March 2010

Michal is a 2010 ECPA Christian Book Award Finalist! Winners are announced at a banquet May 3, 2010.

The news is not yet available on the ECPA website but check back, as it should be soon. I got a call from my wonderful agent Wendy Lawton from Mt. Hermon, CA where she is attending the Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. (One of these years, I hope to go too!) She asked if I’d heard anything. I asked, “Should I have?” And well, yes, I guess I should have! ECPA had announced on Twitter that Michal is a finalist for the Christian Book Award! I’m still in shock!

What are the Christian Book Awards? Here’s the explanation from their website.

Since 1978 the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association has recognized quality and encouraged excellence by presenting the ECPA Christian Book Awards (formerly known as Gold Medallion) each year. After a rigorous judging process, five finalists are selected in each of six categories: Bibles, Fiction, Children & Youth, Inspiration & Gift, Bible Reference & Study, Christian Life.

If you click the link you will see last year’s winners and finalists. They should have 2010’s list up soon.

I am honored beyond words to have Michal included in the fiction category. (For some reason there are seven fiction finalists. I asked about it and they said they had several tie scores.) Finalists in this category are:

The Centurion’s Wife by Davis Bunn & Janette Oke – Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith – Revell/Baker Publishing Group

Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish – Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group)

Blood Bayou by Karen Young – Howard Books/ Simon & Schuster

Veiled Freedom by Jeanette Windle – Tyndale House

Healing Waters by Stephen Arterburn & Nancy Rue – Thomas Nelson

June Bug by Chris Fabry – Tyndale House

Good luck to all finalists. Stay tuned!

…and him who dishonors you I will curse…” (Genesis 12:1-3 ESV)

As I’m studying the life of Abram and Sarai for the first book in The Wives of the Patriarchs, this verse has often come to mind. It strikes me as particularly significant in light of world events between Israel and the United States and Israel and the rest of the world. There is evidence throughout history of God blessing people and nations who bless the children of Abraham. I hope this trend continues here in the United States and pray for the peace of Jerusalem in days to come.

I am currently reading Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg, which talks much about Israel and prophecy, particularly those written in the book of Ezekiel. Near the end of this newest edition of the book, Joel talks about his visit to Israel and how the place felt instantly like home. Tears pricked my eyes as I read that because this is exactly how I felt when we looked out of our hotel window over the city of Jerusalem. I have traveled much during my life – to most of the continental United States and Hawaii, to Canada and as I said, Israel – and no other place on earth has affected me this way. While I love America, I love Israel too.

I know peace in the Middle East is an ongoing problem, and Israel has always had its enemies, but I hope and pray that the United States will always remain its ally. In days to come, it will be interesting to watch what happens and to see prophecies continue to unfold.

In the meantime, as I am studying Abram’s life, I also realized that while God chose Isaac to be the bearer of His promises, He had a plan for Ishmael too. He showed his love to Hagar and called her by name and made a promise to her regarding her son, the first woman to whom He did so in Scripture. God’s love for all people of all nations is hinted at here, which He later fulfilled in the gift of His Son to us.

But while God does love people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, Israel does hold a special place in His heart. And God’s promise to Abram has not changed. People and nations who bless Abraham’s offspring will be blessed. And people who dishonor them will be cursed.

King David expanded this thought in Psalm 122 when he said:

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
For my brothers and companions’ sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.”

May we always seek Israel’s good for the sake of God’s promise and His blessing.

Selah~

I listened to a podcast the other day of a sermon by Erwin McManus called “Been There Done That.” Erwin is pastor of Mosaic, a church in California, of which I’ve heard good things. The sermon is great, and if you get a chance, I would recommend listening, especially if you’ve ever wondered about the book of Ecclesiastes and Solomon’s sometimes depressing commentary written therein. (Click the link, then click on the sermon with the Been There Done That title.)

One of the striking comments Erwin makes in the sermon deals with the following verse – a verse we often hear quoted, sometimes as an excuse for mediocrity, as an excuse to not give our best at being creative because everything we could possibly attempt has been done before, so there is no use even trying. That’s how the verse makes us feel, but it’s not the message we were meant to receive.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.”

Erwin said, “Solomon got it wrong.” Erwin went on to point out things that come later in the Scriptures, many to do with Jesus that indeed are “new under the sun.”

Solomon’s own father David said in Psalm 40:3 “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.”

Isaiah said, years after Solomon died:
“You have heard; now see all this;
and will you not declare it?
From this time forth I announce to you new things,
hidden things that you have not known.
They are created now, not long ago;
before today you have never heard of them,
lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ (Isaiah 48:6-7)

And later in chapter 65:
“For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.”

Ezekiel also talked about new things coming:
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

Jesus talked about new wineskins (Luke 5:36-38), a new world (Matthew 19:28), new teaching with authority (Mark 1:27), a new covenant (Luke 22:20), and a new commandment to love one another (John 13:34). Emphasis added to verses.

All of these things had been hidden from Solomon’s wise eyes because God had not yet decided to reveal them. And based on the wisdom Solomon did have, he taught us a lot (see Proverbs, for example). But Ecclesiastes was written near the end of his life – a life of much self-indulgence – and the end result gave him a mixed set of emotions, vacillating from good advice about fearing God one moment to despairing of anything good the next.

I think we can all relate to Solomon and this book. Some might say that a Christian can’t or shouldn’t think such thoughts, but I disagree. Christians can struggle with every issue common to man and books like Ecclesiastes helps us to actually see them in perspective, if we understand where Solomon was coming from.

Erwin is right. Solomon did get it wrong. There is a lot new under the sun since Solomon’s day – Jesus Christ being the utmost and highest, who gives to all who will come to him the promise of a new life. Paul adds that when we know Jesus, we become a new creation, no longer the same.

We look forward to a new heaven and new earth, and in the meantime, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;”

If Solomon had been listening to his father David, he would have realized that we are happiest when we engage in creating new things to the honor and glory of God. While I sense that Solomon knew that – he built new buildings and brought new wealth to the entire country of Israel – he forgot that newness starts at a heart level. His father indicated as much when he said,  “I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you…Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!” (Psalm 144)

Our God, who makes all things new!

Selah~

Last night our son sent us a link to a YouTube video showing a 4-year-old girl singing for the judges on America’s Got Talent TV show. Since I don’t normally watch the show, I had never heard of Kaitlyn Maher but after one glimpse, I became an instant fan. While I should be writing right now, I just spent the last half an hour watching various videos of her singing, then went to her website to discover she has a CD. I’m trying to decide whether to order the physical CD or just download the digital version. The physical version will let me listen in the car, so that’s tempting.

On Kaitlyn’s website there is another video of her singing a song called “Daddy I Love You,” which Kaitlyn says she wrote. This child has got some major talent to be able to not only sing and hold a tune so well at now 5 years old but to write her own music? I’m impressed! But the song touched me on another level because it reminded me just how important a daddy is to a little girl. Big girls too. I don’t think women ever outgrow the need to feel their daddies love them. I’m so glad to know Kaitlyn has such a daddy. I have one who loves me too, and if I could give Kaitlyn a message it would be to tell her how very blessed she is.

I spent Saturday at an Easter brunch with my mom and dad. Whenever I visit my dad in the nursing home, he never fails to smile or to tell me that he loves me. My daddy is going to be 88 next month and he has never failed to make me feel special. Someday in heaven when he can walk again, I have dibs on his first dance. And maybe I will sing him Kaitlyn’s song, “Daddy I Love You,” because he deserves it.

One of the videos on YouTube shows Kaitlyn singing “Amazing Grace” at 3 years old. She said then that the song was her favorite. It’s one of mine too, Kaitlyn! Another video has her singing “Above All” in a worship service. It sounds like her family shares a faith in Christ and has a loving, close bond. They have my respect and my prayers.

One of the judges on America’s Got Talent told Kaitlyn that she had brought a nation together. In truth, she has a way of inspiring her hearers. Perhaps this is in part what Isaiah meant when he spoke of latter days and said, “A little child shall lead them.” May she and many more like her, do just that!

Selah~

I’ve heard all the reasons why exercise is good for me. Doctors, manufacturers, fitness centers, and even the nightly news feeds me with information that tells me to get out of the chair and move. Now they have invented some set-up for kids that will send them “get up and move” alerts on their cell phone, if they notice the kid isn’t active. Maybe I should sign up for such a thing. But I would probably ignore it and keep typing…

Seriously though, I do work out 3-5 days a week. Some days I dread those mornings. But I get up and work out anyway because I have discovered two things about life:

1. Bodies age – and with aging come aches that herbs and pills won’t fix. Exercising minimizes these chronic pains, and honestly, I would rather exercise than hurt.

2. Full time computer use causes chronic pain – this may not be an issue for younger writers, but apparently that body aging thing changes the body’s ability to fight off issues such as tendinitis, carpal tunnel, trigger point pain, etc., etc., – weight strengthening workouts make a difference. I wonder how many other chronic illnesses are a result of jobs that are too sedentary…

Maybe I would rather not know…Doesn’t the Bible say, “bodily exercise profits little?” I remember thinking what a great excuse that was for not getting up and moving! We tend to look for excuses when we don’t like something, yes?

Truth is, I don’t like to exercise and I am nowhere near to loving it! I am not a runner who enjoys a runner’s high. I used to like swimming, but not enough to endure the effects of over-chlorinated pools. I have never found a single sport that interests me enough to get good at it. So how do I change an attitude of seeing exercise as tolerating a chore to actually loving the thing that will make me feel good?

If you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them. In the meantime, here is what I’m doing so far:

A 15-minute weight-training workout 3 times a week.
I do this first thing in the morning or I won’t do it. (Side note here: I workout before I eat, but sometimes I need the energy food provides to get through it, so I break my fast with a date and water. It helps!)

20-30 minutes on the treadmill 2-3 days a week. (This is a new goal which I’d like to do daily, so it’s not established yet.)
I listen to my iPod while I walk. Praise music makes all the difference and sometimes I don’t want to stop because I’m enjoying the song so much.

So tell me – what do you do to make exercise more pleasing? What exercises are your favorites and why? Send me an email through the contact page and let me know. I’d love to hear from you! Maybe we can learn to love this thing called exercise together!

Shalom~