Morgan L. Busse's Blog, page 19

Christian Book Lovers Hop

Hey everyone! Welcome to the Christian Book Lovers Hop. Looking for new authors or books? This is a great place to start!

As part of this blog hop, I will be giving away a $10 amazon gift card and 2 kindle copies by two award winning authors whose books are on my own summer reading list: Crosswind, a western steampunk by Steve Rzasa and Mask, a futuristic dystopia novel by Kerry Nietz. To enter, leave a comment below with your email address so I can reach you. After June 30th, I will randomly select a winner

To discover new authors or blogs and to win some great prizes, click on the links below.

1. The Readers Realm






2. Spirit Filled Kindle






3. Pauline Creeden, Author






4. Melissa Turner Lee






5. SittingOnThePorchWithLynn






6. Laura J. Davis






7. Fantasy Author J. L. Mbewe






8. Life in the Past lane






9. Adventures in Writing






10. Please Don’t Remove MarGreat’s Glasses!






11. Always Walk In Love






12. Bonnie Blythe’s Pure Romance






13. Fly Through the Gateway to Gannah






14. Rita Schulte






15. God Mission Possible






16. Heather Bixler






17. Body and Soul Publishing






18. Bookly Books






19. The Jevlir Caravansary






20. Practical Proverbs






21. Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen






22. Phyllis Sather Write the Vision






23. Katy Lee Books






24. Empowered to Prosper






25. Patchwork Quilt Blog






26. HIStory – Providence Thru the Ages Blog






27. Morgan L. Busse, Author






28. Cliff Ball






29. gracenfaith4u. com






30. Staci Stallings






31. Aaron DeMott






32. Roller Coaster Suspense






33. Lorilyn Roberts Linky Blog Hop






34. The Christian Bookmobile






35. Keeper of Reign–Promotional Fantasy Blog Hop






36. Christian Romance Author Laura J. Marshall

Daughter of Light a Carol Award Finalist

More news to share. I found yesterday that my novel, Daughter of Light, is a finalist for the Carol Awards in the speculative category. As my son said, “That’s pretty cool, mom!” And I told him, “Yeah, it is. But God had a big part in it.”

I can’t tell you how many times I would lay my head down next to the computer and pray. I wanted to give up. I didn’t know what to write next. And after Daughter of Light was published, I was so discouraged I wanted to walk away from writing and never come back. But God didn’t let me. He brought encouragement via friends and emails. He brought ideas. He brought people who have helped me walk this path. And so I kept writing.

Yes, it is really cool to be a finalist for the Carol Awards. I never thought it would happen to me. But I didn’t do it alone. So thank you, God, for another blessing in my writing.

When God Says No

Months ago I started reading a book. For the life of me, I cannot remember the book or the author. But the author made a statement that has stuck with me ever since: It is easy to have faith when God says yes and everything happens the way you want it to, but it takes a deeper faith when God says no. The moment I read those words, I wanted that kind of faith.

I should know by now to be careful what I wish for. In order to develop a faith strong enough for God to say no, I have to let Him say no. And that’s not easy. In the last few months, I think that is about the only word I have heard from God: no. In big things, like selling our house, to little things, like finding Philip’s lost glasses. I have asked…and not received. After a while, it has weighed down on me and made me ask what is faith really?

I think we subconsciously view faith like this: if I have enough faith, God will do it. If I don’t, then it’s my own fault. And that has paralyzed me. I am a woman of little faith. Some people have the gift of faith. Not me. I have always been a logic, scientific kinda gal. I need to see it to believe it, figure it out, understand how it works, and then I will accept it. So because of my natural inclinations, does that mean I will see less of God’s blessings? Because I don’t have enough faith?

Then it hit me today: that kind of thinking is the same kind as hoping I am good enough for heaven. People who strive to be good enough for God always have a fear in the back of their mind, “Am I good enough?” Same with faith. “Do I have enough faith?” And when a loved one dies, or the bank takes the house, or you lose your job after praying hard on your knees, you can’t help but think you didn’t have enough faith, so God didn’t provide.

But in the end, doesn’t that place everything on ourselves? That we need to first have faith, then God will work?

Perhaps our view of faith is wrong. It is not about what God does, but who He is. Because if our faith is set on what He does, then we are going to be disappointed. But if our faith is set on who He is, then we will be confident no matter what happens because we know that He is in control. When He says no, we will not be shaken. We will  believe He has a reason for saying no, a reason we may not see or understand (after all, if we truly understood everything God did, then He wouldn’t be much of a god, would He?).

I still have a ways to go in developing this kind of faith, a faith placed squarely on God. But I want it. And I will continue to pursue it.

How about you? Has God told you no before? How did you react? Was it hard? Did your faith grow from the experience?

What is Faith?

I have been thinking about the meaning of faith lately and came across an old post of mine. Here it is and I hope to follow up on more thoughts on the matter next week:

Here is a quote I came across a couple months ago: Faith is not believing God can, but that God will!

But what if He doesn’t?

I couldn’t help but look at those words and ask what about the people who have lost loved ones? Or parents who prayed and prayed for their child to live, but their child died anyway? Or the man who lost his job and eventually his home?

Did they not have enough faith? Did they not pray enough? Or is faith something more?

Last year I found my faith stretching beyond anything I had ever known. For the first time in my life, I believed God could do anything, not just with my head, but with my heart. That faith carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life… until nothing happened.

God didn’t come through.

I couldn’t believe it. It was the biggest letdown ever. I had prayed, prostrated myself before God, and thought for sure that God was behind us. But He didn’t show up.

I felt alone and devastated. Was my little kernel of faith just not big enough? Mentally and emotionally I felt like I was being sucked down into a vortex of darkness. Could I trust God anymore? And what is faith really?

It was the story of three men that made me start to think there is more to faith than just believing God will do something. The men’s names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Most people know them by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were three young men taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar and sent off to Babylon where they served him.

In Daniel chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar creates a statue of gold and commands his people to bow and worship it when the music starts to play. The music plays, and everyone bows… except for those 3 men.

They are brought before Nebuchadnezzar. He tells them he will give them a second chance. But if they fail to obey and bow down, he will throw them into the blazing furnace. “And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” (Daniel 3:15)

Here is their response: ”O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

But even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18).

Did you catch that? These men knew God could save them. They had faith. But their faith wasn’t based on what God would do; it was based on God Himself. That is why they could say even if He doesn’t. Even if God did not save them, they would still follow Him and not bow down. They completely put their faith in God to do whatever God was going to do, even if God’s plan did not include saving them.

Wow.

Do I put my faith only in what God is going to do? Or simply in God Himself? Do I trust God so much that I place myself in His Hands and know that no matter how dark the outcome, He has a reason for it?

That is a different kind of faith than the quote up above. A faith that has allowed Christians in the past to face torture and death. One that allows me now to see beyond my current circumstances. A faith in God alone, not in just the outcome we want from Him.

Book Review: The Remedy (Eyes of E’veria, Book 2)

The Remedy picks up where The Ryn leaves off (click to read my review of The Ryn).  In The Ryn, Rynnaia , the main character, finds out she is actually the long thought dead princess of the Kingdom. She was hidden at birth because she is the fulfillment of a prophecy that predicts she will free and heal her people from the Cobelds. Healing for those affected by the Cobelds’ curse will come from a hidden remedy, one that Rynnaia must find (hence the title of the second book, The Remedy).

I enjoyed this second installment by Serena Chase. Her writing style and story reminds me a lot of Jill Williamson and her Blood of Kings trilogy. Knights, quests, magical items, romance, and adventure. The usual fantasy fare with a unique twist.

Rose is a strong, likable heroine. She is determined to help her people, but at the age of 19 is still finding her own way in the world. Serena does a good job balancing the responsibilities and growing maturity of a young woman in Rose’s position: not too juvenile but also not seeming to know it all either.

If you enjoy high fantasy and are looking for a new series to start, I recommend The Ryn and The Remedy.

Why Do I Write?

Today I was encouraged by post by my friend Mike Duran titled Your Reason to Keep Writing. This post came at a time where I was once again wrestling with the question, “Why I do I write?”

I struggle with this question at least once a month. I’m not wildly successful, at the top of the charts, or have thousands of reviews, the measurement stick of how the world would define my success as an author. So why put in all this effort, all this time, if the pay out for writing is peanuts?

But as I was talking to Dan this morning, I realized I write because I have stories burning inside my heart, stories about God. I have to write. If I didn’t, I think the words inside me would overflow.

I get discouraged sometimes, or afraid that I won’t finish the rough draft of my latest story, or secretly wonder if I would be more productive if I chose something else to fill my writing time, like a job. But I keep coming back to writing. Everytime.

I write the stories in my heart. I must. And when my story touches the heart of another, even better.

How about you? Why do you write? What keeps you going when you just want to give up?

 

Should We Celebrate Mother’s Day?

I saw an alarming trend this past week: the idea if we should celebrate Mother’s Day. Writers and commenters alike spoke about dreading Sunday morning when the pastor would ask all the mothers in the congregation to stand, leaving behind those who were still barren. Or roses being passed out to mothers while others walked away empty-handed.

So voices began to rise saying that perhaps we should re-think Mother’s Day. It is a day of indescribable pain for those who long to be mothers, but have been denied the joy. Or for those who have lost mothers. Or have lost children through miscarriages. Why celebrate a day that hurts?

I understand. I have friends and family members who struggled with infertility. I have friends and family who have lost children. I have experienced a miscarriage myself. It is shocking experience to lose a life that should be shielded inside you. After all, if you can’t protect the child inside you, how will you protect the child outside you?

I also understand mothers. It is a hard, thankless job, with no days off, no vacation, no pay. You feel like a failure often. You give up your body, your time, and your dreams to bring up the next generation. Yes, you love the little tykes and would throw yourself in front of a moving truck to save them, but they sometimes drive you up a wall!

And secretly you wonder what kind of life you would have had if you didn’t have children. A career? Traveled the world? Wrote that book sitting in the back of your mind?

Being a mother, and being motherless are both extremely hard. Two different worlds that sometimes collide. Yet we can peer into each other’s lives and support one another in this way: Romans 12: 15 says, “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.”

We who are mothers should not forget our sisters who have not experienced the joy of motherhood. We should weep with them in their pain.

And we who are barren should not be jealous of the joy of our sisters, but rather be happy for them. We both carry a burden that is heavy and discouraging at times.

So should we celebrate Mother’s Day? A day to be thankful for mothers and show them our love? I say yes. Each of us has or had a mother. Without them, we would not be here. In a world that is growing less appreciative of mothers (and fathers), let us not take away a day in which our thoughts and hearts turn toward mothers and celebrate them in our lives.

What about you? Do you think we should celebrate Mother’s Day? Why or why not?

 

 

Realm Makers: 2013

I just came back from a weekend-long women’s retreat where I did my first speaking gig. I met many wonderful woman, had lots of fun, and now am absolutely tired. So instead of trying to squeeze my brain for a post this week, I thought I would share about a conference coming up in August that I am totally excited about.

Realm Makers began as a dream among a couple Christian speculative writers and artists. We love cons and we loving writing conferences. What if we put both of them together? What if we met for a weekend to exchange ideas, share what we have learned, and enjoy sci-fi/fantasy together? That dream became a reality this year.

Realm Makers: 2013 will be held August 2-3 in St. Louis. The price is unbelievably low for a conference and the speakers who will be there are phenomenal. However, the conference is filling up fast, so if you are interested, you will want to consider signing up soon. I will be there and would love to see any and all of you

For more information on Realm Makers, here is the website: http://faithandfantasyalliance.wordpress.com

 

Learning to be Content

When Dan and I first married, we bought a house near family. It was a nice split level at the end of the street. It needed some work, but it was our home and I loved it. For a while. But soon my heart began to wander. I wanted more than what we had.

A couple years later, we moved to Portland. I loved Portland! All the culture, all the things to do, and all the rain. I love rain But after a year, my heart started wandering again. City life was not enough. I wanted more.

Then we moved to the Oregon coast. We lived only five miles from the beach. Almost everyday I would take long walks on the beach or explore the lush, green forest that grew behind the house we lived in. But I was not content. I wanted more.

A short while later, we moved to the middle of the United States. Because of the drastic difference in house prices between the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest, we were able to buy our dream home: a two story brick home at the end of a cul-de-sac with a white picket fence. Surely I would be content, right?

Then Dan lost his job. Sometimes it takes losing everything to realize what you really have.

We now live in Kansas, in a small house. And you know what? I love this small house. My family is here. My heart is here. Sure, I could use a little more counter space in the kitchen, but I can honestly say I haven’t once thought about leaving. It took God moving me across the country and trying out everything I thought my heart desired to realize that contentment comes from being thankful for what you have, big or little.

How about you? Do you struggle with being content with what you have?

 

Daughter of Light a Christy Award Finalist

I sat at the gas station, waiting for my husband to gas up our van. While I waited, I checked my emails. I thumbed down and saw a forward from my editor. I opened the message. My heart stopped. I read the message again. There was a disconnect between my eyes and my brain. Dan climbed back into the van and started the motor. I turned toward him and in a calm voice announced that Daughter of Light was a finalist for the Christy Awards.

Dan went nuts while I stared ahead again in absolute shock.

It took two more days for the news to finally sink in.

I never expected to final in the Christy Awards. In fact, I almost didn’t enter. The day I had to make the decision, God provided everything I needed in order to enter. On November 15th, I wrote this on my Facebook author page: “Had a God moment this week. I had a writing opportunity come up that I could not afford. I told God jokingly that He would have to drop the money in my lap (my exact words). Well, He did, in a way that I would have never thought. And it was the exact amount too. I’m still walking around dazed lol.” And so I entered the Christy Awards.

And once again I am walking around dazed.

Last week, Daughter of Light hit #1 bestseller in 3 categories on Amazon and #134 overall on Nook. It felt good. But I realized something during that time. Here is what I wrote on facebook: Something I have learned about blessings: enjoy them, don’t horde them. They come and go, so enjoy the moment. Like all things, they will eventually slip away. But if you try to cling to them, you will miss the moment.

So right now I am going to enjoy this moment God has given me

To find out more about the Christy Awards and other 2013 nominees, click here: www.christyawards.com