Marlayne Giron's Blog: Marlayne's Blog, page 7

What If?

I just saw the movie "Signs" again the other day with Mel Gibson, written and directed by M. Night 
Shyamalan. It is a very good suspense thriller as well as an inspirational movie.  In it the main character, played by Mel Gibson, is a pastor who has turned away from God because of the freak accident nature of his wife's death.  He is bitter and angry at being left to parent his two young children alone.  Then suddenly strange things start happening and in addition to questioning God's love, he now questions everything he knows about reality when he comes to terms with the fact that the earth is about to be invaded by hostile aliens.

I saw the movie several years ago in the theater and one day it made me wonder (the common element for every original book idea)...how would the Amish react if crop circles started showing up in Lancaster County, PA? What if they saw strange lights in the sky and began having weird, paranormal experiences? What would they do if someone appeared in their midst who by all accounts appeared and behaved Amish in every way except for their strange eyes and abilities? Would they be shunned? Would they be given shelter if they had no where else to turn? How would the community react if an Amish family took them in?
Now there's a story idea! I remember thinking. So here below is an excerpt, from my book, In Plain Sight, which answers the above questions in a rather unusal way. So if you have been hankering for something completely different in Amish fiction, read the excerpt below and let me know what you think.  If you want to read the entire book it is available either thru this blog (autographed) or Amazon. It is available in paperback or for all e-readers.

After all the necessary morning chores were done, her father and sisters got the buggy ready and helped to load it with all the food they would be contributing to the day’s barn raising. The beef brisket and noodles had been prepared the night before and were now cool enough to pack. Rebecca was really looking forward to the barn raising. Despite the fact it was a lot of hard work, it was a break in the routine and a welcome chance to visit with a lot of other families, catch up on news, and sometimes even meet new people. Rebecca was approaching the age when Amish girls were courted as future brides but still had not met the one she felt her heart was waiting for.  Many of her closest friends were already serious and planning their simple weddings but she had mixed emotions about it all. She still felt too young and couldn’t imagine being a wife and a mother in the next year or so despite all her experience in helping to bring up her younger siblings. Her heart longed to experience new things while at the same time feeling reluctant to leave her familiar life. Sometimes if felt like a little bird was beating its wings inside the cage of her breast, itching to take flight, while at other times it seemed content to just nest.
They arrived at the barn site around 6:00 a.m. with a full day’s work ahead of them. Ruth, Rebecca, Hannah, and her other sisters, Miriam and Mary unloaded and carried the baskets of freshly baked breads, pies and containers of beef brisket, potato salad, fruit salad and jars of corn, hot pepper, and spicy tomato relishes to the long tables already set up under large shade trees. They greeted their neighbors and set to slicing and squashing lemons for the gallons of lemonade they would need as the day wore on while others prepared sweet tea. Brethren wearing nail aprons and brandishing wooden boxes of hand tools were streaming to the site, laughing and talking with one another as the sun began to spread its warm rays over the undulating farmland. At least 150 families had come to help build the recently married Abram and Mary Zook’s new barn and it has to be framed and roofed all in one day.
Although Rebecca was busy tending to the food and her siblings she had the strangest feeling of being watched.  It grew so strong she had to stop what she was doing and look around to see who it was. Her sisters gawked at her; wondering what was bothering her so much. Rebecca turned in a 360 degree circle looking for what or whom it might be. She noticed nothing. The women and girls were all busy with their chores and chattering away while the men and boys were busy pounding nails and fitting beams together but the nagging feeling just wouldn’t go away. Then a low buzzing began in her ears; like a bothersome Bumblebee, growing louder and more alarming with each moment. She stared at her mother in mounting alarm, hoping she would notice the panic in her daughter’s eyes but Rebecca could say nothing. She had been rendered mute. Then just as suddenly as it had begun the humming stopped and she found her eyes riveted upon the face of a young Amish man she had never seen before. He was brown haired and attired like everyone else but his eyes were shiny silver and fixed upon hers. Then the humming hit her body full force as they stared at one another. The world about her began to rotate slowly as she continued to stare at him, unable to tear her gaze away from those incredible eyes; then she blacked out cold, falling where she stood as if struck by lightning.
From the blackness in her mind came the sound of faint voices calling her name. Rebecca came to and found her mother and sisters bending over her with looks of concern on their faces.
.
“Ach! Are you all right, Rebecca?” whispered her mother, wiping her face with a cool wet cloth. “Are you feeling sick?”
Rebecca sat up with their help, not remembering that she had fainted at all. “I’m okay,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes. They helped her stand to her feet and waited while she looked around. The work on the barn continued at a pace; unaffected by her little fainting spell.
“Do you feel good enough to continue?” her mother asked, caressing her pale cheek. Rebecca nodded; not wanting to make any more of a scene than she already had. She looked over at the barn to see if she could spot the young man with the silver eyes again but could not distinguish him from any of the other men working.
“Yes, I’ll be fine,” she assured them, embarrassed that she had caused a scene. She returned to the table and basket of lemons but kept stealing glances over at the barn.  Once or twice she heard whispered snippets of conversation which ended abruptly as soon as she was in earshot but she managed to catch a few words here and there such as “cows” and “disappeared” which set her heart to thumping furiously.  Soon she became too distracted with meal prep and serving to think any more about the young man with the strange eyes…until a break was called for lunch.

Interview with Amish Author, Wanda Brunstetter, and BOOK GIVEAWAY of her latest novel: The Struggle"

I'm thrilled to present Wanda Brunstetter.  Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 60 books with more than 6 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.


Wanda’s fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda’s desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.


Wanda has graciously offered to give away one signed copy of her latest novel, The Struggle which will be released next week on July 17th. 


In order to be entered to win a copy of her book, you must be a follower of this blog, post a comment and share a link to this interview on all your social network sites (Facebook, Twitter, your blog, Goodreads, etc.). Those who bring along a friend to join my blog will have their names entered twice .


Wanda - thank you so much for visiting my blog!

        Tells us first how you came to faith in Jesus.I accepted the Lord when I was a young girl, attending Sunday school. Then later, during my teen years, I re-dedicated my life to Christ and have been serving Him in some capacity ever since.

Where did you get the idea for your latest book?The idea for “The Struggle” and the two novels that came before it in     my Kentucky Brothers series came to me when I visited some of our Amish friends and learned that their daughter and her family were moving to another state. I saw the pain on their faces as they talked about how hard it was going to be for them to be apart.


What do you want readers to take away from your writing and this book in particular?         I hope my readers will see the importance of forgiveness, and also realize that no matter how far one lives away from their family, they can still be close and united in love.


        What is your favorite Bible verse?        Proverbs 17:22 – “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
       What are your hobbies other than writing?I enjoy gardening, photography, knitting, stamping, and ventriloquism, using some of my puppets dressed in Amish clothes.

How does your faith play into your writing?My faith in God plays heavily into my writing. Before I begin writing any novel, I always ask God to direct my words. It’s my hope that through each of my novels someone’s faith might be strengthened, or they may be helped in some way if they’re going through a difficult time.

        Favorite childhood book?“Nancy and Plum” by Betty McDonald.
         Where do you get most of your ideas for your books?My storylines come to me from many sources – things that have happened in my own life or that of a relative or friend – things I’ve read or heard about and wondered “what if?” – ideas and characters that just pop into my head.
       Out of everything you have written, do you have a favorite and why?It would probably be The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, because I was able to create so many unique characters.


When Timothy Fisher, his wife Hannah, and their daughter Mindy leave Pennsylvania to begin a new life in Kentucky, Hannah finds it hard to adjust. Will Christian County ever feel like home? Nothing Timothy does seems to please Hannah. Has the move from Lancaster spelled the beginning of the end? When a tragedy occurs, an inconsolable Hannah blames her husband for their loss. Timothy can barely rise beneath the weight of guilt, his wife’s hostility, and stress of his job. What dramatic second chance will God provide to heal their grief?

Summer Fever

Considering our limited budget, my husband and I have had some pretty cool vacations in our 30 years together. In the fall of 1999 we went to Vermont and New York City to see the fall foliage. We took a carriage ride to Tavern on the Green in Central Park and had lunch. On the day of my 40thbirthday I got to get a pair of modest pearl earrings at Tiffany’s on 5thAvenue, (the turquoise blue box, white ribbon – the whole nine yards treatment); a kiss on top of the Empire State Building and desert at the Windows on the World at the World Trade Center two years before it was destroyed by terrorists. In Vermont we rode across covered bridges in the crisp fall air, marveling at the gorgeous trees that turned colors you just don’t see in Southern California. We visited a maple syrup farm, the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and came home with some wonderful memories and the longing to go back every time crisp fall weather rolls around.
The Little Inn on Pleasant Bay, Cape CodThree years ago we drove up the Eastern Seaboard where I got to see Cape Cod for the first time for one entire day and 2 nights. We got there at the height of Hydrangea season where they were all in bloom. We got to stay at a lovely B&B called The Little Inn on Pleasant Bay in Orleans.  It is one of the last homes on the “underground railroad” that hid slaves before they took ship to escape to Canada. It was owned and run by two British sisters and was quintessential Cape Cod! It had climbing roses all over the place and the décor was all ocean/sea related. It was just a bummer that a threatening storm (that never materialized) ruined our one and only chance to have a clam bake on the dunes.
I took this photoWhen our budgets were more limited, we took local trips to Napa Valley (only an 8 hour drive) and stayed at B&B’s in late fall (when our anniversary falls). Napa is gorgeous in the fall. All the grape vines turn to colors of russet, gold, amber and burgundy and is as close to the Northeast in terms of fall foliage as you can get in California.  Even though I’m not a wine drinker you can’t beat the place for restaurants, shopping and quiet beauty.
Then of course there is glorious Hawaii. We’ve only been there twice. Once on our honeymoon (to the Garden island of Kauai) and then again in 2002 (Maui) to renew  our vows when we took along our daughter. We took a bicycle ride down the Haleakala volcano; drove the treacherous road to Hana, (where the locals neither yield nor stop for other traffic and drive enormous SUV’s that barely fit on the narrow road); swam in a few of the seven sacred pools (getting eaten alive by mosquitoes at the same time) and hiked up its trail; careful to avoid the stinking cow patties, stinking, rotting guava and oh yes, low-hanging tree branches. My poor husband didn't fare so lucky on that last one. By the time I opened my mouth to warn him he had already smacked into it full force with his forehead. On our last night there, we ate dinner at our hotel and two local Hawaiian women came to our table, offering to play music for us. They were delighted when we asked them about several Hawaiian songs that came out of the late 1950’s; not expecting us “Mainlanders” to be familiar with anything besides “Blue Hawaii” or “Tiny Bubbles”.  So on our last night, they serenaded us with “The Magic Isle” (which is what Maui is referred to).  Every time I hear that song now I weep. If you ever want some great Hawaiian music, just look up Alfred Apaca on iTunes and you will find yourself transported across the sea, swaying on a hammock under a palm tree with the warm trade-winds wafting over you even if you are only in your own backyard.
With the loss of my job in 2008, vacations came to a screeching halt. Now that I am gainfully employed again, my husband and I were able to plan a small anniversary get-away to Las Vegas (a 4 hour drive) this November. He hates Las Vegas but did it out of love for me.  At least it won’t be 112 degrees at midnight like it is during the summer months. We often joke that Las Vegas is where old people move so they will know what hell is like before they get there.  We don’t gamble but the restaurants, shopping and shows there are phenomenal. We will get to see our first live magic show with David Copperfield (who I first saw as a gawky teenager a long time ago on the Mike Douglas show); ogle the gorgeous hotels, shop and eat.  My husband often likes to quote Obi Wan Kenobi from the first Star Wars episode when referring to Las Vegas: “You’ll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy; we must be cautious!”

What have been some of your favorite vacation memories? Where would you go if money and time were no object and what would you like to do?

I don't feel much like celebrating; more like mourning

This is the first 4th of July I feel like mourning for my country.
We now live under a government that feels it has the right to insert itself between our doctors and ourselves, tell us what kind of light bulbs we can use, where we can smoke, how much soda we can drink, won't enforce the laws on the books, won't uphold the constitution and is spending us into oblivion.
We let it get this way. We got too comfortable. If the Founding Fathers could see what our nation has become; how we have traded our freedoms for comfort and convenience I think they would drop to their knees and weep in frustration. They risked everything for freedom and we have basically traded it away for a bowl of "porridge".
When I think of the entire reason behind celebrating the 4th of July it almost seems ridicules now.  Great Britain has been our closest friend for over a hundred years; not an enemy we needed to be freed from.  If ever we were taxed without representation then it pales in comparison to what is going on now. Our congress turns a deaf ear to us and does whatever it wants.
America is standing on the precipice of it's own demise and it makes me incredibly sad to watch it. I feel like we are at the beginning of the end. The only hope we have left is for us to repent and to turn back to God; beginning with the church first. We have ceased being salt and light and allowed the darkness to spread.
God, please help us. Please grant us revival.Your thoughts?

Interview with Kathi Macias and Book Giveaway

I'm pleased to present Kathi Macias on my blog.  In addition to being an award winning author and speaker, she is also a mentor for new Christian authors and gives selflessly of herself to others.  She was one of the first Christian authors to reach out to my early in my publishing journey and offer a hand of friendship. I have been fortunate enough to meet her in person several times and can tell you unreservedly that she is the "real deal". A devout Christian and wonderful woman of God!





  Tells us first how you came to faith in Jesus.
I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, but I grew up in an era when pretty much anyone who lived in America thought they were Christians. I was no exception. In fact, we could still pray and even read the Bible in public school. I learned my first Bible passage (the Christmas story from Luke 2) hearing it rehearsed for the Christmas play in school. But when I was in my early twenties, one of my brothers came to the Lord and started praying for he rest of us. Soon my mom and other brother became believers, and they were all witnessing to/praying for me. I finally gave my heart and life to the Lord on July 5, 1974. Though life hasn’t always been easy since then, I have never lost the joy or the peace of the Lord.

How old were you when you wrote your first real story and what was it about?
I wrote my first real story in the third grade. The teacher asked us to write an Easter story. Since I wasn’t from a Christian background I wrote about the Easter bunny. The teacher liked it so much she showed it to the principal. She liked it too, and they turned it into a play, which our class performed for the entire student body AND the PTA. I was hooked!

Where did you get the idea for this book?My newest book, The Deliverer, is the final novel in the Freedom Series from New Hope Publishers, a series based on the horrible truth of human trafficking, in particular sexual slavery. I was actually finishing up my previous fiction series, the Extreme Devotion Series about Christians persecuted for their faith around the world, when New Hope challenged me to consider writing a series about human trafficking. I did some preliminary research, and when I discovered how prevalent it is (estimated 27 to 30 million people enslaved around the world, with 300,000 minors held in sexual slavery right here in the US), I knew I had to do everything I could to help educate people to this horrific crime and to call them to join me as a modern-day abolitionist to help set the captives free and to stop slavery once and for all.


What do you want readers to take away from your writing and this book in particular?
I refer to my issues-related novels as “parables with purpose.” I believe that’s what Jesus told—not just nice stories to entertain His listeners but stories they could relate to even as they were challenged to change their hearts, their minds, and their lives. I pray the Freedom Series will enlist many in this modern-day fight to get involved and to stop human trafficking.
What part of this book did you enjoy writing the most and why?
To be honest, this was not a pleasant book/series to write, though there are several scenes that are a bit lighter than others. I included them to give the readers a break from the darkness of human trafficking. When people ask me why I write about such dark subjects, I tell them I don’t write about dark subjects; I write about the Light that shines in the darkness. And that’s the part I enjoy most in any of the stories I write.

What is your favorite Bible verse?
That’s a tough one. I have many, including Matt. 6:33, Deut. 8:1, and Rom. 8:37.

What is your favorite comfort food?
Pizza, hands down, but ice cream runs a close second.

What are your hobbies other than writing?
I’m afraid I’m a bit one dimensional on this. When I’m not writing my own books, I’m usually busy reading someone else’s.

How does your faith play into your writing?
People have asked me if I’ve ever considered writing non-Christian books. The only one of my 40 published books that’s not Christian is my writer’s workbook, THE TRAIN-OF-THOUGHT WRITING METHOD. All the others are written from a Christian worldview because that’s the way I view life—through God’s perspective. All my writing is, and will always be, written from that viewpoint. Besides, there are already enough people writing secular books; I don’t need to add to the pile.

What is your favorite book by another author and why?
Another tough question, but I suppose if I really have to narrow it down to one it would be Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. That book impacted me in ways no other single book ever has. It had a huge influence on my writing No Greater Love, also set in South Africa.

Favorite childhood book?
Anything about the Boxcar Kids or Nancy Drew.

Which movie has inspired you the most and why?I’m not a major movie fan (would much rather read the book), but Chariots of Fire was a huge inspiration to me.
Where do you get most of your ideas for our books?Ideas roll around in my head all the time. I never seem to have a shortage of them. The problem for me is sorting through them and deciding which are really worth pursuing. If I listen closely, quietly, and long enough, God always points me in the right direction.Out of everything you have written, do you have a favorite and why?Another really tough question. I suppose it would be either No Greater Love or Red Ink. No Greater Loveis a book I wanted to write for more than two decades. It is set in South Africa in 1989, just prior to the fall of Apartheid. I remember watching the new during that volatile time and wondering what it would be like to have been raised in the crosshairs of Apartheid and Christianity. How did anyone reconcile the two? I explore that question in the book via an interracial romance, strictly forbidden at that time and place. Red Ink is also close to my heart, as it is very loosely based on the true life on one of my personal heroines, Li Ying, a young Christian woman in China who was arrested and given a 15-year prison sentence for printing/distributing Christian literature to children. I recently learned that she has been released from prison, and I am so thankful. I pray for her daily. Her life is a reminder to me of the great privilege I have of writing/publishing Christian books without fear of retribution. May it always be so!





www.kathimacias.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathi-Macias/75996188045@alandkathi (Twitter)http://pinterest.com/kathimacias/
Kathi has generously offered to give away a copy of her book, The Deliverer, to one lucky blog follower. In order to be entered, you need to provide proof of posting this interview link on all your social network sites (Facebook, Twitter, your blog).


If you would like to donate to help end human trafficking, here is a link to the Salvation Army page where you can help.  Salvation Army

I Love to Read

But like most busy adults, reading has become a luxury I seldom have time for.  I am currently reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games). I actually got to spend a wonderful afternoon yesterday in my backyard reading uninterrupted for over an hour. SHEER JOY. What an incredible story! I wonder where she got the idea for it?

I guess my love of books, like everyone else's, began as a child. I read most of the classics: Heidi (my favorite), Black Beauty, The Secret Language. I learned to read before I was in kindergarten and when my mom worked part-time as a librarian I was gifted every week with a stack of books.

It didn't occur to me to write for pleasure until I was around 12 when Lisa, my best friend at the time, showed me a story she had written for one of our sleep overs.  She had written us as main characters in our favorite television series at the time "The Six Million Dollar Man". I was instantly hooked. Back then, the highest form of technological entertainment was a tape recorder and we had quite of bit of fun creating impromptu television shows like Rumper Room, etc., so writing was a great way to self-entertain.  I feel sorry for kids nowadays. They have too much technology and not enough creativity.  I remember the thrill of how cool it was to be inside a story as a character with your best friend and your television idol; doing things you would never get to do in real life.

When I was fourteen I discovered The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (my favorite author and books) and spent an entire weekend lost in Middle Earth, weeping when Gandalf and Frodo died; unable to believe he had actually killed off the two main characters. I was swept up in the majesty of Tolkien's word craft, amazed at how he had created histories and languages for each of the peoples in Middle Earth and how artfully he wove them into poems and songs. I came away changed forever. To this day I have yet to discover an author that can even come close to his genius.  I could not stop until I had read The Hobbit and the entire Trilogy in a nonstop marathon reading session which was only broken by meal times, bathroom visits and very little sleep. I finished all 4 books in a single weekend then read it all again the following weekend and then every year thereafter until I lost count at somewhere over fifty times.  I came away wishing the book could have gone on forever and then was heartbroken when I learned there would be no more books coming from Professor Tolkien as he had passed away in 1973; only a year or so before I had read his masterpiece.  In 1977 The Silmarillion was published posthumously but it wasn't the same. I bought the very first hard copy edition and own it still but it reads more like a history book than a story.  I guess I will just have to wait to get to heaven where I hope John Ronald Ruel has been busy at work writing more wonderful stories.

My love of books and creating has led me to become an author. My first novel I can truly say was "inspired" (I even got a confirming scripture from the Lord to prove it.  It's my tag line and the URL for this blog - Psalm 45:1: "My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer").

My second book, Make a Wish, is much like the stories I wrote with my best friend, Lisa. I put people into their own wish fulfillment stories as the main characters and the reactions I got from the recipients was overwhelming. Most of them told me they couldn't stop crying. My third book was a challenge to see if I could write an Amish fiction.  At first it was like pulling teeth. I don't outline or do time-lines, I just write by the seat of my pants. Half-way through the inspiration hit and In Plain Sight turned out to be so much more than just a regular Amish fiction; it turned into something much, much more (but you won't find out until you read the very last page). The only hint I will give you is that is a "Jewish" surprise.

What book and author impacted you the most when you were a child? 
What was it that inspired you to become a writer and/or reader? 
What are you currently reading? Please share your stories with us!

What God is That? Guest Post by Donna Wasson

Donna is a guest blogger over at Rapture Ready, one of the Bible Prophecy sites I visit regularly and I have been noticing a peculiar thing. She and I have been posting about the same topics at about the same time interdependently of each other. This post below was going to be my next topic because of a similar and recent encounter I had over this issue with a dear friend. I don't think I could write this any better than she did so I contacted her and she agreed to let me share her blog posts here.*Sigh*  You know this is not gonna be good if this article starts off like that.  I just read a piece titled; Christians Can Change Their Minds on Homosexuality.  The author states that she was all at once, elated and filled with dread when President Obama announced that he supported same-sex marriage, because she knew the negative backlash it would cause. You see, she was to attend a reception at the White House that marked Gay Pride Month, and could remember a time she wouldn’t have been caught dead at such an event. She had been an ‘evangelical Christian’ for 30 years when her very independent and successful daughter called to inform her she was gay.  At first, she was understandably devastated and prayed for the Lord to change her daughter’s choice.  “But instead, God changed me.”  Uh…really? 
She goes on to say she had a “dramatic change of heart; an epiphany, a paradigm shift or just plain coming to my senses, “ when her daughter called to say she and her partner were getting married.  At first she was upset and saddened and asked God, “What event could a parent be asked to attend that would be worse than this?”  “His answer was short—a funeral.”   
She marveled that she had never felt God’s presence and love as strongly as she did during the wedding weekend. Her daughter was raised with the message from pastors, Sunday school teachers, Christian leaders as well as her Christian parents that, “She was an abomination to God and didn’t deserve His love.”  But, thankfully, the daughter received the message from God himself that He loved her.  Of course God loves her!  He will NOT, however, tolerate her lesbianism. 
This lady agonizes about the years she taught her daughter that homosexuality was wrong and how deeply she must have hurt her feelings.  She’s now “On a mission to help keep other families from making our mistakes.  Now the lessons I have learned about unconditional love for the gay community need to be applied to those who are exactly where I was for so many years.”  Wrong. 
And man said to himself, ‘Let me make God in my image, after my likeness.’  So in the image of man created him God, and man blessed God and said unto Him, “Thou shalt have dominion over pretty much nothing, and shall give power and blessing to any and everything I will to do and thou shalt unconditionally love every depraved and sinful act I can imagine.”  
What ‘god’ is this lady talking about that would debase His holiness to attend a gay wedding? This woman opines, “Love can’t be legislated, politicized, forced or faked.  It comes from God. I have said many times that change will come one heart at a time, and only God can change a heart—if we will just get out of God’s way.”  I think she means, if God just gets out of OUR way! 
Let us turn in our Bibles to the 1st chapter of Romans. I want to take you through most of this chapter and include in parenthesis the Greek meanings of the words for clarification.  It really is eye opening to see the original meanings. 
Romans 1: 18 “For the wrath (anger, indignation) of God is revealed (made known) from heaven against all ungodliness (having no reverence for God) and unrighteousness (violating God’s law) of men, who hold (restrain, hinder) the truth (moral religious fact) in unrighteousness.” 
Then vs. 21 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations (inward reasoning), and their foolish (stupid) heart (soul or mind) was darkened” (deprived of understanding.) Professing themselves to be wise (expert, learned), they became fools” (be or act foolishly.) 
Vs. 24 “Wherefore God also gave them up (delivered, permitted) to uncleanness (impure morals) through the lusts (craving, longing for what is forbidden) of their own hearts, to dishonor (treat with contempt) their own bodies between themselves.”  
Vs. 26-28  “For this cause God gave (delivered, permitted) them up to vile (disgrace, dishonor)affections (depraved passion): for even their women did change (exchanged) the natural use (inborn-agreeable to instincts) into that which is against (from, besides) nature (distinctive native characteristics): and likewise also the men, leaving ( depart, disregard, abandon) the natural use (sexual use of a woman) of the woman, burned (set on fire, kindled) in their lust (appetite, unlawful craving) toward another (mutually, reciprocally) ; men with men working (perform, accomplish, achieve) that which is unseemly (ones nakedness, shame), and receiving (to get what is promised, retribution) in themselves that recompense  (reward given in compensation) of their error (wrong action, straying morally) which was meet (necessary, right and proper). And even as they did not like (deem worthy, approve) to retain God (adhere or cling to keep) in their knowledge (knowing things ethical and divine), God gave them over (delivered, permitted) to a reprobate (untested, unfit, rejected) mind, to do those things (perform, act out, carry out) which are not convenient” (becoming, proper, fit). 
Vs. 29-31 “Being filled with all unrighteousness (injustice, deeds violating law), fornication (illicit sexual intercourse, including adultery, homosexual, lesbian and bestiality), wickedness (depravity, iniquity), covetousness, maliciousness (desire to injure, evil, depravity); full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity (depravity of heart, bad character); whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventers of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection (inhumane, unloving), implacable, unmerciful:” 
Vs. 32 “Who knowing (being acquainted, understanding) the judgment of God (judicial decree, sentence of condemnation), that they which commit such things (practice, exercise, of this kind, sort) are worthy (merited, befitting) of death (loss of life and future misery in hell), not only do the same, but have pleasure (also, pleased, approve, applaud, agree to) in them that do them” (exercise, practice, act, commit).  *whew!* 
Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”    Unchanging. Eternally the same.  Does not change His character or nature.  So this mother is agreeing to or applauding the kind of behavior from her daughter that God considers worthy of meriting a death sentence.   
‘Yay honey, your wedding dress is beautiful and Daddy and I will pay for the cake.   Then we can all pretend God blesses your lesbian union, and completely ignore that this lifestyle will lead you straight to hell; plus I will have to face a Holy God and explain why I decided to accept this charade of ‘love.’’ 
I think it is safe to say most parents love their children unconditionally.  Does that mean we have to sanction and applaud their actions?  For instance, let’s say my son was a serial killer.  We all know that is wicked behavior before God. What if I knew this information about him and, as he was on the run from the law, stopped by for Sunday dinner with a nice chunk of thigh meat from his latest victim.  “Here ma, I brought you a present. Cook this puppy up like roast beef, would you?  I’d love some of your mashed potatoes and green beans with it, and maybe you could make me some banana pudding for dessert! Whatta you say?” 
Like the mother in the article with her lesbian daughter, I would be horrified and disgusted beyond description!  The Bible is very clear that murder and depravity of this sort is completely against God’s laws—always has been, always will be.  After all, God is the same yesterday, today and forever, right? 
So do I take the wimpy road like this mother and say to my son, “Oh honey, that is one beautiful hunk of meat; Ooo, and so lean!  Must have been a jogger, huh? Thanks!  I love you and will delude myself into accepting your wicked behavior out of a misplaced definition of unconditional love; therefore I won’t call the cops and have your vile butt arrested.” 
How ridiculous, right?  So my son is a serial killer.  Do I stop loving that child I bore, nursed, cuddled and raised or do I completely cut all ties and ignore his existence?  Of course I would still love him!  And I’d call the cops on him in a heartbeat!  THAT is unconditional love, lady.  
Do I condone and accept his kidnapping, torture and murdering ways?  Of course NOT!  But I would still love him.  I wouldn’t be able to help it—just like God loves us but refuses to accept our sinful behavior.  He will still ‘call the cops’ on us, so to speak, and make sure justice is served.   
I feel for this very conflicted mother, but she is dead wrong.  As the verses with their original Greek meanings listed above, it is perfectly CLEAR homosexuality is not condoned or OK with God.  It wasn’t in Sodom and Gomorrah and it isn’t in this day and age either, no matter what the pushy, big mouthed, politically correct, depraved LGBT lobby tells you!   
For this mom to accept her daughter’s choice (and it IS a choice, don’t give me a bunch of bull that they are born that way), is doing her daughter and her own relationship with God a huge disservice.  I can completely understand her desire and overwhelming need to have a loving tie with her daughter, but she is leading her astray, as well as making a mockery of the Bible and the sanctified life we as Christians are to strive for.  
So what should she have done?  What should Christian parents do when their kid suddenly spouts off the news that they are gay?  You love them unconditionally. You reject their behavior.  Do you keep in touch? Yes.  Do you tell them as much as possible you love them?  Yes.  Do you have their lover over for dinner? No. Do you attend their ‘wedding’? Of course not. Don’t bother to give a gift either.  
What if that adult child chooses their lover over their loving, Godly parents?  Then you grieve like the dickens and pray for God’s intervention. That is their choice and like the rest of us, they will have to make their own decisions about God and decide whether to follow or reject Him. We ALL have to stand or fall on this issue alone and we parents cannot choose for them, as much as we want to and as much as our heart would break in a million pieces if they chose to shun God. 
Like this lady said, change will come one heart at a time and only God can change a heart—if we will get out of God’s way. God bless this mother. I know her heart aches to do the right thing and I will be praying for her to see the truth. 
If you would like to check both these sites out, Rapture Ready's website is: www.raptureready.com and Donna's blog is: http://dwantstotalk.blogspot.com/

If You Won the Lottery...

What would you do to change the world for the better?


What would you do for others?


What would you do for yourself? (This is where you can let your dreams run wild)

Okay, I want honest answers and just to show that I mean it, I will post what I would do if I won a lot of money.

If I won the lottery this is what I would do:
Pay off all my debt including my house and finish the renovations.Pay off the debts of all my friends and family who are really hurting and provide what they need.Donate large chunks to Focus on the Family and other worthy Christian charities.Travel to all the places on my bucket list.Sock away the rest to earn interest.Invest in a B&B in Napa or Santa Barbara and maybe even buy a vacation cottage somewhere.
Along these lines, I write wish fulfillment stories as gifts for people so when someone asked me to write a story where they would win the lottery so they could help other people I found it to be a REAL challenge. The subject matter would not make for a very inspirational short story but I had committed to writing one so what could I do? I began to ask questions to see if "inspiration" would strike. After asking several questions that got me nowhere I finally asked where the person worked. Suntrust Bank. That's when the light bulb went on over my head! I typed away furiously and truly feel that this particular story was divinely inspired to re-prioritize what we hold to be valuable on this earth.

So just in case, you're curious; here is an excerpt from this story. If you would like to read the rest (or any of the other 35 short, wish fulfillment stories), you can either order Make a Wish from this blog or  Purchase Make a Wish from Amazon

"Something New Under the Son"
            Martha is a bank teller in North Carolina and has a very big heart. Her wish was to win a lot of money in the lottery so she could help her church, family and friends provide for the needs of the congregation,  pay off debts, provide homes and even some much needed and overdue vacations in return for the years of care and nurturing provided to her family by others.  I always pray before I write each story and ask God to give me the inspiration not to necessarily answer a “laundry list” of requests, but to deeply bless the heart and soul of the person who has asked for a story. I hope that the following Wish Fulfillment Story does all that.


            Martha woke up with a start.  Instead of taking her lunch break with her friend at the bank or running errands, today she had decided to roll down the windows, eat then take a short little snooze, setting her cell phone to wake her up ten minutes before she was to be back on “duty”. She was incredibly groggy and did not immediately recognize her surroundings. She was still parked in the one shady spot in the employee lot, and her bank looked the same but there was a long line of people going in and then coming out with what appeared to be sacks of money. That woke her up fast! Were they all robbing the bank?            She bolted out of her car and was ready to dash inside, when a gentle hand restrained her. She fumbled in her purse for the bottle of mace; panic stricken.            “Peace unto you,” said the calming voice of the tall stranger. Martha looked up, up up and felt her jaw going slack. The man next to her was at least 12’ tall, gorgeous, was glowing softly and had two large wings spreading outwards from his back.            “Wha-wha-what are you?” Martha gaped.             “I’m your Guardian Angel, dearest,” he replied, his blue eyes twin pools of pure love and adoration.            Martha clutched at her heart…this was it! It was her time to die and God had sent her angel to come get her!            Her angel put his arm about her and pulled her back up to an upright stand (as she had been sinking lower and lower). She could feel strength and love pouring into her body wherever he touched her.            “What is your name?” she asked, unable to tear her eyes away from his incredible face.             “Ooniemme,” he smiled at her. “It is translated as ‘gratitude’ in Earthly terms.”            Martha nodded and then her attention was diverted back to the line of people exiting her bank, carrying sacks of money. She dialed 9-1-1 but Ooniemme took her cell phone and waved his hand over it. It went dead.            “But they’re stealing the bank’s money!” she hissed in a panic. “I need to get the police here right away!”            “Take a better look,” Ooniemme said, gesturing to the sign over the building. Martha looked up at the signage. Same navy blue graphics; same sunburst logo. She shrugged, feeling very dumb. “Closer,” he encouraged her. She looked up and squinted her eyes…”SONTRUST BANK”. It was spelled wrong.            She looked back at the 12’ tall Angel; enlightenment beginning to dawn. She looked at her surroundings…no parking lot, no strip mall…just the bank and a line of people as far as the eye could see going in and going out. She started to feel dizzy.

Could Jesus have been bullied?

Not much is revealed in the Gospels about Jesus' life as a young boy.  I'm sure we have all wondered what he must have been like. Was he a serious child? Cheerful? Did he always behave perfectly? What did he look like? The Old Testament declares in Isaiah that "...he had no form nor comeliness that we should desire him," so physically he must have blended in with everyone else but I'm sure in terms of behavior he must have stood out.  I think it is quite possible he was known as a "goody two shoes", perhaps even resented by his peers whose mothers and fathers would complain: "Why can't you be more like Miriam and Yocef's son, Yeshua?  He never misbehaves?!" I bet the neighbor kids got real tired of hearing that one.

In the Gospel of John 8:41, the pharisee's basically insinuate that Jesus was illegitimate when they declare:

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”  

Remember, even in the beginning Joseph thought Mary had been fooling around before an Angel from God came and set him straight that her pregnancy was a foreordained miracle of God. If you have ever lived in a small town (which Jesus' parents did), you know that everyone in it knows everyone else's business and dirty laundry. The rumors spread like wild fire but the actual truth often never comes to light or people or just more inclined to listen to the juicy gossip.
I can't prove it but I get the impression from this and other verses that Mary may have had to suffer endless suspicion and doubt as to Jesus' real father or that she had been fooling around before marriage and should have been stoned to death as the law decreed. 
The Bible declares that Jesus suffered in all things just like us; why would bullying be exempt? Perhaps it was an endless source of ridicule where he was concerned. Do you think that in their cruelest moments his peers cast dispersion's upon his mother (and him) which would have hurt and angered him? Can you imagine how difficult it might have been for Jesus to do nothing about it when he had all the power of the universe at his disposal?  It might have been a very sore trial not to snap his fingers or speak the words and deliver some much needed justice and correction to those who would insult his mother!

My story, The Victor, explores this idea of Jesus potentially being bullied as a child.  My protagonist, Joshua, enters into service anonymously as a page known as Immanuel where his peers don't realize that he is actually the son of the King. Below is an excerpt from this "Garden of Gethsemane type scene":

            The following day Joshua awoke even more stiff and sore than the one before.  To make matters worse, Jarrod was back with a vengeance. Joshua had no sooner gotten his buckler and wooden sword from the armory than he was forcibly grabbed from behind, spun about and rabbit punched in the face. Joshua raised his arms to protect himself but Jarrod was too fast and strong for him. Joshua felt Jarrod’s fists make contact with his face a few more times before he was thrown onto the ground. All the air in his lungs whooshed out of him.  He could neither cry out, breathe, nor defend himself. Jarrod sat astride him, trapping Joshua’s arms against his side with his thighs.
            “I’ll teach you to make a fool of me!” he screamed, punching his ribs on either side.  He was oblivious to the other pages and knights that were running up from behind. The pages froze in horror but the knights did not. They reacted immediately. Sir Eric got to them first and threw Jarrod off. He went flying, landing face first in a pile of freshly dropped horse manure. Sir Bors and Sir Penloth knelt beside Joshua, rolling him over gently. His face was already purpling and swelling from the beating. Joshua struggled to rise but was constrained by the intense pain in his ribs.  He bit his lip to keep from crying aloud, tears streaming down his cheeks. A strange whistling was coming from him whenever he drew breath. Penloth cursed loudly and lifted him into his arms; half-marching, half-running with him into the castle and bellowing for everyone to clear a path.  His first impulse was to take Joshua immediately to the king’s personal physician but he still dare not do anything to expose him. Not knowing what else to do, he carried Joshua up into his own bedchamber, laid him on the bed then ran to summon the court physician who treated the knights. Joshua lay like a limp rag, fighting back his tears without success. Why did Jarrod hate him so? What had he ever done to deserve such brutality? The physician arrived in moments and checked him over from head to foot, giving no indication that he recognized Joshua for who he really was. Gently he prodded each rib, causing Joshua to yelp and convulse with pain. Two ribs were bruised and one appeared to be fractured. His nose was bleeding but unbroken and both eyes were blackened and swollen shut. The physician concocted several poultices, layering them in strips of clean linen.  One he laid across Joshua’s eyes and face and the other he wrapped tightly about his ribs.  Joshua did his best to bear it bravely. Then he was given a good draft of laudanum             Penloth stayed by his side throughout the day, giving him sips of water whenever he woke and more laudanum as needed, his heart burning with anger. Curse his stupidity for not having prevented today’s beating! He was well aware of Jarrod’s propensity toward petty violence but it had never escalated to this level before. This morn he had almost beaten the crown prince to a pulp.
            At that moment he felt a hand upon his shoulder. He looked up to find a cloaked figure standing behind him.
            “Leave us for a while, my good knight,” said the voice from beneath the cowl. Penloth’s face drained of blood. There was no mistaking the voice. It was the king!
            He stood to his feet, unable to look his master in the face.
            Eloth patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Do not blame thyself, my good Captain. I’m sure this is not the first time a page has taken his fist to another. Jarrod shall be dealt with accordingly. Go now to thy rest; I will keep watch by Immanuel’s side this night.”
            Penloth hesitated for only a moment, nodded then exited the chamber to room with his brother. Eloth knelt beside the bed, threw back the cowl and took Joshua’s small hand into his, murmuring words of comfort. Joshua slowly awoke to the smell of beeswax candles, a poultice of pungent spices and the foul taste of laudanum upon his lips. Every inch of him was in excruciating pain. He tried to sit up but collapsed, finally succumbing to tears of defeat. What was the use? He had failed, both himself and his father. Pent up sobs of misery and shame wracked his small body despite how much it hurt him to cry. Eloth’s arms went about him, drawing him close in a gentle hug to cradle him against his breast.
            “Father!” Joshua wept, clutching at him fiercely. “They hate me! I ju-ju-just can’t do this anymore!”
            Eloth said nothing in response; he just held his son closer in his arms, resting his chin upon his shorn head. Joshua buried his bruised and swollen face against his father’s breast, allowing himself to weep with abandon, his entire body heaving. He wept until he could weep no more and still his father said nothing.
            “I do not wish to return to the academy,” Joshua hiccupped, unable to speak clearly. “It is harder than I ever dreamed but even worse is that page, Jarrod! He..he...he hates me without reason!            Eloth closed his eyes as if deep in thought but still gave no answer. Joshua’s lip quivered violently as he struggled with his warring emotions. “If I do not return then I will have failed you and our kingdom, won’t I? I’ll be proven a coward. I will disappoint not only Sir Penloth and Sir Luther but…but you most of all. Oh, father, please tell me what to do!  I don’t want to go back yet how can I live with myself if I do not see this through? Father, have thee no words of counsel for me?” His voice trailed off on a feeble whimper of pain.
            Eloth opened his eyes, looking down upon his beloved son with love and compassion. Joshua could barely see him through his swollen eyes.
            “The choice is entirely thine, my son,” he replied softly, gently wiping the tears that leaked from his purpled eyes. “I will not force thee to drink this cup.  It is not only thine own reputation that is at stake but the welfare of our kingdom as well; much now depends upon thee.”
            Joshua sank back into his father’s arms and a long silence ensued as he struggled against what he wanted to do and what he knew he needed to do. It was such a heavy burden to carry. It would be so much easier to walk away from it all and go back to his old life, but could he really? He thought of his soft bed with the down pillows and coverlets, the books and scrolls that lined the shelves in his room, the rich foods he had given up, and the many intellectual pursuits he had left behind– and could easily return to with but a single word.  Most of all, he missed his father! He missed their long talks by candlelight; holding his large warm hand as they walked; being cuddled in his arms as they read books together by firelight and the game of chess he had just begun to teach him. How he longed to be back with him again yet, in his inner heart he knew what honor demanded of him. A shuddering sigh shook his entire body as he finally came to his decision.
            “I will return,” he said at last in a small voice. “I will not bring shame upon thy name. I will do what I must for our kingdom.”

Answer my poll about bullying below this post. I'd really love to hear from you.

Bullying

Bullies...I hate them.

Have you ever been bullied? I was bullied as a kid. Seventh grade for me was absolutely brutal. I would come home every day crying to my mom about the cruelty of my peers who either treated me like I didn't exist or found new and creative ways to emotionally and mentally torment me. I already had a self-esteem problem as it was so the bullying and my mother's response only served to make me feel like I had done something to deserve it. She sent me to a shrink (which I resented) and even worse...in an attempt to change things for the better, she invited my entire class over to my house for a surprise party. It gets worse...it was a sleep over. I took my mom aside shortly after I arrived home to discover all my arch enemies leering at me behind her back in triumph when I shrieked "What were you thinking?!!" They had plenty of ammunition with which to torture me after that night, I can tell you.

It's funny, even though I am in my early 50's; I can easily remember the pain of being bullied and how it permanently changed my self-image for the worse. I can't remember most of my former classmates names, not even people I considered friends but I can sure remember the name of my two chief tormentors. For years I swore to myself that if I ever ran into them on the street I would bust them in the chops and ask questions later.

Bullying has become an epidemic problem. Despite the "zero tolerance" it has gotten worse not better and now it has all the social media to help spread the "wealth" around. At least when I was bullied back in 1972 it remained a localized event.  Nowadays, kids are bullied not only in person but their names are slandered all over the internet where libel goes viral in a matter of seconds. Kids today don't stand a chance; no wonder they are committing suicide in record numbers!

Why are children so intentionally cruel to one another? Why do so many behave like savage animals when it comes to their peers? What can be done to fix this seemingly insurmountable problem?


It wasn’t always this way but it seems to be on the rise. Why? Many (like me) would argue that it is the natural consequence of having abandoned moral teachings based upon the Bible in our schools. Since the Bible and God are considered persona non grata in the public square, how can we, as authors who have faith, share the concepts of compassion, mercy, honesty, perseverance in a way that communicates these values to our young people without coming off sounding “preachy”?
I think Bill Bennett, the former Education Czar had it right when he compiled and produced The Book of Virtues. It contained stories that exemplified all of the above listed virtues in such a way as to compel the reader to feel compassion for the poor Little Match Girl and The Little Mermaid. Who hasn’t watched the film “Rudy” starring Sean Astin, and not found themselves cheering him on when he finally achieved his ultimate dream of playing for Notre Dame after years of persevering?

These are all wonderful stories that have much to teach us. They have a way of winding into our hearts and planting a seed there that when mature, can blossom and grow a young person into someone who has compassion, who can persevere through trials, be courageous in the face of danger, and do what is right when no one is looking. Well written stories not only entertain and touch us deeply; they can change our worldview.

This is where inspirational fiction authors can play an important role; especially in our nation’s schools. That is what I have sought to do in my own books.


Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever bullied someone else? Please share.