Author Archives: Janet Sketchley

About Janet Sketchley

Janet Sketchley is an Atlantic Canadian writer whose Redemption’s Edge Christian suspense novels have each been finalists in The Word Awards. She's also the author of the devotional collection, A Year of Tenacity. Janet blogs about faith and books. She loves Jesus and her family, and enjoys reading, worship music, and tea. Fans of Christian suspense are invited to join her writing journey through her monthly newsletter: bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews.

Praying into the Light

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Give ear, O God, and hear;
open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name.
We do not make requests of you because we are righteous,
but because of your great mercy.
Daniel 9:18, NIV*

Sometimes the very magnitude of prayer needs can reach a point where prayer feels more like a barrier to fellowship with the Lord than a doorway into His presence. We ask and don’t receive. We knock and hear no answer. The mountain’s not going anywhere but up.

Still God invites us to bring our cares and needs to Him. (1 Peter 5:7)

As we pray, may God grant us to yearn for Him, to see Him, to be still long enough to sense His presence. We may come because of external need, but let’s stay until we’re reminded that our souls’ real need is Him.

Father, thank You we can find our rest in You, that we can bring all things to You, our Rock and our Salvation. Turn our eyes and hearts to Yourself, and by Your presence give us hope. Help us rejoice no matter what our circumstances, because You are mighty to save, and You are with us.

Let the song “Hosanna,” by Paul Baloche, be our prayer today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BZoDH2H1Ls

Praying in the Dark

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Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.
Isaiah 50:10, NIV*

The past few weeks have weighed a bit heavily on me. Prayers, alone and in groups, dwell on a mountain of needs: sickness, death, emotional suffering.

In one of my prayer groups, a member spoke of having a hard time “seeing God’s plan” in a heartbreaking need. Not that God caused the problem, but why isn’t He intervening with the miracle we’re praying to see?

I thought of this on Good Friday. Nobody could see God’s plan when it included Jesus dying on the Cross.

But He had a plan.

And it shook the universe.

If we know God’s character, we know we can trust Him. Even when He’s silent and everything is going all wrong.

So I choose to keep bringing the sick and wounded to Him, bringing my lack of vision too.

Father, prayer isn’t meant to dwell on the problems, but to dwell on You. Forgive us when we get it wrong. Thank You that we can bring these needs to You. Help us find our rest in who You are, in Your character and Your promises. When we can’t see Your plan, let us see You – caring, moving, sustaining.

To focus us on God, this week’s song is Chris Tomlin‘s “You Do All Things Well“.

Christian Mystery Novelist Sara Mills

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Sara Mills is the author of two 1940s-era PI mysteries featuring Allie Fortune, a “female Sam Spade” operating in New York City. Sara is a wife, mother, writer, freelance editor and motorcycle racing enthusiast. She loves animals, raises Golden Retrievers, has a house full of hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, puppies and any other stray that makes its way to her door. (from her website — click here to read the rest, or you can read interviews with Sara at Cara Putman’s blog or Novel Journey) And I discovered today that she lives in Canada. I’m always looking for more Christian authors in Canada.

I’ve wanted to read Miss Fortune and Miss Match for some time. Wish I had a happier reason for deciding to order them now, but here it is: Sara’s husband Keith died suddenly last week, and she’s now a widow with three young kids. (For more details, see a recent post at Novel Journey.)

Some of her good friends at American Christian Fiction Writers have organized a blog tour to show their support and love. Her friend Ronie Kendig’s blog explains, “This isn’t an attempt to trivialize Keith’s death–I’d actually think he’d be thrilled to see so many throwing their support behind his beloved wife and the mother of his children.” (You can read the whole blog post at Craving the Supernatural)

Sara, I’m praying for you and your children.

About the books:

Miss Fortune (book one)

They call her the P.I. Princess.

Allie Fortune is the only female private investigator in New York City and she’s one of the best.

When there’s a knock on her office door at four in the morning, Allie’s first inclination is to ignore it. Someone out on the streets in the middle of the night is usually trouble, either causing it, or being chased by it, and Mary Gordon is no exception.

You can read more here or read the first chapter here.

Miss Match (book two)

FBI agent Jack O’Connor receives a letter from Maggie, a woman he used to love, saying she’s in trouble in Berlin. The FBI refuses to get involved, so Jack asks Allie Fortune to help him investigate. Allie and Jack pose as a missionary couple who want to bring orphans back to the United States.

Youcan read more here or read the first chapter here.

Both books should be available in your local bookstore or online at Chapters, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com or Christianbook.com.

Holy Week

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While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.

Jesus replied, ‘Friend, do what you came for.’

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’

Matthew 26:47-54, NIV*

Holy Week.

We count down to tragedy… and triumph. We remember the events that led to our Saviour’s cruel death on a rough-hewn cross, disfigured and despised.

For us.

Sunday’s coming, and we’ll celebrate His glorious resurrection, perhaps the pinnacle moment in God’s mind-boggling plan.

But first comes Thursday: the Last Supper, Gethsemane’s agony, the betrayal. Friday: the mockery, the abuse, the physical torture of crucifixion. Saturday: the quiet before the storm nobody knew was coming.

It’s tempting to skip all the hard stuff, move right into the celebration. But look what Jesus did for us.

I’ll never be able to wrap my head around it, but He gave Himself intentionally, the perfect Lamb of God foreshadowed in the Old Testament sacrifices, despite the unimaginable agony of body and spirit. Because He loves us.

He.

Loves.

Us.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour.

Have a blessed Holy Week. Our song is an extended version of the Newsboys‘ “I Am Free.” Listen to the Scriptures about ¾ of the way through. This is the Gospel. He came to set us free.

Submitting to God

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Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you… Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:7,8,10 NIV*

Submission… our independent natures bristle at the word, and it conjures images of weakness, humiliation, subservience. I think that’s because of how the powerful have abused their status.

The NIV titles the bulk of James 4 “Submit Yourselves to God,” and there’s no connotation of abuse at all. If we stop and think about it…

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He laid down His life for us. We can trust His love.

The Prophet Jeremiah and the Apostle Paul speak of God’s plan to work all things out for good for those who love Him. We may not see how this will happen, but we can trust His intentions.

Our God is the one who spoke the universe into being, sent and stopped Noah’s flood, and who through Jesus calmed the storm, healed the sick, and raised the dead. We can trust His ability to look after us. (Yes, He sometimes allows His people to be martyred, but even there He has a purpose and we can be sure He carries their spirits safely into His healing presence.)

Sovereign Lord, help me start each day by submitting myself to You and committing to listen for Your leading and to obey in trust. You know the end from the beginning, and You are good. Remind me when I try to go my own way, and when I falter help my unbelief. My spirit finds its rest and true purpose in You.

Let this week’s song be our prayer: “Creator King” by Irish worship leader Kathryn Scott.

Books by Canadian Christian Authors

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My blogroll has sections “For Readers – General” and “For Readers – Suspense” and today I want to point out two blogs which highlight Canadian Christian Authors.

Books for Book Lovers, by Kimberley Payne, and

Interviews and Reviews, by Laura Davis.

Also, the Hot Apple Cider website is featuring weekly interviews with the authors who contributed to the book.

Fear… or Trust?

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The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1, NIV*

Take fear out of the equation, and how much differently would we act?

Some upstanding citizens would become successful criminals without a healthy fear holding them back.

Most of us would be calmer, not so guarded. We could trust and not feel the need to protect our interests. We could be ourselves without being concerned about mockery. We could tell others about this wonderful Jesus who rescued us, and not worry about rejection.

In this world, dangers abound and a healthy fear can keep us safe. Grace Fox points out in Moving from Fear to Freedom that the upside to fear is how it can point us to active trust in God.

As we learn to trust God, get to know His character and prove His trustworthiness, the challenge is to let Him be our protector instead of protecting ourselves. Not that we’ll abandon common sense and start walking in front of buses or into dark alleys, but will we drop the barriers we’ve learned to hide behind?

Will we concentrate more on others’ unspoken needs and less on our own security? More on how God might be nudging us to get involved, and less on what it would cost?

Swindling, mockery and rejection happen, and we’re to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves“. Jesus wasn’t blind to the dangers He faced, but He “entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” and did what the Father had for Him to do. We need to do the same.

Father, You are our strong tower, our shelter and our refuge. Nothing and no one can snatch us from Your hand. Give us courage and grace to live Your rescue, not shrinking back but trusting our hearts and souls to You and following where You lead. Teach us to hear and obey Your voice, because of Jesus.

Our song for the week is “Strong Tower,” by the group Kutless.

The Voice of Truth

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This week was my turn to post over at InScribe Writers Online. You can read “The Voice of Truth” here.

Where Our Help Lies

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I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2, NIV*

“Circumstances and challenges are constant, but thank God we know where our help lies.” That one sentence from Canadian writer/speaker Mary Haskett pointed me to this week’s verse and song.

Our help lies with God. So do our purpose, direction, our only possibility of getting life right.

God is not a distant hope, a Divine sort of cavalry waiting in the hills to ride down and rescue us when we signal. He’s here with each of us who have committed our lives to Him. He takes that commitment seriously – as seriously as His commitment to never leave us.

It’s sad that so often we don’t remember He’s with us. In our best moments, we’re aware of His quiet presence. In those moments we have peace, joy, assurance. We live each moment in His, and it shows.

Father, help us in our weakness. Help us remember Your presence with us and depend on You. Remind us that You are bigger and more powerful than the circumstances and challenges that threaten us today. On our own we are helpless, but we praise You that by Your grace, our hope… our help… is in You.

We’ve used this song before, but what could be more appropriate than Bebo Norman‘s “I Will Lift My Eyes“?

Award-Winning Romantic Suspense

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Congratulations to Canadian author Linda Hall whose romantic suspense novel, Shadows at the Window, won Romantic Times Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for 2008!