Be a Rope Holder

But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the very Christ (Acts 9:22).

After Saul's conversion, he stayed in Damascus, regained his sight, and preached about Jesus. It confused the Jews there. They knew of Saul, the man who had persecuted the newly formed sect that followed Jesus, but they didn't understand this new version who had joined the very group he'd once sought to irradicate.

And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their lay in await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him (Acts 9:23-24).

The Jewish leaders in Damascus got together and decided their best course of action was to kill Saul. No doubt, they rationalized this would keep him from misleading the people. Apparently, they planned to kill him outside the gates as he left the city. The city of Damascus had seven gates at this time, but they watched them day and night.

Then the disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket (Acts 9:25).

Saul knew of the plot, so some believers let him down outside the wall by lowering him in a basket, and he escaped. We know almost nothing about these men who helped Saul, just that they are called disciples. We don't know their names or even how many they were. They have remained anonymous throughout history, but what a great impact they had. Because Saul, who later became known as Paul, survived, churches were planted among the Gentiles, countless people came to know Christ as their Savior, and Christianity flourished and spread. His influence is still reaching people today through the books of the Bible he wrote.

These men who held the ropes to let Saul down outside the Damascus wall never knew what a great influence they would have for Christ. They just did the simple task God called them to do. But because of them, perhaps the greatest missionary of all survived to spread the Good News. The same is true for us. We may never know in this lifetime how much influence we will have on others, but if we follow God in obedience, we will have it. Everything is important when we're serving in God's kingdom building.

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 Patriotism in Books

Since the United States celebrates tomorrow as Independence Day and the birth of the nation, I thought I'd take a look back at some of my books that deal with patriotism. I decided to do this in chronological order instead of the order in which they were published. Appropriately, the first one is set during the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

A Bird in the Hand tells the story of families as the colonists choose sides. Jonas Wright becomes a spy for the colonies, using carrier pigeons to deliver messages. When he leaves for the College of Philadelphia, he asks his twin sister, Jocelyn to take over. It could be a dangerous endeavor because, not only are their parents loyalists, but they are housing British soldiers. And the man Jocelyn can't keep thinking about, Bennett Hart, also appears loyal to the crown.

Link to A Bird in the Hand

Uprooted by War is set in the Appalachian Mountains during the Civil War. When Luke Moretz thinks he's about to be conscripted into the Confederacy, he travels to Tennessee to join the Union Army and eventually ends up in the Confederate prison at Andersonville. But the soldiers aren't the only ones to face difficulties. His family members back home face their own problems, but through it all is the strong thread of faith and hope that will see them through.

Link to Uprooted by War

Maneuvers is set during the extensive military maneuvers just prior to World War II and the war itself. However, since my books are character-driven instead of plot-driven, the book is not so much about the war as it is about the people, especially the people left at home. It is a time of uncertainty, but Paul Martin and Donna Huneycutt are determined to handle it by being faithful and honoring God.

Link to Maneuvers

Hurting Hero, my latest book, isn't about a war, but it is about a soldier wounded in action and in a wheelchair. His life has changed so drastically in such a short time that he has trouble adjusting. Will the feisty widow he meets through friends help or hurt his self-concept? She certainly gives him plenty to think about and makes him consider that just maybe his future can be brighter than he thought.

Link to Hurting Hero

Since I like writing historical novels, it was inevitable that I write some dealing with America's wars. And since I focus on people, when I agreed to write a book appropriate to the theme of a small town Fourth of July, I chose a wounded warrior as my hero. Although some of these books are part of a series, as with all my books, they can also be read as a standalone. I don't think you would be disappointed in any of these warm-hearted reads.

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Everything Good Comes from God

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father . . . (James 1:17).

Have you ever stopped to think that everything good in our lives comes from God, and every bad thing comes from Satan and sinfulness? God may allow bad things to happen because he can bring some good from them, but He's not responsible for evil. With our limited minds, we may never understand His purposes in this lifetime, but we can trust that He is good and wants the best for us.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

When we fail to understand this, it steals our joy. The Christian life should be freeing, joyous, and filled with peace. But for this to happen, we must depend upon God. We can't let false doctrine, Satan's lies, or our own worry and negative attitudes steal it from us. Life is always going to involve struggles, but we can trust God to see us through them and work things out, or we can be anxious, depressed, or unhappy. The choice is ours.

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full (John 15:11).

And there's more good news. If we ask Him, God will help us learn to surrender to Him and find contentment in whatever situation we find ourselves like Paul did. This is what the Christian life can be, and we have the right to it as a child of God. We just need to recognize the truth and train ourselves to accept it as one of God's many blessings.

Not that I speak in respect for what I want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content (Philippians 4:11).

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Publishing Problems

Since I first started doing my own publishing, I've learned a lot and gotten much better at it, so I rarely have problems anymore. However, formatting and publishing Hurting Hero turned out to be more challenging than any I've ever done.  I tried everything I knew to do, and nothing helped. I even began uploading a chapter at a time to see if I could pinpoint where the trouble began. It started in Chapter Nine, but I kept getting the message from KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), "Your manuscript cannot be uploaded." And it didn't tell me what was wrong.

My husband told me to call them. The last few times I've called any part of Amazon, it has been hard to get the help I needed, so I had my doubts, but since I had done my best to rectify the problem to no avail, I called KDP. The representative checked and said it was a problem with the drop-down capitals, and he would send me an email on how to fix it.

About ten minutes later the email showed up. I followed the instructions exactly, deleting all my drop-down capital letters at the beginning of each chapter and redoing them, making sure my fonts were on the normal tab. Apparently, this was where the problem came from. When I tried uploading the manuscript again, it still didn't go.

I happened to notice that my chapter titles were also on the heading tab instead of normal, so I deleted and retyped all of them. Finally, KDP accepted the manuscript, and Hurting Hero was ready to publish on June 12. If you read my recent blogs, you know about Amazon's punishment for not having a book on preorder ready by the promised date. That's why it's good to upload the book before the last minute, in case problems arise. Thankfully, this one is solved, and I hope there won't be another. Yet, with each problem, I learn something new and know more about how to troubleshoot in the future.

Link to Hurting Hero

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 Update -

Due to some upcoming events, I won't be able to post a new blog for the next two to three weeks, but after that, they will resume.

 Hurting Hero

Coming not long after Memorial Day and in time for the Fourth of July, Hurting Hero is the story of a wounded warrior who struggles with his new identity as a man in a wheelchair. He almost gives up before a young military widow makes him take a closer look at his attitude. It's a feel-good story that you won't want to miss, and you may just fall in love with Trace Durham. He turned out to be a wonderful main character. Hurting Hero publishes on June 12 and is available for preorder now.

Link to Hurting Hero

The Audible edition is also ready. However, I just got an email from ACX, saying that, because of some temporary changes with Audible, they were delaying its release until June 10. Jared Walters, one of my favorite producers, narrated this one for me, and he always does a great job. With an announcer and theater background, he has both a smooth, easy-to-listen-to voice and the ability to correctly interpret the story. Being from Western Tennessee, his accent and cadence also fit many of my stories set in the South and the West. 

This is my last book in the Small Town Holiday Romances series. I came into this MAP late and took the available two slots that I didn't already have a book scheduled near. The Prodigal Pastor published in late January as a Valentine's Day book, but it's equally appropriate for any time of year. Jared produced that book too. These are the only two contemporary novels I've published lately. Although, as an English and history teacher, I love historicals, it's fun to write one that doesn't require quite as much research now and then.

Link to the Prodigal Pastor

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 Potential

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11).

Christians have access to great power, but they rarely use it in the way the early disciples did. It's as if they don't know they have it, but Jesus told us we did. Of course, this power must be used for God's glory and not our own. Just as Jesus, and later his disciples demonstrated, it is to be used to help others in need.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12).

We can do greater works than all the prophets up through John the Baptist. How? Until the day of Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection, none of the prophets had the Holy Spirit's constant indwelling in them. But all who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior now do. This is where the power comes from. Where we are weak, He is strong. He was Jesus' promise and gift to His followers. to be with us when He wouldn't, not in the flesh.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37).

The key is loving God with our whole being and following where he leads. When we do this, He will use us. His love with flow through us into others, and we will be strong in Him. We will do greater things than we ever imagined for His glory. Praise be to God!

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