True Freedom

Americans value their freedom, but few of us are truly free. Many times we're weighed down with worries, responsibilities, and a life far from ideal. Often people try to make things better by working harder, accumulating more possessions, or finding people who will love them.

Yet, the only real freedom is found in Jesus Christ. He not only died in order to free us from our sins if we will only believe on Him, but living a life surrendered to Him is how to be truly free. When we follow His Word and will and act in a Christ-like way that is the antithesis of what we would normally do, we experience a unique type of feeling that is almost impossible to describe. But how freeing it is!

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another (Galatians 5:13).

Just this week, for example, a friend that turned her back on me and wouldn't even speak for almost a year, called me. She tried to blame her actions on someone else and said I had done nothing wrong. I didn't hold a grudge, didn't treat her in a similar way she had treated me, and I opened my heart up to her again. I knew right away this wasn't coming from me but Christ working in me. How freeing!

Finding Christ, letting Him have His way in you and with you, is the way to true happiness, true freedom. Let's recognize this today and act on it. On this Fourth of July week, let's help lead our country back to actually being "one nation under God," so that we all can be truly free.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36).

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Release Party

I've decided to step out of my comfort zone and launch my first facebook party to celebrate the release of my new book, Uprooted by War. I just got word that my publisher is putting all my books on sale for a few days beginning on July 7th to draw attention to the new release. Therefore, I'm planning the facebook party for Friday, July 8 from 1:00 p.m EDST until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 9 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.

There will be prizes of free books (different ones in both ebooks and print), a special tee-shirt, and surprises. You can ask any questions of the characters from the books or the author, share your opinions, offer suggestions, or just chat. Come and stay or just check in now and then, according to the time you have. 

Since this is the first time I've done an event like this, please send along any suggestions you might have. I'm going to try to make everything as easy as possible. You won't have to go to blogs, get on mailing lists, or do a rafflecopter to win prizes. So, mark your calendars, bring your imaginations, and let's have a virtual party.

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Germans in the Colonies

One of the largest ethnic groups to settle in what would become the United States were the Germans. They normally had a persistent work ethic that enabled them to thrive in less than ideal situations and didn't mind settling in the backcountry. When the best land had already been taken, they moved into western areas. Therefore, regions, such as the Southern Appalachians, have a strong German influence. This is one of the reasons I chose a German family, the Mortzes, in writing my Appalachian Roots series, set in the North Carolina Blue Ridge. Of course, they intermarry with families from other origins - the Cagles, O'Learies, Morgans, and Whitleys. Most of us who have an Appalachian heritage have some German in our family trees.

Of course, Pennsylvania had the largest percentage of German settlers of any of the early colonies. The majority of these came from the Palatinate, a fertile area in the Southern Rhine that had had its share of problems. Feudal lords heavily taxed the people to pay for exorbitant lifestyles, and invaders from the Thirty Years War spilled into the region. In addition, religious persecution became commonplace if practices differed from those of the local lord.

All profits from my books go to a
scholarship fund.

Hoping to find people to settle the colony of Pennsylvania, William Penn personally visited the Palatinate in 1682, and Philadelphia became the port of choice for German immigrants to the New World. In the spring of 1709, about a thousand German immigrants arrived in the thirteen colonies each day. Edgar Moretz's relatives arrived this way in the Appalachian Roots series, and Stanton Klein's grandparents and father did in the historical novel set in colonial Pennsylvania, When Winter Is Past.

Later, there would be a big push of German settlers into the western half of the colonies south of Pennsylvania, especially Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. The Great Wagon Road became a heavily traveled pathway into the Southern colonies and journeys often continued on after the almost 400 miles of the official road. This all became an important part of our country's history.

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Why Do You Read Your Bible?

Too many come to church and read their Bibles from a sense of duty rather than a sense of pleasure. Even so, with prayers for help and by sticking with it, they can get to the point where they hunger and thirst for the Word and look forward to studying it at least daily. It can be a delight.

Others want to open their Bibles to fix what problems they have at the time. Although it's true the Bible offers words of wisdom that deliver answers and comfort, if we only turn to the Bible to satisfy our needs then we haven't moved beyond our selfish outlook to become the servants Christ asks us to be. "If we only open the Bible when we're in trouble, then we're in trouble" (Sweeter Than Chocolate, Cindy Bower, kindle loc. 183). 

How much better it is to study the Bible in order to know God, understand His teachings, and please the Creator Whom we love. A side effect of this is that we'll prevent many problems from starting, and the ones that do won't have nearly the impact, because our focus is on our Lord and not our circumstances. This is the way to live free indeed!

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

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My Top Ten Favorite Authors

Someone told me I should do a blog listing my favorite authors, so I'm going to try to comply. However, this might be the most difficult blog I've ever written. I love to read, and I read a lot - around 250 books a year, in addition to my own writing. I like many different authors, and each of them have their strengths and weaknesses.

But here goes, to the best of my ability. These are not ranked in any particular order. It's hard enough to choose my ten top favorites, and it would be nearly impossible for me to put those in order. In addition, if you were to ask me the same question on a different day, you might very well get a slightly different answer. These are not etched in stone.

Francine Rivers (especially Redeeming Love)
Laura Frantz                                      
Karen Witemeyer
MaryLu Tyndall
Tamara Leigh
Janice Thompson
Sandra Robbins
Irene Hannon
JoAnn Durgin
K. Victoria Chase (only read one of hers - From Across the Divide)

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West Virginia Becomes a State

West Virginia's Independence Hall

On June 20, 1863, West Virginia was admitted to the Union as the 35th state. The area had theoretically been part of Virginia since 1607. It became one of two states (the other was Nevada) to enter the Union during the Civil War and the only one to pull out of a Confederate state. Like many citizens in the Appalachian Mountains, the majority of West Virginians sided more with the Union than they did with the rebelling Confederacy.

On May 13, 1862, the legislature had approved forming a new state, and they sent an application to Washington to be admitted to the Union on December 31, 1862. Lincoln approved it on the condition that they add the gradual abolition of slavery into their constitution. The convention met again and did this, so on April 20, 1863, Lincoln issued the proclamation admitting the new state at the end of 60 days. This happened on June 20th.

In my new Civil War novel from the Appalachian Roots series, Uprooted by War, Aaron Carter, Luke's friend at Andersonville Prison comes from West Virginia. Here is when they first meet:

          

             The young man answered, “I’m Aaron Carter from West Virginia. I guess we’re both mountain boys.”

            “How long have you been here, Aaron?”

            “Just a week. I’ve been staying out in the open, so I’m glad to have some shelter. I don’t see how they keep packing guys in here. It’s inhuman.”

            “It is, but we can’t do anything right now but try to make the best of it.”

            “Are we going to make it?” Aaron’s voice shook.

            “I plan to. If we stick together, we’ll have a better chance. The man you helped carry out turned out to be a good friend. I’m devastated by his needless death. He helped make this dreadful place more bearable. I’ll sorely miss him, and I hated finding him like I did.” Luke shook his head in disbelief.

            “I could use a friend, and I agree it would make things better.”

            “You sound educated.”

            “I’d been going to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville until the war broke out. When Virginia went with the Confederacy, I went back to West Virginia and joined the Union. Of course, we weren’t a separate state at that point.”

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

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How Sweet It Is!

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 119:103).

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10).

People approach the Bible in a similar way they indulge in sweets. There are the nibblers, who taste a little here and a little there. Some pinch and scratch, like they do when choosing from a box of chocolates. They want to be sure to read only the portions they like. Others like a sundae for dessert. They only approach the Word of God on Sunday mornings. However, the ones who get the most from it choose the smorgasbord. After all, you can't get too much of God's Word, and it needs to be read and studied in its entirety, at least part of the time.

We often cheat ourselves by looking for convenience and the easy way without much being required of us. "We look for grab-n-go verses or a pre-packaged daily devotional instead of taking time to savor the richness of all God's Word has to offer" (kindle loc. 192). The Bible should be savored and enjoyed - all of it.

Sometimes we even feel disappointed in ourselves that we don't enjoy the Bible more. But we can change our misconceptions and our attitudes. It becomes easier to understand and more relevant when we do more than pick and choose verses. Reading large portions of the entire Bible lets us see things in context and the big picture. The Bible shows us who God is and how He operates in the lives of people. What could be more important or relevant than that?

[Parts from Sweeter Than Chocolate, Developing an Addiction to God's Word by Cindy Bower.]

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