Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 97

MONDAY MEDITATION: Modern-Day Idolatry

Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. ~Habakkuk 2:18 (NIV)



I find it hard to fathom that in an age with so much advanced knowledge, people still bow down to idols. But it happens everyday.



Unfortunately, it goes much deeper than people realize. Most of us tend to fasten the word idolatry to statues and totems, as if those were the only items we trust more than (or in addition to) God.



Our homes, bank accounts, retirement packages, jobs, health insurance plans, spouses, children, parents, knowledge, military strength, governments, education, even our ministries and ourselves--the list could literally go on and on--anything or anyone we trust and/or love more than God (or in addition to God) as the Sovereign LORD in our lives is an idol.



So how can we know if we're making something or someone an idol? Easy.



What would you NOT give up for God?



Would you give up that well-paying job with the great benefit package if you sensed Him asking you to work somewhere else? Would you give up that pile of wood, bricks, and stones you live in and worked hard for if He commanded it? Would you even give up the ministry you once felt called to? What about your family? Your children?



WHAT????



Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." ~Genesis 22:1-2 (NIV)



Most of us know the story of how Abraham followed God's command and made preparations for the human sacrifice of his only son. The son borne by God's promise. The son he'd waited on for a lifetime.



From our perspective thousands of years after the fact, we know God was only testing Abraham. He never intended for him to carry out the execution, but Abraham had no way of knowing. Abraham could have said to himself: "I've misunderstood God. He'd never ask me to give up something He gave me."



But Abraham followed through in faith, trusting God. Abraham loved Isaac, but not more than he loved God.



Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me... ~Matthew 10:37 (NIV)



If we love anyone or anything more than God (including self), that thing or person has become an idol.



The young nation of Israel had a continuous problem with idolatry. The sad thing about it was they continued to worship Jehovah, but also worshiped other gods on the side ... just in case. Sound familiar?



God won't allow it. The very first commandment He gave Moses says: You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3, NIV) We read that and think, "Okay, I can't put anything else before God." And that would be true. However, the original Hebrew goes even deeper to include "...or besides me." Jesus said that we're to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.



He's the only One worthy.



Sovereign LORD,



Thank You for being our All in All. Nothing or no one compares to You. We confess that we're guilty of idolatry. We say You're our Lord and Master, but hoard excessive wealth and claw our way to the top of the corporate ladder just in case. We call You Sovereign Lord, but cower behind political parties and popular opinion. We proclaim You as Creator and Sustainer of the universe, but delight in our abilities as if they somehow originated from our efforts. Oh God, all we have or ever will have--all we are or ever will be--is because of You. Help us to wake up to that reality. Shine Your beacon into our hearts that we might dethrone other gods who have taken over Your rightful place. Make us aware of, and give us the strength to denounce, those who dare set themselves up as the supreme authority in our lives over You--including ourselves. Only You, God, only You.



In the precious and powerful name of Jesus,

Amen 

Updates & Winners

UPDATES

 As you can see, the book cover is completed, and I'm DELIGHTED with the results! I know many of you participated in the "Help Choose My Next Book Cover" contest earlier this year, so you're probably wondering why this cover looks different.



When that particular picture was blown up to book cover size, the whole tone of the picture changed. It took on an ominous tone that I really didn't want for a book cover. The cover designer and I e-mailed back and forth, and I fell in love with this cover as soon as I saw it.



The hand not only gives it that personalization that it wouldn't have if it were only a landscape, but also follows the storyline and theme verse.



"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." ~Proverbs 3:5-6



As you can see the letter "H" in the word "path" is disintegrating, and that's exactly how my main character, Trish, feels. But--praise God!--when we acknowledge Him as Sovereign Lord and put our trust in Him, He is the one painting our path. *shivers*



The last section of A Path Less Traveled has gone out to beta readers. The entire manuscript has also gone out to proofreaders. (I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to say another "THANK YOU!" to these people. What a blessing they've been to me! I've started work on the formatting, so it's only a matter of time before the book will be out in print.



Next week, I'll give details as to a special pre-order sale I'll have for autographed copies of A Path Less Traveled . Stay tuned! =)



WINNERS

The winner of A Suitor For Jenny by Margaret Brownley is ... Sylvia!

The winner of A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman is ... Nancye!



Ladies, I'll send you an e-mail later this week. Just reply with your mailing addresses, so I can forward them on to the authors and they can send you your books.



Thanks to everyone for participating, and as always, a special THANKS to our awesome authors.



Until Monday...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Francine Rivers

WordVessel is delighted to present this interview with author Francine Rivers. How has exploring the relationship between your mother and grandmother helped you understand yourself? This is a question I would love readers to ask themselves at the end of Her Mother's Hope. I realized early in the story that I have many of my grandmother and mother's character traits, both good and bad. They both had tempers. So do I. They both had low self-esteem. I'm always striving to "measure up". They both chose spouses who respected them. So did I. Both women had strong faith and servants' hearts, something they encouraged in me. My mother extended grace to others -- a trait I want to cultivate to the end of my days. By holding onto her anger, Grandma lacked the peace and joy she could have had in her last years. I tend to relive past hurts. Writing about Marta made me decide to let go, forgive and move on. For whatever reason, Grandma couldn't and missed out on so much joy in her last years. Sometimes people deeply hurt as children take offense where none was intended. Holding a grudge causes suffering, especially for the one who won't let go. Jesus said to forgive one another as He has forgiven us. Forgiveness frees us, even if the other person refuses to join in the process of reconciliation. As I examine my own life, I see how much I've been forgiven. How can I not extend God's grace to others? The best way to experience the fullness of God's presence in my life is to surrender it to Him. And in that surrender, we are made more complete and joy-filled. 

Mother-daughter relationships are often complicated and fraught with emotional land mines. What was your approach to exploring the complexity of those relationships in a fictional setting? Questions, lots of questions! Every time I told someone I was working on a book about mother-daughter relationships, people wanted to share their family stories. As I wrote Her Mother's Hope, I wanted readers to see through each woman's eyes, and understand how the past shaped each in the way she responded to her mother. Hildemara doesn't believe her mother loves her, but it is out of Marta's pain and loss that tough-love techniques were forged. Marta wants to strengthen her daughter for whatever lies ahead. Sometimes what we view as rejection can actually be an act of sacrificial love. We seldom know the experiences that shaped our mothers, the deep hurts, traumatic events, broken relationships. I hope women who read this book will want to share those things with one another.

Writing a novel is not for the faint of heart. What was the most difficult part of writing this family saga? What came the most naturally to you? The most difficult part of writing any novel is getting out of my own way. I have to get rid of preconceived notions about themes and characters and plot. The first draft of this novel came in at over 1000 pages and was too biographical. I wanted the story to shift back and forth from present to past, trying to show what happened to create the rifts and valleys between Hildemara, Carolyn and May Flower Dawn. I was too cautious, too afraid to harm to my grandmother and mother's memory. 

A wonderful editor wrote me an insightful letter in which she listed what she wanted to know about each the characters. Her letter got my creative juices flowing. She helped me look at the story in a new way. I set the first manuscript aside and started over. I found it better to move from one generation to the next in a linear story. This time the characters followed my grandmother and mother's time-line, but took on a life of their own. They became unique individuals rather than the shadow of real people. 

After readers finish this series what do you want them to remember? What questions and feelings do you want it to provoke on a spiritual and emotional level? I hope and pray readers who have had difficult relationships with their mothers or daughters will let go of the pain and anger and allow God to work in their lives. God can work all things together for good for those who trust and love Him. Following Jesus' example changes the way we see people. It changes the way we relate to one another. Even when the chasm is too deep to cross, we can decide to forgive. Some people wear grievances like a dirty coat. With God's strength, we can strip it off and be free. When people finish reading Her Daughter's Dream, I hope they will want to extend God's grace and forgiveness. I hope they will tear down their walls and use their life experiences to begin building a bridge.

Who do you see as the audience for this story, and does that differ from your previous readership? I am fortunate to work with Tyndale House. If a writer does well in one genre, publishers encourage the writer to continue in the same genre. Tyndale has given me the freedom to go wherever the story leads. I have done historical as well as contemporary. This two-part saga was intended to be one LONG book. Splitting the story into two parts made it more affordable for readers, and eliminated the need to delete entire sections. Hopefully, both women and men will enjoy Her Mother's Hope and Her Daughter's Dream. Men play a strong role in the lives of all four primary characters: Marta, Hildemara Rose, Carolyn and May Flower Dawn. And both books have much to do with faith, how it presents itself, how it grows, often under difficult circumstances and in unexpected ways. 

Where may we connect with you further or to purchase a copy of HER DAUGHTER'S DREAM? I would love for you to visit my web site at www.FrancinceRivers.com, browse through the various events and other resources available, as well as sign up for my mailing list. You may also join me on my Facebook page, please click here. Book Description: Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers (Tyndale House Publishers, September 2010)



In the dramatic conclusion to the New York Times best seller Her Mother's Hope , Francine Rivers delivers a rich and deeply moving story about the silent sorrows that can tear a family apart and the grace and forgiveness that can heal even the deepest wounds.



Growing up isn't easy for little Carolyn Arundel. With her mother, Hildemara, quarantined to her room with tuberculosis, Carolyn forms a special bond with her oma Marta, who moves in to care for the household. But as tensions between Hildie and Marta escalate, Carolyn believes she is to blame. When Hildie returns to work and Marta leaves, Carolyn and her brother grow up as latchkey kids in a world gripped by the fear of the Cold War.



College offers Carolyn the chance to find herself, but a family tragedy shatters her newfound independence. Rather than return home, she cuts all ties and disappears into the heady counterculture of San Francisco. When she reemerges two years later, more lost than ever, she reluctantly turns to her family to help rebuild a life for her and her own daughter, May Flower Dawn.



Just like Carolyn, May Flower Dawn develops a closer bond with her grandmother, Hildie, than with her mother, causing yet another rift between generations. But as Dawn struggles to avoid the mistakes of those who went before her, she vows that somehow she will be a bridge between the women in her family rather than the wall that separates them forever.



Spanning from the 1950s to present day, Her Daughter's Dream is the emotional final chapter of an unforgettable family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter—and the very nature of unconditional love.



About the Author: Francine Rivers began her literary career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English and journalism. From 1976 to 1985, she had a successful writing career in the general market, and her books were highly acclaimed by readers and reviewers. Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not truly encounter Christ until later in life, when she was already a wife, a mother of three, and an established romance novelist.

Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. First published by Bantam Books and then re-released by Multnomah Publishers in the mid-1990s, this retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, set during the time of the California Gold Rush, is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction. Redeeming Love continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association's top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian best-seller list for nearly a decade.



Since Redeeming Love , Francine has published numerous novels with Christian themes—all best sellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous honors, including the RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, and the Holt Medallion in Honor of Outstanding Literary Talent. In 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame. Francine's novels have been translated into over 20 different languages, and she enjoys best-seller status in many foreign countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, and South Africa.



Francine and her husband, Rick, live in northern California and enjoy time spent with their three grown children and taking every opportunity to spoil their grandchildren. Francine uses her writing to draw closer to the Lord, and she desires that through her work she might worship and praise Jesus for all He has done and is doing in her life.



Read the first two chapters of "Her Daughter's Dream" here.



THREE copies of the book on the Virtual Book Tour Facebook page are available at http://www.facebook.com/CSSVBT.FrancineRivers.HerDaughtersDream and ONE copy on the Christian Speaker Services blog at http://christianspeakerservices1.wordpress.com/blog/.



(A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me as a blog tour host by the Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for posting this interview on my blog. Please visit Christian Speaker Services at www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com for more information about blog tour management services.)

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "A Suitor For Jenny" by Margaret Brownley (& Book Giveaway!)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A Suitor for Jenny

When looking for a husband, it's best to go where the odds are in your favor.

And that would be Rocky Creek, Texas, 1880. But Jenny Higgins's plan to find husbands for her two sisters hits a snag when enthusiastic applicants fail to meet her stringent requirements.

Rejecting her sisters' choices for mates and riding herd on her growing feelings for Marshal Rhett Armstrong, she refuses to give up.



Jenny thinks choosing a husband is not a job for the heart. It'll take one strong and handsome marshal to convince her otherwise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Margaret Brownley is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than 20 books, and has been published in 15 languages.  The 3rd book in her popular Rocky Creek series will be published June 2011.  Margaret is currently working on another series set in the old west.



Margaret is graciously offering "A Suitor for Jenny" for one of you lucky readers. Leave a comment (with a way for me to contact you if you're the winner) to be entered in the drawing. I'll announce the winner in Friday's post.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "A Simple Amish Christmas" by Vannetta Chapman (& Book Giveaway!)

About the Book:

Annie Weaver longs to once again experience A Simple Amish Christmas. She no longer lives in Mifflin County though. She works in an Englisch hospital—far from her family, far from her friends, far from the community that nurtured her. It's the first of December, and Christmas season has begun among the Englisch, bringing for Annie an over-whelming sense of loneliness.



That loneliness and Annie's rumschpringa years come to a screeching halt when she receives a call that an Englisch driver has collided with her father's buggy. She hurries home to nurse her dad, and finds herself face to face with Samuel Yoder--the Amish farmer her community turns to for most of their medical needs. Samuel believes he has recovered from the loss of his wife and child in a snowstorm eight years before. Then Annie Weaver upsets his world again--with her youth, energy, and passion for healing.



Annie spends the next month in Mifflin County, nursing when she can, helping her family, and slowly falling in love with Samuel. Christmas day brings Samuel a glimpse of the family he could have. It's a sacred day--a holy celebration that will remind Samuel and Annie of God's promises. Annie will also have several important choices to make, and the most important one will be made on the morning of A Simple Amish Christmas.

About the Author:

Vannetta Chapman has published more than 100 articles in Christian family magazines. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather's birthplace in Albion, Pennsylvania. Vannetta is a multi-award-winning member of Romance Writers of America. She currently teaches in the Texas hill country. A Simple Amish Christmas is her debut novel.





To learn more about Vannetta, please visit her at: http://www.vannettachapman.com/            orhttp://vannettachapman.wordpress.com/To purchase A Simple Amish Christmas, please visit either Amazon or Barnes & Noble: http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Amish-Christmas-Vannetta-Chapman/dp/1426710666/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280844890&sr=1-1http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Simple-Amish-Christmas/Vannetta-Chapman/e/9781426710667/?itm=1&USRI=a+simple+amish+christmas

Readers, Vannetta is generously offering one of you a copy of "A Simple Amish Christmas." To enter the drawing, please leave a comment (with a way for me to contact you if you're the winner). Contest ends on Thursday, September 30th. I'll announce the winner on Friday, October 1st.



(If you're reading this post on Facebook, you'll need to visit http://WordVessel.blogspot.com to enter the drawing. Thanks!)

MONDAY MEDITATION: Unafraid

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants! They trusted in Him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."    ~Daniel 3: 28-29 (NIV)



When you do what God wants you to do, you will meet opposition.



Satan will see to it.



We're all familiar with the story of these three friends of Daniel who defied King Nebuchadnezzar's ...

Another TEXAS ROADS Giveaway!

Hi friends,



Sorry I've been MIA lately. My computer crashed and had to visit the cyber-hospital for a week. Of course, the timing was horrible. The poor beta readers for A Path Less Traveled have been left hanging at the dark moment in the story. So sorry, folks! =) (Hoping to get the last few chapters finished this week and on their way!)



I'm currently visiting beautiful Glorieta, New Mexico (my favorite spot on the planet). Hubby sings with The Singing Men of East Texas and they're the fe...

Winners

Hi all,



Here are the winners for this week's giveaway:



Valeria's Cross by Kathi Macias goes to ... Linda!

Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang goes to ... Steph!

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado goes to ... Shaz!



I'll send you all an e-mail later this weekend. Please reply with your mailing address and I'll forward them on to the authors.



Thanks to everyone who participated, and thanks to our authors for their wonderful books!



Until Monday... =)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Wanda Brunstetter

I'm delighted to welcome author Wand Brunstetter to WordVessel! Wanda, thanks for joining us. How did you come to be a writer?

My desire to write began when I was in second grade and wrote a poem about a moth. From that time on I began writing poetry, short stories, and later, novels.



How long have you been writing and when was your first book published?



In 1980 I took my first writing course and had my first story published a few months later. Then in 1997 I had my first novel published. ...

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "Valeria's Cross" by Kathi Macias & Susan Wales (& Book Giveaway!)

About the Book:

Valeria's Cross from Abingdon Press:



The beautiful Princess Valeria is born into opulence and wealth, only to discover that her life is not her own. Valeria's Cross , by Kathi Macias and Susan Wales, is a gripping tale of lost love, torn loyalties...and dangerous faith.

In the 3rd century, pampered Roman princess Valeria falls in love with Mauritius, captain of the Theban Legion. She sends him off to battle, where he suffers under the schemes of a notorious pagan...