chapters into it with not a clue where to go next. Being one of those seat-of-the-pants authors, I couldn’t force a story to take shape. It didn’t work that way for me, nor would I ever be inclined to change it up now. However, it did produce lulls and stoppages that sometimes gave me fits of frustration and quite often led to bad behavior – almost as if I thought cutting loose would somehow give me fresh inspiration. Inevitably, I’m ashamed to admit, my conduct would lead to even lengthier delays and add substantial folders to my regret files which, unhappily, had multiplied in volume in recent years.

     Or, perhaps, to be completely honest with myself, it had been ongoing since that love I once felt vacated my life a long time ago.

Father, you know me. Apart from you, I can do nothing. I treasure the stories you've given me, the words and characters, even the process hard as it might be at times. Please continue to give me what I need to write another novel to honor you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

This is a beautiful song sung by so many artists (Barbra Streisand, Katharine MacPhee, Carrie Underwood). I picked one I'd never heard of, but they all do it justice. 

Father, you are the giver of good and perfect gifts. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. 

To the Church in Pergamum

"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

     These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live — where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city –where Satan lives.

     Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 

     He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." 

Revelation 1:20 and Revelation 2:12-17 (NIV) 

Five things you would eat every day if you could justify it: 

Pie, Pie, Pie, Pie, Pie – oh, wait, I'll think of four more. 

Cheesecake 

French Fries

Pasta

Steak 

(Probably pretty obvious why I can't justify my list for everyday eating.)

How 'bout you?

Father, thank you for the elaborate food choices from all over your creation. Amazing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Taken in Rome, Italy, by my traveling friend. We stayed in at night and took pictures to pass the time. Two American girls on a big adventure. Amazing trip. 

We worked and saved for a year after our first year at the University of Washington. I talked her into going, and we did it! Traveled to Europe and Great Britain. She caught the traveling bug and went back to see all the things we missed on our nearly 3-month adventure. 

Father, you watched over us and protected us, and I can't thank you enough for all the things you did for me before I met your Son. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.