The Road to Real Success

There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand (Proverbs 19:21).

There are no "self-made" men. That's a lie Satan has an easy time perpetuating. We, humans, like to think we're in control and that we orchestrate our own successes, but that's a fallacy. In this world, there are only two masters - God or Satan. We either serve God or Satan has us. No one is the master of his or her own destiny. Oh, the choices we make can certainly affect our futures, but we're ultimately not in charge.

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad ( Matthew 12:30).

Even Christians get trapped among the crowd and pulled along on the road to success. They get their focus off God and on fulfilling their dreams. We were put on this earth to glorify God and do His work. Christ tells us that if we don't do this, then we are working against Him. I don't know about you, but I don't want to work against God or scatter rather than gather.

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).

But the good news is that, with God, it's never too late. All we need to do is get our focus back on Him, put Him first in our lives, and follow Him in obedience. The blessings we feel will far outweigh any earthly rewards, and we'll be storing up treasures and successes in Heaven. How marvelous, how wonderful!

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Head-Hopping

Head-hopping is a writing term that means switching from one point of view to others without warning or any indication. The book I just finished reading did this without even changing to a new paragraph. It is a nuisance at best and can be very confusing in some cases. Head-hopping is never appropriate.

In fact, nothing denotes an amateur quicker than this unwanted technique. Publishers usually reject a manuscript on this alone, and if not, editors will attack it. Therefore, head- hopping often indicates an indie published book. That's not to say that indies are substandard, because there're many great self-published books. However, it's doubtful that a novel filled with head-hopping will make it through a traditional publishing process without someone catching it.

There are several ways to indicate a switch in point of view. The one I like is to put a line or symbols between the paragraphs to show the reader that you are leaving one character's point of view and going to another's. In fact, my publisher and I work together to insert a clipart that goes with the story. This is not necessary, of course, if the change comes with a new chapter. Here is going to be the one in my soon-to-be-released novel, It All Started at the Masquerade. The actual graphic will be smaller in the novel, and the white square will be on a white page.

William tried not to look at Jenkins too closely, but a brief glance showed a man whose lips smiled amicably but whose eyes remained as hard as ever,

Melanie remained as quiet as possible during dinner. She wished she knew what had gone on between William and Lott, but she could tell Lott seethed underneath a polished veneer.

I chose this method because it's the one I like best as a reader. But however a writer chooses to indicate the change, it should be noted in some way.

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World Kindness Day

November 13 is World Kindness Day, a day celebrated in many countries. It is a day to put away differences and reach out to others with care and concern. It highlights good deeds and recognizes the common threads that bind us all.

The movement began 1998 and has spread, with more and more countries becoming interested. Events include The Big Hug, handing out kindness cards, concerts, giving away yellow roses, doing community projects to help others, and just individuals and groups reaching out in love to help someone. The possibilities are endless. According to one news source, the day encourages individuals to overlook differences and see similarities and needs.

So, let's all look for ways to show kindness and observe World Kindness Day. There will be endless opportunities all around us. But we shouldn't do this for just one day. Let's commit to doing them each and every day of the year and see how much better we can make our world.

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Empty Yourself

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God... (1Corinthians 6:19).

If you had two identical containers, but one was filled with gravel and sand and the other was empty, which would hold the most water? The empty one, of course. The same is true for us in our journey of faith. We need to empty ourselves so we can be filled with God's Spirit. If we hold onto our old selves, the Holy Spirit won't have as much room to work.

And he said unto them. Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth (Luke 12:15).

Too many Christians want to hold onto bits and pieces of their old values - selfishness, worldliness, greediness, obsessions, materialism, success and recognition, etc. Instead, we need to turn our focus on God, work to glorify Him, and make Christ known to the world in love. When we do, we will be storing up treasures in heaven where they will last forever.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:13).

The best way to get rid of the gravel and silt in our lives is to ask the Holy Spirit to help us clean house, but we need to be willing and to give Him free rein. We need to want to change and to surrender. Once we're free of the unneeded debris, there will be plenty of room for the living water Christ talks about. Oh, joyous day!

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Voices from the Past

 History can be fascinating. It connects us with ancestors who have lived, laughed, and loved before us. They also had struggles and heartaches, but they handed down a legacy to a future generation of people they couldn’t even imagine at the time they lived.

History sets the cobblestones to pave our destiny. Edmund Burke said, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” Sometimes it almost seems that we end up repeating too much of it even when we do know history. But Mahatma Gandhi had a different perspective on it. He said, "Remember, all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always."

Have you ever thought of where your values come from.? If you're like most people, they were taught to you, either directly or indirectly. Usually, the core values are learned early from parents or caregivers, who got theirs from their parents. The chain continues back, linking us with the past and through our ancestors. Edmund Burke also said, "People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors."

Although many people research their genealogy, others develop a love of history from living it. I talk with people all the time who grew up farming by hand the way people did a hundred years ago or more. In fact, I grew up much this way myself. Perhaps this is why I majored in history for my first degree. I've heard calls from the past since I was a child. 

In studying our family histories, we can adopt the good we find and learn from the bad. It is a way to connect with our heritage and discover who we are. Do you hear voices from the past in your family? Have you heard family stories that you can pass down to your children or grandchildren? Are there traditions, celebrations, or special ways of doing things that are unique to your family? Keep them, share them, and let the voices continue.

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What Is Taking the Lord's Name in Vain?

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain (Exodus 20:7).

 It's one of the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses, but just what is taking God's name in vain? Some people think it means using God's name with a curse word. That would certainly be one end of the spectrum. However, you're taking God's name in vain anytime you use it as an expletive or in a way where you're not really talking about God with respect. 

So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel (Ezekiel 39:7)).

Actually, this has become all too common in today's society. I see "Oh," "Oh my," and "Good" used in front of God all the time. Facebook is filled with them, and I don't think it changes things much to use only the beginning letters instead of the words. I've heard Christians do this, too. I'm sure they aren't intentionally trying to dishonor God, but when anyone uses His name so casually, that's exactly what they're doing.

Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1).

Now there's another pitfall in all this. I think it's important that we don't become overly judgmental or legalistic. As Jesus taught, our Christian faith should be a matter of the heart. The Pharisees were judgmental, and they usually followed the letter of the law, but they didn't follow the spirit of the law in love, and Jesus condemned them for it. 

And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord (Leviticus 19:12).

Yet, at the same time, if we love the Lord our God with all our hearts and our focus is on Him, we will want to honor Him and glorify His name, not take it in vain or use it flippantly. May God give each one of us understanding of His Word and we act accordingly.

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It All Started at the Masquerade

My next book, It All Started at the Masquerade, just went from editorial to the publishing stage. The ebook versions should be out sometime this month and the print copies soon after that. This book was full of surprises for me. It took on a character of its own - one I didn't expect.

The book is set in the eastern part of North Carolina, a little south of the Virginia line in 1795. The research revealed plenty of helpful information in certain areas, but others were difficult to find. For example, I found records from that time period that listed families and their names. However, I had a hard time figuring out if the town of Colerain would have had a dock on the Chowan River, like Murfreesboro and Winton, or if they had to row out to board the ship. One problem came from the fact that most of the early official records were burned during the Civil War,

The book begins when Melanie Carter’s older brother decides she’s to marry Lott Jenkins, a wealthy man who has the reputation of being harsh and unbearable; and she knows her life has just started on a downward spiral. However, she’s determined to trust that God wouldn't want her with such a man and try to make the best of the awful situation. At a masquerade ball in Edenton, she meets a rather mysterious man dressed as a knight, and she can’t forget him.

Lucas Hall can’t forget Melanie either, but he might as well. Once she sees the hideously scarred side of his face, she’d be repulsed like everyone else. That’s why he wears a mask whenever he goes out, which isn’t often. He wouldn’t have gone to the masquerade ball if his housekeeper hadn’t tricked him into it. Now, he’s haunted by a scene he saw between Lott Jenkins and Melanie. No woman should ever be treated with such disregard, but what can he do? If he tried to help, they’d take one look at him, and he’d be no help at all.

When I started writing the novel, I hadn't envisioned that the book would be about the wealthier citizens. As it turned out, this book reads more like an American Regency. However, it was a lot of fun to write, and I hope it will be just as enjoyable for the readers to read.

All profits will go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.

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