Growing Faith

But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]... (Hebrews 11:6a).


After salvation, our faith should grow as we learn more and try to live for the Lord, and there're things we can do to facilitate this. Now, we are no longer alone and even have the Holy Spirit indwelling to guide and direct us. If we will heed His guidance, He'll make God's will known to us.


All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness ( 2 Timothy 3:16).

The first thing we need to do is read and study God's Word. We cannot live a Christian life and grow our faith unless we know what it says and learn who God is. It's not only new Christians who need to hear this, but more mature Christians need the reminder, too. It's all too easy to backslide and let the busyness of our lives push away spiritual things. We need to remember what's most important and set our priorities according to God's. Again, the Holy Spirit is there to help us understand.

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth (Psalm 145:18). Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Prayer is equally important. The Bible addresses this often. Jesus even gave us a model prayer to emphasize how crucial prayer is. He regularly went away to a secluded place to pray, and I'm sure He prayed all through the day. We should do both, too. Prayer is our direct line to God, a time to be in His presence in a special way. We cannot live the life God wants for us without it.

Submit yourselves therefore to God (James 4:7a).

And we must surrender, relying on God for everything. We need to give up our will and desires and seek His. This is what brings true joy and contentment. Worldly pursuits will never satisfy for long for there'll always be something missing. God wants all of us, and if we want more of Him, we must surrender. As we see how trustworthy He is and follow Him in obedience, our faith will grow by leaps and bounds. And we will be truly blessed.

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Past Storms

The second book in the In from the Storms trilogy has just been released. This is the story of Jeannie, Ian's sister, who ran away from their remote mountain cabin in Wyoming. Because Flawed People Press had a publishing glitch with the print version of Mountain Storms, it was late in getting out. Past Storms is following closely on its heels, but readers are telling me Mountain Storms reads so quickly that they're ready for the second book. I've self-published Past Storms.

When Jeannie ran away, she goes back to live with her aunt in Baltimore. She feels she needs some sort of social life to meet her future husband. When the first man she finds interesting rejects her, she turns to the next man who shows her attention. Is Linden Olsen everything he seems to be – suave, gallant, wealthy, and from high society – or will she just end up returning to Wyoming in a series of events that leave her reeling? In addition, readers will also get to see more of Aileas and Ian's story.

Dust Storms, the third and last book in the series is already written and edited. It is scheduled to be out sometime in September. It will be mainly about Brady, Aileas's stepbrother, but there'll be more of the main characters from the previous books as well. This has been the first western series I've published, but it's not likely to be the last. I have another five-book series set in New Mexico in the works.

Past Storms, Book 2 ($2.99) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TBGJBG9

Mountain Storms, Book 1 ($2.99) - https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Storms-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07R9X3PT1

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The Fairy Flag

The fairy flag is one of the great legends of Scotland. Although how many of the stories are true may be up to discussion, few try to deny that the flag is very special. No one knows for sure how the ancient flag came to be in the possession of the MacLeods of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, but rumors say it was given to a MacLeod when he fought in the Holy Land during a Crusade.

The legend says that if the MacLeods are ever in trouble, they need only unfurl the flag and they cannot be overcome. Supposedly, the flag has already been used twice in this way. In 1490, the MacLeods and the MacDonalds fought and the MacLeods were being handily defeated. They unfurled the Fairy Flag, and immediately the tide of battle turned, and they defeated the MacDonalds. A similar thing happened at Waternish in 1520. During World War II, many a young soldier from Clan McLeod carried a photo of the flag as a good luck token. Only the male heir has ever been allowed to unfurl the flag.

The brown silk is definitely not Scottish in origin and likely came from the Far East. The flag is said to have been a gift from a fairy, but the reasons differ. Some say it's a gift to an infant chieftain, others claim it came from a fairy lover, and still others attribute it to a reward for defeating an evil spirit. Today, it's tattered, darned remains are on display in the drawing room of Dunvegan Castle.

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Allegiance

Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).

Cambridge Dictionary says  allegiance means "support for a leader, country, group, or belief." We usually feel allegiance to a number of these. But no matter how many allegiances we have, as Christians, our main one should be to God. We owe Him our allegiance and devotion first and foremost.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him (1 John 2:15).

Too many people erroneously think they can accept worldly values and still be true to their faith. This is what Satan wants people to think. But the truth is, we can't straddle the fence and be a follower of Christ. A half-hearted effort just doesn't count. We must be all in or we'll end up all out. 

For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth (Psalm 32:4).

Biblical principles are still true and should be followed. Modern thought or shifting societal morality doesn't make sin any more right than it's ever been. God's Word holds the truth as it has through the ages. The best life comes from following Him in obedience, and it will continue to get even better in eternity.

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Indies, Here I Come

As with most other professional ventures, writing is a progression. When I began publishing, I went with a traditional publisher, and they've published five of my eighteen books. Realizing that I was writing new manuscripts faster than the traditional publisher could get them out (it took them over a year on the last book), I decided to also go with a smaller, print-on-demand publisher. This one normally got the books to me in about two months.

For a number of reasons, I've decided not to use the traditional publisher anymore, at least for now. In fact, I think I'm ready to venture into more self-publishing. I published the ebooks, Roslyn's Rescue and Glenda's Gold to see if I could do it. Then, I combined the two books in a print version, Time-Told Tales. I had no problems with the ebooks and worked out the glitch in Time-Told Tales.

I'm now ready to put out more indies. I will keep the print-on-demand publisher as an option, but I like having more control over the formatting and getting everything to my liking. This also allows me to have more of the profits and more say in the release date. In addition, it will be easier to go back and correct any mistakes. The traditional publisher would make no corrections. The small publisher has been willing to do some, but I don't like to ask. I actually find self-publishing exciting, and I enjoy the creative aspect.

Coming soon

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The Highland Folk Museum

One of the best museums Jim and I saw in Scotland was the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore. It has displays presenting the history and culture of the highlands from early times until the 1930's, but I enjoyed the early village best. In all, the museum houses over 12,000 artifacts, and there's no admission fee, although you are encouraged to leave a donation. There are even docents around to answer any questions.

Quern stone for grinding grains

Dr. Isabel Frances Grant founded the museum in 1935. Then, it was located on the Isle of Iona in a former church building. In 1939, the museum moved to a larger facility on the mainland. When Dr. Grant retired in 1954, the museum passed to a trust administrated by four longstanding Scottish universities: Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasglow, and St. Andrews.

Years later, an 80-acre tract of land was purchased in Newtonmore to create the outdoor museum with room to exhibit more of the highland culture. It opened in 1987. Besides reconstructing the early village, over the years, the museum has acquired more historic buildings for display, depicting different phases of the Highland's history. Many of the movies and shows with an early Scottish setting were filmed here.

Being a history major and loving to read and write historical fiction, I was in my element. My biggest regret is that I didn't have more time to explore the museum. We had about two hours to eat lunch in the cafe onsite and see as much as we could. It wasn't nearly enough.

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Powerless?

I've sat in a lot of church classes, participated in many Bible studies, and heard numerous Christian discussions. It always shocks me how many Christians feel powerless and afraid. They have been brainwashed to think there is nothing they can do to change anything. This is one reason we don't have more witnessing and disciple-making. Too many feel under attack and think the churches are losing members at alarming rates. They feel insecure and powerless.


But they shouldn't. Christians have all the power of the Holy Spirit available to them, living within them. No matter what happens, we have God's promise to be with us. That should give us all the security we need. There can be no greater security. There can be no greater power than the power of heaven. We know the end of the story, and we win. We should feel empowered by love, grace, and mercy, not powerless.

Ancient bust of Nero

Look at Paul. He lived in a time when there were very few Christ followers, but he multiplied them. He lived under the Roman rule of Nero, one of the cruelest emperors in history. The mentally and morally unstable man made persecution a spectator sport. Yet, Christianity survived and thrived. Despite all the hardships, Paul lived a blessed life because he lived in God's will. May we do the same.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

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Advertise from a Different Angle

Direct marketing isn't the only way for an author to advertise. Establishing themselves as an author by promoting topics related to their writing can also have great benefits. This is true for fiction writers as well as those who write non-fiction. Concise writing and short articles of interest are more and more in demand.

For example, five of my ten historical novels are set in the Appalachian Mountains. It's where I grew up and a culture I know well. By explaining this region and its people, I have interested potential readers and helped present myself as a serious author. The same can be said for other articles I've written, like the ones on history or the writing process. Like most authors, I have a wide range of topics I'm interested in and can pull from.

Actually, I don't blog, write these articles, or place posts on social media with marketing in mind. I write from the heart about what interests me. Promoting my books is just a side effect that happens automatically. I also do some direct marketing, however, and think authors should do both. But in the end, I've found that indirect, as well as direct advertising, can have great benefits.

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Hairy Coos

"Hairy coo" is the Scottish way of saying "hairy cow." It's the nickname given to Highland cattle, the oldest existing breed of cattle in the world. They still frequent pastures in the Highlands of Scotland, and I also found them in the Highland Village, a reconstructed history site in Nova Scotia. However, with an internet search, you can find them for sale in many locations.

Highland cattle are a hardy breed, and winter well. They have a double coat of hair. The shaggy exterior coat has oils to help them brave the elements, and there's a downy second coat underneath for insulation. Their foraging skills also help them survive. They will climb steep slopes to find food and eat plants other cows pass by. In heavy snow, they'll use their horns to dig for the food underneath. They have a longer lifespan than many breeds, up to twenty years.

These cattle have a range of colors, but reddish brown is the most common and black is the oldest. Their milk is rich with butterfat, and their meat is considered high-quality but lower in cholesterol than most beef. They are a distinctive breed that stands out among all others. I enjoyed seeing them grazing the hillsides of Scotland.

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Being Pretty Good

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10).

I've never forgotten the lovely young woman who felt she was heaven-bound because she was "pretty good." After all, she didn't cheat, steal, or kill. She tried to be a good wife and mother and do the right thing. She felt she had no need to make any changes, accept Christ as her Savior, or be baptized. She felt she was doing just fine the way she was.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe and mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone (Matthew 23:23 and see 13-34).

This is much the way most of the Pharisees felt in Jesus' time. They didn't feel as if they needed to make any changes, because they felt righteous. After all, they did their best to keep all the laws and to make sure other Jews did the same. But Jesus didn't see it that way. He saw their cold, unforgiving hearts that needed a strong dose of love and compassion. They were adhering to following less important laws and missing what was most important.

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).

We should never compare ourselves to others. That's not the stick by which we'll be measured. We are to compare ourselves to God, and by that standard, we'll always come up short. However, when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we get to trade our sinfulness for His righteousness, and then we can stand before God blameless. We can never be good enough, except through Jesus.

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An Author in Scotland

I recently returned from spending seven days in Scotland. Someone asked me how many book ideas would come from the experience. Honestly, I have  no idea. I know of at least one, although it will be set in the Appalachian Mountains and not Scotland. I was amazed at how much parts of Scotland's Highlands reminded me of the Appalachians. I can see why so many Scots felt at home there.

Ideas don't always come to me right away, and I never try to come up with one I'm not inspired to write. I use the ones that come to me, instead of me hunting for them. Actually, they come to me faster than I can write them. I usually have around half a dozen ideas rolling around in my head at any given time. I write the ones that never fade. This is why I've never abandoned a novel manuscript and always finish every one I start.

Scotland was certainly inspiring. A camera doesn't do justice to the magnificent scenery. Even if I never write a book set in Scotland, I'm sure it will find its way into some. In fact, it already has. In my latest book, Mountain Storms, both Ian and Aileas are of Scottish descent, and Ian wears a kilt on occasion and plays the bagpipes. Like most people born in the Appalachians, I have Scottish ancestry. Perhaps that's why I felt at home in the Highlands.

(Amazon link --https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Storms-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07R9X3PT1 )

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Scottish Faeries

Faeries hold a special place in the myths and legends of Scotland, especially in the Highlands. The creatures hold many similarities to those in Ireland, likely because they're both rooted in the countries' Celtic pasts. Faeries were often thought to be the most dangerous of all the fey.

These little people normally looked like tiny versions of humans, but they could take on almost any shape or size. Females were usually beautiful, but they could be moody, changeable, and vicious toward mortals. The Fairy Queen dresses in green and rides a horse with silver bells woven into its mane.Three things always irritated the faeries  -- whistling, cursing, and putting the hands in pockets.



Personalities ranged from kind to unpredictable to downright malicious and evil. Their magic could be helpful or lethal. Stories involving the faeries abound, stemming from folklore handed down through the ages. Its one of the facets that makes Scotland fascinating.

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