Robin E. Mason's Blog: Robin's Book Shelf, page 167

BLOGWORDS – Saturday 11 July 2017 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – NEW RELEASE EVENT – ACTING MARRIED by VICTORINE LIESKE

BLOGWORDS – Saturday 11 July 2017 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – NEW RELEASE EVENT – ACTING MARRIED by VICTORINE LIESKE
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – RELEASE DAY EVENT – ACTING MARRIED by VICTORINE LIESKE

 

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Tara McDermott needed a job, so she took the only thing available—cleaning house for the swoon-worthy actor, and Hollywood Bad Boy, Rick Shade. When he comes up with a crazy plan to tame his wild reputation by marrying her, she reluctantly agrees so she can pay off her debts and move her daughter back to the Midwest where life is simpler. If only he wouldn’t make her heart pound every time he kisses her.

Rick’s reputation is in the toilet and it’s affecting his job. In order to get a good role, he needs to show Hollywood he’s now a family man. After enticing Tara with a large sum of money to go through with the farce, he sets out to show the public he’s in love. But Tara’s soft lips keep calling to him and soon he doesn’t know what’s pretend and what’s real.

 

Acting Married is a sweet romance.

 

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She wanted to say something about Rick and his own relationship issues, but Tara stuffed the words down her throat. She didn’t want to get into another fight with him. She gazed out over the ocean and forced herself to calm down. It wasn’t a good idea to overreact. That only lead to embarrassment.

Rick sighed. “I’m sorry. I stuck my nose where it shouldn’t have been. If you don’t want to go visit your parents, I’ll call Phil back and tell him it’s off.”

“No,” she said, touching his arm. “It’s okay. Maybe we could go see them.”

He slid his arm around her and pulled her to his chest. “I won’t let him hurt you again,” he whispered, then he pressed his lips to the top of her head.

She snuggled into him, ignoring the little voice telling her not to get so close to Rick Shade. “I know,” she said, her voice barely audible. Rick would do everything in his power to protect her and Kylee.

He wrapped both arms around her and she could smell his scent. A tiny hint of cologne mixed with a smell that was unique to Rick. Her heart beat faster.

He pulled back from her. “You know, if we were really married, I’d kiss you right now.” His voice sounded raspy.

She looked up at him. “We are really married. I saw the paperwork.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. “Then I guess I have to.”

“Probably wouldn’t be right if you didn’t.”

He leaned closer, stopping only a breath away from her lips. “I hope those onions I ate earlier don’t ruin the kiss.”

“I’ll let you know if your breath is hideous by making little choking noises as we kiss.”

His lips twitched. “Thanks,” he said before he closed the gap. His soft lips teased hers, and she closed her eyes. His hand reached around her neck, pulling her closer, his thumb caressing her cheek. The kiss deepened and she lost all thought about what he’d eaten for lunch. Her skin tingled with his touch. She could easily melt into the sand and die a happy person.

“What are you doing, Mommy?” Kylee came bounding up to them, spraying sand on Tara’s legs. She reluctantly pulled back.

“Kylee! Come here!” Amanda ran up to Kylee and picked her up. “I’m sorry, she got away from me.”

Tara felt a blush creep up to her cheeks. “It’s fine.”

“Look at this!” Kylee said, holding up a seashell. Part of it had broken, revealing the intricate spiral on the inside.

Rick examined it. “That’s awesome.”

“Great find,” Tara said, putting her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun.

“Let’s go look for more treasures,” Amanda said, holding out her hand. Kylee ran to her.

Rick turned toward Tara. “Where were we?”

Unfortunately, reality had set in and the moment was gone. She shouldn’t be kissing Rick, not when their relationship had an expiration date. She needed to remember that even though the marriage certificate was real, what they had was fake.

“I was just about to tell you to keep it light on the onions next time.”

His smile vanished. “Seriously?” He cupped his hand in front of his mouth and huffed into it, then sniffed.

Guilt made her stomach clench. The look on his face made it worse. He grimaced, like he’d just had one of his most embarrassing moments. She couldn’t let him continue to think he had onion breath.

She laughed, trying to keep it light. “I’m just kidding.”

His mouth dropped open and he poked her in the side. “I’m going to get you good for that one.”

Before she knew it, he was on top of her, his knees straddling her sides, his fingers tickling under her ribs. She fell back against the sand and laughed, squirming to get away, but she couldn’t. His fingers skimmed over her skin, making her laugh so hard she could barely breathe.

“Tickle me next!” Kylee said.

Rick finally relented, climbing off her and going after Kylee. Her daughter screamed and laughed as he chased her in the sand. Anyone watching would have thought he was her father. The thought made her blink back tears.

This, too, would end.

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Victorine enjoys commercial success through her writing, thanks in part to her ability to analyze and adapt to the constantly changing trends in today’s publishing environment. She self-published her first book, Not What She Seems, in April of 2010. In March of 2011, Not What She Seems began its 6 week run on The New York Times best selling eBook list. By May 2011 she had sold over 100,000 copies. Victorine’s first romantic comedy novel, Accidentally Married, hit the USA Today Best selling books list in January 2015. Victorine is a graphic designer as well, and can be hired for book cover design.

http://www.victorinelieske.com/

http://bluevalleyauthorservices.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Victorine-E.-Lieske/e/B003J4VTKO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1470423726&sr=8-1

https://www.facebook.com/victorinelieske/

 

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He pulled up his social media accounts on the computer and tapped the desk with his index finger. What should he post that would hint at things to come?

 

If this were a Jane Austin movie, there’d be a lot of swooning going on. She reminded herself that putting a suit on a pig didn’t make it a man.

 

Kylee patted his arm. “The trees are tired today.”

He looked out the window. “What?”

“Theyr’re tired. See? They aren’t flapping today.”

Rick wasn’t sure what she meant. “Flapping?”

“The leaves were flapping yesterday, making wind. But they need to rest today. They worked hard yesterday.”

 

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Desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

Tara McDermott thought taking a job as a maid was desperate. After her failed marriage to one aspiring actor the last thing she wanted was to be in the employ of another actor. Even if he was a big-time star.

 

Rick Shade has a reputation he needs to clean up for the press. And when his new maid spills coffee on him, he takes his agents crazy idea and runs with it. And Tara would give anything to just be the maid again.

 

Problem is, they may be pretending but the feelings are real. Problem is, neither of them realizes the other one feels the same way.

 

 

Ms. Lieske has once again taken an absurd notion and turned it into a delightful romance. Her characters have depth and conflict even as they try to run from their own feelings. They pull into their false romance, just to the brink of dropping all pretense, then like the tide, they rush away again. His story stirs conflict as it abrades against hers. Will they erode away all pretense? Or will they erode away any chance of love?

 

 

I received a free copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

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#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, New Release Event, Acting Married, Victorine Lieske

BLOGWORDS – 10 July 2017 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – RANDALL ALLEN DUNN

BLOGWORDS – 10 July 2017 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – RANDALL ALLEN DUNN

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NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – RANDALL ALLEN DUNN

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Freedom to Hope

 

As Americans, we assume we will never lose our freedom. We take it for granted that we will always be able to find food, shelter, and air conditioning. We cannot imagine a day when we could not drive to a mall, make coffee in the morning, or watch a pre-recorded TV show. We’ve grown so used to our conveniences, it’s hard to relate to those who fought for our right to enjoy them.

 

But at some point in our lives, we suffer a loss that reminds us of how privileged we are. I experienced one the other night.

 

I drive for Uber to earn extra money, in addition to my day job. (Despite what people may think, writers with a handful of published books don’t earn much money.) I drive a silver Pontiac Bonneville with over 180,000 miles on it, that rusted through in a couple of places. But the engine runs smoothly with plenty of power. I call it “the Falcon”, because it’s “the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy” and when I punch it, it jumps to light speed.

 

But when I turned the key that Saturday night, it wouldn’t crank. The battery was completely dead. I assumed it would start, like always. Suddenly, I had no car and no way to earn the money we needed to get through the week.

 

These are the moments we realize how good we have it. When we don’t have it anymore.

 

I prayed, frustrated, knowing we needed help, and that I knew nothing about car maintenance.

 

I tried to jump start it with cables from our van. After a few attempts, I gave up. Our neighbor walked over to ask if I was trying to jump the battery, and asked to look at it. He showed me I was applying the cable to the engine’s fuse box (which looked exactly like a battery to me), because the battery for this vehicle was actually located beneath the back seat.

 

Yeah, okay. Somehow I didn’t think to check that.

 

He pulled up the seat and showed me the battery there (who knew?). Within fifteen minutes, my car was charged and ready to go. Only then did I learn, from talking with him, that he’s been an auto mechanic at a local repair shop for over 30 years.

 

So I went out driving, cautiously at first. The engine seemed fine, like always, and I felt blessed to have my car restored, and thankful for the awesome way God had provided for us. I accepted a few rides, filled up with gas, and prepared for a long, productive night.

 

After dropping off some passengers, I parked to use a restroom, then went back to start the car.

 

Nothing.

 

Dead again.

 

I waited a minute, tried it again. Over and over.

 

My wife had asked me to keep her updated on the car, so I called home to tell her. We couldn’t afford much – thus the Uber driving – and were pinching every penny. So I couldn’t call for a ride. But she couldn’t leave our kids home alone to come pick me up, and we needed them to sleep through the night for a change. It was nearing midnight, so we didn’t have anyone we could call, either.

 

As I considered making the 5 ½ mile walk home, four police cars rolled into the parking lot where my car sat, pulling over a vehicle. I asked an officer if they could give me a ride, after they were done. They couldn’t do that, but offered to let me use their charger to try to start my car. Another amazing blessing, just when I needed it! Unfortunately, after trying for ten minutes, my battery only seemed worse, not even clicking when I tried to start it.

 

I was completely stranded, for who knew how long.

 

In my novel, High Adventure: The Solomon Ring of Kilimanjaro, Jack Benjamin and his intended fiancée, Amanda Regent, feel equally stranded. Jack is a flyer, who longs to marry Amanda and travel the world in his private biplane. Amanda wants to say yes, but when Jack’s missionary parents die and the Great War breaks out, he feels he must remain in Africa to look after their abandoned mission, and Amanda stays to help.

 

As the War drags on, Jack and Amanda wonder if it will ever end. They feel trapped and surrounded by death, as they lose friends and family in battles. Meanwhile, Jack sees no future for himself, due to Amanda’s uncertainty of marrying him, and the feeling that his talents are being wasted by serving his parents’ mission instead of flying. When Amanda learns of the death of a beloved family friend, she feels like giving up. But Jack’s optimistic sister-in-law, Miriam, encourages her to hold onto hope. Hope that things will change in time. For the African continent. For the fighting forces. Even for Jack and Amanda themselves.

 

Before long, Amanda is kidnapped by an enemy German troop, losing all her remaining freedom. As a captive, she ultimately discovers true freedom. Not in having the ability to do as she pleases, but in the ability to choose how she faces her situation, even if it will result in death.

 

When we lose freedom, hope is all we can stand on. As a Christian, I feel confident – in the midst of crisis – that things will change for the better, because I know God is always watching over me and won’t abandon me. No matter how dark my situation gets.

 

While I contemplated my limited options at the gas station, my wife got on a Facebook group about local happenings, explained our situation, and asked for help. Several people criticized her request, telling her what she should have done – wake up the kids to drag them across town with her, leave them home alone, call an Uber, etc. But a couple of people said they would help, and one of them came to meet me. He even went back home for jumper cables and tried to charge my car, since I couldn’t even lock my electronic doors to keep it safe for the night. After it still failed to charge, he drove me safely home. My mother loaned us money for the tow, and a friend gave us some money for groceries.

 

As it says in A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” Our situation remained bleak. But in the midst of it, there was hope, as God brought different people together to bless us. And so we continue to struggle, as many families do. And we survive.

 

Sometimes we suffer loss. Of jobs. Homes. Friends and family. Reputation. In recent years, I’ve lost all of these things in various degrees. Yet my hope remains. Hope to rebuild. Hope to recover. Hope to restore.

 

We sometimes lose freedom to do the things we’re accustomed to doing. But when those material things are lost, we still hold onto the freedom to hope.

 

Which gives us strength to fight, pray, and live another day.

 

Hold onto hope.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Randall Allen Dunn was raised on a steady diet of James Bond, Batman, Star Trek and Indiana Jones. He writes stories of action, adventure, and infinite possibility, as well as instructional books about writing.

 

www.RandallAllenDunn.com

facebook.com/RandallAllenDunn

twitter.com/randalladunn

amazon.com/Randall-Allen-Dunn/e/B009BQGC6U

pinterest.com/randalladunn

youtube.com/channel/UCZGeMw_uI69dXkF6mBYTHMw

 

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#Blogwords, New Week New Fact, #NWNF, Guest Post, Randall Allen Dunn, Freedom to Hope, Den, High Adventure, The Red Rider

BLOGWORDS – Sunday 9 July 2017 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – SHAME, CONDEMNATION, AND GRACE by JEFF GERKE

BLOGWORDS – Sunday 9 July 2017 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – SHAME, CONDEMNATION, AND GRACE by JEFF GERKE
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FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – SHAME, CONDEMNATION, AND GRACE by JEFF GERKE

used with permission

 

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about shame, condemnation, grace, and the message of Christianity.

 

I’ve arrived at a place in my thinking where I’d love to have people weigh in.

 

I think I have hit upon, well, the greatest problem of mankind, and simultaneously the greatest problem of Christendom.

 

In a way, it’s something we’ve known all along and won’t be anything new. In another way, it may be sort of like the unified theory of everything. Anyway, here goes. (It’s a long message.)

 

I posit that the starting point of modern human existence, of the modern human experience on the earth, is the Fall (recorded in Genesis 3).

 

I argue that what happened in the Garden of Eden—when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command, had their eyes opened, felt shame for the first time, and were cast out of the Garden both as consequence of their actions and as protection and mercy for them so they could one day be reconciled to God for eternity—has resulted in all of mankind feeling both separated from God and under a sentence of shame and worthlessness.

 

In a sense, we feel cast OUT of the presence of God and our shame causes us to feel kept OUT of peace and unity with God.

 

The image I’ve posted is my attempt at expressing what this OUT feels like.

 

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I have heard that not everyone struggles with moments (or lifelong stretches) of self-loathing or worthlessness, but I think most people have at least glimpsed this soul-crushing appraisal of self as filth and human slime, unmeriting of existence.

 

This, I posit, is what the Fall has done to us. It has made us all feel OUT—both kept away from God and out of favor and union with Him.

 

I posit, then, that the greatest human problem is that mankind feels and knows that it is apart from God and steeped in shame and worthlessness, almost as if it has been evaluated, found wanting, and rejected.

 

If you will accept this as given, walk with me now down a path of logical ramifications.

 

There are two results of this belief in man’s ultimate unworthiness: 1) deep, abiding, existential shame in one’s own worthlessness, and 2) an equally deep desire to NOT be rejected anymore, to somehow escape this feeling.

 

We’re OUT but we long to be back IN, like the guy in the image.

 

I posit that nearly every aspect of human culture is a reaction to this Great Outcasting, this Ultimate Rejection. Shame and the quest to relieve or even permanently escape that feeling of shame is what powers nearly all human activity. Shame and the feeling of worth-based rejection is the engine of humanity. It can cause some good effects, but most of it is bad, hence the condition of our world.

 

War and peace, industry and sloth, marriage and divorce, achievement and resignation, competition and retreat, ambition and depression, dating and breaking up, loyalty and betrayal, helping others and helping self, citizenship and treachery, research and application, study and effort, theft and murder, invention and adaptation, bragging and deprecating—all of it is designed to hide, disguise, distract from, or compensate for these feelings of shameful worthlessness.

 

Feel bad about yourself? Hurt someone else and you’ll feel elevated. Feel shameful? Point out someone else’s fault and you’ll feel better. Feeling unworthy? Win an award or bring out your trophies, and you’ll feel better about yourself. Feeling like you don’t measure up? Post something that is sure to get lots of likes, and you’ll feel better. Someone getting the better of you? Tear them down, and you’ll feel higher. You see how it goes.

 

I posit that every religion (save one) and philosophy is designed to explain away, hide, disguise, distract from, or compensate for these feelings of shameful worthlessness. They all try to bring relief from the crushing self-loathing and existential out-ness.

 

Nearly everything that nearly everyone does is an effort to bring relief from this crushing self-loathing.

 

The greatest human need, then, is the relief from—indeed, if it were possible, the permanent and irrevocable REMOVAL of—this crushing self-loathing brought about by the Ultimate Rejection. Not just a cup of water but a spring of living water welling up from within forever.

 

I posit that Christianity is the sole way to permanently and irrevocably reverse and remove the Ultimate Rejection.

 

Christianity is the only answer to the experience of being evaluated and found wanting by the Ultimate Authority, because it is the experience of being evaluated and found ACCEPTABLE and WONDERFUL by the Ultimate Authority.

 

Christianity is the Ultimate Acceptance. In Christ, the crushing self-loathing of the Fall is defeated. And it is the only defeat of it that has been or ever will be made available to mankind.

 

Christians, therefore, are the only people on the planet who do not experience it, because of what God did. (SHOULD not experience it, anyway…)

 

This is the radical, incredible, unprecedented gift of Christianity: complete and utter escape from the shameful out-ness and loathing caused by the Fall.

 

Christianity is, in short, God’s gift to mankind. He was the one who shut the door and locked us out. He’s the only one who can open it again and let us back in. Jesus is the door.

 

And yet, somehow this gift has been lost. Muddied. Buried. Defanged. Until, in many quarters, it has lost its power almost completely.

 

I believe this is because we don’t fully teach that, in Christ, we are utterly and PERMANENTLY approved by God.

 

I believe that many (most?) spheres of Christendom teach that God’s approval in Christ, the cure for the shame of the Fall, is not permanent at all.

 

Oh, it is permanent on God’s side. But when Christians mess it up…

 

The permanent, irrevocable, utter love and acceptance of Christ is not taught utterly to every Christian and in every church, because it is not the experience of most Christians. This kind of freedom is, I believe, not even fathomable to many Christians. It is so utterly alien.

 

When Christians, who should know better, are not able (or willing) to grasp the full acceptance and approval of Christ, the feelings of shame and utter worthlessness creep back in.

 

When this happens, Christians go back to the old activities of trying to hide, disguise, distract from, compensate for, and otherwise find some sort of relief from these feelings of shameful worthlessness, only now they do it with Christian language and with the vocabulary of Scripture.

 

Feeling shame as a Christian? Go to another Bible study and you’ll feel more righteous. Feeling worthless despite your faith? Volunteer at another vacation Bible school or Sunday morning service position, and you’ll look good. Feeling that others are surpassing you in how holy you look? Drop some Scripture bombs on people to impress them with your Bible memory work, and you’ll not feel as low as those around you.

 

See how it’s just the same, but with stained glass language, and the performances are done not for the world but for those in the church? It’s the same shame-denial game!

 

Brothers, this should not be! We have the light of Christ, how can we again need to prove that we’re not worthless? If Christ’s sacrifice and grace aren’t enough to make us permanently IN, then nothing is.

 

We have it, but because, I believe, the permanent acceptance of God is not taught and reinforced in churches (because, face it, such freedom is UNNATURAL in this world), we can lose it.

 

The result is that large swathes of Christendom become just another flavor of the wider culture of shame and the quest for relief from the crushing self-loathing. All the things the world does to each other to gain relief, Christians do to each other, but while wearing little cross bracelets.

 

Consequently, the Body is sick and is not doing what it should or performing as it ought, and the radical scandal of Christianity is not displayed to the world, which needs it so desperately.

 

This is why we see Christians being holier-than-thou. This is why we see Christians standing on street corners (real or virtual ones) calling out sinners. This is why we get Christians “salvation-shaming” other Christians (well, a REAL Christian wouldn’t do such a thing…). It’s the same shame game.

 

I believe that the solution isn’t merely to oppose those who try to put other Christians down or who sit in superiority and judgment over the world. That may be part of it. But the true solution is to teach Christians the Ultimate Acceptance.

 

But when we start talking about true and total grace, it gets scary. When we start saying that Christians are pre-forgiven for everything they could ever do, we start to sweat. We start thinking, how are we going to hold people back from total sin if we tell them they’re already forgiven for it? How will we keep people from using grace as a license to sin?

 

I agree that that’s scary. I agree that many of us (probably all of us) will abuse that grace at times.

 

But when did it become our job to control the behavior of other Christians? When did limiting other believers’ sins come to rest on us? Last I checked, it was the Holy Spirit’s job to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, not ours.

 

If God wants to make Himself vulnerable to His children abusing His grace, that’s His right.

 

I know the many Scriptures that talk about church discipline and taking erring Christians aside for rebuke. But it is my contention—and here’s where I might step on some toes—that Christians ought to err on the side of allowing the servant of another master to stand or fall before that master rather than erring on the side of taking it upon ourselves to play Holy Spirit and use shame and guilt and condemnation and Scripture to try to control other people’s behavior.

 

Yes, if a Christian is hurting someone else, we have to intervene. And if Christians spewing condemnation are causing people to stumble and preventing people from getting to God, we have to speak up.

 

But I believe the chief problem of the church is that we are still using shame and condemnation to control one another—often by saying that salvation and grace are not permanent but can be taken away by sin or shameful behavior—because we do not believe that God’s gifts and God’s call are IRREVOCABLE (Romans 11:29).

 

Truly, I now believe that the doctrine that Christians can have their salvation revoked is the greatest error in all of Christendom.

 

When something you can do can undo the act of God, then 1) God is weaker than man and 2) your soul can NEVER be settled and you can NEVER relax into the permanent acceptance of God.

 

Only when you accept and allow yourself to believe that you are forever HIS can you know the peace that Jesus gives, the existential relaxation from fear, and the permanent freedom from shame.

 

Permanence of salvation in Christ is the reversal of the Fall.

 

Somehow, despite the resistance that will come, everyone needs to re-hear the radical message of Christianity, which is that, in Christ, we are utterly accepted. Permanently, even when we sin. Even when we sin willfully (is there any other kind of sin?). And even when we sin repeatedly.

 

The two central doctrines choking the Body of Christ are 1) the idea that a Christian can lose his salvation (indeed, that if the rapture comes and finds you with your hand in the sinful cookie jar, it’s hellfire for you) and 2) that shame and condemnation and legalism must be used on Christians in order to keep their behavior in line.

 

I know the Scriptures that seem to say that the Christian who sins (willfully, repeatedly, who continues in sin, who tramples grace, etc.) will not enter the Kingdom. I do not reject those Scriptures. But at this point, I am willing to say that any interpretation of them that leads a person to believe that salvation is revocable, and therefore the ultimate rejection is still in place for every Christian (for every Christian sins), has to be an incorrect interpretation.

 

The Fall brought about the shame of being weighed and cast OUT.

 

Christ is the IN AGAIN that reverses that aspect of the Fall and removes all shame, and thus all need to avoid or disguise shame.

 

Stand firm, brothers and sisters, and do not let anyone teach you that what God declared permanently acceptable can somehow, by our own sin or any other created thing, remove us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

 

 

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Jeff is an award-winning book editor, multi-published novelist, professional artist, Writers Digest author, graphic designer, book typesetter, and internationally acclaimed fiction teacher.

http://jeffgerke.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#Blogwords, Front Porch Fellowship, #FPF, Sunday Devotion, Shame Condemnation and Grace, Jeff Gerke, #IamNotAshamed

BLOGWORDS – Friday 7 July 2017 – FIRST LINE FRIDAY – THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by PETER SPIER

BLOGWORDS – Friday 7 July 2017 – FIRST LINE FRIDAY – THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by PETER SPIER
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FIRST LINE FRIDAY – THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by PETER SPIER

 

 

Reading is My SuperPower
http://cafinatedreads.com  |   Singing Librarian   |   Bookworm Mama

Faithfully Bookish    |   Radiant Light    |   Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

   |   Fiction Aficionado    |   Bibliophile Reviews

Kathleen Denly    |   Lauraine’s Notes    |   https://joyofreadingweb.wordpress.com/

https://abakersperspective.wordpress.com   |   With a Joyful Noise   |

http://momentsdippedinink.com    |   http://cjaneread.blogspot.ca

 

 

 If you’d like to join us on your blog for First Line Fridays, shoot Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower an email and let her know!

 

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THE BLURB:  

Due to careful research, Spier’s artwork depicts “the dawn’s early light” and “the rocket’s red glare” with remarkable authenticity and detail in this celebratory book. Among the highlights: a brief history of the anthem, a reproduction of Francis Scott Key’s original manuscript, music for guitar and piano chords and many photographs.

 

THE FIRST LINE:

Oh say can you see by the dawn’s early light.

 

MY THOUGHTS:  

The patriotism is strong in this one. Earlier today I watched a clip of the origin of this song, what compelled Francis Scott Key to pen the words as he did. Against all odds, the new American flag did not go down. Men died holding it up, but the flag “was still there.”

 

GENRE:

Children’s History, Music

 

STARS:

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#Blogwords, First Line Friday, #FLF, The The Star-Spangled Banner, Peter Spier

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 6 July2017 – CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ – DON BROBST

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 6 July2017 – CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ – DON BROBST
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CHAT THURSDAY – MANLY MAN BLITZ – DON BROBST

“God always has a plan, and nothing has ever taken Him by surprise. Every moment of suffering we experience is to benefit others—even to the point of salvation.”

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“Christian living is easy in this country—so easy that if we’re not careful we become complacent. And when we ask ourselves if that’s okay with God, undoubtedly we would say no.”

 

 

rem:  Hello, Don, welcome to my little nest. Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?

DON: I was born and raised in New Jersey, but moved away when I married my wife at age 21. Although I’ve lived in a number of states, I have lived in Alabama since 1993.

rem:  I moved around a bunch too, but have been in the upstate of South Carolina for almost 30 years now. Tell us three things about yourself.

DON:  I’m a doctor, the Medical Director of Alabama. I travel to Africa frequently to provide medical aid in the bush as well as the desert working with Syrian and Sudanese refugees. I love to fly and used quite a bit of my personal experiences in the book, The Ghost of Africa.

 

rem:  I love how Father puts two things—your medical expertise and passion for refugees—and uses it to reach out to the world. Cookout—steaks or burgers?

DON:  Steaks for sure, preferably cooked on a Green Egg grill, and maybe with a few ears of grilled corn beside it.

rem:  Perfect! If you could have any super power what would it be?

DON:  Flying, for sure. Without the aid of an airplane. I often dream of flying, and it would be amazing to soar on wings like eagles.

rem:  Definitely flying! I’ve loved flying for as long as I can remember—either because my dad was in the Air Force or because my name is robin, although I think I was born loving to fly. Vacation: beach or mountains?

DON:  Beach as often as I can go. I do like the mountains, especially if skiing is involved, but the beach is a must have several times a year.

rem:  And Alabama is an ocean state…  Do you have a favorite Bible verse? And why is it a favorite?

DON:  Psalm 51:10. David, described as a man after God’s own heart, asks God to create in him a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within him. If David had to ask this of God, how much more should I ask every day? I need a clean heart and a right spirit if I am to do God’s will in my life. It’s comforting to know that I can ask for that, and He can help me.

 

rem:  David is such person—the Psalms are full of how real he was, no pretense, no putting on airs, just humble before Father. What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?  How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?

DON:  My writing of fiction came on the heels of writing a memoir about my wife’s spiritual journey (and mine) after she discovered she had cancer. (rem: I am so sorry for your loss, Don.) No one has ever been more encouraging about me writing fiction. Christian fiction is often a challenge in that I need my readers to see the journey of a fictional character. If there is no change, no romance, no transformation in my main characters, it’s not true to life. Everything changes us, and if we don’t go to God for our needs, the changes we undergo will be for the worse, not the better.

In my own walk with Christ I’m challenged every time I put my protagonist through a trial he or she can’t possibly endure. My most heart-wrenching scenes are written when I can draw from those painful experiences in my own life.

rem:  So true! I look at some of what I’ve gone through and know that without Him by my side (or me in His hand) I would never have survived. When reading, what makes or breaks a story for you? Your fiction pet peeve?

DON:  It has to be believable. That is also one of my greatest challenges. But when a plot is moving forward and something coincidental slips in and saves the day, or a character suddenly becomes capable of a power that had never been mentioned, I tend to stop reading. Readers are smart. (rem: so true) If I create a scene where my doctor character needs to land a plane in a field in Sudan, I don’t want other pilots or persons in the know to say, “There is no way that could ever happen.” For that reason, for the opening scene in The Ghost of Africa, I flew the exact plane in the book to the area in question and landed it there. It was a knuckle-whitening experience, but I can stand behind that scene in the book.

rem:  That’s awesome, to live (or pre-live) the story you’re writing. Which is more important: plot or characters?

DON:  Plot is what shows us what the characters are going through, but I don’t like the terms plot-driven or character-driven. I believe that, as Steven James book states, “Story Trumps Structure.” Your story has to be real—that is, believable and important. But if the characters are all strong, or all weak, or all the same, you won’t get much out of your book anyway.

rem:  Or as DiAnn Mills calls it, The Dance of Character and Plot. What would you do if you weren’t writing?

DON:  I would be working in Africa more than I already do. But my writing helps to make my work in Africa possible.

rem:  The, uh, dance of writing and mission… What are you reading right now?

DON:  My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni. Robert is a friend and mentor. He helped me with The Ghost of Africa, and he is helping me with my work in progress. Robert is a gifted author, and My Sister’s Grave has sold over a million copies. If you like mystery, adventure, thrillers, you must read his work, and start with that one.

rem:  I’ll add it to my TBR behemoth. What do you munch on while you write?

DON:  Jelly Bellies. Didn’t even have to give that any thought. If I’m out of them, life (and writing) become very difficult.

 

rem:  LOL I see large stockpiles of Jelly Bellies! You have a ministry and mission in Africa. Tell us about that. How did that get started?

DON:  After my wife passed away in 2008, I embarked on what we had talked about doing for many years—working in Africa to help the poor and needy. That has blossomed to where I make between four and six trips a year to several different African countries that need medical help desperately. We are not allowed in some of those areas, but we go because they need us.

rem:  And that is the call of God, to go where we’re needed. You are also involved in rescuing victims of human trafficking. Is that connected to your work in Africa?

DON:  My passion regarding helping victims of human trafficking actually began nearly thirty years ago when I worked with agencies in Chicago to recover and extract those who had been taken, and stopping organizations responsible for exploiting those young people. This will be brought out in the next book, and much of it has always been shrouded in secrecy, and for obvious reasons, it must remain that way.

rem:  Don, that’s admirable and astounding. That’s such a dark and depraved industry, so many deceived, and such horror to young girls. I thank you for your part it that. What is the greatest adventure or challenge you’ve encountered on visits to Africa?

DON:  The greatest challenges are those involving men . . . evil men. In my book, the LRA, or Lord’s Resistance Army is a very real entity that kills, rapes, and destroys the people of Sudan, Uganda, and the Congo. In other areas we now must also deal with ISIS. The challenges are to do the work we’ve been sent there to do, but not be discovered.

rem:  And this is not fiction. Tell us a little about your writing journey.

DON:  I began writing on the website caringbridge.org when my wife was ill with cancer. It developed into a daily writing habit through which I expressed my love for the woman I loved. That developed into the writing of Thirteen Months, a non-fiction book about my wife’s journey through cancer. I promised her I would do it, and have never regretted it. I continue to hear from individuals who have been deeply touched by her story and faith.

A literary agent, Jessica Kirkland of Kirkland Media Management contacted me after reading that book, and I signed on with her immediately. She has succeeded in supporting me and propelling me through the industry.

I then decided to write fiction, which my wife had always wanted me to do. It has been successful, and I enjoy it very much.

rem:  Bittersweet success. What is your Writing Routine? Where do you write: In a cave, a coffeehouse, or a cozy nook?

DON: I wrote Thirteen Months in an apartment in New York City, but I no longer have that apartment. Although many authors I know, write in coffee shops or Panera, I write my best in the quiet of my study. I love having several days during which I can write from morning till night, since I can allow myself to be fully engulfed in my work. And I do just that.

rem:  Ya, I can’t work with ANY noise around me other than life—no music, no TV, and definitely no Panera or Starbucks chatter! What makes you struggle as an author? How do you handle it?

DON:  When I’m writing a scene about something that has actually happened, but when written that way sounds unbelievable, I struggle with keeping the truth in it while making it fiction. Frank Peretti once told me that when I write fiction, I needed to be certain I was writing it as fiction, and not brown paper wrapping a true story under a fiction heading. It took me a while to truly understand that, but it was great advice.

rem:  Interesting way to put it—I love that! Do you prefer the creating or editing aspect of writing? Why?

DON:  I prefer the creating aspect. I’m a dynamic writer as opposed to a static writer. I do not use outlines, but write what comes to me onto the page. Sometimes my characters do something wrong that gets them into trouble, or make decisions that don’t play out well. When that happens it’s often a total surprise to me. Writing in that manner is much more fun to me.

rem:  Ah yes, the ever devious characters. I know them well… What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

DON:  I very much enjoy watching readers become interested in a character, and become so tied to him/her that they can’t stop turning pages. If the characters are real, and the reader feels invested in their lives and is concerned about them, I’ve succeeded.

rem:  Agree 100%! What was the hardest thing about publishing? The easiest?

DON:  The hardest thing was sticking with it when rewrites seemed to take over my life. I’ve said in the past that my manuscripts have gone through fifteen to twenty full edits before a publisher gets to see them. There are times you want to say, “That’s good enough.” But you can never settle. It has to be the best you can do, because you can never resubmit a work to be reconsidered. Once that door is closed, it’s closed.

rem:  Twenty years ago (I was so clueless) I said my story would be published and in its 10th edition and I’d still find something to tweak or edit! LOL What are your top 3 recommendations for a new writer? What 3 things would recommend not doing?

DON:  1. Stick with it. That sounds cliché, but it is true. Don’t give up on your work. rem: AMEN! 2. Have others who will be truthful read and critique your manuscript. Don’t ask a friend or relative. They may not tell you how much work is needed. 3. Make sure it’s the best you can do before showing it to an agent or publisher. Polish it. Go over it again. Hire a personal editor (I still do that) and go over it again. Remember, fifteen or twenty times. And turn it in with a well-done proposal (no matter if it’s to an agent or publisher). I strongly recommend Michael Hyatt’s book on writing proposals for fiction and non-fiction.

 

Do not give up. It bears repeating that. Do not give up.

Don’t trust a friend to tell you the truth. Get professional help.

Never try to represent yourself to a publisher. You need an agent.

 

rem:  Tell us a little about your latest book? What is your current project?

DON:  The current work deals with organized crime, human trafficking, and political espionage. It takes place in Chicago and parts of the Middle East. I’m not allowed to say more at this point, other than it is finished and I’m very excited about it.

rem:  Can’t wait to get my hands on it! What is YOUR favorite part about the book or why do you love this book? Why should we read it?

DON:  My favorite part of the book is man overcoming impossible odds, and the transformation that takes place when he puts others first. We have all heard that nothing is impossible with God. I believe that’s true.

rem:  Gotta love a good transformation story. Tell us why you wrote this book.

DON:  The book setting is in the location where I have worked extensively. The area is real. The people are real. The villages and chiefs are real. And the enemies and obstacles are very real. I wanted to capture the plight of a people who cannot fend for themselves, and the selfless drive of a man who would not let them down.

rem:  Please give us the first page of the book.

DON:

            Twelve men lay motionless on their beds in the makeshift barrack. Charles Manning stood in the doorway in disbelief as the stench closed his nostrils. But it wasn’t death he smelled. It was the chemicals and vomit. He turned in disgust to leave the room, but Quinn’s massive frame blocked his exit.

“You didn’t come to Africa to leave so quickly. So tell me, Doctor . . . how many of these men do you think are still alive?” Quinn gripped Manning’s shoulders with his enormous hands and spun him to face the test subjects as they lay before him. “How many?”

Quinn’s calm voice forced a chill down Manning’s spine as nausea urged him to close his eyes and swallow hard. He rubbed his sweaty palms against his slacks as beads of perspiration dripped from his brow.

“See what you’ve done, Doctor? This, after only fifteen hours of exposure.” Quinn squeezed harder on Manning’s shoulders, radiating pain across his back and chest. Manning imagined Quinn could crush him with his grip alone. “Tell me how your work is coming now. Is your experiment a success?” He pushed Manning into the room with such force he fell to the dirt floor.

From there he saw puddles beside each bed and forced himself to stand when one of the men moved. Manning hurried to his side and reached for his pulse. It was faint.

“He’s alive, Quinn! This man’s alive.”

Quinn walked to the bed unhurried, as if he didn’t care, and looked at the man. “What are you feeling—right now?”

Instead of answering, the man turned to Dr. Manning. “Help me.”

 

rem:  Wow! That’s jam packed—and a great hook—I’ll turn that page for sure! What is one take-away from your book(s) that you hope readers identify with?

DON:  A single person with God can make a difference that can change not only the lives of others, but of him or herself forever.

rem:  Where can we find you online?

DON:  Amazon is the best way to buy the book. It comes in audiobook, Kindle, and paperback.

http://amzn.to/2krOkIz

rem:  Anything you’d like to add?

DON:  Remember that if writing is not your passion, it’s not for you. But if writing is your passion, no one can make you give up. Only you can do that.

rem:  Very true! Don, thank you so much for chatting with us at my little nest today!

 

 

https://www.donbrobst.com/

https://www.facebook.com/officialdonbrobst/

https://twitter.com/donbrobst

https://www.instagram.com/donbrobst/

https://www.amazon.com/Don-Brobst/e/B005CA0FUS/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

 

 

“Don Brobst is dedicated to fighting the indecency’s of the poor and needy children of Africa, the refugees of tyranny, and the victims of human trafficking throughout the world. When not writing, his life is spent on the front lines, fighting the battles, waging the war, refusing to turn his back on that which is most important.”

 

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#Blogwords, Chat Thursday, Author Interview, Manly Man Interview Blitz, Don Brobst, The Ghost of Africa, Thirteen Months

BLOGWORDS – Wednesday 5 July 2017 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – NEW RELEASE EVENT – COUNT ME IN BY MIKAL DAWN

BLOGWORDS – Wednesday 5 July 2017 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – NEW RELEASE EVENT – COUNT ME IN BY MIKAL DAWN

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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – RELEASE DAY EVENT – COUNT ME IN BY MIKAL DAWN

                                                                             

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*This is a romantic comedy with a Christian worldview.

Allegra Spencer has been living a careful life. Her safe job as an accountant is bookended by going to church and the gym. Okay, sometimes the gym. Fine. She goes to church. And the coffee shop. She avoids risk at all cost, preferring to stay safe in her cozy condo. Until her accounting firm goes belly up and she’s out of a job.

Tyler Hawk had a glorious career as a star NFL tight end. He retired on a high note and now lives a second dream of owning his own business and leading others on extreme outdoor adventures. But he needs help with his books—and his heart. When Allegra takes the job, sparks fly.

It’s a case of safety zone versus danger zone, and in their minds, never the two shall meet.

 

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“Here’s your caramel macchiato, Allegra.”

She watched as Jael slid the cup into a sleeve. Allegra wrapped her hand around it, proud of herself for taking a step outside her comfort zone from her regular Kit Kat latté. She turned…

Oomph.

“My coffee!” Did she really just yell for her coffee, more worried about it than the man she’d known was close behind her?

Something was wrong with her.

She snorted. No. She just loved her coffee. Though the man currently gripping her upper arms in his strong hands…

“I…” The words died on her lips as she peered up into lush green eyes gazing down at her. “Sorry,” she squeaked.

The man looked down at her hand, still holding tight to her latté. “No harm done. Looks like the barista put the lid on tight.”

Allegra glanced over her shoulder at Jael, who was standing behind the counter watching them with a grin on her face.

“You’re welcome.” Jael lifted a brow, tilting her head to the man.

Allegra rolled her eyes. Though if it meant the guy talking to her, she’d have to remember to slide Jael a big tip.

A very big tip.

 

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MIKAL:   Thank you so much for having me, Robin!! ❤

rem:   Hullo, Mikal, I’m so happy to have you here today. If you could live anywhere in any time period, where would you go?

MIKAL:   Oh, that is such a hard question! If I knew I would be safe and it would be as romantic as Tamara Leigh makes it sound, I would so go back to the medieval period. As long as I got to be nobility, that is. If not the medieval time, then for sure the Regency period. As long as I got to be nobility. I was meant to live in a castle. I just know it.

rem:   I’m right there with ya, girlfriend. Where did you find this story idea?

MIKAL:   I was in a course and part of the assignment was to write a sentence for each part of a story. We were given a character name (which has since changed), and I thought I’d read that the character was an accountant (I’ve since gone back and can’t find that). I wrote a few sentences for the assignment and had a couple of people email me and say they’d like to read that story. And here we are!

rem:   Story ideas truly are anywhere and everywhere. Who was the easiest character to write and why? The most difficult?

MIKAL:   Oh man. The easiest character by far was Allegra. She is so much like me, it’s scary. LOL! From the coffee to the klutz. Yeah. Me. The most difficult character to write was definitely Tyler. Probably because I’m not a man, so had a hard time making sure he was a man with male thoughts, speech, and actions. I’m so thankful for excellent critique partners!

rem:   Methinks, perhaps that’s the hardest to write for all of us—characters of the opposite gender. What do you munch on while you’re writing / researching / editing?

MIKAL:   You mean, what’s beside me right at this very moment? LOL! Coffee. And strawberry Australian licorice. Oh wow, I love that stuff. I also chow down on pita chips and hummus. And red Starbursts. Not all at the same time, of course.

rem:   Yay to coffee, gick to licorice (or any kind) and yay to red Starbusts. What do you do to recover once you’ve typed “THE END?”

MIKAL:   Can I admit that I cry? Because I do. I cry. Writing is such an emotional roller coaster that it’s a relief when it’s finished. Months of research, work, dreaming, and strained wrists and fingertips culminate in another dream coming true. After that, my husband takes us all out for dinner and we celebrate mum’s return to humanity!

BLOGWORDS SPECIAL EDITION – Tuesday 4 July 2017 – CELEBRATING OUR NATION

BLOGWORDS SPECIAL EDITION – Tuesday 4 July 2017 – CELEBRATING OUR NATION

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CELEBRATING OUR NATION

 

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I haven’t always been a history buff. Don’t really know that I qualify as a full-fledged history buff now. I do know I love history—and wish I had enjoyed it half as much when I was in school…..

 

That said, I do know the basics of major historical events. Like the American Revolutionary War. Britain was being mean and we the people (see? I do know some good bits!) were fed up!

 

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In reading / reviewing articles, it occurs to me that King George III was getting complacent with Britain’s world dominance. I mean they had territories all over the place, right? Besides North America, including Canada, they had Australia, India, parts of Africa, the Far East AND Antarctica! That’s a lot of real estate!

 

 

Some interesting highlights I came across:

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The French (on the heels of the French and Indian War, remember) became allies of the Patriots (that’s us.) Spain and the Dutch later joined French forces.
We all know about the Boston Tea Party, but the Townshend Acts placed taxes and duties on things like paper and glass, and moved to regulate trade to the minutest detail.
Us peons were called revolutionaries, Patriots, Whigs, or Congress-men. And of course, Americans.
One thing I had not realized was even in question at the time, was slavery. In the years following the war, some states abolished slavery.

 

The Declaration of Independence

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Thomas Jefferson is credited with authoring the document but was actually part of a committee of five, appointed by the Continental Congress. The others on the committee were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
Robert Livingston declined to sign the Declaration, stating that we as a foundling nation were not ready to take such action.
A total of 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. Eight of those men were born in Britain. None were Americans at the time, as America did not yet exist.
When a copy of the document reached New York City, a riot broke out, ending with a mob destroying the statue of George III.
The oldest member to sign was Benjamin Franklin, who was 70 years old at the time. The youngest, aged 26, was Edward Rutledge.
The Declaration of Independence is housed at the National Archives in Washington D.C. along with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

 

South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution

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The British apparently didn’t give much credit to Patriot forces in our state. Savannah (Georgia) and Charleston fell to British troops, with the British hoping to gain followers as they marched north to engage in the heart of the battle—the northern colonies. The British, however, were unprepared for the fierce patriotism encountered in South Carolina, and found themselves battling the war on two fronts.
Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens, and Thomas Sumter are heroes of the Palmetto state, leading “modern guerilla warfare” throughout the state.
One of the “turning points of the Revolution” took place at the Battle of Kings Mountain in Blacksburg, SC. South Carolina backwoodsmen rallied and banded together against the British, diverting the British army from their intended destination.
The Battle of Cowpens followed on the heels of Kings Mountain, costing the British both lives and supplies, and ultimately leading to Cornwallis’ defeat at Yorktown.
Nathanael Greene led a new Continental army in battles at Hobkirk’s Hill, Ninety Six, and Eutaw Springs.

 

“The war may have begun and ended in Charleston, but it was won in the forests and swamps of the back country,” historian Walter Edgar wrote in The South Carolina Encyclopedia. 1

 

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America, we’ve stood strong for 240 years, I say here’s to another 240!!! Happy Birthday America!!

 

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Sources:

1 – http://www.statehousereport.com/2016/07/01/brack-south-carolina-played-critical-role-in-american-independence/

 

http://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-declaration-of-independence

 

http://bobmorris.biz/fascinating-facts-about-the-declaration-of-independence

 

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Blogwords, Special Report, Celebrating Our Nation, American Revolutionary War, King George III, South Carolina Battles, Declaration of Independence, Happy Birthday America

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BLOGWORDS – 3 July 2017 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – DEB GORMAN

BLOGWORDS – 3 July 2017 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – DEB GORMAN

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NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – DEB GORMAN
 

 

THE WHISPERING CHURCH

Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. – Matthew 10:28, 32–33 (NLT)

 

America—the great experiment. The American Constitution and the Bill of Rights are remarkable documents. They have their roots, however, in an even more remarkable document: Magna Carta, signed under duress in 1215 AD by King John of Britain, arguably one of the most evil kings to ever sit on any throne.

At its core, Magna Carta guaranteed individuals freedom from government tyranny. It has been described as “the greatest constitutional document of all times—the foundation of the freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot” (Lord Denning, Danziger, and Gillingham, 2004, p. 268, Danziger, Danny; Gillingham, John (2004). 1215: The Year of Magna Carta. Hodder Paperbacks. ISBN 978-0340824757.).

Magna Carta, however, was shelved by King John almost before the ink was dry; subsequent kings alternately dusted it off and used it to gain favor or pushed it further back into obscurity—whatever suited their needs. Belief in the divine right of kings was their guiding principle, not freedom for the masses. Magna Carta went through several revisions over the years yet remains today the revered underpinning of this grand experiment called America.

Our founding fathers held Magna Carta in high esteem, using it as a backdrop and foundation for the creation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Free speech is a core value in both documents, as in our Bill of Rights. The right to speak against our government, holding its feet to the fire so to speak, is dear to the hearts of all Americans. We pray for it, we fight for it, and we’re willing to die for it.

But a virus ravages this great land. It arrived silently, crept slowly, and infected millions over the course of many decades.

It’s unique in the virus world, unlike any other known to science. It remains unseen, even under the most powerful microscope. There are no warning signs—no marshaling of the immune system to fight it.

It has not been studied, nor catalogued by the CDC or any other medical agency. It’s not airborne or blood-borne. There are no specialists who treat people with this virus. There is no known medical cure. There are no support groups for infected people or government funds allocated to study it. No nonprofits to which you can contribute.

There is, however, an antidote, not one swallowed or injected, but infused—not a needle infusion into the body—but by the Sword into the human spirit.

It attacks one specific area of the body—the mind—but it doesn’t remain there. After attacking the mind and constructing its ramparts and strongholds there, it lays siege to another part of the body—the vocal cords—effectively blocking the voice from speaking.

This virus causes silence.

Silence as God’s holy name becomes a swear word. Silence as millions of innocent people are killed by governments in camps, in villages, on urban streets, and in doctors’ offices. Silence as men and women, boys and girls are reeducated, brainwashed into believing God didn’t create anything, that indeed there is no creator except the media, Hollywood, social engineers—arms of the federal government—working behind the scenes to remake planet earth in their images. Their voices are loud and insistent. The source of their income is my paycheck.

Silence reigns as the strongest nation on earth—blood-bought strength—debates the meaning of gender; the sanctity of human life; the right of individuals to pray in the public square or to protect their persons and their families from danger; silence as men become women, women become men; silence as marriage—that most holy, God-created ordinance—devolves into a playground relationship, to be entered into or abandoned on the flimsiest of whims.

We declare God to be no more than a flawed, mean-spirited potter, making mistakes with his creations, flinging them against the wall and beginning again, wringing his hands in frustration. Or worse, we declare him no god at all.

We pilot ourselves, our culture into an abyss, a godless wormhole of our own creation—whirling through dark space to arrive at a completely alien landscape, devoid of faith, ruled by human reason alone.

Will the Church of Jesus Christ go silently into the abyss?

Do we remember where we’re going? Do we remember that Jesus has already overcome the world, sent Satan packing, crushed death to death? What is our understanding of hell? What happens to our friends and loved ones who will spend eternity there because we have succumbed to the virus and are silent in their company?

Let us not allow truth to become a minority among believers, a thing to be handled delicately, using only government-approved words. Truth has been laundered, redefined to mean tolerance, and given a throne upon which to sit. Tolerance shouts; truth whispers.

Believers, we must find our voices again. We must be the Whispering Church no longer!

A healthy dose of obedience to God’s Word will heal our minds and our vocal cords, dismantle the strongholds, and loosen our tongues to clearly speak the pure life-giving truth that people around us so desperately need to hear.

We need not fear laughter, persecution, death; we need not fear our employers or our government. If we could but see how tiny, how powerless they are compared to the awesome power and might of Jesus Christ, we would never fear to speak the truth again.

Our nation, our people, and our world need to hear us speak and speak loudly.

 

But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! – Matthew 10:26–27 (NLT)

 

 

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Deb Gorman is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, cleverly disguised as a wife, mom, grandmom, and author. Her purpose is to regift the Word of God to believers and seekers everywhere, using the talent and imagination God gave her. Her prayer is that His Name would be praised and His glory would fill the earth!

Deb is the owner of Debo Publishing, using the literary arts of fiction, non-fiction, and creative non-fiction,  leading others to experience God’s love and grace.

Deb lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Alan, and German Shepherd, Hoka.

 

 

 

https://plus.google.com/+DebGDeboPublishing

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deb-gorman-b79b43107/

https://www.pinterest.com/debster145/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1372925654

http://www.twitter.com/@bikerdebo

https://instagram.com/debgail59

 

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#Blogwords, New Week New Fact, #NWNF, Guest Post, Deb Gorman, Matthew 10:28, 32–33, Matthew 10:26–27

BLOGWORDS – Sunday 2 July 2017 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – DESIRE OF MY HEART

BLOGWORDS – Sunday 2 July 2017 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – DESIRE OF MY HEART
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FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – DESIRE OF MY HEART

 

If you’ve been following the blog this past week, you’ve seen a part of me not easily revealed. Wednesday in particular I made myself very vulnerable and blogged about my greatest embarrassment—my house, and The Great Clean Up.

 

Monday as I was going through yet another of those myriad boxes (why? just why???) I came across a keeper, a prayer I wrote in the form of a letter fifteen years ago. I share that with you today.

 

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I lost track of how many times I pleaded for Father to “show me, guide me, direct me.” I was trying so hard, making it more difficult than He ever intended it to be. What I didn’t realize at the time, He was guiding me, wooing me, leading out of the dark of depression and guilt and “works” that Paul talks about. Rest, He says, rest.

 

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Nowhere does He ever tell us to strive. Not to do His will, and certainly not to abide in Him. Rest, just rest.

 

As I’ve come to know Him—in the same way I get to know new friends—abiding in Him comes naturally, no striving, no dues to pay. It just is. Like a seed that produces its fruit or blossom, it’s what it does. I water it, prune it, give it the attention it needs, but I don’t strive to make it do what it is intended to do.

 

So it is with my relationship with God. And with that, my identity and purpose. Is it easy? Yes and no. In the face of all hell coming against me, yeah, there’s a struggle. But abiding in Him? Resting in Him? Nah, no struggle at all. Rather like a spiritual hammock on a mild spring evening, gentle breeze, birdsong above.

 

Rest in Him, my friend. Find your place in Him, in His heart, in the palm of His hand. Rest. And be.

 

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#Blogwords, Front Porch Fellowship, #FPF, Sunday Devotion, Desire of My Heart, Throwback Prayer

BLOGWORDS – 30 June 2017 – NEWSLETTER – a little birdie told me

BLOGWORDS – 30 June 2017 – NEWSLETTER – a little birdie told me

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3o June 2017
Edition IV

 

Newsletter Sign Up

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Yeah, ‘bout that… Among other things, the mail list tutorial is languishing. So for now, Little Birdie is a special edition blog post. Hopefully by next edition (30 September) I’ll have that pesky little tutorial mastered, and sigh up button properly displayed on the blog.

Roll Call

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Tell me who you are and where you’re at!

 

The Bird House Book Club

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What I am / have been reading!

Understory by Lisa Lickel

Bellanok by Ralene Burke

Walking on Sea Glass by Julie Carobini

The Scarlet Coat by Angela Couch

Brigid of Ireland by Cindy Thomson

Pages of Ireland by Cindy Thomson

That’s When I Knew by Laurie Tomlinson

Falling for the Beast by Victorine Lieske

Deep Extraction by DiAnn Mills

Just the Way You Are by Pepper “Swoony” Basham

Above Rubies by Keely Brooke Keith

The Patriot and the Loyalist by Angela Couch

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

Memory of You by Catherine West

Promise of Peppermint by Valerie Comer

Bread of Angels by Tessa Afshar

Stronger than Mountains by Lynn Dean

Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger

Summer of Deception by Elva Martin

Looking Glass Lies by Varina Denman

 

What are you reading?

 

Friends of Authors Society

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Okay, so it’s not an actual society—although maybe it should be. You know, with levels of support.

Who knows the best way to show your love for your favorite authors? (I’m one, right? Your favorite?) Besides the obvious of buying and reading my books, leaving a review on Amazon tickles their calculations and formulas and moves my books up in their ranks, which in turn means more peeps see my books, which means more peeps are likely to buy them.

There are other things you can do, as well. Suggest my books to your library or book club. Tell your friends, buy gift copies to give to your friends.

 

The Deferred New Series

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I’m 100% Pantzer, well okay, maybe 95-5 split. That said and guesstimating from my unsavory stories which came in between 120K and 130K words each, I figured (with no rhyme or reason) the Seasons books would be closer to 100K even. The Long Shadows of Summer has come in at 110, 808.

 

COVER REVEAL 24 AUGUST.

 

Leave a comment or email me at robinemason212@gmail.com for a sample chapter.

 

Coming in 2017

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The saving grace with this series is that it’s ONE | GIANT | STORY, told by four main characters, each with their own contribution and perspective to the story. One set of characters, one fictional setting, one timeframe to research (1912 – 1913.)

 

The Tilting Leaves of Autumn
COMING IN NOVEMBER

Leave a comment with your email for a copy of the first chapter. If you don’t want your email public, send it to me privately at robinemason212@gmail.com.

 

 

Robin E. Mason, Stories by Design

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Poor website is still languishing. Ranking low on the totem pole of priorities, it sits neglected for all intents and purposes. I have much I want to do with the site, features and gidgets and gadgets and such. Stay tuned…

 

Manifesto

The short version is,

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  All in the Family

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My oldest grand girl reached a landmark this year—she is no longer in elementary school. She is a bit nervous about starting middle school and having seven different teachers every day. But she’s a star and I know she’ll do well—and make lots of new friends—she always does.  ❤

 

 

 

 

 

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Making plans for this adorable little pixie to come spend a few days with Granny Bird—that’s me. #1 girl lives across the street so I see her most every day. But this cutie lives 50 miles away and it’s harder to spend time with her. This Granny Bird is so excited! PS, SHHHH, #1 doesn’t know yet, I’mma surprise her!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After nearly three years, I have my driver’s license back! AND I have the use of a friend’s car, for a few weeks at least. And no, it’s not what it sounds like. Three years ago I was driving an older car and I revved the engine to keep it from shutting off. And hit 52 in a 35 zone. And caught the attention of blue lights. The ticket was $185, which I did not have. The fine at DMV was $100, which I also did not have. Earlier this year, a friend suggested I start a GoFundMe campaign to get my license and a car. She donated the first $$. Next up—a car of my own again.

I feel like Pinocchio—I’m a real girl again!

To read more of my story, or to help a gal out (donate and/or share) here’s the link:

https://funds.gofundme.com/dashboard/robin-needs-a-car

 

 

Chatcha’ll next time.

Got questions? Email me at robinemason212@gmail.com.

Here endeth Edition IV of

 

Thank you for subscribing!

 

http://robinemason.com

https://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-E-Mason-Author-Artist/224223274404877

http://www.amazon.com/Robin-E.-Mason/e/B00MR5IQ9S

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https://plus.google.com/u/0/108929134414473292325

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7808042.Robin_E_Mason

 

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A Little Birdie Told Me, #newsletter, Stories by Design, Roll Call, The Bird House Book Club, Friends of Authors Society, Cover Reveal, Manifesto

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