M.L.S. Weech's Blog, page 62

Book Cover of the Year! Announcing the November Book Cover of the Month and kicking off the 2018 Book Cover of the Year Wild Card Round!

Hello everyone,

There’s a lot to this post, but we want to give everyone their due.

Brackify is shutting down, so we’re on a crunched schedule because we want to award a Book Cover of the Year.

First order of business, let’s wrap up November.

We’ve just wrapped up the last month

We had 2,444 votes this month. This was almost a record-setting bad month for us, but a couple authors showed out and got us to at least more than the least ever.

The November Book Cover of the Month is…

[image error]

 

All the Lonely People by Jason Nelson! If you’re curious about how I felt about the book, check out the Facebook post that I posted when this book first landed on the bracket, here.

Let’s look at the stats!

Nelson  received 253 total votes!

Blackwoods: The Beginning by Teressa J. Martin and Adaline McMillan was the runner up, so it’s an automatic bid into the 2018 Book Cover of the Year Wild Card round (as the sixth seed, but more on that in another post that dropped today).

But for now, let’s look at this month’s winner!

Amazon:

(START BLURB)

All the Lonely People is based on the podcast by the same name (available on your favorite podcast player).

After his wife dies, our protagonist is faced with the internal struggle of loss and grief while trying to raise his three-year old daughter. It’s an exploration of love, family, death, and what comes after.

(END BLURB)

I’ve added All the Lonely People to my TBR. (For those who are new to the deal, I buy the Book Cover of the Month to read and review in the future. I buy all the winning covers. I’ve already bought October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February, January, and December’s book.

Here’s Nelson’s Facebook page. Give it a like if you’re curious about her and her work.

[image error]So that ends another fun year of the bracket. This is the last year for a while at least, but that’s no reason to stop working hard to make this a great year. So, let’s get the 2018 Book Cover of the Year Wild Card Round kicked off! (See the other post)

 

Thanks for reading

Matt

Story Review: Go for Bait by T.C. Bucher, From For a Few Credits More Anthology

[image error]Spoiler Free Summary: Go for Bait by T.C. Bucher is the 11th story in the Four Horsemen anthology, For a Few Credits More.  Mackey seems to be running a boring operation in a crap location, but when projectiles randomly start flying at his team, he has to discern who’s attacking. Once he does, his team still has to take on the threat.

Character:  This is another story that I had to go back and skim just to remember stuff. I remember breezing through the story, but the characters aren’t very memorable. This story is a great action piece. But it’s plot driven, and while I don’t have a single negative memory of the story, nothing stood out either. The characters fell into this category for me.

Exposition: This had to have been done well. If I don’t have memorable characters, the action needs to be fast and the exposition needs to be next to nonexistent for me to be able to read it as quickly as I did. So what this story loses in depth and memorability, it makes up for in pacing and fun.

World building:  This was fine. I didn’t get frustrated with any questions (I would have remembered then).

[image error]Image of Mr. Bucher taken from his Amazon author page for review purposes under fair use doctrine.

Dialogue: This is sort of up there with character. I don’t remember any, so I know I didn’t hate it, and it didn’t slow me down.  However, I can’t recall a single line of spoken word.

Description: If I have trouble remembering it, the description had to have been done right. It was enough to keep my imagination active, but not so much that I felt like I had to slog through it.

Overall: When I went back today to scan this story, I immediately thought, “Oh, this is the story with the enemy in the tunnels!” No, I won’t remember it for years to come, but if I have a long drive or a plane ride I don’t know what to do with, this book was a pleasant, fun way to burn a few hours.  Not every story can be super memorable, but this one was at least fun.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets for My Savior 10

The Reward

Praise the Lord, for my quiver is full!

Three arrows, I have in hand.

Let the Lord’s wisdom be a well from which I pull

the knowledge to raise them to obey his command.

Help me teach them diligently.

Let me speak of Your word at all times.

Let Your grace fill me abundantly,

that they won’t fall victim to my crimes.

Help me rejoice in wise sons who are glad

and leave a good inheritance to these boys.

It’s such a blessing to be their dad,

for they bring me so many joys.

They are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of a womb, a reward.

 

The Blessing of Humility

Help us clothe ourselves in humility.

Let us be worthy of Your grace.

If we humble ourselves before the almighty,

He will lift us from disgrace.

Let humility bring us wisdom,

which is found in those who take advice.

Cheerful service should be our only ambition,

and the value of others should more than our own price.

Help us avoid boasting of our strength or riches.

Keep us from acting out of ambition or conceit.

We know a fall come to him who to pride clinches,

and that man will only find defeat.

Honor is for the lowly in spirit,

so listen for God’s call to be humble, and be blessed when you hear it.

 

What is Better

Martha toils, making preparations;

she works while Mary appears to only rest.

Soon frustration and jealousy become temptations,

and thus she faces a test.

She’s blind to the work she does.

She’s angry she works alone.

She demands of the Lord because,

she wants Him to make Mary atone.

“You are worried and upset about many things,” he said,

“but few things are needed — or indeed only one.”

For Mary’s actions were misread;

for His presence is second to none.

Choose to rest in His salvation,

for that is worth more than any sort of perpetration.

 

Our Mouths

Let what comes from our mouths be clean;

keep defiling things from spilling out.

Help us seek your word and grant us wisdom to glean

the way to be clean both within and without.

Ceremony does not cleans us,

nor should we make void Your word for the commandments of men.

Be in the front of our minds as we discuss

our actions and thoughts both now and again.

Guard our hearts from evil thoughts;

Deliver us from the temptation of murder, adultery, false witness and slander.

For through you we have received victory over the sins against which we fought,

and through you we have received lives that are grander.

Live in our hearts and keep us pure,

that our mouths might speak clean things that will forever endure.

 

My Eye

There’s a plank in my eye,

and it won’t let me see

the sin that is inside

that keeps me from serving Thee.

Who cares about the speck in the eyes of others

when my eye is nearly blocked out.

I have no right to judge my brothers

when my own transgressions give me doubt.

I must look within and remove this plank;

then I can see clearly.

For my salvation, I have only You to thank,

and such a gift, I treasure dearly.

Before I judge others, help me to first look within,

for how can I judge, when I am still covered in sin?

 

Nothing

Your love is more powerful than death and more enduring than mortal life.

Your love can’t be stolen by angels nor forbidden by rulers.

We remember this, LORD, in times of strife.

We find comfort in this when faced with hecklers.

Your love is more powerful than anything that exists today.

Your love will be more powerful than anything that comes.

We remember this, LORD, come what may.

We find comfort in this because Your love always overcomes.

Your love is greater than any power.

Your love is highest and deepest.

We remember this, LORD, in every hour.

We find comfort in this when our path seems its steepest.

Nothing can separate us from your love in Christ, not any thing.

Because of this truth, LORD, our hearts forever sing.

 

To Serve

We should not worry what others receive,

for You always grant us what You promise.

For we will be blessed if we believe

and we serve with hearts that are honest.

Your reward is great

and more than we should get.

Let us be happy with our state

rather than grumble over what you give to others and become upset.

It is your right to give to others as you have given to us.

It is good that all can receive your gift.

Help us avoid complaining or making a fuss,

for you’ve paid us fairly no matter the length of our shift.

First or last, let us not worry over where we stand,

Only let us serve You as You command.

The November Book Cover of the Month Update!

Greetings all,

With just seven days left in this month’s bracket, it’s time to update you all on how things have been progressing.

As I type this, we have 517 votes so far. That’s not a typo. That’s unfortunately the actual number of votes. To put this into perspective, last month’s winning book had more than that number of votes all by itself. We really need some help here.  Please put the word out. Please vote. I know this is the last month, but we’re still going to do the Book Cover of the Year, and I truly would like it to support these authors. I’m praying you’ll help me get these designers the credit they deserve.

[image error]The Clock Strikes by Sean Cunningham is in first place.

Most Voted on so far: Cunningham has 54 total votes. But it’s honestly anyone’s game at this point. One book getting a solid burst of support gets it all the way to the Book Cover of the Year bracket.

Least Voted for:  Deprecated by Michael Karr has 3 votes. My hope is someone will spread the word and let all of these authors know to put out the call for support.

There’s still a week left, and this month’s winner is in. Also, the runner up will get into the Wild Card round of the Book Cover of the Year bracket.

 

[image error]This is the current runner up. If it stays there, it’ll have a shot at the Book Cover of the Year Trophy (The Weech!)

A quick reminder of how the tournament works. The easiest way to win is to have the most people vote for you in every round. The trick is you have to have the most people vote you through in each round, all the way to the final.  As an example, 100 people could vote someone through to the finals, but that doesn’t do a cover any good if he doesn’t win the first round. It’s not total votes. It’s not simple championship votes. The winning cover has to have the most votes in each round of the competition.

This will be the only update for this type of bracket. I hope the record does get broken and that I see voters lining up to support their authors by voting, liking, and sharing the bracket with as many people as possible.  You can vote at this address!

I’ll announce the winner is just seven days!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Book Review: Colony Lost by Chris Philbrook

[image error](NOTE: Again, if you’re wondering where the other For A Few Credits More stories are, please remember I review all books in the order I read them. Don’t worry! You’ll get the rest of the reviews in time.)

Spoiler Free Summary: Colony Lost by Chris Philbrook is the first book in The Ghara Chronicles.  Also, it was the M.L.S. Weech 2017 Book Cover of the Year! Humanity has been colonizing planets for generations. Dustin and Melody are newlywed Marines seeking to colonize one last planet so they can retire and start their life together. However, the planet Selva holds a dark, dangerous secret that will change the course of their lives and that of the human race.

Character:  So, I have to be honest here, the early pages were a bit hard to stay with. We had a bunch of characters thrown at us very quickly, and it was hard to keep track.  Now, I can’t complain; I did the same thing with Caught, and the rewards were similar. Once the characters were introduced, we got great action and wonderfully diverse tension. I love the characters in this story! I thought they were all fascinating and compelling. Once the story got going (and I’d say it took at least 50 pages to get there), I honestly didn’t want to put this book down.  The characters were one of two reasons why.

Exposition: This didn’t bother me in the least. It probably wasn’t amazing. I remember an info dump here or there.  I’d say the beginning drags a bit because of this, but then it fades, and we’re left to enjoy the action.

World building:  So this is my second-favorite part of this book. The way this plot is set up and organized had to have taken meticulous planning. The way this story evolves and the relationship Selva has to the plot is something I don’t honestly like in most stories, but this story did it so well I was pleased. This story isn’t anything like Pern in terms of overall plot, but the way the planet becomes the threat felt akin to the same way Pern’s characters face challenges. Now, the characters in Pern were far more compelling, but it’s honestly unfair to compare my favorite series ever to any other series in that category. Still, the use of science fiction planets as a source of conflict is something rare. Using it in a primarily action-based story is even more unusual, and I loved it.

[image error]Image of Mr. Philbrook taken from his website for review purposes under fair use doctrine.

Dialogue: Philbrook’s characters feel so real, and the dialogue is one of the reasons why.  I think service members will feel a connection to mundane conversations in intense situations. I never even saw a hint of combat, but in my work with combat fighters, I noticed a lot of conversation that was oddly common in some pretty miserable situations. This author portrayed that well. No, it’s not the wittiest, sharpest banter you’ll ever read. It might even seem cliche to some, and I don’t know that I’d argue, but I felt right at home with these characters.

Description: This book activated the IMAX high-def, 3-D movie theater in my imagination. It was perfect. If I heard this book got a green light for a movie, I’d oder advance tickets just to see some of the wonderful effects. I honestly felt more in the action than some movies I’ve been to lately. Listen, I hate description. I loath it! Philbrook knows exactly when to provide what detail to keep you interested, squirming, or enraged. It’s not in the amount of description (which is a thing most authors insist on thinking) it’s in the specificity of it. Every sense you have is activated to create a full effect without a half-page tangent on armor, skin, clothes, or whatever.

Overall: If you haven’t already figured it out by now, this book is currently (and likely will be) the best fiction book I’ve read all year! It was compelling and action packed. It has the action and intensity of Aliens, the humorous charm of Tremors, and the world building of Pern.  If you like those stories, give this one a shot. I don’t think you’ll regret it. (NOTE: Might have to slog through those first 50 pages, but that’s just par for the course when dealing with scifi.)

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Repressed is Available for Preorder!

Greetings all,

[image error]I’m happy to announce that Repressed, an Oneiros Log YA Novella, is officially available for preorder!

The novella goes live Jan. 1. It’ll be 99 cents from now until Jan. 15, when it’ll go to it’s regular price of $2.99.

Repressed was an idea that came to me on a flight home from Yuma. I was already thinking about ways to keep fans of the Oneiros Log getting content, and Kaitlyn is a character a really cool character.

Fair note: While Caught is absolutely a Paranormal Horror novel, Repressed is absolutely a YA novel. There are some moments that tie back to Caught, but they’re very different tones, which understandably might make fans of all the blood and gore in Caught angry. Honestly, Kaitlyn is 16 (as of this novel). As a supporting character in a very intense situation, it made sense, but I don’t think it made the same sense to have her as the main character is a plot like Caught, especially given the rest of Oneiros.  If I’m continuing my honesty, I’m more worried YA readers who like Repressed will pick up Caught and read content they may not want.

The bottom line is I write the stories in my heart. My hope is that if I’m honest and blunt about things, readers will seek out the stories they want, and they’ll know what to expect from each of my stories.

Now, if you’re looking forward to more high-action stuff from Oneiros, I’m almost done with the outline to Betrayed, and that book will have plenty of cool psychic fight scenes.

Here’s the blurb for Repressed:

Some girls grow up watching cartoons of princesses and unicorns. Some girls grow up wearing pretty dresses and dreaming about meeting a nice boy. Some are even tomboys, taking more active roles in sports or getting their hands dirty with the boys.

Kaitlyn Olhouser didn’t have any of those options. She was a long-term experiment that resulted in becoming an empath. She was rescued by her now adopted family, a team of people each gifted with psychic powers that calls itself Oneiros. She has abilities just like them. She’s even more powerful than all but one of them, but she’s 16, and her caretakers seem more interested in making sure she graduates high school that letting her use her abilities to join the team.

A short encounter with some bullies inspires her to find her own opportunity to be the hero she knows she’s destined to be. But being a hero isn’t exactly what comic books make it out to be. Her actions put an Oneiros mission in danger, and her antics in school create more problems than she could imagine.

Kaitlyn must embrace what it is to be a hero to make a real difference, not in the war against bad guys, but in the lives of her friends.

END BLURB

[image error]I hope you’ll choose to give it a shot.  I think this is a great little look into Kaitlyn and how she’s grown from Caught to here, and a great peek into where she’ll be as a character in Betrayed.  It also foreshadows some of the plot lines that are fulfilled in Betrayed.

The link is both above and right here.

I’m so thrilled to have another story published. The idea is just keep writing and keep publishing. Each time I write, I want to get better. I hope to meet new readers, satisfy the readers who’ve supported me thus far, and increase the number of titles published.  You all help to make that possible.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets for My Savior 9

Trust Him

Trust Him who created all things in seven days.

Trust Him who gave life to man.

Trust Him and His inscrutable ways.

Trust Him, for while we can not, He can.

Trust Him who brought the Israelites out of Egypt.

Trust Him who is always faithful to his servants.

Trust Him who provided the holy scripts.

Trust Him who hears all faithful supplicants.

Trust Him who is our Shepherd we shall not want.

Trust Him who gave up His Son.

Trust Him who is our Heavenly confidant.

Trust Him through whom all battles are won.

Trust him who is sovereign and wise.

Trust Him who’s love endures and never dies.

 

Follow Him

“Follow me,” He said to Peter and His brother.

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

They left their nets to follow Him and no other.

Jesus called them, and He did not have to ask them again.

“Follow me,” He said to the sons of Zebedee.

They left their boat and their father.

He simply said, “Follow me,”

and they obeyed without a bother.

“Follow me,” he said to zealots and tax collectors.

“Follow me,” he said to to the poor and even the rich.

“Follow me,” he says to all of God’s debtors.

If the path we are on is not His, we can turn away; we can switch.

What must we do to escape a life of sin?

He gave us the answer; it is simply to follow Him.

 

He Provides

When the five thousand were hungry, He gave them food to eat.

Twelves baskets left over, when He only started with five loaves and two fish.

Yet what He feeds our spirits is even more sweet.

It is more filling and more essential than any earthly dish.

How many people did He heal?

How many were blind and then could see?

Did he not care for all who made an appeal?

Did he not perform those acts for free?

Yet something greater He still gave,

on the cross at Calvary.

He died and then rose from the grave,

and the price for sin was paid for you and for me.

Of all the gifts he gave while he walked the earth,

our salvation is the greatest, for it provided our rebirth.

 

Not Me, But Him

It is not me who works

but him who works through me.

It is him who defeated any evil that lurks

in my heart waiting to entice and corrupt me.

It is not me who stands victorious

but him who defeated evil on the cross.

It is him who is glorious,

and him who can save me from any loss.

It is not me who fights,

but him who uses me to glorify his name.

I am the tool he uses, and my heart delights

to be used, so he might gain the acclaim.

I am not the hero who defeats sin;

the credit for all victory goes only to Him.

 

How Many Times

How often, Lord, have I sinned against you,

and yet you still forgive me?

How many times have I sought you,

and you received me?

All the sins in my past have been paid for.

All the sins of my present have been paid for.

All the sins I will commit have been paid for.

But please guard me from temptation, so I’ll be a slave to sin no more.

Every time I sin, Lord, I turn away from you.

Help me keep my gaze on you by ensuring I glorify you with all I do.

Every time temptation comes, a way to escape comes from you.

Every time I resist and stand strong, it glorifies you.

Praise you, God, for your merciful ways.

Help me, Lord, to glorify you for all of my days.

 

 

Our Father

He gave us life, forming us from dirt and bone.

He provided for us food and rest.

His doors are always open to us, waiting for us to come home.

We may find love in others, but He loves us best.

He protected us and delivered us from persecution.

He corrected us when we went astray.

His is the right of retribution,

but His love for us can turn us back to his way.

His love for us is endless and true.

His gracious gifts are boundless.

In times of trouble, He sees us through.

The times he’s helped us are already countless.

When any think of what a father should do,

let them follow Your example, and seek to be like You.

 

 

Your Will

Work through me to accomplish your will

just as you slew Goliath through David.

For to serve you is my greatest thrill,

and I hope my faith in you becomes even more avid.

Just as you worked through Moses to lead the Israelites,

work through me that I might bear you fruit.

When I serve you, my heart ignites,

so please help my service to you be resolute.

Let me bear my cross as Christ bore his.

Let me serve has he did.

Let me be more and more as he is.

Let me avoid sin and resit doing things that you forbid.

Not my will be done, but yours,

for yours is the only will that endures.

The November Book Cover of the Month Begins!

I’m a bit sad as this is the last Book Cover of the Month (at least for a year).  It’s well timed as Brackify is being sold if it isn’t being shut down.  It’s been fun, and I like the idea that I’ll bring it back once I get more of my life in order, but it doesn’t mean I won’t miss this part. We will still do the Wild Card Round and then the 2018 Book Cover of the Year, but that will be it for an undetermined amount of time.

 

For now, let’s send this contest off with a bang!

[image error]

Unrelenting Tide by Alexa Dare and Into the Fire by K. Gorman join 30 brand new covers this month.

You can vote all the way through the tournament, supporting the covers you like best through each round. I like to make sure people get the credit they deserve, so please show your support. Please vote and share as much as possible to get people a chance to pick their favorite.

As always, I’d appreciate it if you tag the authors and artists if you know them. I try to tag or friend every author I can, but sometimes it’s hard to track someone down. Max participation is a huge deal to me. The more people who vote, the more recognition these authors and artists receive, and I want this to be as legitimate as possible.

[image error]Image taken from Pixabay.

If you are the author, let’s remember to be good sports! 1) Please feel free to message or contact me at any time. 2) Please feel free to like, share, text, ask for support, and call everyone you know. I absolutely want max participation. However, if you’re going to offer giveaways or prizes, please offer them for voting, not just voting for you.

Also, while your summoning your army of voting soldiers, please make sure you ask them to vote in every match. Part of the idea of this is to get exposure to as many artists and authors as possible. By all means, if you can get 1,000 people to vote for your book, do it. Just please also send some eyeballs to the other matches.

A final note to authors and artists: I currently have links to the books’ Amazon pages. If you’d prefer I switch that link to sign up for your newsletter or like your social media page or whatever, just send me the link and let me know. I want this to help you. I want this to be as helpful as possible, so whatever you need me to do to facilitate that, just let me know.

I hope you keep having fun. Please, vote, share, and discuss as much as possible.

The runner up from this month gets an automatic bid into the 2018 Wild Card Round. So even finishing in the top two helps you out.

All you have to do now is head over here to vote!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Story Review: A Family Tradition by Ian J. Malone, From For a Few Credits More Anthology

[image error]Spoiler Free Summary: A Family Tradition by Ian J. Malone is the tenth story in the Four Horsemen anthology, For a Few Credits More.  Taylor is a young man trying to keep his past quiet, but the nightmares of his older brother won’t go away, and he’s about to receive an offer that he never expected.

Character:  What I like about this is that Taylor’s story is powerful even without what I think is context fans of the world will have. This story is strong just on the power of Taylor’s guilt and his memory for his brother. My thought is (and I’d love it if fans of the universe could confirm or bust my theory) that Taylor is a much more relevant character than just a solid solo story. Of all the stories in the anthology (though this isn’t one of my top three) this is the story that made it most tempting to delve into the universe. Taylor’s depth and conflict are the reasons why.

Exposition: When I started reading this, I really thought I was in for ten pages of back story that would really drag the story down, so I was really impressed when I realized that wasn’t the case. Sure, the story does have some info-dumps, but not nearly as much as a lesser writer would have trying to help the reader connect. For any author looking to study “show don’t tell” this is a solid story to read to find out how it’s done.

World building:  Honestly, this is where the story fell short. Yes, I’m glad I didn’t get a multi-page pile of exposition on who these guys are and their relevance, I also didn’t really understand the scope of this story. If my theory above is true, than this is just a problem for those who, like me, didn’t read the rest of the saga. However, if the same theory is true, fans of the saga will enjoy this little peak into a character’s origin.

[image error]Image of Mr. Malone taken from his website for review purposes under fair use doctrine. 

Dialogue: This was also a bit of a low for me. One of the pivotal plot points required dialogue, and it just didn’t hit with me. Perhaps it was the shorter nature of the story.  I don’t recall that many internal narrative beats either. Ultimately, the conversation didn’t amp up the emotion, and when your plot point is based on dialogue, you really need that.

Description: This was just fine for me. I could have even used a bit more detail in the scenes, but I’d rather have “a little less than I’d like” than anything close to “more than I need.” It didn’t detract from the story, but I’d be lying if I said it added to it either.

Overall: This is an emotionally powerful story that would be orders of magnitude more powerful if the reader already had a connection with the story. Fans of the series who (perhaps) recognize this character and his unit will truly love this little vignette.  However, people who know less will still enjoy it if they like character drama or moment of truth stories. I truly would like to know if my theory is right, and if it is, what was your opinion of this story?

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Sonnets for my Savior 8

As Long As I Live

The pangs of Sheol laid hold on me

until I called on thee, until I called on thee.

The snares of death encompassed me

until I called on thee, until I called on thee.

The Lord is gracious and righteous;

He is holy and merciful.

His blessings are surely bounteous,

His love is amazing and beautiful.

I offer You my thanksgiving,

and I call on Your holy name.

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living,

for you delivered my soul from death and my heart from shame.

I pay my vows to You;

as long as I live, Lord, I call upon You!

 

 

Guard My Heart

We could wash our hands a million times and never be clean.

Please don’t let us worship You in vain.

It is not what we consume that makes us obscene,

but what comes out of us that leaves a stain.

Let our worship be from the heart

not from our lips.

Let your word be where we end and start;

Make us deaf to false teaching and help us avoid poisonous relationships.   

Grant us sight so we know who to follow,

let our footsteps not match those of the blind.

Help us break free of the pointless ceremony in which we wallow;

instead let our hearts and Your Spirit be intertwined.

Let us never break your commandment for the sake of our tradition;

But always look to you, with our highest love and most humble submission.

 

How Love is Shown

To show His love,

what did he do?

He came from above,

and faced every torture man could think to put him through.

He gave himself up

as a sacrifice to the Father.

He drank from his cup,

so that God’s wrath need not fall on another

If he was willing to die

at just the right time,

why can’t we just rely

on He who could pay for every crime?

He gave Himself up just to redeem our wickedness,

so we must offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness.

 

The Ransom

Our rightful king did not come to be served;

instead He came to serve.

The things He suffered were undeserved,

yet He bore them so our souls He might preserve.

He gave his life as a ransom for many;

his precious blood was spilled for our sake.

If we look in ourselves for righteousness, we won’t find any,

but His sacrifice covers our every mistake.

Adam’s disobedience cast us into sin,

but Christ’s obedience made us righteous.

If our hearts He resides within,

then the grace of God is given to us.

Through his love our spirits have been taken,

and from God’s hands, they can never be shaken.

 

The Glory

The glory, Lord, belongs to you,

for all good things come from you.

The gifts I use are given by you,

and the praise for all deeds belong only to you.

The goodness of life, Lord, comes from you,

for all things are done for good for those faithful to you.

Evil is altered for good by you,

and the strength gained through adversity is provided from you.

This universe was created by you,

so that all the creatures in it might glorify you.

Man and woman were created by you,

and we live our lives to please only you.

Praise and glory we offer to you!

All praise and all glory belong only to you!

 

Giving

Even I would not hand a stone

to my son who asks for bread.

What father would leave his child alone,

without a place to sleep or a roof over his head?

No father would give a serpent

to a son who asked for a fish.

Indeed, what father has not spent,

all he could to grant his child’s every wish?

If we know to give good things,

even in the state we are in,

how much more will our Father, who is in Heaven, bring

to his children who follow Christ and turn from sin?

To seek with praise and supplication is such a simple task,

and our Father, who is in Heaven, will always give good things to those who ask.

 

One Day

One day our Lord will return;

one day he will rule.

Woe to those who did spurn

the gift of Christ and did offer his followers ridicule.

One day Jesus Christ will sit on his glorious throne;

one day Jesus Christ will be the judge.

Woe to those who have evil sewn

and, against those who followed Christ, held a grudge. 

One Day the Son of God will come;

one day, the Son of God will appear.

Woe to those who did succumb

to the call of false Christs claiming, “He is here!”

One day the Son of Man will appear in the sky,

one day the Son of Man will return and rule from on high.