Danny Raye's Blog, page 5

God: The Provider

With the price of living rising beyond our ability to sustain our families and households, we all feel the pressure of the current economy. Friends of mine are losing their homes. Single mothers I know are fearful of not being able to feed their children. An impending recession will mean layoffs for many. The scars of the pandemic are hurting us now more than ever, and it can be terrifying and overwhelming. But remember, we are believers in a God who is greater than all our problems.

I want to provide you some hope today with a couple of widowed women from the Bible who felt the squeeze we all feel right now but were blessed by a Father they call “Provider.”

The Widow of First Kings 17

During the time of a three-year drought, the prophet Elijah was sent by God to a widowed woman in Zarephath. When Elijah found her at the city gate, he asked for water and bread, but the woman said she only had “a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse” that she was going to use to bake one last cake to share with her son: “that we may eat it and die.” (1 Kings 17:12)

Elijah said told her to make the cake for her and her son, and to give a small piece to Elijah. “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.” (1 Kings 17:14)

Through Elijah, God was telling this widowed woman that He was going to provide for her through the drought to save her life and her son’s life. That the oil and the meal wouldn’t run out until rain fell and the drought ceased.

“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:16)

The meal and oil never ran out because God never failed His widowed daughter and her son.

Credit: Pinterest

The Widow of Second Kings 4

The wife of a deceased servant of the Lord’s prophets cried out, “Thy servant my husband is dead…and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.” (2 Kings 4:1)

The widow’s husband had owed a debt he did not repay before death, and the burden then fell on his wife. A burden she could not bear because she had no money and nothing to offer the creditor except her two sons who would be taken as captives.

The prophet Elisha, who was among the prophets that the woman’s husband had served, asked her, “How can I help you? Tell me what you have in your house.” (2 Kings 4:2, paraphrased)

The widow had nothing but a pot of oil. Elisha told her to go to her neighbors and borrow lots of vessels and to bring them home. He said, “When you and your sons come home, shut the door and pour oil into all the vessels and set them aside when they are full.” (2 Kings 4:4, paraphrased)

“And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.” (2 Kings 4:6)

She had poured that single pot of oil into all the vessels she had acquired until she had no more vessels to fill. And when she told this to Elisha, he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” (2 Kings 4:7)

Credit: Pinterest

When the widow of First Kings 17 was ready to give up and die knowing all her resources were dried up (literally) and she had no way to provide for her son, God delivered her from starvation by turning what little she had into more than enough to sustain her.

And when the widow of Second Kings 4 didn’t know how she was going to afford to save her sons, God delivered her from her financial bondage.

When all hope is lost, we can see through these two widows that God provides for His children.

Whatever squeeze you’re feeling today, cry out to the Lord for supplication. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Fear nothing. Pray for everything.

When faith is your primary resource, God the provider is your hope and relief in uncertain circumstances.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19

Encouraging songs of God’s provision:

God Will Provide

With the price of living rising beyond our ability to sustain our families and households, we all feel the pressure of the current economy. Friends of mine are losing their homes. Single mothers I know are fearful of not being able to feed their children. An impending recession will mean layoffs for many. The scars of the pandemic are hurting us now more than ever, and it can be terrifying and overwhelming. But remember, we are believers in a God who is greater than all our problems.

I want to provide you some hope today with a couple of widowed women from the Bible who felt the squeeze we all feel right now but were blessed by a Father they call “Provider.”

The Widow of First Kings 17

During the time of a three-year drought, the prophet Elijah was sent by God to a widowed woman in Zarephath. When Elijah found her at the city gate, he asked for water and bread, but the woman said she only had “a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse” that she was going to use to bake one last cake to share with her son: “that we may eat it and die.” (1 Kings 17:12)

Elijah said told her to make the cake for her and her son, and to give a small piece to Elijah. “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.” (1 Kings 17:14)

Through Elijah, God was telling this widowed woman that He was going to provide for her through the drought to save her life and her son’s life. That the oil and the meal wouldn’t run out until rain fell and the drought ceased.

“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:16)

The meal and oil never ran out because God never failed His widowed daughter and her son.

Credit: Pinterest

The Widow of Second Kings 4

The wife of a deceased servant of the Lord’s prophets cried out, “Thy servant my husband is dead…and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.” (2 Kings 4:1)

The widow’s husband had owed a debt he did not repay before death, and the burden then fell on his wife. A burden she could not bear because she had no money and nothing to offer the creditor except her two sons who would be taken as captives.

The prophet Elisha, who was among the prophets that the woman’s husband had served, asked her, “How can I help you? Tell me what you have in your house.” (2 Kings 4:2, paraphrased)

The widow had nothing but a pot of oil. Elisha told her to go to her neighbors and borrow lots of vessels and to bring them home. He said, “When you and your sons come home, shut the door and pour oil into all the vessels and set them aside when they are full.” (2 Kings 4:4, paraphrased)

“And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.” (2 Kings 4:6)

She had poured that single pot of oil into all the vessels she had acquired until she had no more vessels to fill. And when she told this to Elisha, he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” (2 Kings 4:7)

Credit: Pinterest

When the widow of First Kings 17 was ready to give up and die knowing all her resources were dried up (literally) and she had no way to provide for her son, God delivered her from starvation by turning what little she had into more than enough to sustain her.

And when the widow of Second Kings 4 didn’t know how she was going to afford to save her sons, God delivered her from her financial bondage.

When all hope is lost, we can see through these two widows that God provides for His children.

Whatever squeeze you’re feeling today, cry out to the Lord for supplication. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Fear nothing. Pray for everything.

When faith is your primary resource, God the provider is your hope and relief in uncertain circumstances.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19

Encouraging songs of God’s provision:

Jesus Works: The Testimony of Jasmine M.

I am a seventeen-year-old girl who grew up a very shy person. I was always shy. I was considered, you may say, “a goody two shoes” in the eyes of the world. Never smoked, never drank, never snuck out of the house. Never did anything rebellious or what the world would consider rebellious.

In school, I was always the shy kid, the kid with good grades. The kid who wanted to impress other people. But, as the school year went on and as I got older, the world started to have an impression on me. I started cursing, and in sixth grade, in middle school, those were the years that I struggled with lust the most but didn’t necessarily know it. I would hide that part of me from the world, from my friends, because I was ashamed. I thought that I would be judged, that I wouldn’t be accepted anymore.

During that time in middle school, I went through a lot of changes. I went through a lot of dark spots in my life that caused me depression and anxiety which ultimately lead to me being angry at God. I always knew who God was, but I never had a relationship with Him. I never grew into the love for Him that I have now. I never could understand faith. I thought, to be a Christian was to be a perfect human being that never made mistakes, that never failed, that never sinned. But still, when people would ask me, “Are you a Christian?” I would say, “Yeah, I go to church, I believe in God, I’m a Christian.”

But that perspective changed. It was September 4th, 2020 when God came into my life. At that time, I was searching for answers about God. Searching for how to be saved. There were thoughts I’ve never had before about faith that I started to have unexpectedly.

That day was a normal day of school for me. And during that time, I felt an urge to pray which I had never truly prayed before. I would pray the usual good-night prayers and the prayers before you eat, but I never truly prayed. But that day, I sat down in my bed and I called out to God in tears. I begged Him to forgive me. I laid my anger, my pride aside, my depression, my anxiety, and called out to the one person that I thought could help me: which was Jesus. Because everything else crumbled, everything else didn’t work.

In those moments, I experienced the presence of God like I’d never experienced before. I felt the peace they say that surpasses all understanding. And in those moments, I knew that that was God. I had heard the voice of God. Which may sound crazy to some, but this was not a regular voice, but a still, small one. A voice of peace, but with power behind it. And it spoke to me, “You are going to be okay.”

From that point on, my life changed. I noticed the Holy Spirit’s fruit growing in my life. I saw my anger and depression go away. I saw the chains of sin, of lust, of selfishness fall off of me. In those moments, I embraced Jesus the most. And I found myself surrounded by this wonderful Christian community. I felt accepted. I was made new.

This faith journey for me and my testimony is not over yet. It gets difficult at times, but one thing I pray for everyone reading this: I pray that it will impact your life. That it will show you that even in your darkest moments, when it feels like your world is crumbling, when the trials and tribulations grow stronger than ever, that God never fails. That He will transform your life if you allow Him to. He is a good God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. And His love for you grows deeper every day.

Thank you for reading my testimony.

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord your God, he goes with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

About Jasmine

Jasmine is a seventeen-year-old senior aspiring to be a Christian blogger. As a member of many Christian social media groups, Jasmine has been a major aid to those struggling in their faith. Her testimony has inspired women to trust in God and let Him transform their lives. You can find out more and chat with Jasmine yourself on her Facebook page.

Country in Crisis

News these days is another school shooting, inflation, more hate crimes, shortages. The Colorado River crisis is threatening to put a strain on 40 million people who rely on it. Yellowstone River swallowed entire housing developments. Divorce rates are expected to be 44.2% in 2022. Homicide rates have increased by 2.5% over the last decade. Over 42 million Americans are going hungry every day. We are a country in crisis, y’all.

The problem is, we have been since the break of the century. Think about it. The Colorado River, for instance, has been suffering a twenty-year drought that has led to the shortage those seven states will face in 2023. None of these American crises happened overnight; they happened over time.

Where the Decline Started

Pew Research Center did a study that compared identified Christians in America in 2007 to identified Christians in America in 2019 and discovered a 13% decrease, and that’s only over the course of twelve years. Church attendance in the 1950’s was at 63.3%; in 2021, regular church attendance was 28%.

Source: Pew Research Center

The decline of the​ church is correlated directly to the decline of the country. It’s no coincidence, guys. Satan has been pulling the strings on America from behind the curtain, and because we have been blinded by blaming political leaders and Constitutional rights, we have failed to see where the fault in this country lies: in the unbelief of the only One who can fix all this.

What America Actually Needs

For many, the answer to all these crises is better leadership. Some believed Trump was inadequate, so they voted Biden; now, Biden isn’t enough and we’re looking elsewhere for a better political leader. But let me tell you, no president can fix in a single term what has been building up for decades prior to his election.

For a monumental collapse of a civilization, we need a power that is greater than the civilization itself. America needs God.

In Second Chronicles, God says:

Source: Pinterest

If we as a country, state, or even just as a city would gather in prayer like Jehoshaphat and all of Judah in Second Chronicles 20, the surrender of our cry for help and our faith in God’s provision would heal our land.

God would end the twenty-year drought in Colorado:

“He [God] who gives rain upon the earth, and sends waters on the fields.”

– Job 5:10

God would heal all of our shortages:

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 4:19

God would restore our marriages:

“A man shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.”

– Matthew 19:5

God would restore strength in our men to stand against wickedness:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

– Joshua 1:9

God will soften our selfish hearts to help the hungry (for this demand will never end on Earth):

“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”

– Deuteronomy 15:11

The Good News

Identifying the real enemy (Satan) is the beginning of gaining power over him. Satan has taken America captive to poverty, suffering, lust, and violence. Not Biden, not Trump, not Russia invading Ukraine, not COVID. Satan has been puppeteering the collapse of our country for decades without us even knowing it.

“Therefore my people have gone into captivity because they have no knowledge.”

Isaiah 5:13

Now that we know who we’re fighting, we know how to defeat him.

America needs a revival of the Christian faith.

Revival of the Church

Regular church attendance is vital in defeating the Enemy. The church is a powerful source of community, which every Christian needs when taking on the Devil. No one is more vulnerable than the lonesome cub. We need our pack, and the church is where we unite and spread our faith. Think of it as our base of operations. From it, we plan peaceful movements against hunger, poverty, and so many other wounds in our communities. To get a good idea of all a church can do, check out Abundant Life. I bet you’ll never have seen a church so active in serving others.

Revival of Prayer Warriors

Prayer is often the last resort for believers when it should be the first resort. Prayer is our submission to God. Don’t mistake submission for weakness. When you get a glimpse of God’s might from the Bible, you understand that you are not worthy of standing before Him. Submission is about understanding that though we don’t deserve to come before God, through His grace we are able to.

On our knees in prayer, we make our requests known to God. And an incomprehensible peace overcomes us as God answers our prayers and says, “Fear not. I’ve got this. Watch me move.”

“Ask, and it shall be given you. Everyone that asks receives.”

– Matthew 7:7-8

Revival of Spiritual Soldiers

Acknowledging Satan’s presence in America is the beginning of casting him out. But in order to fight a spiritual enemy, you must be spiritually prepared. As Ephesians commands us, we need to armor up and go to battle against the Enemy. The Armor of God is Jesus Christ. Without Him in us, we are no match to stand against the Devil.

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the tricks of the Devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against…the rulers of darkness of this world.”

– Ephesians 6:10-12

Source: Pinterest

“God bless America” used to be an unofficial national anthem for a reason. God really had blessed America. But with schools, politics, and the generations following us forsaking God, this land of the free and home of the brave is becoming nothing but a land of captivity and a home to the Devil.

Source: Pinterest

Instead of making America great again, let’s make it holy again. Instead of creating more divide through self-justification and self-righteousness, let’s unite under one God who loves all us sinners equally. Instead of running from God in fear of surrendering our own god complexes, let’s open our spiritual eyes and see the sake of our nation is beyond our ability to repair. The intervention must be divine, and for that we must lay down our pride and pick up our crosses. A revival of faith is the only way America will heal and prosper and become one nation.

One nation under God.

Indivisible.

With healing and prosperity for all.

Power of Prayer

Reading my Bible this morning, God did something powerful by aligning Scripture with our message from church the past Sunday. The message: Prayer has the power to change lives.

Credit: Sasha Sakhnevich

In Second Chronicles 20, I learned that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah was facing an invasion from the Moabites and Ammonites. Knowing he was outnumbered and overpowered, Jehoshaphat did what any faithful follower does when they’re in trouble: he sought the Lord (v. 3).

But then, something miraculous happens. All of Judah and Jerusalem gathered together in the house of the Lord and they started praying. And this prayer that Jehoshaphat cries out to the Lord is so humble and direct:

“O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

“Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

“And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

“If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

“And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

“Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou has given us to inherit.”​

– Second Chronicles 20:6-12

Photo Credit: Abundant Life Church (Facebook)

Pastor Chad at Abundant Life Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri preached this past Sunday about how to pray. He used the Lord’s Prayer found in Luke 11 and Matthew 6 as a guide:

“Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name…”

You’ve likely heard this prayer before, or have grown up praying it. But there is a specific structure to it that our prayers should mimic:

Know the character of GodKnow the will of GodExpress your needsConfess your sins and pray for forgiveness of themPray for protectionPray for direction

When we look back at Jehoshaphat’s prayer, we see these elements in his cry for help.

Know the Character of God: “O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?” (2 Chronicles 20:6)

Jehoshaphat knows that God is unbeatable. That God is the ruler of heaven and all the kingdoms of heathens. This is the character of our God: mighty and awesome is our Father. And it’s His strength that Jehoshaphat is calling for.

Know the Will of God: “Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?” (2 Chronicles 20:7)

Jehoshaphat is reminding God that His will is to keep the kingdoms of God and their inherited land within the descendants of Abraham because of His covenant. That no kingdoms of earth should rise against them or take the land from them. This is the will of God regarding the land.

Express Your Needs: “And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir…how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou has given us to inherit.

“O our God, wilt thou not judge them?” (2 Chronicles 20: 10-12)

Jehoshaphat needs God to judge his enemies and destroy them that are rising against him. It’s a simple, yet direct request.

Confess and Repent: Jehoshaphat didn’t confess sins in this prayer, but he had also lived a holy life aside from aiding Ahab who opposed God.

Pray for Protection and Direction: “ For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither we know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)

Jehoshaphat says, “God, we aren’t strong enough to defeat our enemies and we’re not sure what to do. Please, Lord, intervene. Use your might and strength and loyalty to the seed of Abraham and Jacob and David to save us. We know we’re outmanned here, but our eyes are on you, Lord, and we see your power and know it can crush our adversaries.”

So what was God’s response to Jehoshaphat?

God spoke through Jahaziel who was among the crowd, and He said: “O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:17)

So, the next day, they go out singing, “Praise the Lord; for His mercy endures forever” (v 21) and when they get to the watchtower and look out over the camps of the Moabites and Ammonites, all they see is corpses (v 24). God had delivered Judah as promised. “The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir…and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

Not only did God hear their prayer, but He answered it too. He utterly destroyed the armies that came against His children. He is a God of rescue. A God of His promises. And He promises by the Lord’s prayer to “deliver us from evil”.

Photo Credit: Brooklyn Parks Collections

My favorite part about this story is this line right here: “And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” (2 Chronicles 20:13). Everyone in Judah gathered at church to pray this prayer because they knew they couldn’t do it alone. Imagine a church house full of prayer warriors. Thousands of sons and daughters of God uniting their cry for God’s power and promise to deliver them from their enemies.

Photo Credit: Grecia

Does it take an entire city for your prayer to be heard? Not at all.

Does it take a war for your needs to be significant to God? Not at all.

The Lord’s prayer applies to every child of God, and to all problems mighty and menial.

God has answered thousands of prayers like this in the Bible, and thousands more since. Yours count. And when the Evil One comes against you (regarding your finances, health, relationships, family, etc.) be like Jehoshaphat: let God be your first call for help, because realistically, prayer will be the only call you’ll need to make.

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False Cathedrals by: Jonathan D. Clark

Synopsis

At the heart of the novel is Daniel Bloom, a middle-aged psychotherapist who can’t seem to escape the haunting memory of his first wife, Karen, even after fourteen years have passed since her untimely demise at the hands of the infamous Side-street Shooter. Hoping to distract himself, Daniel aims his focus toward helping a patient find lucidity after spending well over a decade lost in a state of uncertainty.But it doesn’t help when he hears that the Side-street Shooter has started a new, violent rampage.

Evaluation

This book took me three times longer to read than any book before it, and for good reason: this book had more substance than any book before it. The title has seemingly nothing to do with the plot of the story, and there were a couple elements in the story that were pointless. But once I had read how the story had escalated, I most certainly had to know how it ended.

Unacknowledged Truths

Each paragraph in this book, especially in the beginning, was woven with unacknowledged truths to life. For instance, what Clark had to say about consumerism on pages ten and eleven: “Humanity…had become lazy. There was no effort to surviving anymore. Everything was handed to them. They had become easy prey, and the art of the well-worded advertisement had become their inanimate predator.”

Every page had a moment like this where Clark vocalized the unspoken, and often unnoticed truths behind death, loss, crime, and the general grimness of life. Reading them to get the story going, to even add motive to the character’s crimes, was worth reading. But after the plot had been established and the action had picked up, moments like this in the book seemed to drag on.

Page 82-86 specifically comes to mind when the video evidence of the Side-Street Shooter was being played on the news. The lead into that scene had way too much substance, and I almost skipped right past it to get to the action of it.

Readers Aware, Characters Oblivious

Clark has a phenomenal style of writing secrets that the readers know but the characters do not. For instance, he linked our three biggest players in the book by a mental health visit. When it happened, knowing the killer was sitting with the husband of one of his victims, my jaw struck the floor. This happened a couple times throughout the book when details would line up in a way that only we knew where they were headed. Who doesn’t love predictive reading like that?

Overall, I’m more disappointed in how long it took me to read the book than having read it at all. The story was unlike anything I’ve read before. I didn’t enjoy the amount of violence and vileness in the book, and I didn’t like being inside the killers’ heads, but that just means that Clark wrote them well.

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Sisterhood of Light: Legacy of Darkness by: Arthur Barillas

Synopsis

She may only be in high school, but she gives demons nightmares.

St. Helena, California, is in disarray after the death of demon hunters Teresa and Ana Smith. Demons, vampires, and other creatures of darkness reign in the night, sinking the old wine country into hopelessness and despair.

Sixteen-year-old demon hunters Izzy, Grace, and Nikki arrive alongside their Guardians, trying to bring order to the cursed town while juggling the pressures of trying to live a normal life. Then an ancient vampire arrives in town—one who will stop at nothing to bring forth a demon from hell into the terrestrial plane and make humanity captive to their forbidden desires.

Can the teenaged demon hunters prevail against this new evil? Or will they fail, and let a new hell lay waste across the Earth?

Evaluation

Even though this book is technically young adult fiction, reading it never gives me that teenage vibe. Yeah it’s written about three teenage girls, but the action of the book and the substance between the pages deserves more than to be limited to a “teenage” genre. Because honestly, it’s way more badass than that.

Verb-Driven Action

As an action writer myself, I know that the best fight scenes are ones that lack a ton of adjectives and are driven by verbs. The verbs keep pace, they keep things moving, and Barillas does a phenomenal job at doing just that. Even the longer fight scenes do not dull, which is rare! Barillas does has a talent for making his more lengthy fight scenes meaningful and purpose-driven (not just to make the characters look cool).

Barillas also made it crystal clear how different in power the average vampire was from the ancient ones in battle. The trio of demon hunters had no issue and rarely got injured fighting ordinary vampire hordes. But when it came down to one ancient vampire versus the three demon hunters, the girls got whipped so badly they brushed death. Well done comparing the power of these two races of antagonists.

Humanizing Characters

One of my favorite feats that I know this author struggles with when writing is hurting female characters, but he writes it SO WELL! Barillas has a wonderful talent for humanizing his characters. These three teenage demon hunters have super strength and accelerated healing, and yet…they still fall in battle against elite vampires. They experience paralyzing fear, and they have weaknesses. It makes the girls relatable and entertaining to read.

The Coolest Freaking Names

Ankrnot, the Karratt Order, UrthaMal, Sabine, Solas…They just sound awesome, okay? They also sound incredibly ancient, which more than suits the characters the names belong to.

Atypical Inner Battles

Almost every time we face down a villain with a superhero, they hero is fighting the same inner battle of insecurity or past loss. But Barillas changes things up a bit by giving his girls specific demons to face: fear. Nikki’s fear is claustrophobia and Grace fears a past enemy of monumental power, and boy I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to read something new on page. Predictable characters are never fun characters, but these girls were more than entertaining.

Religious Undertones

Barillas has a talent for writing God into his novels. Sometimes obviously, but most of the time, God and the Devil are hidden in plain sight. For instance, the way the vampires work in this book through fear (Satan’s main weapon). Or the strength in numbers Izzy, Nikki and Grace are always talking about resembling the power of community in Christ. Or UrthaMal’s power being to cause the destruction of humanity by overwhelming them with their inner desires, or “driving them to be slaves to their hidden pleasures” as Barillas wrote on page 204. Satan works the same way: enslaving us to our sins. I love me a good Scripture-writer disguised as a fiction writer.

Only Real Problem…

I don’t dock books stars for editing. If the editing affects the entertainment value or clarity of the book, I’ll definitely drop it down from five stars to four or three. The editing in this book was pretty lazy. On page 140, for example, the number “3” is written into the page where it should have been spelled out. The character’s name “Anna” was written as “Ana” many times throughout the entire book, including the back jacket. There were some stylistic errors made on page 302 with the headings. It was distracting, as a writer, to see those things, but I didn’t take a star away from the review because most readers would skip over those cosmetic imperfections without a second thought. It didn’t hurt the story whatsoever; it was just inherently lazy of his editor.

I loved this book, and like I said, it’s written about three teenage girls, but it is anything from being JUST young adult fiction. The action is fast paced, the battles are bloody, and the villains are villainous for once! You’re going to fall in love with these girls from page one and crave more of them by page 324.

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Chapter 10 Changed my Life

I recently read my pastor’s book Defeating the Enemy, and I couldn’t walk away from it without telling you how it changed my life.

This line on page 111 brought about a life-changing perspective shift:

“It is not a sin to want something, until that something becomes an idol for you. You begin to worship it and long for it until it consumes your every thought. Eventually, you’ll do anything to get it.”

Page 111, Defeating the Enemy

It’s in the way God spoke to me through that part of this book that opened my eyes. I finally understand why my love life has been a failure. God has taken all the men from me because I’ve idolized them in His place. My dad left when I was four, and never having healed from that, I filled the gap in my heart with the attention, affection, and love of every romantic opportunity. But every single one of the men I could have spent forever with have been taken from me, and I never understood why. Satan always tried to tell me it was because I wasn’t good enough. Because I wasn’t brunette. Because I wasn’t skinny enough. Because I have two kids. Because I’m Christian.

But the truth was because God is a jealous God, and He wanted the love I was devoting to all the men in my life. I see that now. Pastor Phil said, “You begin to worship it and long for it until it consumes your every thought” and that is exactly what I was doing with every guy I was about to enter a relationship with. I would put every second of every day into getting that guy to be my boyfriend or spending every moment with him until my entire day was consumed by that man. Sometimes, that guy would come even before my children. I always felt far away from God when I was with a man, and then as soon as that man left, I felt relieved, and I dragged myself back to God in misunderstood tears.

Finally! This book shed light on the WHY! Why this was always happening is because those men were getting the devotion and idolization that only God deserves. I was putting men above my Father and it was a sinful way to enter a relationship. So God cut it off before it ever got that far. God would take those idols out of my life and lead me back to His mercy and love. And I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in my life.

Thank you, Lord, for saving me!

What are you idolizing in your life that’s holding you captive and away from God’s love?

If you want to see how the book could change your life, too, here’s your chance:

I’m Back!

Since publishing my book in February, so much has happened! If you wonder why I’ve not been posting, here’s what’s been keeping me busy:

New Apartment

You know how sometimes in life you plan things and then God laughs because He knows He has something totally different (and always better) planned instead? Well, the plan I’ve had in mind for over a year now has finally come to fruition just as God planted it in my head. I was going to divorce my husband (we’d been separated for four years without contact, it was time), then publish my book, then move into my own apartment. And sure enough, that’s exactly what happened in that order!

And boy, what an apartment did God give me! New flooring throughout and new carpet in the bedrooms. Brand new toilet that no one but us has ever used. Everything works. My landlord is down-to-earth and worked hard to get me approved for this move. I am very blessed to be here.

Living RoomBedroomBathroom

The best part is when my children run up to me randomly with ear-to-ear grins and swoon, saying, “Mom, I’m so happy here.”

Trip to Springfield, Missouri

Considering we’re in a recession right now in America, I value this trip even more as it may be the last one for a while.

My best friend, Baker, and I decided to unite our birthdays and travel together just the two of us. We decided to go somewhere relatively close but totally brand new to us. So, Springfield it was!

Pythian Castle

I’ve heard of the Pythian Castle and couldn’t wait to see it! When we pulled up to it, it’s set back far from the road with a long driveway. Not a massive castle like you’d see in England or anything. We get in and take pictures and then the tour starts. Our tour guide was a confident and hilarious woman. Her humor was not at all forced, and she was so kind. I got to talk to her afterward when she sold me a souvenir dagger from the gift shop, and she was delightful.

Pythian CastleBasementTheater EntranceTheater DoorFront Porch

The castle itself doesn’t have much of a past as you’d imagine based on fantasy tales and horror stories. But it was awesome to see an old theater with the circular cut out window and an actual stage where they performed shows. And the dungeon where they held prisoners of war was in great condition. The basement was actually my favorite part. That and the reading room on the upper floor. I bet standing on the roof looking out from those towers would have been cool, too!

Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium

This one-and-a-half-mile aquarium was the coolest water zoo I’ve ever toured! Tons of weird-looking fish, crocodiles, flamingos, a shark tank you could swim in, and of course, sting rays you could pet! The sting ray was both slimy and rough, it was a weird texture. One of the sting rays kept swimming up to Baker and slowing down in the pool circle so she could pet him.

Lifelike DisplayReal JellyfishMe Petting a Sting RayBaker Petting a Sting RayAwesome Fish Tank

The gift shop was definitely one of my favorite stops. I shopped for at least an hour choosing between all the adorable stuffed animals. I decided on a deer and wolf for my daughter and son. I can’t wait to bring them next time!

New Book

I am currently working on the sequel to Cursed by Cobrador. Here is a secret reveal behind the plot of the next book:

“But if thou so that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”

– Romans 13:4

Thank you all for still being here! I have some new book reviews coming up, as well as blog posts and bonus chapters that didn’t make it into Cursed by Cobrador, so keep your eye out for that. I appreciate your loyal support, y’all!

What have you been up to lately?