Praying Different Prayers

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Prayer is an essential part of a Christian's life. It's how we talk with God. The first prayer we need to pray is the prayer of contrition and faith. It's where we confess our sins, repent, and ask forgiveness as we express our acceptance and belief in the Gospel message and what Christ did for us on the cross. However, we should continue to repent and pray for forgiveness as we see where we fail and sin again.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms (Psalm 95:2).

I believe most prayers should contain parts full of gratitude and praise. God is worthy of all the praise, thanks, and worship we can give Him. It's also good to say quick prayers of gratitude throughout the day as we recognize his many blessings, both great and small. It's hard to be sad or depressed with an attitude of gratefulness.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

The bulk of our prayers are likely to fall into the third category, prayers of supplication and intercession. This is where we make our requests and petitions for ourselves and others. When we're faced with troubles, crises, and dilemmas for which we have no answers or have a need, and when we know of someone for whom this is true, we should take it to God. The stronger our prayer lives, the more we will live in peace, contentment, and the freedom that relying on Him brings.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:3).

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 1880 Town

On our way to Deadwood last year, my husband and I found an interesting 1880 town in Midland, South Dakota. In fact, that's what it's called. Some of the buildings there were reconstructed, but others were historical buildings that were moved in. I plan to do a series of blogs about the site when time permits between posting about my books and writing because I've got another book in the works set in Deadwood, and it will be set in 1880. But more about that at a later time.

The town first began as a set for a Western movie in a nearby small town. A main street was constructed from old buildings and Clarence Hullinger loaned them artifacts and antiques. When winter set in, the movie company left, abandoning the movie set and giving it to Clarence for the use of his old items. The set was moved to an eighty-acre site, and the 1880 Town opened.

Today, tourists can visit over thirty buildings as well as other outside points of interest. It gives a good overview of what life in a Western town in the late 1800s might have been like. By reviewing the history of the actual buildings and learning of the people who lived and worked there, visitors also get a taste of local history. My husband and I spent over half a day there, and for two history buffs, it was well worth the time. I'll be writing more about specific sections and buildings later.

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 Sanctification

In his book, Spiritual Warfare Answer Book, David Jeremiah gives an excellent explanation of sanctification. I thought I would share it with you:

"The word sanctification means 'to be set apart for a special purpose.' It is another way of looking at our journey with Christ. . . ."

There are three parts to sanctification --

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate (Hebrews13:12).

"Post sanctification happened the moment you said yes to Christ by accepting His offering of Himself on the cross as payment for your sins, and you were washed by the blood of Christ. God declared that your debt was paid in full. He reserved a place for you in the heavenly places for eternity, and the Holy Spirit entered your heart. And that is just the past part!"

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17).

"Present sanctification is an ongoing process as, spiritual molecule by spiritual molecule, we are conformed to the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Through prayer and by studying His Word, we become victors over issues in our lives as we become more like Christ. We learn to make decisions that honor Him. . . ."

. . . the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23b).

"Then, the most thrilling of all, there is future sanctification. There will be a day when we are finally freed from the presence of sin. As there can be no sin in heaven, no impurity in God's holy presence, sin must ultimately be eliminated. I can't imagine how wonderful that will be."

"Sanctification is the process of growing in holiness -- living every day in the light of who we are in Christ."

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 Chapter Considerations

Not too long ago, I participated in an authors' panel where the audience asked questions. Among other questions, we were asked how we decided the length of our chapters and where to break them. As you can imagine, the answers varied among the six different authors on the panel.

One of the authors made each chapter a specific number of pages. Another said he broke them whenever the time seemed right according to what was happening in the story. Still another left a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter to keep the reader turning pages. 

I'm not that precise in dividing my chapters, but I have developed some guidelines. However, I might not always follow them if it seems better not to. Generally, I try to avoid extremely long chapters. I find that readers are more satisfied and feel a greater sense of accomplishment if the chapters are not massive. My husband recently read a book where the chapters were from forty to sixty pages long, and he complained about it. He found it hard to get to a good stopping place.

I like to occasionally end chapters with a cliffhanger, but I don't always try to do so. I find that it's sometimes hard to work those into the right places, and as a reader, I don't like a whole book that way. If I stay up too late reading, I always regret it the next day and don't view the book favorably.

I don't try to have the same exact number of pages in each chapter either. I don't see the point in that, and I try to balance the number of pages with what's happening in the story and where an ending seems natural. I always try to be flexible enough to choose what's best for that particular book.

The truth is, there's no right or wrong answer to the question. Authors have different writing styles just as readers have different preferences. The correct answer is whatever works for the author and their readers.

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Being Different

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who called you out of the darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).

The United States of America could once say the same thing. We were first a nation founded on biblical principles and blessed by God. When the new nation formed after the Revolutionary War, our founders had the foresight to know we needed the freedom to worship according to our consciences; religion can not be legislated because it's a matter of the heart. Everyone must choose for themselves.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15).

Over the years, we as a nation have drifted farther and farther away from God. God calls His people to stand out from the crowd and stand up for Him. Have Christians done this in the way God intended? Have we shone our lights into the darkness that's creeping in to try to envelop the world? Have we demonstrated righteous living and godly choices?

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).

When we accept Christ into our lives, He transforms us so we become new. We should no longer conform to the world's standards or try to act like nonbelievers. We should seek the things of God -- those things that are right and good and acceptable to Him. We should strive to please Him and not man, to fit into His Kingdom, not a worldly one. What a difference we could make if all Christians understood this and acted on it within their own lives!

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 Wishy-Washy or Incomplete Answers

So long ago that I don't remember when, I learned that, if I wanted to make good grades, be successful, or win competitions, I needed to follow directions, guidelines, and rules. If I don't want to do that, I don't expect success. That theory has done me well and allowed me to be somewhat of an over-achiever.

I must have learned this somewhere in my early school years because I remember it being in place when I attended college. It helped me test well, make better grades than I would have otherwise, and establish a good rapport with some of my professors. I have even won four prestigious awards as a teacher, as well as scholarships for summer travel to India and Mexico by following the guidelines and being thorough on the applications.

I've also won numerous contests and hundreds of county fair ribbons by carefully following the guidelines. So, I don't understand it when I hold online event contests to give away some of my books, and people only give vague or half answers. They certainly don't reply appropriately to the question or task given. I disregard those answers and only draw from the complete ones.  I feel that avid readers, of all people, should be able to read and follow directions. If they don't, it's not fair to the ones who do to be rewarded. 

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Top or Bottom, Light or Dark

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).

Some fish are bottom feeders. Even when given good food nearer the surface, they still return to the dark bottom to eat garbage. Catfish, suckers, and bream are some common types of fish you may be familiar with that are often considered bottom feeders. But as with humans -- an analogy that is coming up -- some of these bottom-feeding fish eat more refuse than others.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deed should be reproved (John 3:20).

Many Christians are like those fish. They go to church on Sundays to be fed in the Word, but they return to worldly garbage the rest of the week. They exist, they survive, but they never really thrive. They might pretend, look, and act as if they do, but nobody lives as well as they could or should on filth and garbage. A few even resort to drugs or alcohol at times during the week. They think no one knows their secrets and how they really live, but God knows, and in the end, such a lifestyle will destroy them.

But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought to God (John 3:21),

If you live a selfish life through the week just like you did before you were saved and if neither you nor anyone else can tell any difference in your life from what it was like prior to salvation then you might question whether or not you are really saved and rectify that. The only way to live the abundant life God wants to give us is to surrender to Him and live for Him. You must become a new creature. Your perspective and desires change.

Do you feed on God's Word regularly and spend time with Him in prayer? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Spiritually speaking, are you drawn to the Light and have your eyes fixed upward on eternal things? Are you more of a bottom-feeder or a top-feeder? If you aren't sure or don't like the answers, the Lord will help you change.

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 A Match for Merle

Vanessa Acker appeared in my very first book in The Matchmakers - Agatha Returns series as a minor antagonist. With her forward ways and cutting remarks, she didn't make herself very likable. After A Match for Marshall, she also made brief appearances in A Match for Cord and A Match for Silas. When I first wrote about her, I didn't know she'd end up being the heroine of her own book, but here she, doing just that, in A Match for Merle.

In this novel, the reader gets to see life from Vanessa's point of view and watch as she gradually begins to change. Merle Warner is a new character. He's been a real estate speculator, traveling ahead of the railroad, buying up land, and selling it for a profit after the railroad comes through; but now he's ready to settle down and start a family, so he contacts a well-known matchmaker in Chicago. The moment he sees Vanessa, he knows she's going to be a challenge, but he almost looks forward to it.

I once heard an actor say that it was more fun to play the part of a villain than the part of a hero. I found that writing about Vanessa flowed easily, and although she starts changing from the moment she meets Merle, she needed to be shocked into seeing what she'd become, so there is also a pivotal moment at the climax of the story. I hope readers enjoy this third novel of mine in the collection because it has a different slant. It publishes on July 1 and is on preorder now.

Link to A Match for Merle

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