God bless us each with a fresh year where we grow in awareness of His presence and in trust of His care.
To simplify my life a little, I’ll be dropping to two posts a week here:
Mondays will offer reviews, author interviews, web finds and all the things that used to come on Fridays. This will let me keep up with the reviews I want to do for speculative, sporadic… and slightly odd.
Thursdays will be devotional days now, instead of Wednesdays.
As we step into 2012, some of us are waiting… we know God has a plan, we trust His timing, but sometimes the wait seems long.
If that’s you, let Jonny Diaz’ “Waiting Room” minister to your spirit.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ-7yijfRNk&feature=fvsr]
And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
John 1:5, AMP*
This is the verse that strengthened me after the terrorist attacks of 9-11. It’s the same verse that’s echoed in my spirit these past few Christmas seasons, each one leaving me more aware of the darkness in our communities and our world.
We think Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of year. But the darkness is why Jesus came. Israel of 2,000 years past was a pretty dark place, I’m sure, much like today.
His presence—Immanuel, God with us—still makes the difference.
As I’ve prayed for the people and situations nearest to my heart this season, at first the darkness was too much. This young girl—that young family—this elderly woman and her family… where they’re walking is unbearable. They’ve been heavy on my heart, and weighing down my spirit as I prayed. Reciting John’s words about Light in the darkness wasn’t helping.
A few days before Christmas God blew away the fog and let me see: I hadn’t been demanding why of God—that never ends well—but my discontent about what He had allowed said I didn’t think very highly of His management.
Judging God also doesn’t end well. And discontent is poison. Confession, forgiveness, and a fresh start work wonders, though.
Now I’m praying the same verse, but looking at the Light, practicing what Mark Buchanan calls “radical gratitude.”
Thanking God for what He will do in these people’s lives, instead of being dragged down by where they’ve been. Trusting that whatever His plans are, they’re for good. Not just praying for things to get better but for people to be made new and others to see the difference He makes.
Sovereign and holy God, who doesn’t tend to fix things, I praise You for how instead You re-create or make new. And the new is better. Stronger. Useful in Your hand. You waste nothing. Help us trust You. Show us how to pray in radical gratitude and praise, confident in our trust in You. Shine brighter in our darkness, until all will see Your glory.
∞
Permit me one last Christmas song of the year: catch the hope and the assurance in the words to “Joy to the World,” especially verses 3 and 4.
*Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
I’m borrowing this idea from Laura Davis at Interviews and Reviews, and picking my favourites from what I’ve reviewed in 2011:
“Emmanuel” means God is with us. May He bless you with more of Himself this Christmas and bless others through you.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1,14, NIV*
Fully God, fully man… the manger scenes can distract us from this mystery, but in the words of Charles Dickens, “This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.” (A Christmas Carol)
Each Christmas I’m more aware of the pain in the world, the brokenness. But that’s why He came.
We’re damaged goods—each of us—no matter if we’ve done or been done to.
I can’t imagine God choosing to confine Himself to the limitations of a baby… growing boy… man. In the squalor and darkness that is our earth, after dwelling in the glory of heaven.
He loves us this much!
Enough to stoop to our level, to look us in the eyes, to carry our pain and punishment so we could be restored to relationship with Him.
Eternal God, blessed Saviour, Holy Spirit, our minds aren’t big enough to grasp the mystery of the Incarnation, but we offer praise and thanks for Jesus, God made flesh, our deliverer. Our King. Thank You for setting Your love on us. Help us receive it.
∞
Let Michael Card’s “The Final Word” bless your spirit today.
*THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Stranded, by Lorena McCourtney (Revell, 2006)
There’s not much better than a cozy mystery with a spunky heroine and a sprinkle of humour, and as such I always enjoy Lorena McCourtney’s Ivy Malone mysteries. Ivy is a self-proclaimed LOL—“little old lady”—and much like Miss Marple she uses her apparent harmlessness to solve the murders that keep happening around her.
Stranded is Ivy’s fourth case, set in the small, mountain town of Hello, Colorado. She and her travelling companion, Abilene, arrive after the murder—and after the townsfolk have decided who did it—but it doesn’t take long for Ivy’s “mutant curiosity gene” to kick in. Since they’re literally stranded in town until they can pay for a new engine for their motor home, she has time to indulge her curiosity and find the real killer.
Dead is one Hiram McLeod, a wealthy older gentleman about to embark on his ninth marriage. Hiram was a shrewd if not always upright businessman, and who knows how many enemies he had? It doesn’t take long for Ivy to discover a list of suspects. Unfortunately, she likes them all.
Fans of the series will welcome appearances by Ivy’s friends Magnolia and Geoff and her special friend Mac. Stranded is a pleasant read, not overly tense except for one scene near the end. Ivy’s always good for a few smiles, and I appreciate her practical faith. She may not know what’s going to happen next, but she’s sure God has something in mind.
Readers new to the series can jump right in with Stranded, but it may be wiser to start with book one, Invisible, which sets the stage and has this LOL staking out the local cemetery. Invisible is available as a free e-book through Christianbook.com, to get you started.
Lorena McCourtney has also written the Andi McConnell mystery series and the Julesburg Mysteries, as well as the women’s fiction/romance Searching for Stardust. She says there will be a fifth Ivy Malone book to answer some of our ongoing relationship questions about Ivy and Mac, so I guess I’ll have to be patient. You can find Lorena at her website or on Facebook.
Janet C. Burrill is a Canadian author celebrating the 2011 release of her first novel, Dark Clouds of the Morning. Because we share the same first name, I’ll be using initials instead of first names in the conversation below. To make it easier, remember the guest author’s comments are always in bold.
JS: Welcome, Janet Burrill, and thanks for joining us. You’ve published shorter work before, but congratulations on your new novel! Tell us a bit about Dark Clouds of the Morning.
JCB: The story centres around the Halifax Explosion, Canada’s worst disaster, and the world’s worst prior to the atom bomb. I created a cast of lovable characters who experienced various true-to-life situations that survivors went through at that time.
JS: Where did the story idea come from?
JCB: I became interested in the Halifax Explosion from hearing my mother tell what she knew about it. Years later, I became more interested, and decided I’d like to write a Christian novel set in this time period.
JS: Dark Clouds of the Morning is set in 1917, and the setting of Halifax, Nova Scotia, has changed a lot since then. You did a lot of research into the time period as well as into the explosion itself. Care to share some of the stranger bits of trivia you picked up?
JCB: There is a lot of material out there, where one may learn more about the subject. I collected every book I could find on it, as well as accessing information from the N. S. Archives. I discovered, for example, that the train from Boston, bearing doctors and nurses to aid in the disaster relief, ran into complications. A fierce snowstorm blew in from the Atlantic seaboard, and stalled the train on Folly Mountain, 75 miles from Halifax. Despite the efforts of the engineer and train crew, the train was immobile for several hours. All on board were frantic; Halifax needed them.
I discovered, too, that soldiers wives whose husbands were overseas were classed as prostitutes. As such, they were not given much, if any, financial help for their needs.
Another shocking thing I discovered was that those Canadians who bore German surnames were treated unfairly and blamed for the explosion. Many of the men were incarcerated, and their children had the distress of being cruelly mocked by their peers.
JS: I hadn’t known these things before reading your novel! Another thing I was surprised to learn was that the burial efforts for the Titanic victims in 1912 actually helped the citizens of Halifax when the explosion occurred five years later.
JCB: Thankfully, those who had worked to set up and operate a morgue for the Titanic victims were still around. They quickly came forth to offer their services to do the same for the explosion victims.
JS: Do you have a favourite character in the novel?
JCB: You bet! It’s the heroine, Jennie. (I’m mighty fond of several others, too.)
JS: Is there a sequel in the works?
JCB: Yes, I’m pleased to say that I’m working on it now. It follows the same characters, and introduces a few new ones.
JS: Dark Clouds of the Morning was a few years in the making, and as a member of your critique group I enjoyed hearing the early excerpts. I’m sure the sequel will come together faster because you’ve already done the research, but how long did book one take to write?
JCB: Oh, my! I’m sorry to say it took ten years, and that is because certain events in my life kept me away from writing for a while. I pray, Lord willing, this new book will come together much more quickly.
JS: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?
JCB: I always have a book on the go. There are several authors I enjoy, like Jan Karon, of the Mitford series, and Michael Phillips and Judith Pella, who co-authored the Stonewycke Trilogy, of which I’m now reading the second book. These last are historical romances, which are my favourite. (Maybe that’s why I prefer to write them.)
JS: What do your family think of your writing?
JCB: I am blessed! They all love what I write, brag about me (blush!) and help sell my books.
JS: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?
JCB: God is my fortress and my strength. In Him do I trust.
JS: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve ever done?
JCB: I would say when I contacted 100 Huntley Street this summer, and told about my book. The kind lady I spoke to said, “We take people, not for what they’ve done, but for what God has done in them. Send us your testimony.” I did, and to God be the glory, they accepted me. You can view the programme here: Janet Burrill interview part 1 and Janet Burrill interview part 2.
JS: Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Janet Burrill. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.
===
On December 6, 1917, two ships collided near the waterfront of the Halifax, Nova Scotia Harbour. One was carrying tons of munitions. On impact, a giant explosion occurred, killing and injuring thousands. Can Jennie and her family rise up from the tragedy and trauma to ultimate triumph?
See my review of Dark Clouds of the Morning.
To learn more about Janet C. Burrill or to order signed copies of Dark Clouds of the Morning visit her website. The novel is also available through online bookstores or for order in your local brick-and-mortar bookstore. The ebook is available through Books on Board.
Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
1 Corinthians 6:15b, NIV*
Talk about an odd verse for God to use to correct me! This is not exactly on my list of temptations. But I knew what He meant.
I’ve been thinking lately about Oswald Chambers’ challenge to “keep my conscious life as a sacred place for the Holy Spirit” (Nov. 7 reading, My Utmost for His Highest, updated edition edited by James Reimann) and about the challenge to practice the presence of God throughout the day.
I need the peace of Christ to rule in my heart (instead of allowing anxiety to reign); the mind of Christ to rule my thoughts (to make them obedient to Him instead of dwelling where they shouldn’t) and the grace of Christ to be a guard on my lips (to keep errant thoughts from slipping out in irretrievable words). I’ve made it into a prayer of sorts.
On this particular day I was driving to work, listening to a favourite worship CD and remembering the need to stay close to God. The biggest challenge at that moment was in the thought department: I was tired and a bit on the cranky side.
Zing went the prostitute verse through my thoughts. I hadn’t even read it recently! But God’s message was clear: what about expecting the mind of Christ to unite with the cranky mind? Was that any different?
The surprise factor did in the cranky nature, and the day came into much better focus.
Holy and merciful God, if I want to cultivate a sacred space for the Holy Spirit to work and rule in my life, I can’t expect Him to share it with the offensive things I bring in. Thank You for Your grace and patience to teach me your ways, and please open my ears to hear and my heart to learn.
∞
“Refiner’s Fire” makes a good prayer for us all. This is Brian Doerksen’s rendition.
*THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Play it Again, by Tracy Krauss (Strategic Book Publishing, 2011)
In the 1980’s, a one-night stand between a conservative accountant and a free-spirited younger woman may have been love at first sight, but neither can admit the possibility. Nor can they stop thinking about one another.
Russ Graham is punctual, successful, and always trying to measure up. Deanie Burton is impulsive, direct and never on time. They’ve both got a lot of baggage from disastrous past relationships.
Neither is a Christian, although Russ learned enough of “the rules” as a child to think he knows it’s not for him. His mother is a woman of faith, but she plays the guilt card more than she should and tends to look no deeper than appearances.
Deanie’s father leads a jazz troupe, and Deanie herself has recently quit singing in a rock band. She’d love to go back to it, but she also wants a job with a steady income.
Play it Again is a romance, without the suspense that readers of author Tracy Krauss may expect from her previous novels. There’s still plenty of tension and some elements of danger. It’s very much a relationship story, and a coming-to-faith story.
There’s a fair bit of mild profanity, enough to put the novel into the “edgy Christian fiction” category, definitely enough that the more conservative readers of Christian fiction may want to give it a miss. There isn’t a lot of sexual content, and it’s discreetly “off-camera.”
While the language might make Russ, Deanie and their friends feel more realistic to non-Christian readers, I think those readers might have trouble accepting the number of characters who commit their hearts to Christ by the book’s end. Still, it could be a good book to pass to a non-Christian friend.
The basics of the faith are clearly presented in small portions as the characters themselves begin searching—after readers have watched them dig themselves into messes and have developed sympathy for them. And although the gospel message is very clear, I never felt readers were being preached at.
I found it interesting to look at the Christian characters through Russ and Deanie’s eyes and see how even the best intentions can be misconstrued. Deanie’s friend Holly shows how faith can be lived non-judgmentally but without compromise, and she’s a good example to us all.
Tracy Krauss is a Canadian author whose previous novels include And the Beat Goes On and My Mother the Man-Eater. Play it Again is the prequel to And the Beat Goes On. You can learn more about Tracy at her website or check out her blog, Expressions Express, about the creative process from a Christian perspective.
There’s an interesting interview with Tracy Krauss at Marcy Dyer’s Rollercoaster Suspense blog, where she talks about her philosophy in writing edgy Christian fiction.