Inkwell Inspirations

Promise of the Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Suzie Johnson) — Sun, 27 May 2012 07:51:00 +0000

by Suzie Johnson

Long before Jesus walked on the earth, God gave the promise of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Isaiah spoke about God’s promise of the Spirit many times and in many different ways.

Some of the promises of the Spirit found in Isaiah

Abundance
Anointing
Knowledge
Prophesy
Rest
Understanding
Wisdom

Isaiah also prophesied that “The Messiah, God’s Servant, will be given the Spirit” (42:1)and “Through the Spirit, God’s true children will thrive.” (44:3-5)

Later, Jesus himself spoke of this same Spirit.

John 7:37-39

³⁷On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Then Jesus promised he would not leave the apostles; instead, he said he would ask the Father to send another Counselor, the Spirit of truth, to be with them forever. (John 14:16-17)

Forty days after the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven.

Luke 24: 50-51

⁵⁰When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

Ten days later, his promise was fulfilled when the Spirit descended on all who believed as they were gathered together on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:1-4

¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

But story doesn’t end there. God reminds us, through Paul, of the Spirit He sent for all who believe.

Ephesians 1:13-14

¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

I Thessalonians 1:4-5

⁴For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.

May you all be blessed by the Spirit on this day of Pentecost.

Castle - The Finale

noreply@blogger.com (Anita Mae Draper) — Sat, 26 May 2012 07:30:00 +0000

by Anita Mae Draper

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

*** This post contains everything you wanted to know

about the final episode of this season's Castle. ***

I love watching the TV show Castle and I anticipated the season finale for weeks because I knew it would be a cliffhanger. When the time finally came, I was left frustrated and discouraged. Although the finale took the relationship of Rick Castle and Kate Beckett to the next level, I felt the last few minutes were rushed and left nothing to imagination.

I think one of the reasons is because I know what happens to TV shows that are successful mainly because of the attraction, chemistry, sexual tension - call it what you will - between the two main characters. Some of my all-time favourite shows shared this in common withCastle

- Moonlighting (1985-1989) with Cybill Shepherd (Maddie) and Bruce Willis (David):

She’s a glamorous ex-model, while he’s your typical sleeveless under-shirted, wise guy detective. Together, they run a private detective agency. Their trademark scenes are when they both talk at once –getting louder by the second - and end abruptly at exactly the same moment. The show had a 5 year run with Maddie and David getting together at the end of the 3^rd year. Year 4 tries to keep up the conflict, but fails miserably and Year 5 is downright boring. (Full episode list)

- Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983-1987) with Kate Jackson (Amanda) and Bruce Boxleitner (Lee):

A divorced housewife is given a package by an agent being pursued by bad guys. Her attempt to follow his directions not only gets the package delivered, but rescues him in the process and introduces her to the Agency and a new life as an agent, kept secret from her boys and mom who live with her. Although Amanda and Scarecrew dated others along the way, their relationship is fed by having the two go undercover as man and wife in several episodes – parts they play so well that it’s a natural progression to fall in love by the end of the 3^rd season. Although they keep their marriage secret to protect her family, the episodes stall since the sizzle is gone.

In real life during the final season, Kate Jackson was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and supposedly this is why the show lagged. I’m not so sure. She’s always been a professional. I suspect part of it was because the excitement was gone since Amanda and Scarecrow's relationship had lost its element of suspense. (Full episode list)

Scarecrow and Mrs. King is available free for Amazon Prime members.

- Remington Steele (1982-1987) with Stephanie Zimbalist (Laura Holt) and Pierce Brosnan(Remington Steele):

Frustrated by prejudice against a female private investigator, an agency owner invents a mysterious man as her boss. When the need arises to prove he’s real, she hires a polished, suave Brit to play the part without knowing he’s really a thief. The show’s trademark was the use of the word, Steele in every title. ie License to Steele, Hearts of Steele, Steele at Your Service, Altared Steele, etc.

And yes, Laura and Remington’s developing relationship was slow, not coming to fruition until the final episode of the final season. So why have I included it here? Because in my mind, the series ended when they got together.

Remington Steele also needs to be credited because according to Wikipedia, “It pioneered the slowly evolving "will they or won't they" relationship arc that is now common to television drama of all genres.”

Another interesting tidbit in Wikipedia states, “A 2011 episode of the television detective show Castle, "Eye of the Beholder", made multiple references to Remington Steele, including an appearance by James Read. A review stated that the episode "felt like an homage" to Remington Steele.”

- Castle (2009-renewed for a 5^th season) starring Nathan Fillion (Rick Castle) and Stana Katic (Kate Beckett): This series sizzled from the start. Part of that has to do with Castle being an urbane ladies’ man reminiscent of Remington Steele without the accent. And Kate had Castle pegged from the start. She wasn’t about to join the long line of women he’d loved and set aside. Yet a look here, a secret smile there, and we knew these two would get together some day. Their connection is the cement which holds the show together. A very good show with more plot twists than I’ve even seen or read before. Nothing happens as expected and altogether, the show is pure magic.

Before I go on, I'll post the video of the final episode of this season's Castle. It's 15 mins long, but if you haven't watched it, this is a treat because it's pure Kate and Castle - all their moments of the show. If you are offended by sensuality, I'd advise you to skip the video.

So why am I frustrated? Because the creators of the show have taken the chance of ruining it for a mere 2 mins of air time. That’s how long the steamy, sensual scene lasted. That includes the part where he opens her blouse and sees the scar where the bullet nearly killed her a year earlier. Two minutes. And then they walk off camera holding hands. No, we don't see where they went, but they intimated what was going to happen.

Did we have to see those final steps?
Am I the only one who would have liked the show to end with them holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes, thereby leaving us to wonder – all summer long – what happened after the cameras were turned off?

After 4 years of waiting for them to get together, I felt this episode should have been more them and less police work. That would have given time for a better build-up to the end. Granted, Castle stared at his phone awhile before turning off her call, but then he turns on his SmartBoard with the investigation files and clears it within seconds. A slight hesitation and it’s wiped clean. Two minutes later, the show - the season - is over. And I felt like a deflated balloon. The mystery has been resolved.

One show that deviated from a similar path of destruction was Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-1998) with Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn) and Joe Lando (Byron Sully):

I think what sets this apart is that the series started with the emphasis on the story of a female doctor in 1867 Colorado with barely a nod at Sully. As the weeks pass, he plays a more prominent role and we feel their attraction. But their courtship, wedding, and family life is more of an extension of her medical practice. Although Sully is a main character, and the show will survive without him if need be. It would fail without her. So is this the way to keep these shows on the air? Centre it around one main character instead of two sizzlers?

Would Castle have more of a chance of succeeding after this momentous event if he were the main character and Beckett his sidekick? Let's face it, the show is named after him... does that imply Beckett is dispensible? Would they find another female detective to rattle Rick's role if ratings lagged?

As of May 10th, Castle has been renewed for a 5th season.

What about you? Were you satisfied with the Castle season finale? Do you think they can maintain the excitement? What do you want to see happening? Can you think of any other TV shows that ended soon after the characters admitted their feelings and got together?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and 2 of their 4 kids. She writes stories set on the prairies of Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Anita Mae has semi-finaled in the Historical Romance category of the ACFW's 2011 Genesis contest and finaled in the Inspirational category of the 2011 Daphne du Maurier, the 2011 Fool for Love, the 2011 Duel on the Delta and 2009 Linda Howard Award of Excellence contests. Anita Mae is represented by Mary Keeley of Books and Such Literary Agency. You can find Anita at http://www.anitamaedraper.com/

No more ticky-tacky!

noreply@blogger.com (Niki Turner) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:47:00 +0000

by Niki Turner

I walked out of the junior high and got into my mom's Jeep Wagoneer. She looked at me, then at my peers flooding out of the building.

"You all look just the same." She punctuated her statement with a heavy sigh, then pulled away from the curb.

At 13, her statement confused me. Wasn't that the goal? Weren't we all supposed to look the same, act the same, talk the same, dress the same? The better you conformed to the ideal, the more points you earned on the invisible popularity board. It would be years before I understood what she was talking about when she sang this song...

I carried my version of ticky-tacky to an extreme. I would wake up in the morning and move through my day thinking, "What would so-and-so be doing right now?"
I'm sure I drove my parents crazy... coming home and imposing the lifestyles and habits of my friends' households on MY household.

"We have to clean our bathroom every day, because so-and-so does."
"So-and-so cleans the table and does the dishes right after every meal. Shouldn't we do it that way?"

(Granted, at the time, we were experiencing household neglect in the cleaning department because both my parents worked like dogs. I didn't see THAT, of course, only the mess.)

Over the course of the next few years, I moved from one "clique" to another, some healthy and some not, transforming myself, chameleon-like, in order to fit whatever group I chose to be a part of at the time.

As a young adult, I applied the same philosophy to church. Find the leader, or the most successful member, and become a body double. Dress as they dressed, speak as they spoke, do what I thought they did with their days. Mind you, I didn't go to the kind of church that demands conformity, it was just something in ME. (I've since discovered the chameleon-like behavior is characteristic to women with Asperger's Syndrome. Hmm.)

It got even worse when I became a pastor's wife and the pressure coming at me wasn't just internal, it was external. After all, people want their pastor's wives to fit a certain model! The relief I experienced in laying aside that "hat" was tangible.

I still struggle (personally) with the concept that I am an individual, created by God for His unique and divine purpose as an original, not a copy. I still have to remind myself that I don't have to "fit" a man-made mold, I only have to yield to Christ. God loves ME, just as I am, whether I "fit" a man-made stereotype or not. God isn't into ticky-tacky people.

The individuals whose lives are highlighted in our Bibles are the ones who lived the most unique, original lives. Every one of them "bucked the system" to live the way they were led to live. Abraham, Noah, Moses, Isaiah, David, Hosea, Daniel, Ezekiel, Esther, Jeremiah, Deborah, Elizabeth, Mary, JESUS, Paul, John, Peter... name a Bible hero and you'll find an INDIVIDUAL who followed the spirit of God for him (or her) self.

Now I need to apply this lesson to my writing. It's tempting to seek ways to conform, to comply, to fit in, in order to fulfill the dream of being a multi-published, wildly successful author of New York Times bestsellers. But conforming to someone else's ideal will never (as I ought to know by now) provide the kind of satisfaction that comes from yielding completely and totally to the creative, unique, original spirit of God within.

About the Author: Niki writes fiction, nonfiction, blog posts, newspaper articles, grocery lists, and Facebook status updates. She can be found at her own blog, In Truer Ink, in addition to posting here. She was a 2009 finalist in the Faith, Hope, and Love "Touched by Love" contest.

Have you seen Jesus?

noreply@blogger.com (Niki Turner) — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Niki Turner

I took my youngest son with me when I went to cast my vote in the 2008 election. The elderly women at the registration table (none of whom I knew by name) took one look at my son and said, "That must be Pat Turner's son!" The same scenario has been repeated at the grocery store, at church, and at my 10th and 20th class reunions. Now the same thing is happening with my grandson, who, admittedly, has picked up the Turner DNA in spades.

Havin' Saturday morning coffee with my Pop. ~Talen

We aren't surprised when the natural son bears an uncanny likeness to the natural father, but we seem to stumble when it comes to the Son of God resembling Almighty God.

"Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.'
Jesus answered: 'Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.'" John 14:8-9 NIV

Religion, whether it's Christianity or Judaism or Mormonism or any other -ism, tends to blur one's understanding of the Creator behind institutional policy, protocol and procedure. Couple a sprinkle or two of religiosity with the blindness of the world system that surrounds us and we run the risk of having a very convoluted view of our heavenly Father.

Is He an angry, hateful, spiteful dictator just looking for a reason to smack us upside the head with the fly swatter of judgment? Is He a churlish, irrational tyrant operating on whims and fancies, tossing a tornado here and an earthquake there as it fits His mood swings? Is He a legalistic, Spock-esque ruler, immune to the feelings and thoughts of mankind? Or is He a "free spirit" with no requirements, no regulations, no expectations for those who follow Him? Even worse, is He just "removed" from the goings-on of the world He created, like a child watching the progress in a ginormous ant farm with no intention of participating no matter what takes place in the biosphere He created.


Hubby, oldest son, youngest son. Scary similarities.

I think Jesus answered the question quite succinctly...
"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."

Have you seen Jesus?
That's the question. Have we seen JESUS, or have we seen an analyzed and synthesized version of Jesus? Read through the Gospels again. He was quite the radical. You rarely find Him doing the expected thing. He most often found Himself at odds with the religious leaders of the day. Whether it involved healing a blind man on the Sabbath (by making a mud pie out of spit and dirt and slapping it on the guy's eye sockets), running into the temple and creating chaos by overturning the social/economic/religious system, or having dinner with notorious sinners, Jesus was a nonconformist.

"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."
That leads me to believe my Abba Father must be a nonconformist, too. How could He be anything else? Look at the vastness of His creation, the variety, and creativity involved! He's a supernatural being completely unmotivated by the things (selfishness, greed, animosity, fear, etc.) that motivate and guide carnal human behavior. Through Jesus, I see the Father's pure mercy, compassion, and generosity. I see (don't get out the stones yet) flexibility controlled and directed by unadulterated love; the kind of love that looks past outward appearances, even actions, and offers forgiveness, hope, and restoration, not because of what we do or don't do, but in spite of what we do or don't do.

Have you ever been confused or concerned about the character of God? Wondered about His will in a situation? Set aside the literature and pamphlets and sermons and hymns for a moment and set your eyes upon Jesus. What you see in Him is what's in the Father's heart!

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." Col 1:15-16 NIV

I hope considering the ONENESS between God the Father and Jesus, His Son, will help clear away any confusion, settle in your heart the (good) will of God for you, and settle in your mind once and for all the character and nature of your Abba Father: LOVE.

About the Author: Niki writes fiction, nonfiction, blog posts, newspaper articles, grocery lists, and Facebook status updates. She can be found at her own blog, In Truer Ink, in addition to posting here. She was a 2009 finalist in the Faith, Hope, and Love "Touched by Love" contest.

E Readers, Who's Sorry Now?

noreply@blogger.com (Debra E. Marvin) — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

So, NOW what do you think about Ebook readers (Kindle, Nook, and the like)?

Was it so long ago that we grumbled about the crazy idea we would ever read books that weren't made of paper?

I recall the first vacation where one of my friends brought a Kindle....oooooo....cutting edge! And I was still packing a bag full of books and CD's. I eased into electronic advancements when I was given an iPod Touch.

Eventually I downloaded the free app for Kindle onto my iPod. Crazy. The iPod Touch screen is the same as an IPhone, or other android smartphone. But i thought it was pretty cool to be able to read a book on it anywhere I was (but my thumb was getting a workout though scrolling to the next page, er, paragraph).

Then I won a Kindle. Sweet! Yes, I was the winner of the Kindle from my other favorite group blog, The Seekers (Seeekerville Blog). I actually traded it up for the Kindle Fire so now I have three ways to browse the internet. Because I SO NEEDED more ways to browse the internet. My excuse - I can download color children's books to the Kindle Fire.

I know Suzie Johnson has a Nook, and I'm not intentionally leaving them out, but here's what I know about Kindles. A year ago, Amazon officially started selling more ebooks than print books. Kindle takes a loss on the sale of each Fire so they must be making it up with increased book sales. Personally I have more books on my Kindle than I will ever read, because I download many free books. Freebies may come out earlier than print books - to test the market or stir up interest. Or late. A book that was out two years ago might go 'freebie' as a way to stir interest in an author's newest release.

EReaders are great for storing books - where else can you collect 3000 books and keep them in your purse? And you can be part of online lending libraries (Amazon lets you borrow books), as well as the lending system of your local library.

I love my Kindle Fire because it is a quick internet browser, a music player, a game board and carries a bookshelf worth of books! I can listen to music while I browse, check the weather and pop back to finish a chapter. Oh - and movies. Movies on my lap. Suh-weet!!!

Yup, I'd really miss it if I didn't have it. But at least there will always be print books.
Right?
I sure hope so...

So, what you do you think? Were you one who said you'd never want to read a book on an eReader? Do you now? Is most of your reading 'electronic' or 'traditional'?
Are you yet to succumb? Why?

The Language of Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Early) — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Barbara Early

While the phrase “Say It With Flowers” is now an advertising slogan, to the Victorians--and earlier to the Turks and a number of other cultures--flowers were the alphabet of a language both expressive and sometimes romantic.

For many ancient cultures, flowers spoke words that people couldn’t read or were timid to say aloud, the meanings understood through tradition and word of mouth. Perhaps the use of the language of flowers caught the interest of Victorian couples trying to elude over-zealous chaperones. Or maybe the romantic nature of flowers just caught the fancy of the time.

The Victorian era gave rise to a number of illustrated volumes on the subject. (What good is a language that no one can understand?) Some meaning of flowers are universally understood. Can anyone debate the meaning of a red rose?

The recent royal wedding featured a rather demure bouquet designed with this language in mind. Kate Middleton’s understated and sweet bouquet featured lily of the valley (happiness restored), hyacinth (constancy or unobtrusive loveliness, depending on which guide you use), Sweet William (gallantry, but was probably a nod to the groom), and myrtle (love), grown from a cutting of Queen Victoria’s bouquet. Meanwhile, the cathedral was decorated with maple (reserve) and hornbeam trees (ornament).

Unfortunately, this language was plagued, like all languages, by a difference of opinion on the meaning of words. And sometimes the meanings changed over time--or were changed by florists wanting to sell flowers whose meaning were… unfavorable.

I burn for you or I hate you?

Consider the orange lily. One more modern meaning of the flower is “I burn for you.” Can you see a Victorian maiden blushing at that? Or maybe she’s just turning red. Because back then, the meaning of the orange lily was “I hate you.” Different concepts entirely. Or are they? Similarly, the peony sports meanings from bashfulness to anger to shame.

Some flower names with Biblical origins seem to have related meanings. Lily of the Valley symbolizes happiness restored. Star of Bethlehem represents purity and reconciliation. Balm of Gilead stands for a cure or relief. Cedar of Lebanon means incorruptable. Jacob’s ladder simply means “Come down,” while the Judas Tree symbolizes betrayal and unbelief.

Oleander: beware

Many poisonous and toxic plants have meanings of warning and woe. Oleander means “Beware.” Varieties of stinging nettle have meanings from slander, to conceit, to “You are spiteful.” Nightshade means falsehood. Monkshead says a deadly foe is near. And Belladonna, literally translated as “beautiful lady” because it was once used cosmetically because of its ability to dilate pupils, carries a more apt meaning of silence, hush, and death.

Blue rose: mystery.

The rose perhaps has the most expressive vocabulary, with many varieties, arrangements, or colors having diverse meanings. While a red rose represents romantic love, a deep red rose could mean bashfulness or shame. And a rose placed over two rosebuds meant secrecy. A yellow rose might signify jealousy or the departure of love. And a dried white rose told the recipient that death was preferable to the loss of innocence--a definite no to a suitor with less than respectable intentions. As a mystery writer, I’ve already taken note that the illusive blue rose is a symbol of mystery.

For more flowers and their meanings, I’ve begun collecting them on my pinterest page, Language of Flowers.

Question: Have you ever wondered about the meaning of flowers when you’ve given or received flowers? What flowers did you/would you like to include in your bridal bouquet?

Barbara Early grew up buried in the snowy suburbs of Buffalo, NY, where she developed a love for all things sedentary: reading, writing, classic movies, and Scrabble. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering, but her penchant for the creative caused her to run away screaming from the pocket-protector set. Barbara cooks up cozy mysteries with a healthy dose of comedy and sometimes a splash of romance. Her holiday novella, Gold, Frankincense, and Murder was released in e-book format from White Rose Publishing in December 2011. You can learn more about her writing on her personal blog: http://barbearly.blogspot.com/ or see what's for dinner on her recipe blog: http://bflogal.blogspot.com/.

The New Arrivals

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnna Julie Dodson) — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:15:00 +0000

For the past six years, I’ve had a swallows’ nest on my front porch. The porch is totally covered and enclosed on three sides, so it’s a perfect place for these little birds. I’m always delighted to see them return in the spring. In late April or early May, I see the parents sleeping on the high ledge under the porch roof and preparing the nest for eggs. When they start dive bombing me as I go out to the mailbox, I know they must finally have little ones.

Soon I can see the babies’ downy heads popping up over the edge of the nest, beaks wide open, screeching to be fed. Not long after that, I see the little ones piled on top of each other, grown too big to comfortably fit in the nest anymore. Then I see them lined up on the ledge, maybe one or two of the less brave ones still in the nest, all ready to test their wings. And then, before I know it, the little ones are gone, and mommy and daddy are preparing for another brood.

Usually they have four or five little ones in each batch, but this year the nest looked particularly full, so I got out my ladder and had a peep inside. I counted several times to make sure I wasn’t mistaken, but here are definitely seven baby swallows in this crop. They’re about ready to fledge, so it’s kind of funny to see all seven of them still trying to fit in their little nest, more piled on top of it and each other than actually inside.

They’re testing their wings now, stretching and fluttering and making short test flights. I’ll be sad to see them go, but it’s always a delight to witness this miracle each spring.

Not once, but twice!

Do you ever birdwatch?

Are there any "new arrivals" in your life right now?

DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. She is the author of In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, a trilogy of medieval romances, as well as Letters in the Attic and The Key in the Attic, contemporary mysteries. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

noreply@blogger.com (Suzie Johnson) — Sun, 20 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Suzie Johnson

At some point in life, every one of us will experience pain and sorrow. Whether it’s losing a pet, a friend, a beloved family member, or even our health; the sad fact is grief and sorrow are a part of life. Not a pleasant part, by any means, and certainly nothing to trivialize or take lightly. Your pain is your pain and my pain is mine. We all internalize and experience things in different ways and we should never assume our sorrow is greater than another’s.

In spite of our sorrow, tears and loneliness, it doesn’t end there. We don’t have to build walls around our hearts with the hope that we can never be hurt again. There is One who holds us in the palm of His hand. The Bible is filled to overflowing with scriptures that tell us of our Heavenly Father’s desire and longing to wipe away our tears, to fill our hearts with peace, and be our everlasting comfort.

Some scriptures of comfort and hope

Job 11:16-18

¹⁶You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.

¹⁷Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.

¹⁸You will be secure, because there is hope;

http://www.thebiblerevival.com

Psalm 27:5-6

⁵For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in his dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

⁶Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Isaiah 51:12

I, even I, am He who comforts you.

Isaiah 66:13

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.

Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, “Don’t cry.”

http://www.thebiblerevival.com

John 14:26-27

²⁶But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.

²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. ⁵For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

The ladies at Inkwell Inspirations know that there are members of the Inkwell, as well as friends and family of members of the Inkwell who are going through a time of sorrow right now. In the name of Jesus, it is my fervent prayer that each of you will feel the peace and comfort of God surrounding you.

Suzie Johnson’s debut novel, No Substitute, a contemporary inspirational novel, will be released by White Rose Press later this year.She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and is the cancer registrar at her local hospital. The mother of a wonderful young man, who makes her proud every day, Suzie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and naughty little cat. Although the beaches there are rocky instead of sandy, lined with Madrona trees instead of Palm trees, and the surf is much too cold for wading, it is still the perfect spot for writing inspirational fiction. You can visit her blog, Suzie's Writing Place at http://suzieswritingplace.blogspot.com/.

Wonderful Discovery: Charles Martin

noreply@blogger.com (Dina Sleiman) — Sat, 19 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Dina Sleiman

If you're a bookworm like me, probably one of the world's purest joys is the discovery of a fabulous new author. So today, I would like to introduce you to Charles Martin. Honestly, I have no idea why I had never heard of him. He wrote for Thomas Nelson for years. Now he's crossed over to ABA publishing and hit the bestseller list. Plus his books are incredibly romantic. Think the Christian Nicholas Sparks. Oh, and in case you happen to be sight impaired, let me mention that he's a total cutie.

My good friend and writing buddy, Angela Andrews, had been bugging me to check out Martin for a few months. Turns out he went to the same grad school we did, Regent University. And Angela had totally fallen in love with his writing. But with my never ending to-be-read stack, I didn't get to him until she actually broke down and bought me a book. Now that's a true friend.

When Crickets Cry was published in 2007, so I'm a little late with my review. Short story is, I loved it. It's a novel of healing, hope, and romance. Martin's writing is very artistic. A sort of literary feast where you can savor each word. This book is all about the heart: from the characters who will capture your heart, to their own wounded hearts, to the actual human heart in all its splendor. And all of this ties beautifully to the spiritual heart with a deft touch that will change you without ever falling into preaching.

Now's the time I'm supposed to say I enjoyed every moment of reading this book. But actually, that wouldn't be true. There were chapters that were a little slow and descriptive, even for artsy me. But don't give up on this book, because it's well-worth persevering. Then there's a moment at the end that I felt was tricky. A sort of "ha ha, you actually believed me" kind of moment. I hate jokes like that. Anyway, I was pretty upset for a few pages and ready to throw the book at the wall. For a short time I felt like the author had completely ruined all his hard work with an awful ending. Fortunately, I was wrong. Everything turned out great. I'm sure there's some spiritual lesson in there somewhere. Probably I should have seen all the clues, including several prophetic moments, and clung to my faith in spite of how circumstances appeared. LOL. And the fact that the story provoked such a strong response in me just goes to show how invested I became in it.

Overall this book was tremendous. And I'm so glad to have found this new author. If you like books that tug at your heart, you need to check out Charles Martin. His writing really is exceptional.

Have you heard of Charles Martin? Read any of his books? Do you enjoy Nicholas Sparks books or movies? By the way, my daughter bought me The Lucky One for Mother's Day. We're both going to read it then go see the movie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dina Sleiman writes lyrical stories that dance with light. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. She was the Overall Winner in the 2009 Touched by Love contest for unpublished authors. Her first novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing has just released. She has recently become an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire as well. Join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/

The Story Behind The Next Target

noreply@blogger.com (Anita Mae Draper) — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Nikki Arana

THE STORY BEHIND THE NEXT TARGET

Many people are interested in how I came to write The Next Target, which is releasing June 1, 2012. It was inspired by my ministry, AVoice for the Persecuted. I help persecuted Christians who are under the threat of death . . . here in America! That is code for Muslims who convert to Christianity. Working with Muslim Background Believers (MBBs) has changed my life. You see, after talking and working with numerous Muslims who have come to know Christ, I realized that I hardly knew Him at all.

Muslims who convert to Christianity pay a huge price for their faith. Most I talk to live under persecution by their former friends and family. They have no jobs because they live in a Muslim community and are shunned. And of course there are those who have been deported and/or killed. As I heard their stories I realized that my Christianity has cost me nothing. That I can never know Jesus like they do. They have paid a great price to know Him. And they love Him as you would love someone who has saved you from certain death. Oh, I know He saved me from sin and death. But I don't know it experientially like they do. I know because I have read about it in the Bible. But I have never lived under the threat of eternal damnation like they have. Islam is an unforgiving religion and God is presented as cold and unpredictable, judging you every moment, noting your sins, waiting for your death to exact His judgment. And there is no way to escape Him. That is as real to them as the assurance of salvation is to us. When they meet Jesus, and often He comes to them personally to overcome their fear of Allah, they realize that He died in their place. That God exacted His judgment on Him, that Jesus suffered so they will never have to, and they fall on their knees and worship Him. They worship and love Him in a way I never can. I have never experienced what life and death would really be . . . without Him. Though I do understand better now, thanks to their testimonies.

That is how I came to write The Next Target. I feel a burden to tell their stories. To introduce American Christians who have a fear of Muslims to characters who are patterned after Muslims and MBBs I have met. They live and work among us. We can reach out to them, model the love of Christ, and then with the leading of the Holy Spirit, give them what Islam can never give!

Yes, evangelizing Muslims can be scary. And that’s why the tagline for The Next Target is: Would you share your faith if it would cost you your life? I am hoping that people will consider that question. I had to. And I hope they realize what I did in a single moment as I was talking to an apostate, discussing the fact that he might soon be put to death. He said, “Nikki, if I have to die here I doesn’t care. I already gave my life to Christ.” Those few words, spoken from that man’s heart, changed my life forever.

Are there Muslims living or working in your world? Would you be open to starting a friendship with them?

Read The Next Target Excerpt

Nikki is giving away one copy of The Next Target here at the Inkwell. One winner will be drawn from comments left on this post until midnight Sunday, May 20th. The winner must have a continental US postal address. If the winner lives out-of-country, Nikki will provide a free Kindle copy when it is available. (Download the Kindle app if you don't have a Kindle.) Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address (remember to use (at) and (dot) so the web spiders don't find your email address).

And here's some great news - The Winds of Sonoma, Winner of the Carol Award, is Free on Kindle May 16 - 20. Click here

And you can win a Kindle to read it on! Details are at the News! tab on Nikki's website at www.nikkiarana.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nikki Arana

Author and Speaker

Nikki Arana has received numerous awards for her writing, including the American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year award and Christianbook.com Top 20 Novel of the Year for The Winds of Sonoma. Through her ministry, A Voice for the Persecuted, she inspires hearts toward evangelizing the Muslim community.
Visit Nikki at: www.NikkiArana.com

ACFW Conference Worship Sessions

noreply@blogger.com (Anita Mae Draper) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:25:00 +0000

by Anita Mae Draper

Registration is open for the American Christian Fiction Writers(ACFW) 2012 Conference in Dallas, Texas on September 20-23, 2012.

I’m registered and excited as this will be my 5th attendance. My first time took a lot of bravado and B Vitamins (stress buster), and I loved every minute of it. Well, maybe not the editor/agent appointments so much, but the rest of the time was a blessing. I knew some people from the internet, namely Margaret Daley, Danica Favorite, and Cheryl Wyatt, who took me under their wing and allowed me to shadow them around. Through Cheryl, I discovered the wonderful ladies at Seekerville. All these women will forever be fixtures in my heart for the warmth and friendship they extended to a loner from the Canadian prairies.

What sets the ACFW conference apart from others I’ve attended is the Worship sessions. The best way to start a hectic day is with a brief devotional followed by 600 voices soaring in worship.

The culmination of the conference ends with a truly wondrous choir presentation led by Rachael Phillips, Choir Director. After the 2011 ACFW conference in St Louis, Rachael said, "They are a wonderful, gifted group, and I love working with them. I send them music and mp3 files beforehand, which they rehearse on their own, and in four/five crazy conference practices wedged in between classes and appointments, these singers from all over the country blend their diverse talents and spirits into a single voice of praise. SO proud of them!"

I taped this video of the 2011 ACFW choir on my little Lumix camera while sitting at the Beyond the Border zone table in the back corner of the room. Because I was so far away, the faces in the choir are barely discernable. And the video is shaky since I didn't have a tripod. However, the music is a beautiful outpouring of the spirit. I hope you can look past the inadequacies - perhaps just close your eyes - and receive the blessing of these gifted singers.

If the video isn't working, try http://youtu.be/8PWU1chmhYc

Whether you want to attend the conference for the craft and industry workshops, the editor/agent appointments, or to visit with 600+ other people in the Christian writing and publishing industry, registration is open.

If you want to be in this year’s choir, contact Rachael or watch for her emails on the ACFW loop.

And if you’re going, let me know. I’m always on the lookout for new friends.

Are you registered yet? Have you sang in any of the ACFW choirs? Let's talk conference!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and 2 of their 4 kids. She writes stories set on the prairies of Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Anita Mae has semi-finaled in the Historical Romance category of the ACFW's 2011 Genesis contest and finaled in the Inspirational category of the 2011 Daphne du Maurier, the 2011 Fool for Love, the 2011 Duel on the Delta and 2009 Linda Howard Award of Excellence contests. Anita Mae is represented by Mary Keeley of Books and Such Literary Agency. You can find Anita at http://www.anitamaedraper.com/

To Be or Not To Be (Or a Ridiculous Lesson in Editing)

noreply@blogger.com (Dina Sleiman) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:43:00 +0000

by Dina Sleiman

Shakespeare posed his prolific question centuries ago, but perhaps he would have never guessed what it might mean to writers today. Yes, I’m referring to the dreaded “to be” verbs. Now if you’re a reader and not a writer, we’re about to tread into some terribly deep writing waters, but you might still enjoy this look into the twisted world in which your author friends attempt to live and work.

I’ve talked before about “the rules” of fiction writing. Often we hear a basic rule, but don’t understand the finer points. Don’t understand how to harness it and put it to practical work in our writing. One of those rules, discussed last week both on the American Christian Fiction Writers, is the one that says “avoid to be verbs.”

Now you might say, that’s just silly. I might say so too. But it’s not so silly once you understand the how’s, why’s, when to’s, and when not to’s of this rule. In fact, I’m working on my first big editing project for WhiteFire, and guess what one of my main issues with the book was? Exactly. Too many to be verbs.

Obviously there are time we need to be verbs (is, are, was, were, be, being, been) as well as other linking verbs. But in general the goal is to keep our verbs as active, specific, and powerful as possible. Let’s look at some problems to be verbs can create.

1) Repetitive: Probably my main issue with to be verbs is that they quickly become repetitive. In writing we want to stay as varied as we can. We don’t want: The house was small. It was dingy. The door was covered with chipped paint. We want: The small, dingy house cowered against the horizon. Paint chipped from the door, as if it could not escape quickly enough. Be creative. Be original. It’s our job.

2) Passive: The next problem that often occurs with to be verbs is that we use them in place of stronger, more active verbs. Example: I was hungry and tired. There’s no action. Instead try: Hunger grumbled in my belly and fatigue weighed heavy on my limbs. Not only are these more interesting and active verbs, they have more sensory impact. Perhaps the most passive of all is the “It was” or “It is” construction in which the “It” does not represent any actual noun. Example, “It was Sunday morning.” How about, “Sunday morning dawned bright and clear.”

3) Telling: Another name for this sort of passive structure would be the dreaded “telling” that writers are warned away from. In the first version above the reader is being told hungry and tired. In the second, they really begin to see and even feel the hunger and fatigue. When you notice whole passages are filled with to be verbs, chances are you’re using narrative summary. While this sometimes can be the most effective tool to quickly let us know something that happened, it packs no emotional punch, so use it sparingly.

4) Distant: Related to the whole passive and telling issues, to be verbs can also create distance between the reader and the scene. You want your reader to feel drawn into the moment. Even into the body of your point of view character, as if they’re living out a fictional dream. To be verbs as well as unneeded helping verbs can destroy this illusion. Here’s an example with was as a helping verb. "She was walking to the door. She was pushing open the door, and then she was pulling out a cart." Perhaps this would work for some sort of out of body experience or for an observation of someone else, but otherwise, bring us right in close. "She strode with purpose toward the store, pushed open the door, and yanked out a cart."

5) Boring: To be basically means equals. From the example above I = hungry and tired. Other linking verbs do this as well. And none is used more often than felt. I felt hungry and tired means the same as I was hungry and tired, which means the same as I = hungry and tired. And they’re all BORING! There is a proper use for words like felt. For example, “I felt like I was about to die” actually means something completely different than “I was about to die.” Sometimes we need these verbs, but don’t be lazy with them.

You may have noticed that I also used was in my good example in the previous paragraph. That’s because often we need to. Now let’s look at some proper uses of to be verbs.

1) Dialogue: In dialogue people should talk like people, and should speak in a way consistent with their character. Most people would never say, “I am weighed down with fatigue.” Unless maybe they’re an over zealous author or live in 1780. In dialogue most people would just say. “I’m tired.”

2) Internal monologue: Sometimes an author gets so deep into the head of their point of view character that it basically is like dialogue. It’s the characters voice, not the authors. During these moments, use the words your character would use. “She couldn’t believe it. It was wrong. Just wrong. No! It was beyond wrong. It was unbelievably, shockingly, and unforgivably wrong!” As you can see, I especially like to be verbs in tirades.

3) Simplest tool: And here we get to the heart of thinking like a seasoned, professional writer. Sometimes it’s just simpler and more to the point to use a to be verb. I learned from Angela Hunt that we have many tools in our writing tool boxes, and we shouldn’t use a sledge hammer when all we need is a little tap. Sometimes in order to avoid to be verbs we use sledge hammers. That’s not good. For example, it might take a paragraph to use active verbs and show, “He was wrong.” And maybe in that moment you just need to say it and move on.

So those are some of my thoughts on “to be” verbs. What are yours? Did you know about this rule? Have you ever been annoyed by it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tea with Dolley Madison and Jane Austen

noreply@blogger.com (Debra E. Marvin) — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

It could have happened. But it didn’t.

Dolley and Jane were indeed alive at the same time. One was a mostly unknown writer and English, (living from 1775-1817), the other a well-known wife and hostess in the fledgling country of America (1768-1849). Dolley was the original president's wife to embrace the role of First Lady and she may bring to mind cupcakes, or…

What? Depending on your knowledge or recall of U.S. History, I’ll help you out. Dolley Madison, extroverted wife of introverted 4^th president of the U.S. James Madison, refused to leave the new White House early when the British came up river to the new U.S. Capital. They were eager for retaliation against attacks on Canada (it was no longer a ‘gentleman’s war’ due to the burning of towns and not just military posts.)

Dolley’s stubbornness may have equaled her patriotism for she directed the removal of original copies of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and the "Landsdowne portrait" of George Washington by painter Gilbert Stuart. With a few remaining servants, she was able to escape only moments before the British took over.

This is just one story of the War of 1812, which I’m going to be bringing up again and again over the next three years. So get used to it.

The U.S.S Constitution seemed invincible against the massive British Navy.

The attack on Fort McHenry and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner

Andrew Jackson and his rag tag army in the Battle of New Orleans.

The Burning of the White House

Are any of these highlights clicking on since you had to study for that history exam. (Yes, I know. It was last century.)

The U.S was split over this war. Much of New England was against it (Federalists), looking on it as war against Canada, and very foolish considering we had no army or navy and Britain was the most powerful country in the world.

Some war hawks even thought Canadians would welcome the release from British rule.

Much of the frontier, the ‘northwest’(Indiana and Illinois, you know) and the South was for it. The reasons FOR war: impressment of sailors by the Royal Navy, the supplying of firearms to the Native Americans by Britain, and the eagerness to change our borders with Canada were timed to our advantage. Britain had their hands full with Napolean on the continent. Basically Britain had been violating our sovereignty as a nation.

As you’ll come to know, the U.S was ill-prepared and failed in battle after battle the first year. When Britain’s war with Napolean ended, and they could turn all their attentions to the upstarts, things looked dark. But somehow the makeshift armies started to turn the tide and a small navy of privateers for the most part surprised the biggest navy in the world. Stay tuned!

Not only am I studying up on everything I can find on the War of 1812, I am also following historians and organizations with updates on the bicentennial events, but ‘live –tweets’ of the events that took place 200 years ago.

I mentioned Jane Austen just to get your attention. Because I feel I'm in the minority when it comes to enthusiastic interest in ‘that war’. I think it's because I live along the north ‘coast’ where many battles took place. Canada really is my neighbor (just like Sarah Palin and Russia.)

The U.S government has not forgotten, and neither has the military. The official Commemoration began in April.

from their site: Continuing through 2015, the US Navy, US Marine Corps, US. Coast Guard will commemorate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and The Star Spangled Banner. The Navy has partnered with the International Council of Air Shows, the Navy League, the Naval Historical Foundation, and Operation Sail (OpSail) to create world-class events around the country, with signature events in New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland, and smaller events in other cities.

These events will include Blue Angels air shows, visits by ships of the US Navy and international navies, parades of tall ships and “Galley Wars” cook off events.

I intend to visit as many battles reenactments and sites along the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie shores as I can. It might be a grand total of two, but I’m very excited to get started. If you are a history fan, follow me on twitter or Facebook (say Dolley sent you) and I'll share my discoveries. (DebraEMarvin)

Link for the official Bicentennial events for the U.S. Navy’s “tour”

http://ourflagwasstillthere.org/the-war-of-1812/200-years-ago-today.html

Timeline of Commemoration and Events:

http://www.visit1812.com/events/

The list goes on and on. Historians, historical societies, reenactors and governments are part of a huge network of those commemorating the 'second war with Britain'.

Are you ready for some history?

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor (Because God Doesn't Exist)

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Welborn) — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:30:00 +0000

Gina here :: Last month I went to a local ACFW-Richmond meeting. YA Author Roger Bruner (Lost in Translation) was speaking on plotting. He did a great job! In fact, he'll be sharing later this month on one of the side-topics he discussed. Well, also at the meeting was an author I hadn't met before. Jon Wakefield has written to fascinating books and writes some rather compelling blog posts, one of which I asked if we could repost here because it's relevant to our "right now." Welcome, Jon, to Inktropolis!!!

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor (Because God Doesn’t Exist)

Warning: minor spoilers included in the following post.
—

As someone who loves movies, I have been increasingly disappointed over recent years as Hollywood has showcased an almost total inability to produce films not based on comic books that are original, intelligent, compelling, and don’t viciously attack my core values. At this point, I’ll settle for just one or two of the four (with emphasis on the fourth), but even something that simple is rare. Every so often, though, a movie nails all four, producing a deeply satisfying and thought-provoking experience.

The Hunger Gamesis one of those movies.

Okay, disclaimer time: I understand I’m opening myself to being labeled a bad Christian for choosing a violent movie that depicts children killing each other when I could have chosen the more uplifting October Baby, which celebrates the sanctity of the life, especially that of children. If you’re one of the potential labelers, please hear me out. What I have to say will probably surprise you.

Let me start with this: I hate violence. I generally avoid R-rated movies and often close my eyes when I know blood’s about to splatter the screen.

So why did I pick The Hunger Games? First, I had been told that it shared some similarities to my own novel, Fatal Reality, which is about a reality show host who takes the contestants hostage and pits them against each other in an anything-goes race where only the winner will be allowed to live. (I promise that I wrote this novel well before I’d even heard of The Hunger Games.) Naturally I was intrigued by the parallels. And based on what I’d heard about The Hunger Games, I also suspected it would not glorify violence, but instead condemnit, as I did in Fatal Reality.

I’m happy to report that I was correct. Big time.

But The Hunger Games aims much higher than simply condemning violence by illustrating how extreme it can get. It also illustrates the intense brutality and oppression made possible under a society where God apparently does not exist, as there is never a mention or implication of any higher power operating in The Hunger Games’s futuristic reality. The only authority is government—one that does not recognize any rights of its citizens.

This manifests itself in a class-driven society where the rich, ruling class (driven by a government/media complex) live separately and above the commoners who rely on the government for their sustenance (sound familiar?). And to scare them into submission and prevent rebellion, every year the government randomly selects 24 children ages 12-18 and pits them against each other in a battle for survival that does not end until only one child still stands. The commoners have no recourse against the ruling class—one so indifferent to the value of human life that it will even force innocent children into mortal combat in order to maintain its wealth and power structure, all while entertaining itself.

America was founded on the ideal that all men are created equal and endowed by God with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He is Ruler, and because he has stamped his image on every human, government has no authority to oppress its (God’s) people.

The Hunger Games brilliantly depicts what happens when government, not God, becomes Ruler.
The phrase uttered throughout the movie by those in power to those under their oppression is, “May the odds be ever in your favor.” This reflects the worldview of a godless society. People must rely on “odds” or luck in order to survive, because God doesn’t exist to intervene in human affairs.

I’m too lazy right now to research Suzanne Collins—the author of the novel the movie is based on—and what her beliefs may be, so I have no idea if she intended to perfectly illustrate exactly what happens when a society ignores God and instead submits to the Almighty Government. Intentional or not, though, that’s what she did, teaching that in a godless society there is no freedom, only oppression.

Every American 13 or older should see this movie. And while on the surface The Hunger Games and October Baby seem to be advancing conflicting messages, I believe they are actually advancing the identical message, using opposite approaches.

Life is sacred.

My novel, Fatal Reality, also advances this message, though it more closely aligns with The Hunger Games in approach. In Fatal Reality, the antagonist, Daniel Vats, tells the contestants that there is no God in their race to help them; Vats is the ultimate authority. He shows them how an existence that ignores fundamental human rights would operate. One of the underlying questions I pose to America through this story is, How far away are we from creating that type of existence?

Whether intentional or not, I believe The Hunger Games poses the same question.
~*~

JONATHAN WAKEFIELD holds a Biology degree from the University of Richmond and is an information technology specialist and a freelance writer. His inspirational thriller, Fatal Reality, is his debut novel and was a finalist in the 2009 Operation First Novel contest. His first non-fiction book, Saving America: A Christian Perspective of the Tea Party Movement, was released on April 15. Jonathan lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife and two sons.

www.jonathanwakefield.com
www.teapartyforchristians.com

FATAL REALITY

In this race only the winner will be allowed to live. When media celebrity Kyle Borders wins a spot on Extreme Mortality, the biggest reality show ever, he’s determined to use the opportunity to live out his faith before the worldwide audience. Daniel Vats, the show’s creator, has never killed anyone, but he can hardly wait to start. Kidnapping the contestants, he thrusts them into a fight for survival of the fittest, forcing them to run a perilous race to the death-televised on live feed before the world-on a remote South Pacific Island. Who will live? Who will die? And why is Daniel so vehement about proving Kyle a phony? The shocking revelations will stun the watching audience.

Buy a copy today at Amazon

Great Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Debra E. Marvin) — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

a devotional by Debra E. Marvin

Have you ever thought about the phrase "expectant mother" as a cheerful way to say pregnant. She's expecting that the large bump on her belly is a baby. But expectation is another word for anticipation. Which should really cover any parent, even an adopting parent. Shouldn't grandmothers be called expectant grandmothers, then?

The phrase EXPECTATIONS once implied ‘a shiny future.’ Charles Dickens' character Pip had great expectations when his anonymous benefactor decided to make him into a gentleman based on the kindness of Pip’s heart. But on the way to becoming a gentleman, Pip was sidetracked by the trappings of life with wealth, and an unhealthy obsession with Estella. In the end, Pip’s kindness was his life preserver. With the necessary life lessons, Pip had a happy ever after.

What are your expectations? I doubt they involve the arrival of a lawyer advising you of of a sudden windfall.

Our expectations are part of our view of the world around us and almost always involve an unconscious reckoning of how someone else will treat us. When our expectations are not met, what then? Do we show disappointment in hopes of manipulating those around us? Are we thrown into anger, resentment or the blues?

With Mother's Day upon us, many will be seeing family and extended family. For some, the day might not be storybook perfect.That's family for you!

Have you already imagined how the day might go? Have you ever done that and then been very disappointed or perhaps pleasantly surprised?

We are setting ourselves up for disappointment when we place expectations on someone else rather than focusing our expectations on the Lord. We know only He is capable of not disappointing us, of keeping every promise, and always acting in our best interest. . We are imperfect, flawed, unique creatures and so are all around us. Even Mom. If you want guarantees in a relationship, keep it to the one with your heavenly Father, and enjoy the human-ness around you!

Isaiah 40:25-27 The Message (MSG)

"So—who is like me? Who holds a candle to me?" says The Holy One. Look at the night skies: Who do you think made all this? Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name —so magnificent! so powerful! and never overlooks a single one?

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, "God has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me"? Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? God doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

noreply@blogger.com (Suzie Johnson) — Sat, 12 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

On Monday, we were treated to a special look at the aging process when Becky Wade visited Inkwell Inspirations. Today I want to share a little about her new book.

by Suzie Johnson

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Real. Emotional. Deep.

For anyone looking for a contemporary novel that encompasses the above description, this one is it.

Kate Donovan has a job that’s tough for even the most sturdy of souls – child social worker. Needing a break, she decides to travel from Dallas to small-town Pennsylvania with her grandmother to help restore her grandmother's childhood home.

There she encounters her grandmother’s lovable assortment of friends, and even enters into a most interesting and fun (pamperingand delectable) agreement with crusty but lovable Morty.

When Kate meets the man her grandmother hired to help with the project, she is instantly intrigued.

Matt Jarreau is a wounded soul, suffering the pain of loss and walling himself off from the world. Kate's grandmother coaxes him into a tentative friendship in the most intriguing manner. Before he has time to reconsider, Kate and her grandmother (along with Morty and the rest of the gang) have managed to wind their way into his life.

But will it take more than friendship and Kate's stubborn heart minister to Matt's wounded one?

Real:

While the main characters in any novel should be larger than life in that they capture and hold the reader’s interest, they should also be based in reality. Reality for hero Matt Jarreau doesn’t get more serious than in this novel. But he’s a down-to-earth soul and readers will be able to identify with him without having ever experienced what he’s gone through. Author Becky Wade handles it with a delicate touch, without letting him wallow in his troubles and depressing the reader.

Emotional:

Fairly cynical readers like myself will find more than one heart-string being tugged throughout this book, due to Becky Wade’sincredible and well-placed turns of her phrasing. Here’s only one of the many excellent examples: He was coming back to life now – feeling returning – and it hurt almost unbearably. He wanted to return to numb. He’d been trying for days now to get back to numb. But numb was gone. He was stuck with all this awful emotion. Inescapable.

Deep:

Kate’s investment in drawing Matt out is real, but she’s doing it for him and not herself. The rest is just a bonus.

My Stubborn Heart manages to be both poignant and fun at the same time. Becky Wade has hit the sweet spot with her debut into the inspirational market.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for several years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. Her first contemporary Christian romance, My Stubborn Heart, has just been released by Bethany House.

These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.

Mischievous Look at Motherhood

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Karon Richardson) — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Moms are great. I saw on the Today Show this morning that if our jobs were paid we'd make $112, 962 a year.

Instead we make PB&Js, birthday cupcakes, and late night runs to buy science project supplies.

I've found that a mom's best ally is an awesome sense of humor. And really that trait is essential no matter where we are in life. It really is the secret to "hanging in there." So I hope you enjoy this slightly wacky Mother's Day tribute. I know I did.

Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess, Lisa Karon Richardson’s early books were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. Now that she’s (mostly) all grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure and excitement in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a brand new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city. Her first novella, Impressed by Love, part of the Colonial Courtships collection, is coming in October, 2012 followed shortly thereafter by The Magistrate’s Folly in November.

The Best-Laid Plans

noreply@blogger.com (C.J. Chase) — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

by C.J. Chase

Most of you probably know I write novels for Love Inspired Historicals. If you’ve ever read an LIH, you may have noticed a Bible passage at the beginning of the book, just past the title page.

LIH requires its authors to include a verse that encapsulates the theme of the book. Since my current in-progress work deals with a character who feels abandoned by God, I chose the following verse:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29: 11)

However, yesterday, my character seemed fixated on another verse:

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. (Psalm 37:3)

So you see, I had planned to use a verse about God’s plans—only to have those plans thwarted. Ironic, huh? Reminds me of the quote, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

As an author, I put my characters in all sorts of difficult situations. Sometimes the character doesn’t deal well with the circumstances. Sometimes the character makes a better choice. Each time the character makes a decision, I show how the character changes and grows because of the wisdom gained from life’s challenges.

We can all chuckle at the example of my plans changing. However, the real test of our faith comes when God's plan takes us through dark, difficult places we would have never chosen on our own.

Consider the story of Joseph, a young man sold into slavery by his own brothers. He trusted God and did good, maintaining his integrity in the face of temptation. But even then, God’s plan included more trials—years in an Egyptian prison—before he finally saw the full scope of God’s awesome providence for him and his family.

Photographers sometimes play with camera lenses, zooming in so closely we see only one small section of a larger object.

Only when the photographer pulls back can we see the full picture.

Tweedledee the chicken prefers my porch to the coop with the other hens.

Life is often like that too-close picture. We see only the problem before us without seeing the larger picture of God’s plan.

Years ago, Emily Perl Kingsley wrote an essay where she compared having a disabled child with planning a trip to Italy—only to discover the plane has landed in Holland instead.

The author's son in full regalia
in Holland, Michigan

My own journey to Holland began nearly 15 years ago in Fairfax, Virginia, hospital. Looking back on those pain-filled, shadowy days still fills me with that surreal feeling even a decade and a half later. And yet, when I view the full panorama of my life, I see how God prepared me for that time—and how He used that experience to mold me into the person I am today. A better person, more patient and understanding than I was before.

Have you traveled through dark places where you couldn’t decipher God’s plans for your life? Paul wrote that what we see is indistinct, like a foggy mirror, but someday we will see clearly. Like Joseph, we will be able to look back and realize the pain and heartache were part of God’s larger plan to create something good.

I might still end up using the original verse for my overall theme, but I’m, ahem, not planning on it at this point. I guess I’ll just have to “trust God” on this one to direct me.

Fortunately for my book (which is about 5/6 complete), the two verses aren’t really so different. Do you trust God? Enough to let Him make the plans?

After leaving the corporate world to stay home with her children, C.J. Chase quickly learned she did not possess the housekeeping gene. She decided writing might provide the perfect excuse for letting the dust bunnies accumulate under the furniture. Her procrastination, er, hard work paid off in 2010 when she won the Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Manuscript and sold the novel to Love Inspired Historicals. Her next book, The Reluctant Earl, will be out in early 2013. You can visit C.J.'s cyber-home (where the floors are always clean) at cjchasebooks.com

Writing One-Sentence Hooks

noreply@blogger.com (Gina Welborn) — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:30:00 +0000

Gina here: Last month at my local ACFW-Richmond meeting, Roger Bruner gave an excellent talk on plotting. One thing he shared was the progression of his one-sentence, which fascinated me so much that I asked him to share it with us. Welcome, Roger!!!

Making Sense of the One-Sentence

by Roger Bruner

http://www.rogerbruner.com

Mission: Impossible or The Impossible Dream

Every writer needs a good one-sentence summary of her book. It should be no longer than twenty-five words. Shorter according to some experts.

Does that sound daunting? Absolutely.

Impossible? Not really.

Not if you’re as good a writer as you’d like to think you are. Start by writing the best and briefest possible summary of your book. Then cut out the details. All of them.

Stick to the generalities of your story—what the story is REALLY all about. In some cases, your one-sentence may state your theme.

Take out every word you don’t need. Look for better words—words to replace two or more existing words. Count what you have—by all means use the “Recount” feature if you’re working in Word—and repeat the editing process until you’re down to twenty-five.

Then look for ways to make your one-sentence better. It needs to shine. This sentence may ultimately hook an agent or an editor. Or fail to.

Here’s how I did one

Let me illustrate part of the process by showing you the one-sentences I wrote for Do I Ever!, my work in progress. I keep all of them in a single Word document, with the oldest version at the bottom and the most recent at the top (the opposite of how I refer to them below).

This helps me to keep from accidentally rewriting a previous version. And on rare occasions an earlier version may turn out to be better than a more recent one.

In the case of this one-sentence, I was able to begin with a reasonably brief synopsis because I’ve done a number of these for other manuscripts. Your first version may not be nearly this short.

If it’s not, start whittling away. In forming the one-sentence that best represents your novel (or non-fiction book), it’s like sculpture (or so I’ve heard): you take away anything and everything that doesn’t resemble the desired result.

Here’s my progression from oldest to current, along with a few comments.

When two divorcees pretend they’re still married, will their deceit rekindle

their own lost love and salvage the marriage of the two friends who introduced them? (26 words)

Comment: Clunky. Sounds like a horrible romance novel. Also, I decided soon after writing this that the divorce should be almost—but not quite—final.

When two divorcees pretend they’re still married, their deceit rekindles

their lost love and salvages the marriage of the two friends who introduced them. (24 words)

Comment: At least it’s shorter. The only difference is changing the question in version 1 to a statement. Same objections as before.

When two divorcees pretend they’re still married, their deceit rekindles

their lost love and salvages the marriage of the two friends who introduced them? (24 words)

Comment: Whoops! I copied the previous version except for ending with a useless question mark this time. No harm done, though.

When a couple fakes marriage to keep their best friends from learning of their divorce, their deceit rekindles their lost love and salvages the other couple’s marriage. (27 words)

Comment: “Fakes marriage” is a big improvement over “pretends they’re still married,” but it doesn’t make clear that the couple is pretending to still be married to one another. We also lose the fact that the other couple had introduced them, and that’s a major point.

A divorcée convinces her ex- to help her keep their best friends from learning about their divorce and rekindles the old flame in the process. (25 words)

Comment: This is substantially stronger—or is it? I didn’t like using both “divorcee” and “divorce” in the same sentence, though. Neither did I like “in the process.” And again we’ve lost the significance of the best friends as matchmakers.

A couple faking marriage to hide their divorce from their best friends falls in love again. But can they save their friends’ marriage, too? (24 words)

Comment: Definitely better, but what about the best friends as matchmakers? “Faking marriage” is still a problem, though.

Can a recently divorced couple keep the friends who brought them together from learning of the divorce and also salvage their friends’ rocky marriage? (24 words)

Comment: As I mentioned earlier, the divorce isn’t final yet, so this sentence isn’t accurate to start with. But it’s closer to emphasizing the right points. No need to include “rocky” in referring to their friends’ marriage, though; what other kind of marriage would need salvaging?

A couple faking marriage to hide their divorce from the friends who introduced them falls in love again. But can they save their friends’ marriage? (25 words)

Comment: This version comes SO close. Although I still didn’t care that much for “faking marriage,” I really thought this was it for a while. Until I came up with (drum roll, please). . .

. 9.

While hiding their divorce from the friends who introduced them, a couple falls in love again. But can they save their friends’ marriage, too? (24 words)

Comment: I’ll bet you thought the whole idea of deceit was important to be specific about, but it really wasn’t; the need to deceive the friends was.

But what about the fact that this one-sentence is two sentences long? If anyone seeing it is THAT picky, I’ll use a semi-colon and lowercase the “But.” Case closed.

I’m not saying somebody else couldn’t do better, but I don’t think I can.

What’s the one-sentence good for, anyhow?

Just a few points now about how I use a one-sentence once I’ve (tentatively) perfected it..

The one-sentence helps me stay more on track in my plotting than any other single tool, with the possible exception of a one-page sell sheet. (Yes, I write that even before I finish my rough draft.) The one-sentence is actually the heart of the short synopsis that goes on my sell sheet, and I put it at the top of the sell sheet.

Everything I write in a novel must be true to the one-sentence summary. Therefore, the one-sentence deals only with the over-arching story. If you can refer to your subplots within the twenty-five word limit, more power to you.

I can’t.

I used to start editor/agent appointments at writing conferences with the so-called elevator speech, which was somewhere between thirty seconds and one minute in length.

But I’ll be honest. I had trouble remembering it, and I sounded like a robot when I tried to reel it off. Not a good combination of factors when trying to win the respect and support of an editor or agent.

So now I use my one-sentence. It’s easier to remember and—if necessary—I can glance at it before I start. (Since I may be pitching several manuscripts at the same appointment, that helps tremendously. I deliver however many one-sentences I need to and let the editor pick the one she wants to hear more about.)

Go and do likewise. . .maybe even better

The one-sentence should so accurately capture the meat of your manuscript that it alone can win or lose the interest of an editor or agent. If you’ve done a compelling job, she can tell in those twenty-five words whether your idea is worth pursuing further. If your one-sentence sells your interviewer, she will ask for details. That’s the time to let your enthusiasm carry you away and tell her about the story itself.

Now go practice, practice, practice. And then practice some more. Creative brevity may be the key to helping you become published.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How do you feel about writing one-sentences? Do you have any you'd like to share?

~*~

Roger Bruner worked as a teacher, job counselor, and programmer analyst before retiring to pursue his dream of writing Christian fiction full-time. A guitarist and songwriter, he is active in his church choir, early service praise team, Sonlight service, and nursing home ministry. Roger also enjoys reading, web design, mission trips, photography, and spending time with his wonderful wife, Kathleen. Roger’s first young adult novel, Found in Translation, came out in January; the sequel, Lost in Dreams, came out in August.

Roger Bruner worked as a teacher, job counselor, and programmer analyst before retiring to write full-time. A guitarist and songwriter, he is active in his church choir, early service praise team, and nursing home ministry. Roger also enjoys reading, web design, and photography. Roger has two published YA novels.

Book 2: LOST IN DREAMS

Grace, hope, and healing intersect in the California mountains.

From the moment eighteen-year-old Kim Hartlinger steps off the plane from a mission trip to a remote Mexican village, her journey takes a turn for the worse. As she collides with the biggest challenge of her young life—and faith—Kim struggles with haunting questions and recurring nightmares. . .all the while trying to hide a deep, dark secret.

Will Kim find the hope and healing she needs? . . . Or is her broken spirit beyond repair?

LOST IN DREAMS is available at Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

Book 1: FOUND IN TRANSLATION

Faith, obedience, and forgiveness intersect in a remote Mexican village.

When Kim Hartlinger—eighteen and spoiled—arrives on a mission trip to Mexico and discovers, to her chagrin, that she’ll be doing construction in a remote village without plumbing and electricity, rather than evangelism in a medium-sized town with a fast food joint . . she has only two choices. “Rough it” (which isn’t exactly what Kim had in mind when she signed up for this trip) or turn around and head home.

Will Kim be able to touch the villagers’ hearts with the Gospel? Or will her time in Mexico be up before she gets the chance?

FOUND IN TRANSLATION is available at Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

Both books are also available for Kindle and Nook.

"All Aboard!"

noreply@blogger.com (Suzie Johnson) — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Suzie Johnson

Saturday May 12^th is National Train Day. Train stations all across the United States will be celebrating with events and contests. But what exactly are they celebrating? And why?

National Train Day is a celebration of the Golden Spike. This year is the 143^rd anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, with the Golden Spike signifying the final spike that was hammered into the final rail tie to complete the project that is perhaps the greatest historical event in North America’s transportation history.

On May 10^th, 1869, in Promontory, Utah, the tracks for the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads were joined together, completing a dream that had been envisioned since the late 1830s. Despite nearly twenty years of discussion, dreaming, debating, it wasn’t until 1853 that Congress put forth money for surveyors to work on this great project. Two years later, fearful Congress might drop the ball, California joined in the efforts.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act authorizing the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific to build a railroad to the Pacific Ocean. A ground-breaking ceremony took place at the beginning of the following year in Sacramento, California, and ten months later the first rail was laid in Sacramento. Work continued from there, and even long after the two railroads were joined, creating railroads all across the nation, connecting what once were insurmountable mountains and difficult-to-cross land and rivers.

Along the route of the Central Pacific
in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

For those who had endured hardship and suffering when they pioneered their way across the Mississippi, across mountains and plains, the joining of railroads was fulfillment of their vision for the future of America. One of these pioneers, Dr. J.D. B. Stillman, wrote:

"When we stood for the first time on the iron-bound shores of the Pacific a generation ago and looked upon their desolate mountains, after a voyage of more than half a year, we thought in our hearts that the last tie that bound us to our native land was broken. We did not dream that the tie that was to reunite us, and make this our native land forever, was then flourishing as a green bay tree in our woods."
~~Dr. J.D. B. Stillman,“The Last Tie,” Overland Monthly, 1869 vol. III: 77

The tie he referred to was the final tie in the railroad, a crosstie cut from a California laurel tree. The golden spike hammered into it was the brainchild of David Hewes, brother-in-law to California Governor Leland Stanford. Hewes had the spike cast and finished as his contribution to the great railroad project.

Since this was to be the very first major media event in the country, Hewes also planned to spread the news with the firing of heavy cannons. As Governor Stanford drove the golden spike into the laurel tie with a silver mallet, telegraph lines would be triggered and cannons fired in cities all across the country, including San Francisco, New York and Chicago. In all but San Francisco, plans for cannon-fire were quickly replaced with plans to trigger fire alarms instead.

Central Pacific No. 1 via Wikipedia

Two engines, Central Pacific No. 1 also known as The Jupiter, and Union Pacific No. 119would each travel to Promontory, Utah via their respective railroads. They would meet nose-to-nose, with the cowcatchers on the front of their engines touching.

The ceremony was not without glitches. Heavy rains, riots among laborers, rumors the vice-president of the Union Pacific was being held hostage, and bridge wash-outs were all issues that had to be dealt with over the span of just a few days.

Finally, on the morning of May 10, 1869, the Central Pacific train arrived with Governor Stanford. Not long afterward, the Union Pacific train arrived. Union Pacific workers laid the final section of rail on the north side of the gap between the two lines, and Chinese workers dressed in freshly laundered garb laid the final section for the Central Pacific. The Transcontinental Railroad was nearly complete.

In anticipation, telegraph connections were established and fire alarms were ready to be set off across the country as soon as the final spike was driven. Reporters and spectators were present on that sunny day in May.

Representatives from the UP and CP hoisted the laurel crosstie and slid it into place. After a speech and a prayer, followed by more speeches, Governor Stanford was presented a silver maul that was wired to the telegraph. When Stanford hammered the golden spike, news quickly spread as cannon fire let loose in San Francisco and fire alarms were triggered all across the country.

The two trains moved forward to touch noses. Champagne flowed and the celebration began all over the United States. Later, the golden spike and laurel tie were removed and replaced so they could be preserved.

The golden spike and silver maul were eventually donated to Stanford University, and the laurel tie was placed in the Southern Pacific’s San Francisco office and destroyed in the fire that followed the 1906 earthquake.

There is obviously a lot more to this story than can possibly be included here, and Governor Stanford’s contribution to the entire project was great. These events will be celebrated on Saturday, May 12, 2012 in the fifth annual National Train Day begun by Amtrak in 2008.

In New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, participants will be able to tour private luxury rail cars, freight trains, and commuter trains. Other, smaller events will be held across the country. To see if there are any events in your area, you can click here, and then click your location on the map.

Train travel is one of my favorite pastimes, and this summer I’ll be traveling on the Coast Starlight to the RWA conference with Anita Mae Draper.

Do you enjoy train travel? What are some of the places you’ve visited by train?

Welcome Inspirational Author Becky Wade

noreply@blogger.com (Suzie Johnson) — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

My current Event for 2012 - Turning the Big 4-0

by Becky Wade

I probably don't know a single one of you face-to-face and personally, but nonetheless, I'm going to trust you with my age. I'm 40, ladies. I peaked a few months ago, officially went 'over the hill', and am now on the downward slope toward an empty nest, retirement, and... the grave.

Here's some non-calendar evidence to support the fact that I'm getting older: I enjoy dark chocolate. I don't like thong underwear. I don't want to get my hair wet in the pool, and I definitely won't consider slip n slides or cartwheel attempts. My skincare regimen is expensive, my hair coloring bills more so. I'm starting to like 60 Minutes. My earring holes have become earring slits. My rump is growing wider without an invitation from me to do so. Last time I came down with body aches and fever my mother-in-law suggested that it might be menopause.

Twenty years ago, I was (before I had kids) an excellent mother. I planned on allowing my children to wear whatever they wanted to express their creativity, giving them undivided attention, and doing a lot of baking. Turns out that I don't care to be embarrassed by my children publically and instead want them to look presentable. Undivided attention is a kind of statistical impossibility with three kids and a high maintenance husband. And baking with children creates big messes that moms have to clean.

Twenty years ago, I was (before I plunged into the near-impossible work of crafting and publishing novels) an excellent author. I dreamed that my books would be met with adoration and bestselling success. Turns out that the secular romance novels I released to the world underwhelmed readers. My publisher said "no thanks" to my offer to write more books and God said "no thanks" to the kind of books I'd been writing.

Twenty years ago, I was (before three pregnancies and lots of sun on my face) cuter. Turns out I, well.... aged.

Reality, time, and experience -- the challenge of actually doing the work of our lives -- has a way of bringing the truth to the surface. But you know what?

It turns out that I'm cool with 40. I'm making my peace with it.

For one thing, I'm seriously grateful for the months and days God has given me. If I hadn't made it to this milestone year, I wouldn't have seen my babies grow. God wouldn't have had time to introduce me to the kind of books He meant all along for me to pen (contemporary inspirational romances) and thus I wouldn't have experienced the soaring joy of writing for His glory. If I'd hadn't hit 40 I might never have understood that, hey, a body has earned the right to sag when it's weathered as many years and demands as mine has.

So picture me lifting my grande-sized skinny latte. Here's to the downward slope! I can't wait to see what God has in store.

Willing to share a piece of evidence that proves you're getting older? How did your expectations of yourself as a wife, mother, working person differ from the reality that unfolded?

It's not what you DON'T know, it's what you KNOW that counts

noreply@blogger.com (Niki Turner) — Sun, 06 May 2012 07:30:00 +0000

I'm a "know not."

Yep. I just confessed my ignorance (something an overachieving, approval and success-driven only child NEVER does). Instead of feeling bad about it, I feel free. The older—let's call it spiritually mature—I get, the more I don't know about God, His ways, His plans, life in general, even myself, than what I do know. Can you relate?

I don't know why good things come to some and bad things come to others.
I don't know why it seems that some prayers are answered and others are ignored.

Sure, I could lay out all kinds of doctrinal explanations. Nice, trite, cliched platitudes that offer plausible reasons for the things we endure during our time on the Big Blue Marble.

We've all heard them, maybe latched on to them in times of trouble because they offer a modicum of comfort. But those explanations don't satisfy. The questions remain, and the honest answer, more often than not, is "I don't know."

I've often heard my husband counsel people with these words: "It's
not what you don't know that matters, it's what you do know."

In high-pressure, scary situations; in the valleys and mountains and shadows of life, it's easy to get so caught up in all the don't-knows that we forget what we do know. But when the rubber hits the road, so to speak, what we do know is all that really counts.

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
1 Cor 2:2 NKJV

Whatever you are facing, resist the urge to say, "But I don't know how this will turn out." Or, "I don't know what to do." Instead, ask yourself, "What do I know?" That's a proactive question. It's where you'll find the root of your faith, and from that root, no matter how small or weak it seems to be, life and hope and victory can grow.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:4-5 NKJV

That, my friends, is NOT a mere platitude. It's truth, and it's more than enough to go forward on, whether you are on top of the mountain, in the valley of the shadow of death, or somewhere in between.

And as a former youth leader, here is your "visual aid" for this devotional. After you get past Keanu Reeves' rather surprising display of biceps, listen to the script...

The Root of Your Family

A Walk in the Clouds at MOVIECLIPS.com

What's your "root"?

Hint: What do you KNOW THAT YOU KNOW?

About the Author: Niki writes fiction, nonfiction, blog posts, newspaper articles, grocery lists,
and Facebook status updates. She can be found at her own blog, In Truer Ink, in addition to posting here. She was a 2009 finalist in the Faith, Hope, and Love "Touched by Love"
contest.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Debra E. Marvin) — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:09:00 +0000

a mini-post by Debra E. Marvin

Out now, this movie has caught my interest, but not too many theater owners. I will eventually find it in an artsy theater in the artsy part of the city, and will likely be among a group of my peers.

Have you heard of it? Who do you recognize here?

Have a lovely day!

Our most viewed Self Help Post - Stretch Marks

noreply@blogger.com (Debra E. Marvin) — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:34:00 +0000

This is a re-post, returning on a busy Friday, due to the number of times (1500)
it has been viewed over the last year and a half.

Battle Scars by Niki Turner

When someone says "battle scars" or "battle wounds" my first thought is usually of spiritual warfare. And then I think about guys, and all their various scars, from wrestling with a big brother to a fistfight with an adversary. But there are some battle scars nearly all of us share: stretch marks.

Those reddish-purple tears in the dermis usually appear during adolescence or pregnancy, rapid weight gain or bodybuilding. Eventually they fade to a silvery-white color. I've never heard anyone say anything positive about them.

Guys will slap each other on the back after surgery or stitches and say, "chicks dig scars." Ever heard anyone say "dudes love stretch marks"? Me either.

How many romance novels depict the heroine running her fingers along the hero's wealth of scars and asking how he came by the wounds? However, I've never, ever, run across a hero 'oohing' and 'aahing' over the heroine's stretch marks.

In fact, I've never met a heroine with stretch marks. I've read about blind heroines, crippled heroines, widowed heroines, heroines who've been abused, heroines who've been in terrible accidents, heroines who've been to war. In all the lot, no stretch-marked heroines.

If seventy to ninety percent of women have some degree of stretch marks (my stretch marks have stretch marks, so I must be making up for the minority who escaped) why are we pretending they don't exist? Why are we ashamed of them?

A stretch mark is a sign of life, growth, and change. It's a testimony to the body's ability to accommodate new life, to grow and expand to meet the harsh demands of life in these "earth suits."

We can have spiritual and emotional stretch marks, too. When rapid and difficult changes enter our lives suddenly we must adapt in order to survive. We stretch, we tear a little, but we make it to the other side of the crisis.

Those internal, invisible stretch marks should serve as a reminder of the God who carried us through the storm. Every mark we took, He took upon Himself as well.

The resurrected Christ showed the disciples the scars that remained in his hands and feet, and the hole that was in His side. Jesus wasn't embarrassed by His scars. Rather, they were a receipt for the price He paid for all of us.

It's time for us to view our stretch marks - physical, emotional, spiritual - as reminders of the way we have expanded and developed to accommodate larger life. Could I learn to wear my stretch marks with pride instead of shame? I think it's worth a try.

Photo credits: Wrinkled pepper via lydiat@Flickr ; Pregnancy stretch marks via everybody.co.nz ;

Cindy Crawford's stretch marks via momlogic.com ; Doubting Thomas and Christ by Caravaggio @wikimedia

Bonnie's Good Bad Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anita Mae Draper) — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

by Anita Mae Draper

My sister sent me an email the other day which had me laughing so hard I had to calm down before I read it to my husband. Then I started laughing again. Although the content isn't all that funny, when you read it the way she wrote it... like she was out of breath... you can picture what she's going through.

The thing is, my sister, Bonnie, is a tornado in disguise.

She's only 18 months older than me, but God gave her unboundless energy while He gave me the drive to write - a sitting on your butt job.

Bonnie is the chief cook of Living Word Ministries which includes a Bible College in Swan River, Manitoba, Canada

Bonnie Bremnes in the Living Word Ministries kitchen

But she's in charge of so much more than the kitchen that I'm astounded at what she handles on any given day. Basically, she's in charge of housekeeping. This means she needs to ensure all the dorm rooms are up to snuff including laundry when the College is in session and also when it hosts conventions, etc during the summer months. And since the school season is over for the year, Bonnie is getting ready for the next wave.

Her email is a good indication of her day which seems to run until late at night. When I asked Bonnie if I could use her email in a post, she said, "Ha ha ....go ahead and use any of it.....some grammar mistakes...cuz I was laughing so hard and typing so fast !!! :) thanx."

For an adventure like this, I believe the only way is to present it the way I received it. So please, ignore any grammatical, spelling, punctuation or any other errors - like using capitals and too many exclamation points - and read this in the spirit it was written.

Inkwell readers, I present my older sister, cook, housekeeper and pastor's wife...Bonnie Bremnes...

Bonnie Bremnes and her daughter, Sonya-Rose

~~~~~~~~~~~
here is a bed-time story....

this is kinda how my day went.....

I was putting away the 20 tablecloths that Marvelous Marcella and I
washed and ironed......

and making lists ......IN all of the girls rooms .....

of all of the supplies needed for the summer visitors.

so each room will have all the beds made up
Plus extra bedding and towels
[depending if they need a big bed or 2 single beds].

AND I delivered all the supplies to those rooms
because Marvelous Marcella will come tomorrow and
help me make up the rooms so they are ready :)

Mr. Bremnes and I will take all of the blankets to the laundromat
some nice day..and they can finish drying on the fence.
But all of the girls sheet sets are laundered and ready.

Living Word Ministries boy's dorm and classrooms

THE BAD NEWS was when I went to the boys basement
around 6:15 pm there was water under the fridge.
THE BAD NEWS was that the water system behind the boys sinks in
the south bathroom......must have broke thru......and was soaking
into the hall carpet and running across the floor in the electrical room.

THE GOOD NEWS was that there is a phone in Rev. Racz suite...
so I ran upstairs and called Mr. Byron and
THE GOOD NEWS was he was still in his office !!
So he came down and shut off the main water valve.
THE BAD NEWS was that no one would be available to work on it
because it was after 6pm.
THE GOOD NEWS was it was safe for the night and
Rick Windsor will come in the morning.

I sucked up the water .....with the shop vac ..... out of the carpet and
put the big fan on it to help dry out :)

So I went back to the main building.....and

THE GOOD NEWS was ... when I was collecting lots of towels
to put into the girls rooms.....
I found the massive set of keys that I misplaced 6 months ago :)
They were tucked in between two clean towels :) in the back room.
now THAT WAS GOOD NEWS !!!!!!!

Then ....Mr Bremnes came to rescue me ;)
So I decided to keep the keys handy and put them into my kitchen cupboard.

THE BEST NEWS WAS THAT HE CAME TO TAKE ME ON A DATE :)
We went to Dairy Queen and shared a yummy dessert.
A chocolate dipped waffle basket with a strawberry chocolate pecan
sundae inside.

Dairy Queen Strawberry Sundae in a Chocolate Dipped Waffle Basket

THE GOOD NEWS was...It was yummy and we had such a cozy time.

We came home and
he went to visit someone
and I went to get some laundry out of the boys dorm
AND decided to gather up the boys towels.
The first ones from the north bathroom.......
straightened up the broom corner, closing the door,
gathered the towels and with my arms full.....but
THE BAD NEWS was the door was locked !!!!!   gulp
And then I remembered some guy was locked in there last year and
THE BAD NEWS was some other guy was locked in there this year !!!!

THE GOOD NEWS was that there is a window......
THE GOOD NEWS was that the screen finally came off....
THE BAD NEWS was that the window was kinda high.....
but standing on the chair ....
I thot I could hoist myself high enough...
and thanks to Curves....I DID.

THE GOOD NEWS was that the small window was big enough and
thanks again to Curves....I was small enough
to catapult myself thru !!!!!

Ecstatic....as I lay on the ground outside......
THE GOOD NEWS was
I thot.....
I would run to the door.....but
THE BAD NEWS was that I now remembered I had locked behind me......
and my keys were ....
in the hallway..on the floor
..as usual so I would see them and take them....
when I left.....
not planning that I would leave OUT the window !!!

THE BAD NEWS was that the other set of keys that I had found
was locked inside the college in the kitchen !!!!!!

THE GOOD NEWS was that my house door was not locked. and
THE GOOD NEWS is that the power is on here at home
so I can send you this information.

Remember...never panic.
GOD WILL MAKE A WAY.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER AND
BUILD LOTS OF MEMORIES.    :p

the moral of the story:   the good news outweighs the bad :)
14 to 8
lol

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In case you're wondering, Bonnie and her husband live on the Bible College premises so she doesn't have far to go to work, which is why she went home after her date and decided to fold the laundry from the boys' dorm. :)

Have you ever had a day like this no matter what your line of work, whether inside the home or out?

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