Circular Epistles

But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God (Romans 15:15).

Although the letters from the apostles often addressed specific churches, they didn't stop there. The early Christians were eager to hear what these men of God had to say, so their letters were circulated between the different congregations in the region. Today these letters that made the rounds are referred to as circular letters.

These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you (1 John 2:26).

The apostles knew this took place, and approved it. They couldn't visit all the churches they would have liked to, and the correspondence helped keep the congregations grounded in the faith. Just as it is today, it was easy for worldly corruptions to try to invade the churches. It is doubtful that Paul even went to Colosse, but he wrote them a letter to encourage them to remain obedient to God. Paul's colleague, Epapharas, started the Colossian church.

For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down (2 Corinthians 13:10).

Although more of Paul's epistles remain than any other apostle's, he certainly wasn't the only one who wrote letters. We know both John and Paul wrote to Ephesus, and Peter's first letter addresses the congregations in the four or five regions of Asia Minor. But when these apostles wrote a letter, it had far-reaching effects. It reached innumerable ears as the letters made the rounds and were read aloud to many. How often do we proclaim God's Word and encourage others?

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 Working Girls in Deadwood

Authors who went to Deadwood for last year's Wild Deadwood Reads author and book festival could take a special tour of the brothel museum there. Knowing that this was a part of Deadwood's past from almost its very beginning, I signed up for the tour.

The doors to the brothels were painted different colors to denote who owned them and the type of establishment they were. This one had a purple door that led upstairs to a parlor. The bedrooms were down a hallway. Most of the girls lived offsite and came to work at the brothel. With a town made up of mostly men, especially miners, the brothels usually did a good business. At its height in the 1880s, Deadwood had over a hundred brothels.

In my book set in Deadwood, Beckett's Brides, the working girls are mentioned, but prostitution doesn't play an important part in the novel. That wasn't what this book was about, and if it was, it would have been from a Christian perspective. However, I think the more research authors do, the more authentic they can make their stories. The trick is to work the appropriate information in so that it becomes a part of the story and not tacked on like a history lesson or textbook. Even when research details aren't used, they can affect the accurate portrayal of the overall atmosphere of the place.

Link to Beckett's Brides

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 United

...but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20.

To be in love with someone, we need to feel close to them. By the very nature of what love is, it seeks union - oneness. Many divorces could be avoided if the couples would understand and apply this. But the same thing is true of our relationship with God. Believing in Him is good, but we can do better. You can believe and still maintain your selfish interests, and this can lead to problems.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me (John 15:4).

Jesus is united with the Father so that They are One. He also unites with us if we let Him. At this point, we realize nothing we do in this life has anything of lasting value, except what we do with Him, in Him, and for Him. The most important part of Christianity is our relationship with the Lord. God created us for that relationship and to glorify Him. Our Christian service should stem from our love for and union with Him. This is truly the abundant life.

Be still and know that I am God... (Psalm 46:10).

In union, we become so attached that life without Him would be impossible. We need Him more than shelter, food, water, or air to breathe. Without Him, we would lose ourselves in the mundane things of earthly nothingness. Death has no threat because it means that we go to be with Him forever. None of this is difficult, however, because this is what the Lord desires for us, and the Holy Spirit will guide us. We simply have to want it, too, and give ourselves to Him.

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breath, and length, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).

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Gold and Deadwood 

In 1874, with one thousand men, George Armstong Custer rode into Sioux land in South Dakota to check out rumors about gold in the area. They found some gold but not a large amount. However, Custer went back East to publicize he thought there might be more. In November of 1875, prospectors found large placer deposits in Deadwood Gulch. This caused thousands of gold-seekers to flock there and establish the new town of Deadwood, still located within Native American land. Other new towns also sprang up in the area, fueled by the gold rush, and Deadwood continued to grow. The last active gold mine in the area, Homestake Mine, closed in 2001, but gold mining remained an important industry in the region for a long time. Of course, the process moved from placer mining to lode mining.

Visitors can tour some of the mines in Deadwood and nearby towns, such as Lead. One of the main mines in Deadwood opened in 1878, operated until 1904, reopened briefly in 1917, and became a tourist attraction in 1954 when it was named the Broken Boot Mine because of a boot left abandoned in the mine from long ago. It offers tours daily through the warmer months. Since gold drove the area for many years, its history is important to anyone like me, researching the history of Deadwood. 

Even though Beckett is a doctor, I still had to include gold-seeking in my book set in Deadwood in 1878. Gold was too important to the area not to. In fact, the chapter headers have pickaxes because of gold's importance in Deadwood's history. Beckett's Brides is on preorder now and will be published on June 1.

Breckett's Brides link

God Is Holy

There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee (1 Samuel 2:2a).

In his book, Worship: The Ultimate Priority, John MacArthur explains what God's holiness means: "God is holy. Of all the attributes of God, holiness is the one that most uniquely describes Him. In reality, this is a summarization of all His other attributes. The word holiness refers to His separateness, His otherness, the fact that He is unlike any other being. It indicates His complete and infinite perfection. Holiness is the attribute of God that binds all the others together. Properly understood, it will revolutionize the quality of our worship."

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy... Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

"This is not only important because it is a primary characteristic of God, but it is also important because God commands us to be like Him. Holiness is a word that essentially means 'set apart' and is closely connected to his righteousness. ... In fact, holiness is such a special characteristic of God that it affects our ability to be in His presence. When Adam sinned, he was kicked out of the garden, kicked out of the presence of God.  Because Adam was not holy anymore, he could not dwell in God's presence." (Gregory Brown, The Perfection of God.)

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

However, Christ's sacrifice made it possible for us to trade Christ's holiness for our sinfulness, and it restored our relationship with the Father. We become saints, holy before God, when we accept Christ into our lives. Glory be to God!

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