Janice Cole Hopkins's Blog, page 11

The Almost DiscipleAnd when he was gone forth into the wa...

The Almost Disciple

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17).

Do you remember the sad story of the rich, young ruler? He came to Jesus with so much going for him. He had plenty of money and lived a privileged life. Even more important, he'd been a faithful Jew all his life, keeping the laws and commandments. And now, he came seeking Jesus, calling Him "Good Master," and wanting eternal life.

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (Mark 10:21).

The young man had come to the right place. Jesus, seeing the good in this man but knowing his heart, asked him to give his possessions to the poor and follow Him. Of all the things Jesus could have said, the young man had likely never imagined this. It was the one thing that made him struggle because he had extensive wealth.

And he was sad at the saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions (Mark 10:22).

In the end, his wealth meant more to the man than following Jesus, and he went away grieved for he wanted both. We know that God won't accept us putting anything above Him in our lives. To the man's credit, his decision still grieved him, but he thought he'd been asked to give up too much, so he gave up being one of Jesus' disciples. In actuality, what he gave up -- Jesus -- was so much greater than what he kept -- his possessions. Can you imagine the joy and peace of following Jesus in the flesh, learning at his feet, and being one of his special friends?

But before we judge this rich young man too harshly, would you be willing to give up every possession you have, all of it, and become homeless if you felt God commanded you to? We would hope so, and we might even think so, but when it came time, could we do it? It would mean losing all earthly security, all means of making a living and trusting God completely for everything. Now, God doesn't ask us all to do this, but if He did, He wants us to put Him before our possessions. I pray that we all would have that much faith, trust, and commitment because God won't accept anything else. He won't be second best in our hearts.

You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:37).

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Reece Is ComingThe last book in my six-book series, A Ma...

 Reece Is Coming

The last book in my six-book series, A Match for Reece, is publishing on Friday (Nov. 1, 2024). This is a series within a series. The Matchmakers - Agatha Returns is a multiple-author project where different authors are writing about the matches made by Agatha Sinclair. 

In A Match for Reece, the sheriff of Pinyon Falls, Texas,Reece Felps has always thought lawmen should never marry because of the dangerand uncertainty that comes with the job, but as he enters middle age, he beginsto reconsider. A friend convinces him that he should write to the matchmaker inChicago with whom so many others in the area have found success. Meanwhile, Adrianne Clark and her brother live a meager existence in Chicago.When she sees a brutal murder and they learn the mob is involved, they decideshe needs to leave the city, so she goes to her best friend’s aunt, amatchmaker.

Matt Griffin’s new job as deputy sheriffsuits him just fine, and he begins to notice Ginny Harris for the first time. Then the newschoolteacher comes to town, and she’s different: sophisticated and refined. Noone else seems to appreciate her, but she makes him feel special. However, whenthey all become caught up with someone trying to harm Adrianne, things getcomplicated, and Matt starts to realize things might not be as he thought theywere.

All six of my books are set in Pinyon Falls in the Texas Hill Country, and the reader gets a wrap-up of all the main characters in this last book. Still, it focuses mainly on Reece and Adrianne and Matt and Ginny. Readers of the series won't want to miss this one. It's full of adventure, suspense, and romance.

A Match for Marshall (the cattle rancher)A Match for Cord (the horse rancher)A Match for Silas (the blacksmith)A Match for Merle (the land speculator)A Match for Milton (the barber)A Match for Reece (the sheriff)
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When We Don't Get What We Pray ForSeveral days ago as I ...

 When We Don't Get What We Pray For

Several days ago as I was doing my morning devotion, I ran across a poem that touched me in many ways. It's honest, true, reflective, and gives one a lot to ponder. Today, I thought I would do something different and simply share it with you. Perhaps it will impact you the way it did me.

I asked for strength that I might achieve; 

He made we weak that I might obey.

I asked for health that I might do great things; 

He gave me grace that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy;

He gave me poverty that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;

He gave me weakness that I might feel the need of God.

 I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;

He gave me life that I might enjoy all things.

I received nothing that I asked for;

He gave me all that I had hoped for.

 (Michael P. Green, ed., Illustrations for Biblical Preaching.)

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Blacksmith and Livery in 1880 TownIn some of the smaller ...

Blacksmith and Livery in 1880 Town

In some of the smaller western towns, the blacksmith and livery might be combined, but in 1880 Town, they were separate buildings. Of course, the blacksmith worked with forging metals, including horseshoes, tools, household utensils, nails, etc. He was a necessary part of the community.

In my novel, A Match for Silas, Silas Barrett is the blacksmith in Pinyon Falls, Texas. In a moment of desperation, he sends for a mail-order bride, but he specifies that she be from a poor, common family. He doesn't want to marry a woman who couldn't be satisfied with a blacksmith the way his mother was. Who does the matchmaker send? A lady from high society. A Match for Silas

The livery mainly boarded or rented out horses as well as wagons, buggies, and other conveyances. His building was usually larger than that of the blacksmith because both the horses and the vehicles took up more space than the forge. Sometimes a livery might have the horses stabled in a separate place from the wagons.
In Carmen's Wedding Dilemma, Holden Judd owns a livery in a small Utah town. He goes to buy some new horses from a local rancher and finds some magnificent horses with Spanish bloodlines. He also finds a beautiful daughter that draws his attention, but he knows his prejudiced mother will never accept her Spanish heritage.Carmen's Wedding Dilemma



*1880 Town is in Midland, South Dakota________________________________

 

MissionsGo ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizin...

 Missions

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).

If you've read many of my blogs, you may have noticed that I've done both short-term and longer-term mission work. Some of it has involved construction and church programs, but the long-term assignments have been teaching missionary children whose parents are working to get the Word to people groups who don't have the Bible in their language. 

. . . remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

When someone volunteers to spend time in the mission field for the first time, they go with the idea of helping those less fortunate or sharing Jesus with those who don't know Him. However, when they return home, they realize they've been blessed even more than they've been a blessing. It's hard to explain unless you experience it, but I've never known it not to hold true. You go to give, and you come home blessed beyond measure.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king (1 Peter 2:17).

It's always more fulfilling to have a giving heart, but less fortunate people have also shared precious gifts with me. I've never met people more in love with Christ than I have in places like Oaxaca, Mexico, or Davao, Philippines. The love they shared with me will stay with me forever. The lessons of faith they taught me have been invaluable. Never be condescending or look down on anyone. God expects us to treat everyone with love and respect.

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Sawmills and LumberjacksMy father's family owned a sawmil...

Sawmills and Lumberjacks

My father's family owned a sawmill in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the late 1800s and into the early part of the 20th century. Grandpa had three sons who helped him in the operation. During the Great Depression, he bought a 500-acre farm in Wilkes County and moved the family there. Years later, the eldest son, Raymond, bought the sawmill from his father, and my dad worked for his older brother for several years.

My dad knew timber since he'd grown up and worked in the industry. He could name and tell you about any tree he saw. As a child, I absorbed much of this information. I'm sorry to say, I've lost some of this knowledge from lack of use, but I still remember some too. When I read the guidelines for the multiple-author project, Mountain Men and Mail-Order Brides, I knew my mountain man would be a lumberjack, and I set the book in Washington Territory.

Noah's New Bride will publish on Thursday (10-3-24). In it Noah is concerned that no woman will want to live in a rugged lumber camp, so he asks his oldest sister back in St. Joseph to help find him a match. He's almost surprised when she does, but Meleah's situation brings problems neither of them suspected. The book will be released in Kindle, KU, and paperback. The Audible version is in production, almost finished, and should be out soon. Don't miss this wonderful story.
Noah's New Bride

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The Necessity of Prayer. . . yet ye have not, because ye...

 The Necessity of Prayer

. . . yet ye have not, because ye ask not (James 4:2b).

Prayer is essential to the Christian life. We should live by it, so it becomes a lifestyle. Even Jesus prayed long and often. He would get up early in the morning and go off alone to pray. "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1:35).

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth (Psalm 145:18).

Charles Spurgeon tells us, "Asking is the rule of the kingdom." He goes on to explain, "It is the rule that will never be altered in anybody's case. If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that He may have, you and I cannot expect to have the rule relaxed in our favor. God will bless Elijah and send rain on Israel, but Elijah must pray for it. If the Jews are to be delivered, Daniel must intercede. God will bless Paul, and the nations shall be converted through him, but Paul must pray" (Charles H. Spurgeon, Twelve Sermons on Prayer).

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us (1 John 5:14-15).

Prayer has so much power; never neglect it. It is our direct communication line to God. Use it often, praying in all circumstances and offering praises to the Holy One who loves us and wants the best for us. Live your life as a prayer, depending upon God.

Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

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Churches in 1880 TownAs the West became more settled, ch...

 Churches in 1880 Town

As the West became more settled, churches were also established. By 1880, people were interested in seeing their area cease from lawlessness and become "more civilized." They wanted families, businesses, schools, and churches as well as ranches or farms. However, getting specific data on the number of churches or denominations west of the Mississippi can be a challenge since detailed records from that period aren't always available.

Yet, in the late nineteenth century, we do know that the Western United States saw a significant growth in various Christian congregations. Here is some general information I found:

Many Baptist churches were already well-established in the West by 1880.

The Methodist Church was one of the largest denominations of the time, and they had a strong presence in the West.

The Catholic Church had an early presence in the West, especially in areas with a large Mexican or immigrant presence.

The Presbyterian Church also expanded westward, building many churches.

There were various Lutheran synods active in the West, such as the Missouri Synod.

Many other denominations had a somewhat smaller presence, including Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Pentecostal groups.

1880 Town in Midland, South Dakota, has two churches, but only one was open to the public when we were there. The Protestant church sat on a hill just outside of town but was visible from there. It had not been renovated or opened yet.

St. Stephen's Church, the Catholic church, was located at one end of town with beautiful stained glass windows as well as other furnishings. It was closed for repairs on the day we were there. It was originally in another South Dakota town and was preserved by moving it to the reconstructed town. 

Whatever their denominations, Western churches became an important part of their communities and often the hub of town society. All my books set in the West have a church congregation of some sort, and most of the time they play an important part in the book.

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Praise the Lord!Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sa...

 Praise the Lord!

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (Psalm 150: 1, 2, & 6).

Few people praise God as much as He deserves, even though it is one of our main purposes in life. The Westminster Catechism, written in 1646, states that "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Praise helps with this. Brother Lawrence, a devoted sixteenth-century monk wrote, " . . . we ought to propose to ourselves to become, in this life, the most perfect worshipers of God we can possibly be as we hope to be through all eternity." Most of us fall short when it comes to praise and worship.

"Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name (Matthew 6:9b).

In the model prayer we call "The Lord's Prayer" that Jesus used to teach us how to pray, He begins by praising God. Throughout His ministry, He gave honor and glory to the Father. Dick Eastman writes in his book, The Hour That Changes the World, "Praise is more than a single aspect of prayer. Praise is a way of life." Is it a way of life for you?

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name . . . (Isaiah 25:1a).

True praise and worship isn't just an outward display but a matter of the heart. It's an attitude of reverence, honor, love, and joy in the Lord. Praise, worship, and thankfulness all go hand in hand. They pull our focus away from self and put it on God where it should have been all along. When we center our attention on how perfect, holy, and awesome God is and know we are His and He loves us, we'll find ourselves living in joy despite what is happening around us. Hallelujah! 

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Hotel in 1880 TownMost Western towns had someplace for g...

 Hotel in 1880 Town

Most Western towns had someplace for guests to stay, although communities too small to be called a town might not. Before the railroad came to town, boarding houses often offered that service, but the railroad brought growth, and hotels were a part of that. All my Western novels have either a boarding house or a hotel, but the establishment plays a more important role in some than others.

1880 Town in Middletown, South Dakota, had a hotel, but today's visitors weren't allowed inside yet, so I have no photos to show of the interior. However, I assume it looked like other historic hotels in the region, such as ones at the Patee House in St. Joseph, Missouri. Besides the hotel, 1880 Town had more than one saloon with rooms to rent. This was typical of Western towns at the time. Deadwood, South Dakota, had more saloons than all other businesses combined.

Patee House
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