Into the Fire

This song brings back a lot of memories for me. Very real ones. I loved this song. 

Father, thanking you is never enough for everything you've done for me. You've been so gracious to me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

This picture is probably a bit more dramatic than I feel about this topic, but in all honesty, it does hurt just a little bit. "What does?" you ask. Well, this: 

     I write Christian Fiction. In the Love Story/Romance genre. There is no graphic sex in any of my stories. There is some minor infrequent language. The Lord's Name is never used in vain. 

     I portray "the worldly people" as they are. 

     Redemption/the Gospel is organically and clearly demonstrated in the storyline. 

     Since sexual attraction, temptations, and attitudes toward the opposite sex are inherent in romance, you will find ample examples of them in the stories. 

Because of the real inclusions of these elements of attractions and accompanying actions, my work can or seems to be a problem for some Christian readers. Frankly, I don't understand why. 

But, I know that we all have our preferences in reading novels. I don't begrudge anyone their choices in books. That's the wonder of loving fiction. We all have our favorites. 

I just wish some of those who seek out the "clean and chaste" fiction would take a chance on my novels that give a very real and full look at people and their journeys to redemption. 

That's it. 

Father, I love the stories, characters, words you've given me. You've touched my heart deeply with them all. Thank you is never enough. Always desperate for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. 

Revelation 14:1-5 (NIV)

                           
Let's go back to my WIP. Keep in mind at this point in the story the protagonist is not a Christian. 

From Chapter 21

I retrieved the cooler, and we sat on the tailgate and ate our lunch, each of us drinking an ice-cold Coke and talking about miscellaneous stuff to do with splitting wood, the weather, and how we both enjoyed wood fires in the winter.

     It was another hot one, and I admired the sheen of her skin from the heat of our work. She’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail, and strands of her bangs stuck to her forehead from the hot exertion. It was crazy how much I was taken with her. I had to learn how to handle that lovestruck feeling. My old ways were demanding satisfaction, and I was a weakened man who seemed to always succumb to my past behaviors, seeing no rational reason not to give in to them.

     Except for now, as really undefinable as it could possibly be, I knew the past had no business being in the present. None. I’d moved out here to escape that part of me, and I hadn’t done it yet because the inspiration committed suicide when presented with the opportune moment to indulge my cravings. But now, my craving for her fought valiantly with those ugly selfish traits and behaviors and made its own demands. You want real? Fight for it for once!

     I slid off the tailgate and she followed me, reaching back to clean up what little mess we made. When done, with hands on her hips, she asked me what to do. I struggled with my thoughts but pushed through my utter attraction to her – yes, alright, her body registered front and center – and explained our next steps, thinking I probably couldn’t hide my desire for her. I fired up the chain saw and adjusted my focus to the dead tree.

Father, you always surprise me with new characters, words, stories. Thank you has never been enough. Never will be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

When you're two, you own your world. 

A familiar picture to many of you. I'm so amused by the young me. I can still relate. 

Father, you are the amazing provider, healer, comforter, everything we need. The sooner we know Jesus, the better life will be. Holy Spirit, thank you for your patience in rescuing me. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

I stole this picture from a Facebook post. As a reader, it's absolutely true. As an author, it's a stunning experience. 

And as an author, the very best part of that experience is when it happens to be your own words. 

That's it: the truth for Wednesday. 

Father, when you do that for me, it's stunning. And you get all the credit. All of it. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Oh yeah, the incredible celebration of manhood because you cannot keep good men down. So let's do a little rock 'n' roll to contrast the lies and deception about being a man. REAL men are to be commended and celebrated. 

Father, you made us who we are, and we celebrate your design. You are the Creator, and we are thankful for all you've made. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

     This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

Revelation 13:11-18 (NIV)