Savannah Jane McCrary's Blog, page 10

Five Ways You Can Help Stop Human Trafficking

Hi friends, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! If you read my previous blog post, or follow my family on Instagram, you'll know that some of us were doing a challenge called Dressember--wearing dresses every day for the month of December to raise awareness of human trafficking and funds to support the work of International Justice Mission and other organizations. We were part of a team called Beautiful Rescue, and together, our team raised over $1800, surpassing our goal of $1,000! Dressember is over now, but the fight to stop human trafficking is not.  January is human trafficking awareness month. Human trafficking is a horrific form of modern day slavery. A large percentage of human trafficking victims are women and girls, and many are children. These people are abused in terrible ways and stripped of their dignity. They need to be freed from the physical oppression and experience the spiritual freedom only Jesus can give. God tells us in Psalm 82:4, to "deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked." 
So here are some ways you can do just that this month: Donate. Even though the month of December is over, you can still make a donation to our Dressember page here. Buy a copy of my book Do Justly or The Invisible Guide. Through the end of the month of January, I'm donating all of the profits I make from my books to help stop human trafficking. Shop fair trade companies like Rahab's Rope. They are a ministry working to rescue victims of human trafficking in India and provide aftercare. They sell all kinds of lovely items made by survivors, as well as other fair trade products. Educate yourself and others. Research human trafficking and share what you've learned with others through conversations, social media, etc. And last, but not least, pray. To quote Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission, "The God of the Universe, the God who created each of us, He is a God of justice, and His justice will be made known."  And always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24). 
All for Him,
Savannah Jane

Beautiful Rescue: Dressember 2018

​   Hi friends! This year will be the fifth year I have done a challenge called Dressember. I’m wearing a dress every day for the month of December. Why? Well, because there are millions of people in the world today trapped in horrible forms of modern day slavery, and this little challenge called Dressember is a small way I can be involved in bringing freedom to them.  How does it work? ​   I wear a dress every day, and if someone compliments me on my dress, I tell them why I’m doing it and direct them to my Dressember team’s fundraising page.  I, my family, and some friends are part of a team we’re calling Beautiful Rescue. The name, Beautiful Rescue, comes from Isaiah 61:1 which says that Jesus will give beauty for ashes, and Psalm 144:7 which says, “Stretch out Your hand from above; rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters..." We believe God uses His people to bring rescue to the hurting. It's a truly beautiful rescue when God not only rescues you from physical oppression, but gives you the freedom from your guilt and shame that only Jesus Christ can bring. That's why we're doing Dressember.  How can I help? ​   Perhaps you’re wondering how you can help. If you’re a girl, you can join us in wearing a dress every day. If you’re a guy, you can be part of Dressember by dressing up in a tie every day. Besides wearing a dress or tie every day, there are several other ways you can help. You can make a donation to our fundraising page here. You can help spread the word by telling your family and friends about it, posting to social media, etc. And you can pray.
Well, always remember, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” (1 Th. 5:24).
All for Him,
Savannah Jane 

Giving Thanks in Everything

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is "good," because it is good, if "bad" because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.
- C. S. Lewis     Hi friends! With Thanksgiving being almost upon us, I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts on being thankful. I was thinking of Betsie and Corrie ten Boom giving thanks in a horrible Nazi concentration camp during World War 2. Here's the story:
   The ten Boom sisters had just arrived at a new camp and realized the overcrowded barracks were also swarming with fleas. Corrie wondered how they could live in such a place, but her older sister Betsie said God had already given them the answer. She told Corrie to read the passage from the Bible they'd read that morning. Corrie went to First Thessalonians chapter five. When she came to verses sixteen through eighteen, "Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus--", Betsie exclaimed, "That's it, Corrie! That's His answer! 'Give thanks in all circumstances!' We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!" 
   "Such as?" Corrie asked. 
   "Such as being assigned here together," Betsie said, and Corrie agreed. They went on to thank God that they had been able to keep their Bible, that there were so many people there who would be able to hear God's Word, and then Betsie gave thanks for the fleas.
   The fleas! Corrie thought. "Betsie," she said, "there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea." 
   "'Give thanks in all circumstances,'" Betsie quoted, "It doesn't say 'in pleasant circumstances.' Fleas are part of this place where God has put us." 
   So they gave thanks for the fleas. But Corrie felt sure that this time Betsie was wrong. 
   Time passed, the days filled with hard work and cruel guards, but every evening the women in their barracks would gather round to hear the Word. They were grateful they were able to read the Bible, but they wondered why the guards didn't stop them.
   Then, one day, Betsie learned why. It was because of the fleas! The guards refused to enter that barracks because they knew it was infested with fleas. God had a purpose, even for those horrible fleas. 
   Wow! If they could give thanks in such terrible conditions, I thank we ought to be able to be thankful, too. The Apostle Paul, who wrote those verses in First Thessalonians, was beaten, flogged, stoned, imprisoned, and finally died a martyr's death. Yet he was still able to give thanks.
​   Sometimes, our eyes are so fixed on the difficulties, the hard things, in our lives, that we can't see anything to be grateful for. But when we fix our eyes on Jesus, and then look at all the good things He's given us, we can give thanks. My life is so full of good things: loving family, good friends, a warm house, delicious food, leaves arrayed in their fall colors... and I'm sure you have much you can give thanks for, too. And even if it seems there is absolutely nothing else to be thankful for, we've been given the best gift ever: Jesus Christ who died and rose again to save us from our sins and give us eternal life with Him. Nothing will ever take that away, and we can always give thanks for that. And, like C. S. Lewis said in the quote at the beginning of this post, we can give thanks in hard times because it draws us closer to the Lord and helps us look forward to Heaven. 
   Well, friends, have a happy Thanksgiving and always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24). 
   All for Him,
Savannah Jane
P. S. I did the artwork at the top of this post with charcoal and then added watercolor paint to the leaves. 

How God Uses A Shoebox

Hi friends! For several years now, my family has been packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. These shoeboxes are filled with gifts--hygiene items like toothbrushes and soap, school supplies, clothing articles, and fun toys--and distributed by Samaritan's Purse along with the gospel message. If you haven't packed a box yet, I'd highly encourage you to. It's a great way to share the love of Jesus with children around the world, plus it's lots of fun. It's collection week now, so don't wait. (For ideas of what to pack, see my blog post from last year here.) 
And now, I'd like to share with you a couple of stories from the Samaritan's Purse website of how God has used these shoebox gifts. Mariya Snizhko dreamed of becoming an artist as a child growing up in Ukraine, but her parents did not have the money to buy her basic art supplies. So she prayed that God would provide them. Then she got a shoebox gift. Inside it were more art supplies than she ever could have imagined--crayons, paints, and brushes. Mariya now teaches art at an inner city school in Cleveland, Ohio. Read her full story here.Jaki's mother left her at an orphanage in Guatemala when she was a few months old. The people at the orphanage cared for her and provided for her basic needs, but their resources were very limited. They had one toothbrush to be shared among ten girls. Then, when Jaki was five, she received a shoebox gift. Inside it, along with other gifts, was a toothbrush. A year later, Jaki was adopted by a couple in the U. S. They took her to church, and she soon received Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Now, when she packs shoeboxes, she puts at least four toothbrushes in a box! Read her full story here.Well, friends, always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24).
All for Him,
​Savannah Jane

A New Book by My Parents

Hi friends! I'm excited to announce that my dear parents have just published a book: The Greatest of These is Love! Here's a bit about it: 
The Greatest of These is Love is a collection of poems written by the authors to each other, photos, Scripture, and quotes serving as a picture of the beauty of marriage centered on God’s ways, full of His love and grace.
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
About the Authors:
Keith and Debbie McCrary have been married 32 years (married 1986), and have seven children on earth, five daughters and two sons, whose ages range from 30 – 6 (born 1988 – 2012), and five children in heaven. They currently reside in the Big Sky Country of Montana, having previously lived in Missouri, Colorado, and Georgia. 
You can buy the book on Amazon here or check out our new webisite: mccrarychristianpublishing.weebly.com to request a signed copy. 
Always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24). 
All for Him,
​Savannah Jane

A Peek at the Illustrations in The Invisible Guide

Hi friends! I don't know about you, but I love books with illustrations! To me, the illustrations are almost as important as the writing. So today, I'd like to give you a peek at the illustrations in my new book ​The Invisible Guide.  Above is an illustration of Brielle by my friend Grace Obenhaus.  And here is an illustration of the mountains of Elarda by my mama, Debbie McCrary.  Here's an illustration of a winged horse by my sister Samantha McCrary.
This is an illustration of the giant oak tree by my sister Sophia McCrary. Here is an illustration of Brielle's little stone house by my sister Sadie McCrary.  Here is an illustration of "Brick the pony" by my brother Louis McCrary. 
This is an illustration of the moon and stars by my brother Levi McCrary.  And, lastly, an illustration of Brielle by yours truly. And who is Brielle hugging? You'll have to read the book to find that one out! 
Well, I hope you enjoyed the illustrations!
Always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24).
All for Him,
​Savannah Jane
P.S. I'm doing a giveaway for The Invisible Guide ​which ends on Friday! Learn more about it here.

The Invisible Guide Giveaway!

Hi friends! I am doing a giveaway for my new book The Invisible Guide! 
Here's how to enter:Go to my Instagram post here and repost it with the hashtag #theinvisibleguidebook. If you don't have Instagram or would rather not use it, you can still enter the giveaway. Simply leave a comment here or contact me telling me how you heard about The Invisible Guide.  ​The giveaway will end on Friday, October 19th at midnight (that's two weeks from today), and one random winner will be chosen. The winner will be announced on Saturday, October 20th. 
Have fun, and always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24).
All for Him,
Savannah Jane

The Invisible Guide is Published!

Hi friends! I'm so excited to announce that The Invisible Guide is now published! To God be all the glory! You can buy it on Amazon here  or CONTACT ME and I'll send you a signed copy. 
Always remember, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24).
All for Him,
​Savannah Jane
P. S. McCrary Christian Publishing (my family's writing, illustrating, and publishing business/ministry) is now on Instagram. Find us here.
And here is a special treat for you: the first chapter of The Invisible Guide. 
[image error] the_invisible_guide_first_chapter.pdfFile Size: 663 kbFile Type: pdfDownload File

An Update on The Invisible Guide and Some Thoughts on Writing

​   Hi friends! I’m so excited to give you an update on my current writing project, The Invisible Guide. God has been so good and even though our life is very full of lots of good things, I’ve found some time to work on it. I started writing it about a year ago, but the story has been in my mind for almost five years. The story’s gone through quite a bit of changes, though, so I wanted to share an updated synopsis. Here it is:
​​   The kingdom of Elarda suffers under a tyrant’s rule. The few who hold to the words of the Forbidden Book and belief in the Creator often pay for it with their lives. The true heir to the throne is lost… or so it is believed. But a group of Rangers still search, believing that, somewhere, the true heir lives.
   Fifteen-year-old Brielle Fletcher lives in a little stone house in the little village of Glenville in the kingdom of Elarda. She has always wondered about the scar on her face and the color of her eyes and why it is so important to never go near the garrison or any soldiers. She also wonders about the believers in the Creator; wonders why they are willing to die for what they believe. Then, one day, she learns the truth. But it will cost her more than she ever could have imagined. She embarks on a dangerous journey across a desert with her younger siblings, not knowing that their trek across the desert will awaken an evil that has long been asleep.
   And now… the release date. Lord willing, my goal is to have it published September 1st. We shall see…
   And now… some thoughts on writing. When I tell people about Do Justly, they often ask what I’m writing now. When I tell them about my fantasy, I’ve had some people say something like: “Wow! That’s a big jump: from nonfiction about justice to a fantasy story.” But for me, it’s not really. Here’s why: no matter what I write, whether it be nonfiction, historical fiction, fantasy, whatever, it’s for the same purpose. The purpose is to glorify God, to share the gospel, and to encourage other young people to live their lives for Jesus. And also, the message of biblical justice, even though Do Justly has the most about it, is going to be in all my books to some degree or another. (I actually started writing fantasy before writing Do Justly but took a break from it to write and publish Do Justly.)
    So you see, whatever we write, or whatever we do, is for the glory of God. Not all of us are called to do the same things but we are all called to glorify God with our lives. I mean, think of what He has done for us. We were slaves of sin, deserving of God’s wrath, unable to save ourselves, but Jesus, the perfect Son of God took our punishment. He died and rose again so we could be saved. We’ve been set free from our sin, our old self has died, and now we can live for Him. “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
   And while I know some people will use fantasy as an escape from real life, that’s not my goal with this book. My hope is that those who read it will be encouraged in their real lives, not want to escape from them.
   My main character, Brielle, is fifteen and I’m hoping this book will appeal to teenagers, but also younger children as well. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis are my all-time favorite fictional books and one thing I love about them is their appeal to both young and old. My whole family enjoys The Chronicles of Narnia.
   One thing I’ve noticed reading books: many girl characters seem to be either one of two extremes. ( I don't mean to say all books are that way. I have read several books with some really good girl characters). Either they are silly, helpless girls who need someone else to do practically everything for them, or else they’re the sort of girl who tries to act like a man. Biblical womanhood is neither. A girl who’s seeking to follow God’s pattern is not going to try to be a man. She knows God made men and women different and made them that way for a reason. But that doesn’t mean she can’t be strong, brave, capable, and hardworking. She should be all those things. I’ve tried to portray this sort of femininity in Brielle and my other girl characters and make my male characters manly.
   Also, another thing about this book: it’s going to be an adventure story, not an emotional drama. So much fiction is just that: emotional drama and romance. I’m certainly not against marriage and I don’t mind a little romance in a book, as long as it’s honoring to God, but I’m not going to have any in this book.  
   Well, I hope you’re excited now! I know I’m excited! I also know this book will not be perfect. It’ll be the first work of fiction I publish and I know I have lots of room for improvement. But this book is going to be the best I can make it and I’m sure excited about it!
   Always remember, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” 1 Thessalonians 5:24.
All for Him,
Savannah

Movie Review--Paul: Apostle of Christ

​I’d heard very good things about this movie and so I was expecting it to be good. I was not disappointed. Paul: Apostle of Christ is a very good movie. It’s made by the creators of Risen (which is also a good movie), and takes place during the last imprisonment of the Apostle Paul with some flashbacks of his earlier life. The movie depicts Luke coming to Rome to find Paul and write the book of Acts.
Here are some things I liked about it: It's true to Scripture ​There are fictional elements added to the story, but the parts that are taken from the Bible line up with the Bible. Also, the characters, especially Paul, speak Scripture all through the movie and it seems very natural and not forced. It’s really great to see a movie with so much Scripture in it.
You see the early Christians stand strong in persecution The year is A.D. 67, during the reign of the Emperor Nero, shortly after the great fire of Rome, when Christians were persecuted, I mean, really persecuted. Christians were used as human torches, torn apart by wild animals in the arena to the amusement of the crowds, flogged, imprisoned, and suffered many other cruelties. This movie shows some of that, so some parts of it are hard to watch. I thought they did a good job, though, of showing you enough so that you see what it was really like, but not showing too much. (It is rated PG-13, though. I suggest reading the Answers in Genesis and PluggedIn reviews for a fuller description of what all it shows before watching it.)
Anyway, you’ll see the early Christians standing strong in persecution, knowing that Jesus had promised it would come and promised He would be with them through it. 
It's also a very well made movie ​To me, the costumes are a very important part of a historical movie. I understand that new Christian filmmakers often don’t have a lot of money for really good costumes, but when they do, that’s great. The costumes, also the acting, the setting, really everything was excellent in this movie. 
Final thoughts ​I’d give this Paul: Apostle of Christ 5 out of 5 stars for a movie that’s excellent in every way. It wasn’t perfect, of course. I’ve yet to see a movie that is. But anything I didn’t like about it was very minor. After watching the movie, I wanted the unshakable faith in Christ those early Christians had. I also wanted to read the Book of Acts again and research this time period more. (I have some historical fiction books planned set in the first century Roman Empire!) In closing, I highly recommend this movie.
What about you? Have you seen Paul: Apostle of Christ  yet? What did you think of it?
Well, always remember, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it,” (1 Th. 5:24).
All for Him,
Savannah Jane