Jeremiah 33:3 Scripture Pic

Crystal Draper watching the sunrise on January 9, 2013.
Taken on grid road about 10 miles east of Francis , Saskatchewan, Canada

Here's the story before this photo...

I was driving my daughter, Crystal, to the Regina airport after a wonderful Christmas visit. As we pulled out of the driveway, the cloudy sky allowed only a sliver of pink on the horizon. Not 10 minutes later, Crystal cranked around to look out the back window. Her ooh and ahh caught my attention, and I glanced back. That's all it took before I braked and pulled over.

The sun rises in degrees so the sky is never the same from one moment to the next. The best dawns are those with some type of cloud cover for the rays to reflect off, yet only on special days will you see a full-fledged sunrise like this one. I suppose there are people who can tell the science behind it. I can't. I just know that sometimes God's greeting takes my breath away, like it did Crystal's that January morning.

As soon as the van stopped, she was out and running across the road to take her photo. I was right behind her, and took the photo you see above. Seconds later, I took another one, yet as I lowered my camera, the colours had already begun to fade. By the time we were back on the road, it was over.

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, 

and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3

Mystery of the Heart by Jillian Kent...and a Giveaway!

by Susanne Dietze

I love a good Regency-set romance, and Jillian Kent has delivered lots of heart, spunk, and intrigue in her first two books in the Ravensmoore Chronicles.

This last book, however, may be my favorite.
 
From the start, Mystery of the Heart is packed with action. Kent weaves together plot threads I never would have imagined in a Regency-set story, including African voudon tribes, Bedlam, a club of Legend Seekers, and the “Spear of Destiny,” the fabled spear that lanced the side of Christ while he hung on the Cross--which is rumored to possess mystical powers.

The characters are not that typical, either. Lady Mercy Grayson is a most shocking Regency miss: to answer God’s call, she’s been disguising herself as a man so she can study medicine in Edinburgh. But then she’s discovered, and while trying to flee her pursuer, she ends up with a terrible choice. She can compromise her reputation and pass herself as a man for a while longer, pretending to be the valet of English adventurer, Lord Eden (and sharing his room), aboard a ship full of frightening practitioners of voodoo. Or she can die at the hands of a mysterious band of men, then and there.

While the book contains elements that may make some readers of Christian fiction uncomfortable (mention of voodoo or relics, perhaps) it is made crystal clear by the author multiple times that Christ alone has the power to heal and save. Some readers may also wish to know that Lord Eden is in a state of undress while Lady Mercy tends to his wounds, but there is nothing salacious in the scene. Er, make that scenes. He needs a bit of help, you understand.

I enjoyed the fresh plot twists, Kent’s extensive knowledge of Regency London, and the sparkling romance between Lady Mercy and the agnostic Lord Eden. They are quick-witted, interesting characters who must re-examine their beliefs when they face the dangers of villains who’d do anything to possess the Holy Lance…and keep Lady Mercy as a prize, as well.

It is not necessary to have read the previous books in the Ravensmoore Chronicles, although fans of those books will delight at seeing the characters appear here.

Author Jillian Kent!

If this book sounds like your cup of tea, head over to my personal blog, Tea and a Good Book, where Jillian is graciously giving away a copy of Mystery of the Heart!

I received a galley copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of review. A positive review was neither promised nor expected.

 ***

Susanne Dietze has written love stories since she was in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she writes in the hope that her historical romances will encourage and entertain others to the glory of God. Married to a pastor and the mom of two, Susanne loves fancy-schmancy tea parties, travel, and spending time with family and friends. She won first place in the Historical category of the 2011-2012 Phoenix Rattler, and her work has finaled in the Genesis, Gotcha!, and Touched By Love Contests. Susanne is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. You can visit her on her website, www.susannedietze.com.

Our Heavenly Editor

by Niki Turner

At the start of 2013, I, as do many others, started seeking the Lord's direction and guidance for the coming year. He gave me three words: release, accept, and engage. Releasing was relatively easy, with the aid of a New Year's Eve bonfire and some index cards. With my Type A personality, engage tends to be exciting, and comes somewhat naturally most of the time. But I keep tripping over the whole idea of accepting.

You see, I don't want to accept things I don't like. I'd rather fight and struggle and resist until my faith is worn down to the bare nubbins, or simply live in a perpetual state of denial. What I'm learning (slowly) is that until we learn the art of accepting, we can't receive help, and without help, we're stuck making excuses.

From a writing standpoint, I'm reminded of this principle frequently. I edit copy for a small-town weekly newspaper. Over the past decade or so, I've come to the conclusion that there are two kinds of writers... writers who think they can, and writers who think they can't. Surprisingly, it's the writers who think they can't who are the easiest to work with. Why? Because they are open to suggestions and willing to make changes to improve their work. What they produce initially might not be perfect, but because they are willing to accept the fact they aren't "all that," it's easy to help them improve.

Which leads me to believe the same is true in our relationship with our heavenly editor, the Holy Spirit. When we practice acceptance—of ourselves, of others, of situations—we open a dialogue through which the Spirit of the Living God can work with us, direct us, correct us, and guide us into excellence.

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble."
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 

1 Peter 5:5-7 NKJV

For me personally, that means less time spent rebuking things in prayer, and more time spent asking "how can I make the best of this situation as it stands?" 

I see this principle in practice in the fifth chapter of John, when Jesus comes upon the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda. Now, before you read, realize that we are ALL, in some way, the crippled man, the individual who is unable to move forward, unable to change his situation...

"Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie — the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.  One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"
"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."
Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."  At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

John 5:2-9 NIV

The question Jesus asked of the crippled man is the question I think He is asking us all in whatever hindering situation we find ourselves... "Do you want to get well?" Unfortunately, the invalid's response, an excuse, is all too often our response, as well.

What was Jesus' answer? He told the crippled man to suck it up, or more literally, to pick it up and move on. For that invalid, picking up his mat, which represented all his excuses, all his weaknesses, all his shortcomings and failures and inability (talk about an identity crisis!) was a tangible statement of acceptance... not just accepting his weaknesses, but more importantly, accepting God's supernatural assistance. From that point of acceptance, he got up and walked away.

What is it you need to accept, in order to receive God's help?

 Niki Turner is a writer, former pastor's wife, mother of four, and grandmother of two.

Life Impacting Fiction - Soul's Gate

By Dina Sleiman

Today I had planned to talk about editing. I've officially launched a little novel content editing business called "Step Up to Excellence." You can read more about it here.

But I decided to pre-empt that regulary scheduled (somewhat commercial) broadcast to share with you a truly life-transforming book I just read. If you're a part of Christian writers circles, you already know that there's been a lot of discussion lately on whether we're writing fiction that merely entertains or that actually impacts lives. I know I personally have been struggling with my purpose as an author. But last week I read a book that truly affected me. My hope and prayer is that someday I will write a novel that will be a fraction as powerful as this one. It is far and away my new favorite.

That novel is Soul's Gate by Jim Rubart. I would like to examine what makes it truly great. First, so that all you will want to read it. But also to inspire the authors among us to strive to write this type of fiction that truly advances God's kingdom here on earth.


In deciding if I was ready to make the bold declaration that this was now my favorite novel, I started mentally scrolling through some of my past favorite novels. Then of my favorites, I narrowed that list down to the truly life-changing ones that I bought multiple copies of and forced my friends and relatives to read: The Passion of Mary-Margaret, Arena, Embrace Me, Rooms, A Stray Drop of Blood, and Havah. Every one of these books was beautifully written and spiritually powerful. I highly recommend all of them. But as I considered Soul's Gate, I realized that it combined the best elements of each of these.

Like The Passion of Mary-Margaret, it illustrated an intimate relationship with God and characters willing to give everything for Christ. Like Arena, it offered an insightful glimpse into the spiritual realm and spiritual warfare. Like Embrace Me it cut through all the b.s. of religion and pierced straight to the true heart of Christianity. Like Rooms, it demonstrated the beauty of inner healing. Like A Stray Drop of Blood, it portrayed the amazing, overwhelming power available in the blood of Christ. And like Havah, it spoke to me right where I was at that moment and transformed my life. Oh sure, there are novels I love because they're beautiful or funny or touching, but these are the ones that have affected me the most. And I can't ignore books like the old Frank Peritti novels or The Shack that impacted me as well, but I feel like Soul's Gate went to a new place for a new time.

As I mentioned, this book was exactly what I needed exactly when I needed it. While I loved Jim's novel Rooms, it mostly dealt with inner healing issues I'd already tackled and revelations I'd already received. Book of Days had more impact on me, but this novel went far beyond. I so needed this infusion of faith and power in my life right now. This reminder that the spirit world is more real than the illusory one all around me that presses on my senses day in and day out. And I needed to have my fighting spirit revived. Another wonderful aspect of this book, which I've never found in a novel before, was the direct link between quantum physics, faith, and the spiritual realm. I'm a closet physics geek, so this delighted me to no end.

The novel challenges you to believe what the Bible really says and to tap into the supernatural power available in the Holy Spirit. The author says in the back that his main purpose for the book was to demonstrate freedom in Christ, but there was no way to get there without looking at spiritual warfare as well. From healing, to prophecy and vision, to being transported in the spirit and invisibilty cloaks, this book takes a look at a sort of Christianity few truly believe in. A sort of Christianity that I remember longing for once upon a time with childlike faith. For the sake of the story, it also examines the possibility of going into the souls of others to fight for their freedom. While the author admits that this is not precisely true, it does seem to be in a very accurate portrayal of a spiritual reality.

My husband just finished the book, and he's already shared with me practical testimonies of how it has changed his way of living and thinking. I've sent a gift copy to my mom as well. No doubt, I'll soon be buying lots of extra copies and wrangling all my loved ones into reading it. I not only highly recommend this book, I'd say it's a must read for every Christian. I'm sure I will read this one again and again. No matter where you are in your walk with the Lord, I think you'll find something in this book to minister to you. And even for non-Christians, I can't help but think you'd enjoy this peek at what Christianity was truly meant to be.

I can't finish this post without mentioning that James Rubart also ranks among my favorite people that I've ever met. It would be hard to imagine anyone else writing this amazing book. He is one of the truest believers and most inspiring people I've ever had the pleasure of spending time with. Everything about him radiates the love of Christ. And may I add, I'm so excited that he has now quit his day job to write for us all full time :)

I sincerely hope this life impacting book will be a huge hit and a best-seller! Honestly, I'd much rather you read this novel than one of mine. Soul's Gate is the first in a series, and I'll be sure pre-order the sequels just as soon as possible.

What is your favorite novel ever? What novel impacted your life the most?
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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. Join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. http://dinasleiman.com