Tomorrow, Saturday, February 6, 2010, from 12-2 p.m.

I will be signing copies of Abigail and/or Michal at
His Bible and Book House
106 W Main St
Brighton, MI 48116
(810) 227-2925

If you live in the area, please come and introduce yourself! I’d love to meet you!

I had lunch with a friend today – it’s always great to catch up with people you’ve known for years. The rest of this week I’ve been busily working on a new book proposal, and tonight went back to the drawing board after some very observant comments from my critique partner. One thing I know for certain – no matter how many books I may write, I do not write them well alone. I need lots of prayer and good insight from good craftsmen. You know you have a great critque partner when they tell you the truth and you love them for it! :)

I’m already excited to get started at that drawing board again. And I’ve been mulling over my characters for Sarai’s story too. Praying about depth of motivation. Amazing how much difference it makes when I seek God first!

Watched Miss Potter tonight, the story of Beatrix Potter. I love stories about authors. So easy to relate to people whose characters dance in their heads. Who else can talk to imaginary people and make up new words and worlds and not be locked in a special room for it? :) Writers of fiction, of course! Loved the movie!

Shalom~

Yesterday was my first booksigning for Abigail at Woodside Bible Church in Troy, Michigan. We had a good turnout. Met a woman who came because of the announcement she saw on this blog, which was way cool, because it’s always nice to know when someone reads these things! And it was nice to meet her as well. :) Met another woman who came from a different church nearby because she saw it advertised in The Woodside News – the church’s newspaper.

It was an honor to meet everyone who came, both old friends and newly made acquaintances. The signing took place between services, which is why this first picture doesn’t show anyone near the tables. Randy took them while church was in session, but then a friend took one of us together while I was signing a book, which was nice of him. (I would not have thought of it as I was too distracted.) :) During the last service, I slipped into the sanctuary and got to hear most of the sermon, but talked with some passersby in between the others.

One man stopped to chat and made some interesting comments I’ve been chewing on a bit since. He said he didn’t think people could understand the Bible. In other words, he seemed to think the average person could not pick up a Bible and just read and understand its meaning, that the reader would need someone else to explain it to him. I found this a bit disconcerting coming from someone standing in the church foyer. Perhaps on a street corner or a restaurant or out in the rest of the world. But somehow you expect people in church to read the Bible, or to at least aspire to read it.

Not so with this man. And another woman nearby agreed with him. She was not like him in that she did make a point to read her Bible, but she admitted it was hard for her to understand. I had a good talk with her afterward, and came to realize we all sees things differently. I could relate to her because I remember days past when I read my Bible because it was something I was supposed to do. Checked it off my “to-do” list and kept on with the day. I’m not sure at what point I realized I wanted more, that God was someone I wanted to know, and that reading God’s Word became food I craved rather than like eating vegetables because they were good for me.

David said in Psalm 63:1 – “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

And Psalm 42:1-2 says – “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”

I think oftentimes people do not think they can understand the Bible simply because they have not picked it up and tried. It also helps to ask the Author for guidance along the way. And if we have fallen into the trap of reading just to mark the chore off a check list to satisfy our spiritual guilt, then it is time to ask the Author to change our desires – to give us that hunger and thirst a deer has who longs for water, to thirst in the same way for God my Savior. He waits for us to ask Him for such things.

The past week has been an exhausting one, both physically and emotionally. The introvert in me needs her down time after lots of social interaction. But more importantly, I know when I’m struggling with this or that in my life, my heart longs mostly for Sabbath rest, time to spend with Jesus, studying, reading, and pondering His Word. It makes all the difference in my outlook, and gives me hope for each new day.

Selah~

Someone asked me once if I have any recurring themes in my stories, and when I thought about it, I realized forgiveness is one of my main themes – not only of my stories but of my life.

In all honesty, I did not plan such a theme. But after years of holding grudges I did not know I had held, and learning that to forgive is the most important gift we can give and receive, the theme sort of naturally occurred.

That’s not to say forgiving comes naturally or that it is easy. Not by a long shot. There are times forgiving someone who has wronged us takes everything we have to give. And sometimes it seems impossible. By human standards it is. But I have learned the hard way that without it, I am miserable, and so is everyone around me.

While I know how hard it is for me to forgive those who may hurt me – intentionally or unintentionally – I also have watched what happens when forgiveness is not granted. Bitterness is a root, a poison that sinks deep into the human soul, killing even the smallest acts of kindness, sucking the joy out of a life. It brings slow death to those who embrace it.

And I was thinking how perfect an example Jesus is to us, showing us how to keep that bitter root from taking hold of us.

“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Hebrews 12:3

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:23

“…Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” Hebrews 12:2

“Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21

“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:33-34

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15

“And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:34-35

Forgiveness starts with God’s gift to us in sending His Son so that we could be forgiven for all of our sins. Then it extends to others when we offer that gift in return to those who have wronged us. Without forgiveness we will live of life of bitter grief and sadness, a far cry from the joy and peace and love forgiveness can bring.

Selah~