Jesus Journeys to Jerusalem through Jericho

Luke tells the account of Jesus' last journey as he went from Galilee to Jerusalem for the last time. This journey would end at the cross. A traveler in Jesus’ day would have two main options in going from Galilee to Jerusalem. Going through Samaria would be the shorter and easier of the two. This route from Nazareth to Jerusalem stretched for about 75 miles and took around three days on foot. However, on at least this one journey, Jesus went the longer route which took Him through Jericho, a distance measuring approximately 97 miles.

Photo of Jordan Valley by צילום: אילנה שקולניק, CC BY 2.5,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11955718

Most of the common people during Bible times walked to get where they needed to go, and Jesus did too. Some scholars have estimated He must have walked over 15,000 miles in His short lifetime. Walking had more than health benefits. It enabled Him and His followers to interact with people along the way. Travelers always risked dangers when they traveled far from home. Wild beasts often attacked, especially in the Jordan Valley area where Jericho was located. Lions and Syrian bears posed serious problems, but bandits could be even worse, despite the fact that the Roman government would crucify the thugs if caught. Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan helping the poor man who had been beaten and robbed on the Jericho Road. Some believe Barabbas, the man the crowds wanted to be freed instead of Jesus, had committed similar crimes.

Jordan River photo by Jean Housen - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11820699

 To get from Galilee to Jerusalem via Jericho, a traveler followed the Jordan River and then climbed the Jericho Road to Jerusalem. This route was only 23 miles longer than going through Samaria, but it was much hotter and required a steep climb. Jericho lies 812 feet below sea level, while Jerusalem sets 2,600 feet above sea level. This difference in altitude happens within a road distance of fifteen miles, so the climb is sharp. It also winds through a barren land of little more than rocks, canyons, and cliffs. The area around Jericho might be barren, but Jericho itself is in a fertile plain. Jericho has long been known as the City of Palms.

Golden Gate at Jerusalem

Moving from Jericho toward Jerusalem, the old road allows a good view of a deep gorge thought by many to be the site that inspired the Twenty-Third Psalm. Separate legends also put Elijah being fed by the ravens and Hosea speaking about a “door of hope” in this area. As travelers get closer to Jerusalem, they pass by Gethsemane on a slight rise, where they can look ahead and see the walled city. The road then circles Olivet and winds into the city. The Great North Road, as it was sometimes called, is filled with the history of kings, prophets, and apostles. Jesus would use this route to make His way toward Jerusalem, healing and teaching as He went. His teachings, some of the last he gave, are especially meaningful and important.

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Researching Locally

I'm scheduled to present a session on the research I did for It All Started at the Masquerade, the novel set in Eastern North Carolina in 1795. Research of Southern topics prior to the Civil War often presents challenges because so many of the records were destroyed. However, since I write historical fiction, I do as thorough research as possible and then fill in the blanks with educated guesses. Since history was one of my majors in college and I taught it for years, I have a good sense of the different time periods. This helps immensely.

I began with online research, and this got me started. Next, I went to the library in Winton, the town where Melanie, the heroine, lives. I found some very helpful information in their vertical files. Alice Nickens's papers were apparently written after 1795, although no dates were given, but I knew if she mentioned unpaved roads from her childhood, they would have been unpaved in 1795, too. I also used a couple of old books in their reference section.

Next, I visited the library at Chowan University, which has a good local history section. I checked out several books that proved very helpful. Still, as I wrote the rough draft, I hit questions that I could not find answers for. For example, the hero lives near Colerain, and I needed to know if there was a dock for ships there. I knew Winton had docks but guessed that passengers would need to tender to the ships at Colerain. I never did find a definitive answer, but Frank Stevenson, a local historian, agreed with my theory, so I wrote it that way. With a historical novel, I always have to do additional research, according to what the story needs as I write.

And as always, I looked up every word that might not have been in use in 1795. I normally use Merriam Webster online dictionary first, since it has an etymology that includes the first known date the word came into use. However, it only has the date for the most common definition. If I need another, I consult English Through the Ages by William Brohaugh. This can be time-consuming, but it's important to me to get my novels right.

Researching It All Happened at the Masquerade was actually much easier because it was set in places near where I live now. I not only had access to local libraries, historians, and historical organizations; but I also could walk the streets of Winton and Colerain, view historical houses, and watch the Chowan River as it flows toward Edenton and then on to empty into the Atlantic Ocean. That's why I often choose to set my novels in places where I have lived or been. It gives a sense of place that no amount of research can replace.

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National Poultry Day 

March 19th is National Poultry Day. Have you ever thought of having backyard chickens? Raising chickens is really not complicated, and many people find it interesting and rewarding. The requirements are pretty simple. You'll need a safe place for them to rest overnight, like a coop. And, if you have neighbors, you'll probably want a fenced area.

Begin with at least three birds, a rooster and two hens. Chickens are social animals and will never do well alone. The coop needs to be at least a three-foot cube at the bare minimum for three chickens, and larger would be better. In fact, build it as large as you can, because you'll likely expand your flock, especially if you want to hatch some.

There are about 150 breeds of chickens and around 50 commonly found ones. Choose the breed that fits your needs best. Consider the following:
Eggs - the number they lay per day, color, and size
Temperament - for example how adaptable are they to confinement and are they flyers or not. Also some are friendly with humans and others aren't.
Noise Level - this will be important if you have a low tolerance to noise or if you have close neighbors
Climate - some breeds do better in warm or hot climates, and others like it cooler 
Uses - Some breeds are better layers, others are better for meat, and some are good for both

If you google "chicken breeds" you can find lists of the different breeds and their characteristics. I have fond memories of raising chickens growing up. There's something especially satisfying about going out each day and gathering your own eggs. Happy National Poultry Day!

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What Does It Mean to Be a Follower of Jesus?

Being a follower of Christ means so much more than saying you want Him to come into your life, being baptized, and attending church. It requires that you turn your life over to God and allow Him to change you. You have to become a new creature in Christ. I like how David Platt puts it in his book, What Did Jesus Really Mean When He Said Follow Me?

When we become followers of Jesus, we make a decided break with our old way of living and take a decisive turn to a new way of life. As Christ begins to live in us, everything begins to change about us. Our minds change. For the first time, we realize who God is, what Jesus has done, and how much we need him. Our desires change. The things of this earth that we once loved we now hate, and the things of God that we once hated we now love. Our wills change. We go wherever Jesus commands, and we sacrifice whatever it costs to spend our lives in uncompromising obedience to his Word. Our relationships change. We lay our lives down in love for one another in the church as together we spread the gospel to the world. Ultimately, our reason for living changes. Professions and position are no longer our concern. Safety is no longer our goal because self is no longer our god. We now want God’s glory more than we want our own lives. The more we glorify him, the more we enjoy him, the more we realize that this is what it biblically means to be a Christian.

Whatever we give up to follow Christ becomes insignificant beside what we gain. Again, Platt writes:

Yes, there is a cost that accompanies following Jesus Christ, but it is worth it. More aptly put, he is worth it. Jesus is worthy of far more than intellectual belief, and there is so much more to following him than monotonous spirituality. There is indescribable joy to be found, deep satisfaction to be felt, and an eternal purpose to be fulfilled in dying to ourselves and living for him.

What about you? How much have you seen your lifestyle change after becoming a Christian? How closely are you following Christ?

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Writing About the Irish

Most of my novels have an Irish or Irish-American secondary character, but only one so far has an Irish main character. I have a good amount of Irish heritage, have traveled to Ireland, and find the Irish intriguing. In general, I love their sense of humor and ability to poke fun at themselves. It's refreshing to see people who don't take themselves too seriously all the time.

Irish characters certainly play a part in my Appalachian Roots series, the first four books I published. In Cleared for Planting, Sarah's father is Irish and her mother is Cherokee. That means Luke, Sarah's grandson in Sown in Dark Soil, also has an Irish heritage. In Uprooted by War, Luke's early friend in Andersonville prison is an Irishman, and Luke's daughter Rachel is part Irish in Transplanted to Red Clay.

In When Winter Is Past, Stanton's bond servant is an Irishman, and some of the mountain people in Mountain Mishap have Irish roots. Glenna, Lucas's delightful, tell-it-like-it-is housekeeper in It All Started at the Masquerade, is Irish. The hero, Patrick Murphy, in With Summer's Songs is an Irishman. My traditional publisher said my abundance of Irish characters is one of the things that drew him. He's Irish, too.

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Foundation of the Girl Scouts

March the twelfth is both National Girl Scouts Day and the anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts in Savannah, Georgia, by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912. The Girl Guides had been formed in Scotland in 1911, and when Juliette returned to the United States she formed a group here with advice from Robert Baden-Powell. In 1915, the name was changed to Girl Scouts, and Juliette Low became the first president.

She married William Low in 1886, but time and frequent separations took their toll. They agreed to a year's separation, where Juliette hoped to postpone, if not prevent, the divorce William pushed for. He'd already begun to drink heavily and have numerous affairs, but divorce was scandalous during this time period. Circumstances would have it that William died before the divorce was finalized. Juliette died in January 1929 at age 66 of breast cancer. She had willed her carriage house to the Girl Scouts, and it became their first headquarters.

This history of the Girl Scouts is the reason they hold their cookie sales fundraiser in March. The organization has grown over the years. As of 2006, there were 312 regional councils with 236,000 local troops in the United States. Today it is estimated there are nearly 2.6 million Girl Scouts in the country. Juliette Gordon Low would have been proud.

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An Attitude Adjustment

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord... (Colossians 3:17).



Our attitude affects everything in our lives. A good attitude will produce happiness, while a bad attitude brings misery. Along with praying for righteous thoughts, Godly words, and obedient actions, we should also pray for the right attitude. The Holy Spirit will help us with all of these, but we have to let Him and submit to His guidance.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him (Colossians 3:17).

A huge hunk of a Christian's good attitude comes from trusting God and knowing He has the absolute best plans for us. We just need to surrender and follow. With Christ in our lives, we can look forward to each new day with eagerness and joy.  As Warren Wiersbe said in Jesus in the Present Tense, "Each day is an appointment, not an accident; and when our desire is to glorify God, we see opportunities..." not obstacles. It is impossible to be unhappy with a thankful heart that's praising God.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Making God the priority in our lives is the beginning. We must take time to be holy. Devotion time doesn't mean hurrying through a handful of Bible verses; mumbling a routine, short prayer; and then eagerly getting to your plans for the day. As Wiersbe says, "God's Word is our food and we must chew it carefully, not gulp it down" like bitter medicine. How is your attitude? Does it need some adjustment? Pray and ask God to help you change it to one that pleases Him most.

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