Andersonville Prison

Officially named Fort Sumter, what we now know as Andersonville Prison took its first Union prisoners on February 27, 1864. The Confederate prison camp in Georgia remained open for the last year of the Civil War. None of the Civil War prisons were good, especially in the South where supplies were so scarce, but Andersonville may have been the worst of the worst.

Andersonville survivor

It bulged with men at more than four times capacity with meager rations the men had to cook for themselves, even though they weren't given cooking utensils or firewood. For example, the cornmeal had shucks ground up in it that caused irritation and didn't digest. The water supply was inadequate and became quickly contaminated. Unsanitary conditions permeated the camp. At times the flies sat so thick they made the area look black. Of the 45,000 Northern prisoners held there, nearly 13,000 died; and the major causes of death were diarrhea, scurvy, and dysentery.

Union soldiers who marched into Andersonville at the end of the war couldn't believe what they found. The descriptions are hard to read and some of the pictures are hard to see. The commander, Captain Henry Wirz, was tried and executed for war crimes after the war. Many of the prisoners who survived Andersonville were never the same.

In Uprooted by War,* the third book in my Appalachian Roots series, the main character from the North Carolina mountains is captured at Gettysburg, sent to Salisbury Prison for a while, and then ends up at Andersonville. I did a lot of research on the prisons and struggled to make the novel realistic without being overly depressing or gloomy and maintaining a strong thread of hope. I think when they see this post, my readers will realize I didn't make it nearly as horrible as I could have, but the things that happen in the book at Andersonville are historically accurate. 

*All my profits go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.

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The Christian's Secret Weapons

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).

In Ephesians 6, Paul talks about putting on the whole armor of Christ. I love these verses. They paint a picture of fortifying ourselves to defeat our evil enemies. I'd like to examine similar analogies, but I'm going to condense the idea into three secret weapons every Christian should use. They're only secret because too many people fail to recognize their power or value.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105)

God's Word is our instruction book or battle plan. It holds God's sacred promises to us; tells us how to go about living an abundant, joyous life; gives us both examples of what to follow and what to avoid; and grows our faith and our relationship with the Master. How many Christians actually read from it every day? Do you? The answer will show how serious you are about following God.

God has handed us two sticks of dynamite with which to demolish our strongholds: His Word and prayer (Beth Moore, Praying God's Word Day by Day (kindle location 40).

The second weapon is prayer. The Bible gives us many promises concerning prayer. It likely holds more potential and gives us more power than we'll ever realize. It's great to pray short prayers all through the day, but we all need a dedicated time for formal prayer each day, too - a time when you can get on your knees (either literally or figuratively) before Almighty God and commune with Him. If you truly love the Lord, you will look forward to spending this special time in His presence. And don't do all the talking. Be still for a while and listen for His voice.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16).

The last one is the Holy Spirit. He's an often overlooked part of the Trinity, but He's the one who gives us the desire to be obedient, to care for all others, and to do good. Because God sends Him to dwell within us at the time we accept Christ as our Savior, we are never alone, never without help, and never without the power to make the right choices. He even gives us understanding when we read the Word and translates our prayers for us so they are suitable to the ears of God.


And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Luke 11:9).

Using these three weapons effectively, the way God intends, no one or nothing can defeat us. Satan even flees from them. In addition, if we ever feel overwhelmed in trying to use these weapons, all we have to do is ask for help and we will receive it. We should never try to do it on our own. Instead, rely on your not-so-secret weapons.

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I'm a Christian Writer

I am unabashedly a Christian writer. When I taught school, I wrote for many different magazines, but when I began my first novel, I knew I wanted to write for the Christian market. I did this for two main reasons. First of all, I see my writing as a gift from God, and I want to use it to glorify His name. Secondly, I want to write books I can be proud of and wouldn't be ashamed to have my grandchildren read.

This leads me to one of the problems I've found with being a Christian writer. When I say that I see my writing as a gift from God, some people think that I'm being boastful. Others think I have a superiority complex. Nothing could be further from the truth. I might boast about God, but I know how short I fall in meeting His standards. However, that's what grace is for. It's not about me or what I can do but about God and what He has done for me.

When I began looking for a publisher, I was concerned about how I would go about promoting my books. To a certain extent, an author needs to put their name out there. However, if people remember my books and find inspiration, encouragement, and truths that glorify God, I truly don't care if they ever remember my name or not. Although being a Christian writer can pose some special concerns, it also delivers great blessings.

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Presidents' Day

A few folks can still remember when the federal holidays included celebrating Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12th and George Washington's birthday on February 22nd. However, this was changed in 1968 with the passage of the Uniform Holidays Bill, which created more three-day weekends for federal employees and others that get off work on federal holidays. Beginning then, Presidents' Day would be observed on the third Monday in February to replace the other two formally observed days.

The confusion came over exactly what this day stood for. Some said it would celebrate George Washington's birthday, since his fell closer to the third Monday. Ironically, however, by putting the holiday on the third Monday, congress ensured that it would never fall on Washington's actual birthday of February 22. The latest date that the third Monday in February can be is February 21.

Most people paying attention when the bill was passed considered it to combine celebrations for both Washington and Lincoln since those two presidents' birthdays had formally been observed in February, and elementary schools often do this. However, President Nixon is usually cited as the one to present the idea that Presidents' Day should celebrate all the presidents. There have been some efforts in congress to clarify just what Presidents' Day celebrates, but none of them have made it through the legislative process.

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Preaching to the Choir

Have you heard the term "preaching to the choir." It usually means preaching to those who come to church and thereby demonstrate their faith. Usually, "preaching to the choir" is considered useless, but is it? I don't think so. This viewpoint almost assumes that once a person is converted or saved, the work is over. I don't agree. I think this is a shortcoming of many churches today. As Christians, we actually do a better job of witnessing than we do of discipling.

I think my husband and I make a good team. He is stronger in witnessing and bringing the lost to Christ. Of course, as a pastor, he also does a good job of growing the faithful. However, my strength is in teaching Christians and encouraging them into a stronger, deeper relationship with the Lord. These weekend blogs are just one small part of that ministry. I feel that all Christians are called to do both to different degrees.

I don't think any of us will ever be in a place in this world that we have all the faith we can have, are perfectly obedient to the Lord, and there's no further room for spiritual growth. In other words, most of us need more instruction, encouragement, and inspiration. I think God expects me to keep learning and putting into practice how to be more Christ-like. We need people to bring the lost into the fold, but we also need people to preach to the choir.

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100,000 Page Views
   

Yesterday the page views for my blog post went over 100,000. I started blogging about 2 years ago, and it took a while to build a following. To start off with, I blogged every day, seven days a week. But a social media expert at a writers' conference told me that was too much, and she suggested three times a week would be plenty. I followed her advice and have been blogging on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

My Monday blogs are usually about history, food, travel, or trivia. On Wednesday I talk about books, writing, or blogging. Friday I post my Christian message for the weekend. This has worked well for me. So far, I've never missed a day, although I've been a little late a couple of times. I generally post them around 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

I find the statistics on the blogs interesting. In order of the most read blogs, my ten top blogs are:  1) Cranberry Bread, 2) Mother Teresa, 3) Running from God (Jonah), 4) Badin Lake Over the Years, 5) Love Came Down at Christmas, 6) The Donner Party, 7) A Traditional English Christmas, 8) Taking the Lord's Name in Vain, 9), West Virginia Becomes a State, 10) Removing Trees in Early America.

Here are the countries where most of my readers come from (I rounded the numbers.): 

       The United States - 81,600
       Russia - 3,900
       Germany - 1,800
       The United Kingdom - 1,800
       France - 1,300
       Canada - 1,200
       Brazil - 600
       Ukraine - 500
       Ireland - 400
       Portugal - 375

I plan to continue blogging and find it's good practice for a writer. I used to write mainly for magazines, and I find these are just short articles. I've received a lot of positive comments and feedback. It's just one more way I hope to make a difference.

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Sandburg's Retirement Retreat  

Connemara

Nestled in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, Carl Sandburg and his family found the secluded beauty surrounding a home that felt more like a retreat. When you live in a place like this, you're on vacation every day. However, Carl also found it to be an inspiring place to write since his upstairs study was far enough away from the household bustle while offering a majestic view.

Carl's study

Margaret Sandburg, Carl's wife, fell in love with the area on a return trip from Florida in the 1930's. In 1945, Carl told a newspaper reporter, "A long time ago I told my wife and daughter Helga that whenever and wherever they found a place they liked better than Harvest, Michigan, we'd pull up roots. So - we're pulling them up."

While Carl continued with his writing, Margaret started a goat farm where her goats won awards and became recognized for their bloodlines. A visitor to the National Historic Site today can still see the simplicity and practical nature of the Sandburgs in the lived-in look of the home. Books are everywhere, and the parlor has a grand piano and guitar to attest to the family's love of music. Connemara is more than an author's home. It's a family's home that portrays an interesting peek at their lives.

Photos by Billy Hathorn, U.S, Dept. of Interior

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Love 

Every person has a innate, natural desire to be loved. From the time we are born, we're looking to be loved, whether we recognize and admit it or not. Our parents normally meet this need in the beginning. As we grow into childhood, special friends are also added to our group of loved ones. Later, we start dating, because we feel the need for a different kind of love than we've experienced so far, and we marry when we think we've found the mate we can love and will love us for the rest of our lives.

But no matter how many people we find to love us on earth, our need will never be completely satisfied with them. Lost friendships, divorces, and broken families all attest to this. Even if our relationships are solid, something is still missing. We were built with a love hole in our hearts that only God can fill, and we will never find complete contentment until we let Him fill it. He has the missing piece.

As a Christian author, I mainly write inspirational, historical fiction and donate all my profits to a scholarship fund for missionary children because I want to glorify God. None of my novels fit the romance category, but all of them include something about love. Love is that important. God commands it, and He made us to need it. Jesus said the greatest commandments were to love God and to love each other. Just before His crucifixion, He told His disciples to love one another as He had loved them.

Sadly, too many church members have skipped over this commandment. With their selfishness and petty concerns, they show little love to each other. However, the love we show to one another is the best testimony for Christ that we can give. It is the gift of the gospel message tied up with the ribbon of grace. It overcomes barriers of differences and forms a community of acceptance among believers. God is love, and He'll pour so much out on us that it will overflow into others if we'll let Him. How great is love!

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Sharing   

Authors shouldn't be afraid of sharing writing tips and ways to be more successful with others. I've met plenty of writers who were eager to share, but I've met others who thought the best way to get ahead was to keep the things they'd learned tightly guarded. However, I've always found the more I share, the more I get back. It's like love; the more you give away, the more it grows. With Christian writers, like myself, this should be even more true.

We shouldn't have to attend writers' conferences and seminars to get writing tips. Mentoring each other is a great way to strengthen our own skills and support each other. I was talking to a fellow writer last week who was saying how alone she felt as a writer. Although writing is a rather solitary endeavor, we should reach out to each other. Because we spend so much time in front of a computer screen, we need to look for friends who understand us and our craft.

Many writers have a teaching or training background of some type. It should be natural for us to let others know what works for us and what doesn't. The business of writing continues to change, and hearing from others helps us adjust. I love to talk about writing, and I don't get to do it enough. Therefore, I love to share. What about you?

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Braided Rugs

In early America, rugs were an important home furnishing. With drafty houses and floors that tended to stay cold whether or not they had cracks where the outside air could seep through, rugs thrown here and there added comfort. Braiding rugs to use was relatively easy, and they could be made of folded string scraps, using materials already on hand.

The rug maker cut each strip 2 - 2 1/2 inch-wide and as long as possible. They folded each side in to the center to make it thicker and prevent any raw edges from raveling. To begin, they would sew a strip into a fold of another to form a T-shape, and this would give three ends to begin normal braiding. As one strip ran out, another would be sewn to it. When the rope was long enough, it would be sewn together, usually to form a round or oval rug. The tricky part is to not sew it too tightly or the rug will begin to curl up. However, if it is too loose it will begin to wear quicker and the stitches might break apart. Following exact braiding directions of an experienced braider will help. For example, skipping some loops on the outside braid when lacing will also prevent curling. You can find plenty of information online or in books that most libraries have.

Braided rugs can give a colorful accent and homey atmosphere to early American or eclectic decor. If you have the time and inclination, they are easy to make. If not, there's plenty of ready-made ones available for purchase. Either way, you can have a touch of history.

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Lord of Your Life  

God told Samuel, "Those who honour me I will honour" (1 Samuel 2:30).

Who sits on the throne of your life? When asked that question, most Christians would automatically say "Jesus Christ" or "God." But is that true? Have you really given Him full control of all parts of your life? Have you put Him above everything else, making Him the most important. Have you made Him Lord, and do your choices and the way you live your life reflect that?   

Jesus said, "If any man serve me, him will my father honour" (John 12:26).

Most people, even Christians, try to take control themselves. This never works well, because we don't have the foreknowledge to make the best decisions. Then, when things become messy, they might turn to God, yet the truth is we're never really in control. We either serve God or Satan. There is no other option. The man who prides himself on his independence is just fooling himself. There are no self-made men.

God's claim to pre-eminence...is His by every right in earth and in heaven. When we take to ourselves the place that is His, the whole course of our lives gets out of joint. Nothing will or can restore order until out hearts make the great decision: God shall be exalted above (A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, kindle location 1085-1086).

Most of the Pharisees in the Bible didn't understand this. They thought they could exalt themselves and God at the same time. By doing this, however, they were trying to make themselves equal to or above God. Either you make God supreme Lord of your life, or He's not your Lord at all.  

Jesus answered, "If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God" ( John 8:54). 

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Characters in The Farmers Series

In my new book, Promise, the first in The Farmers series, the characters surprised me. My original intention was to have the novel equally split between the older couple, Edna and Floyd Farmer, and Isaac Jackson. However, once Isaac came on the scene, he took over and became the only main character in Promise, and Edna and Floyd become important secondary characters. Here are the characters in the order of importance:

Isaac Jackson - has a good heart but gets in trouble in the inner city trying to steal a car. When he's sent by the court to live with the Farmers for six months, he's determined to make a good impression so he can get back to take care of his younger brother and sister, since his parents are into drugs.

Edna Farmer - has a cheerful, down-to-earth disposition. She tends to see the best in people, rely on God, and isn't afraid to say what needs to be said.

Floyd Farmer - has a folksy sense of humor, comes up with some timely sayings, and is honest to a fault. The responsibility of the farm and conflict with his son gets him down sometimes, but he looks to God, and nothing keeps him down for long. He's solid, dependable, and a good father figure.

Lydia West - is bubbly and cheerful, but she's also a bit spoiled and used to getting her own way. She attends church and youth group with Isaac, but he doesn't date her at first, thinking he'll be returning to the city soon.

Winston Robinson - is the class cut-up and bully. He takes a dislike to Isaac and begins to harass him.

Devaun Hamilton - at one time was Isaac's best friend, but he starts dealing drugs and is involved in other criminal activities, which he tries to pull Isaac into. He only cares about himself.

Cameron Sawyer - befriends Isaac, especially where Winston is concerned. He knows what he wants in life, has a deep faith, and is very popular. 

There are a few more minor characters, but the ones listed here are the ones that continue throughout the trilogy. Some of the children in Promise will also grow into important characters, but I'll talk more about them as the other books (Peace and Pardon) are released. Promise is available now, and I will be publicizing it later this week. As with all my books, it has a definite ending, and all my profits go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.

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