All or Nothing

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 16:25).

When we make the decision to become a Christian and accept Jesus as our Savior, we can't just accept part of Him or choose to act like a Christian when we think it's convenient. Yet, that's exactly what some of us have tried to do, and then we wonder why being a Christian wasn't all we thought it would be.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Too many people trust themselves more than they trust God. They look to themselves to handle things and may turn to God if things get desperate enough, but they basically depend on themselves. We need to understand how weak and frail we really are and how much we need the Lord. It's only when we see our pitiful state of brokenness that we can become strong in Jesus.

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps (Jeremiah 10:23).

If we surrender to Him, He will use life's trials and triumphs to mold us into the people He designed us to be, but we must give Him complete control. When we give Him our all - all that we have and all that we are - He will become our All in All. That's when we'll realize what living a Christian life is all about. That's when we realize He is all we need.

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Writing Christian Fiction

Several people have asked me why I choose to write Christian fiction when other genres are more popular. The answer is more multi-faceted and  complicated than it would first appear. It is intertwined with who I am and what I see as important in my life.

One of the main reasons I write Christian novels is that I see my writing as a gift from God and a great blessing. When I look at my roots and where I came from, it's a miracle that I learned to like language, love writing, and be able to publish books. Since God gave me this love of writing, I want to use it to glorify His name and further His kingdom. This is also why I donate all my profits to a scholarship fund for missionary children. May God use my writing according to His will and I always write what is pleasing to Him.

I would like for my books to touch people in a special way. I want them to come away encouraged, enriched, and feeling they've discovered or been reminded of some important truth. I cringe at some of the books I see. I don't know how someone would want their name on a book filled with profanity; steamy, explicit sex scenes; or blood and gore. I want to write books that I can be proud of, even when my grandchildren read them.

I write Christian books, because my faith is a big part of who I am. At this point in my life, I think it would be far harder for me to write a secular book than a Christian book.  God has blessed me in so many ways and been with me through all the valleys and over all the rough terrain. He means everything to me. The better question is how could I not write Christian fiction?

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The First Movie Theater

The first movie theater in the U.S. opened on June 26, 1896, in New Orleans. Called "Vitascope Hall" after Mr. Edison's motion picture machine which had only been out for about three months, it cost 10 cents to get in.  New York businessman, William "Pop" Rock started the movie house, and he was quoted as saying "We packed them in." At this time, motion pictures were in their infancy and often considered a novelty. Few imagined such a popular future.

Rock refurbished an empty store for the opening. He basically covered the windows with black canvas and brought in around 400 chairs. He paid $2,500 for the projector, which was an exorbitant sum in that day, and the movies were short, only lasting a few minutes. Of those first films, The Kiss seems to have been the most popular with audiences, despite the fact that many clergymen didn't approve of showing kissing passionately.

Rock chose to keep Vitascope Hall open for only a few months, closing it in October 1896. For one thing, he planned to return to his home in New York. First, however, he would continue to give exhibitions at other locations in New Orleans.  In the meantime, other similar movie theaters were planned and opened quickly in the larger cities to take advantage of the new fad, a fad that would become a very popular form of entertainment.

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Slow Down, Be Still

Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10).

Most of us live a hurry-up, rush-rush life. There's fast food, automated teller machines, convenience stores, drive through windows, and other measures aimed at customers with busy life-styles. New inventions and technology advertise they make life easier but they often also make it more hectic.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought of the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself,... (Matthew 6: 25 & 33-34).

Stress is at an all time high. The American Stress Institute tells us that 44% of Americans say they feel more stressed today than they did 5 years ago, and that's with all the baby-boomers retiring. One out of five people admit to having extreme or debilitating stress. Three out of four doctors' visits are for stress-related illnesses. It increases the likelihood of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. It causes overeating, insomnia, and shrinks the brain. It's estimated that stress costs our country $300 billion dollars each year in medical bills and lost productivity.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower (Psalm 18:2).


Maybe this is one of the reasons waiting on the Lord seems so hard to us. We're not used to being still. In fact, if we think we might have to wait, most of us pull out our smart phones, pads, or e-readers. But God tells us to do just that - to wait on Him. He also set a day aside each week to be a day of rest and worship, because He knew we would need that.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord (Psalm 27:14).

Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord...(Exodus 31:15).

God never meant for us to join the rat race, and we don't have to when we find our rest in him. If we surrender to Him, He will direct our paths, and they won't turn into race tracks.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:6).

Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path...(Psalm 27:11).

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Writing Sales' Gimmicks

I'm not a fan of the gimmicks some authors use to try to attract readers or up sales. I consider some of them to be manipulative, underhanded, and unethical. I think the best way to attract and keep readers, thereby building a fan-base, is to write a wonderful story and be sensitive to the readers. Gimmicks might increase sales short-term, but I don't think they'll keep readers long-term.

Putting a cliffhanger at the end of a story is one such gimmick. Authors do this thinking they'll have the reader hooked, and they'll want to buy the next book in the series to see what happens. I think this is despicable. I feel the author has an unwritten contract with the reader to present a complete story, and to not do so without being upfront about it is dishonest. Thankfully, I've seen a few authors who do say that their book leaves things hanging at the end, and I have no problem with this. However, I will never buy the next book when an author does this without forewarning.

Giving away free books is another way many authors hope to lure readers. This is more ethical and doesn't affect the readers in the negative way a cliffhanger does, where they buy a faction of a book thinking it's complete. However, I question whether or not free books are effective or if they might actually hurt authors in the long run. I've offered my books on sale for as low as 99 cents, but I've yet to make them free. However, I am monitoring this and may experiment with it down the road. Right now, I'm too skeptical.

Drawings for books or free prizes, especially through Rafflecopter or some other such engine also bothers me. For one thing, it takes a long time to do all their little tasks. For another, it gives away my information and usually signs me up to a newsletter. Although there's nothing wrong with all this for those who choose to participate, it's not for me. I see it as a waste of time, and I'd rather spend my time writing or reading.

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The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York from France on June 19, 1885. Designed by French sculptor, Frederic Barholdi and constructed by Gustave Eiffel, it was a gift to the United States in honor of the liberty the two countries now had. The statue was shipped disassembled in crates and erected on then Bedloe's Island (now Liberty Island) in the harbor of New York City.

France would provide the statue and the United States was to provide the place for it, but fundraising came slowly for the project in the United States. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer finally began a donation drive and had more than 120,000 contributors, most of them giving less than a dollar. The statue's dedication was marked by New York's first ticker-tape parade. President Grover Cleveland presided over the ceremony.

The copper statue is of a woman wearing a robe and holding a torch above her head. She represents Libertas, the Roman goddess. In her left arm she carries a tablet inscribed with the date, July 4, 1776, in Roman numerals. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue has become a symbol of freedom and welcome. May those values continue to stand.

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Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen in Our Country?

A friend recently sent me this answer Anne Graham Lotz, Billy Graham's daughter, gave in an interview. Like me, you may have heard some of this before, but in light of recent events, it bears repeating. Here is a large part of what she said:

"I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government, and to get out of our lives." God will not force Himself on us. "I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone? In the light of recent events - I think it started when Madeline Murray O'Hare complained she didn't want prayers in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school - the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." 

"Funny  how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to" Hades. "Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar, and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Funny we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. No nation or people can ever survive or succeed without Jesus Christ."

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