Red Word Wisdom

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The Bible is filled with all the wisdom we need to have a successful life here on earth. And certainly the words of Jesus are no exception. In fact, perhaps, his words deserve some extra attention so I’m starting a new Bible study that focuses on Jesus’s Words.

Time wise, Jesus’s first recorded words were found in Luke 2: 49 (NIV) when he went missing and Mary and Joseph found him at the temple. “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

The New King James Version says it this way:  “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

I think both versions have something to teach us.

In my Father’s house. When you spend time at another’s house, it implies a relationship with that person. I don’t believe it’s an accident that Jesus’s first recorded words point to having a relationship with God—His father. Our Father. First and foremost, we were created to have a relationship with our Creator.

Don’t neglect that relationship.

About My Father’s business. Jesus knew that he was put on this earth for a reason—to do God’s business. We were put on the earth for that very same reason. Jesus was put on this earth for a very specific purpose—and so were we.

My purpose is not the same as yours. And yours is not the same as anyone else’s. Once you have that relationship with God, then it’s time to discover the business your Father created you form then…

Get about His business.

Wow! Jesus’s first words give us direction and purpose in our life. Can’t beat that. I have a feeling this Bible study might take a lot longer than I realized.

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

SUPRISE!! SURPRISE!!

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Starting today several of my books will be free on Amazon through the weekend!! That’s right! FREE! No strings attached–nothing to sign up for. Nothing to do. Though, if you like one or all of my books, reviews would be a great way to thank me!

Different books on different days so you’ll have to check back during the weekend to get a free copy of the one you’ve been wanting to read. And no I’m not going to tell you what day for what books.

That’s the surprise part!

AMAZON PAGE

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

New Release–BIRTHRIGHT

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LEAVE A COMMENT TO BE ENTERED TO WIN AN AMAZON GIFT CARD!

BIRTHRIGHT is my latest novel. And it’s not like any of my other books. It’s a supernatural horror story. Definitely out of the box. I love to read books like that and even watch some of the supernatural/fantasy movies. Some not all!

But I never thought I’d write one.

Then one night I had a dream. The moment I woke up I ran up to my computer and wrote a paragraph about the dream. Later that day, I added a few more paragraphS…and that was the beginning of BIRTHRIGHT.

When it was finished, it was finished. It was a story I wrote for myself. I didn’t submit it to even be considered for publication. But every now and then I’d take it out, read it, revise and polish it a bit more. I loved the story, but didn’t do anything about getting it published.

Until now.

After I turned my final edits in for the next in my Deadly Communication series (Deadly Intent), I started working on a different novel, but suddenly BIRTHRIGHT seemed to be calling my name.

This time I listened.

BIRTHRIGHT tells the story of Sam Langstrom.

Every story has a beginning, a middle, and the end (or at least it should!) and this one is no exception. The Beginning is set in pre-Civil War times when Sam’s birthright begins. The Middle is in the seventies and eighties where we learn about his own family. And The End happens in contemporary times as Sam must decide if he will or will not accept his birthright.

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Amazon Link

Here’s the back cover:

Is evil real? Does it prowl around like a lion searching for its next victim?

Sam Langstrom knows the answer to those questions. He’s known since he was a child. Evil is not only real, but his birthright.

But can a man change his destiny?

With God’s help, Sam believes he’s put the ghosts of his childhood behind him. Now a preacher with a wife and a child of his own, life is good. Right up until that moment when his house explodes in front of his eyes—with his child inside.

The ghosts are back.

He has one chance to save his child, but to do so means to turn his back on God. Will he accept his birthright—bow down to the evil? Will he give the lion its final victory—his soul?

 

So, it’s time to celebrate the release of BIRTHRIGHT with a giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card. Two more will win a $5 gift card. Leave a comment and you’ll be automatically entered for the giveaway.

Winners will be picked on March 17!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

Are You Putting God In A Cage?

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This is not the first time I’ve used this devotion, but I love it! So I use it from time to time. I hope you enjoy it as well.

ARE YOU PUTTING GOD IN A CAGE?

James 4: 8 (NLT)

“Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.”

Friends told me this story of a rescued dog long ago, but I’ve never forgotten it. The dog’s owners decided to use cage training to housebreak their young puppy. Cage training consists of having the puppy spend time in his cage until he figures out where to go potty and where not to.

Unfortunately, the owners missed the point. They brought their young puppy home and, as expected, the puppy soon had an accident. His owners punished him by putting him in the cage. With each accident, they would punish him by keeping him the cage for longer periods. Naturally, the dog would have another accident in the cage and so the cycle went.

Eventually, the dog was in the cage for several days at a time without food or water. The owners didn’t understand why the dog had turned mean.

Dogs are great pets when they are loved and nurtured. The more time we spend with them the stronger the bond becomes. The key to any relationship is the time, attention and effort given. That holds true for relationships with animals, people, and God.

The more time and effort we put into a relationship the more we receive.

What about our relationship with God?

Do we treat Him in a way that we wouldn’t treat a dog? Do we take God out of the cage on Sundays for a few hours and then stick Him back in until the next Sunday? We may even have good intentions but…life can get so busy.

I know that happens to me more often than I care to admit. I have good intentions to spend time with God but then life happens. Before I know it, I begin to lose my patience, my joy, and my peace. That’s when I know it’s time to draw near to God and He’s always there waiting.

Don’t cheat yourself out of a loving relationship with God because you think you don’t have time. There is no right or wrong way to spend time with God. Here are a few of my favorite ways to spend time with God:

While you do your chores, listen to praise music.

Pray whenever the mood hits.

Start writing a list of what you are grateful to God for–big and little things.

Rent a Biblical movie.

Put index cards and a pen by your Bible. Write out verses that are meaningful.

Sing your favorite hymn–even if your husband doesn‘t like your singing.

Reflect on God’s goodness as you notice His beautiful handiwork.

As you fall asleep, end your day with a pray of praise and thanksgiving.

Be creative, be flexible, and enjoy your time with God. The more time you spend with him, the more peace and joy you will experience. As you reap the benefits of spending time with God, you will soon find yourself craving more time with Him. He’s here right this moment–waiting for you.

What’s one of the ways you enjoy spending time with God?

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

Spring Will Always Bring a Smile

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Here’s a flash fiction piece from author, Mary L. Ball

Spring Will Always Bring a Smile

Lisa rested on a bench in the center of Gold Memorial, staring at a grass-covered mound. She glanced around at the new flowers that bloomed and noticed the buds upon the lilac trees, the signs of a changing season were all around. As the Birds sang a melody in the distance, Lisa didn’t smile. Spring was here, and she didn’t care.

As a man approached and stood beside her. He gazed at Lisa and spoke with a cracked, aged voice, “a loved one.”

Lisa hated the intrusion, but despite her mood, she tried to be polite. “Yes, very much loved.” She looked at the elderly man, something in his eyes made her speak again. In a voice barely audible, words laced with despair. “Rob was my only love; we didn’t have but a few years together.”

The older man gazed at Lisa and saw the hurt in her eyes. “I know what you mean; my Polly was my mate for over forty years.”

Lisa looked at the man. “It must be hard to have someone around that long of a time a time, and lose them.”

The man smiled at Lisa, shaking his head. “Yes, but we had good years together. I thank God- for all those years.”

A prick of anger moved over Lisa, in a sarcastic tone she rushed a reply. “If God wanted us to be happy, why take away our loved ones.”

The grey-haired man looked away and spoke as if he were talking to the wind. “God does want us to be happy, but everyone has to face loss, a time to weep, and a time to laugh.”

Lisa stood up; noticing the man now carried a smile on his face.

She shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t want to accept that.”

The man stepped closer to Lisa and gently touched her hand. “Would Rob want you to be bitter, to turn away from the world?”

Something in the way the man spoke opened her heart and brought back a memory of a conversation with Rob. Lisa recalled a time when he asked her to promise him that she would never let anything take away her beautiful smile. Lisa glanced at the old man nervously, realizing her replying. “He would want me to go on without him.”

The older man begun to speak about the seasons, “you know spring is supposed to be a fresh beginning. It brings forth an unmarked life,” his voice continued, words broken by time.”In the winter, things are dead, then comes the spring, and with it, a brand-new start. We can’t go back to the past. We must move forward into the unused time within the year, and the wonder of a renewed life. Nevertheless, we will forever remember the winters. Our purpose though, has invariably been to go on, just as the world constantly moves. In our hearts, we will faithfully hold the love, and memories, but we need to live.”

He turned his head toward Lisa and grinned, “by going on with our lives, we bring honor to the ones that were lost. It’s a way to show respect for what they represented.”

As the man slipped his hand away, Lisa closed her eyes and wiped a tear from her cheek. She raised her head up and saw that the old man was gone.

Lisa gazed in all directions. Her eyes caught sight of a young woman walking passed. “Excuse me, where did the old man who was carrying an umbrella go?”

The lady eyed Lisa with a puzzled expression, lines formed around her mouth; sluggishly she moved her head back and forth. “I don’t believe anyone else has been on this path for at least an hour.”

Lisa felt her face grow red, “Thanks.” Quickly, she rushed to the car.

Seated in her vehicle, Lisa exhaled a breath and took one last look at the spot she cherished and smiled. At that moment, she thought she heard a quiet soothing voice, “Lisa, that’s the smile I fell in love with.”

 

Mary L. Ball is an inspirational fiction author and lives in North Carolina. Her novels include, Escape to Big Fork Lake, Stone of Destiny, Postmarked Ever After, Christmas at Angel ranch and Redemption in Big Fork Lake.  She is also a contributing author of 21 Stories of Faith.    

Readers can 

​visit her author page at:

 http://www.amazon.com/Mary-L.-Ball/e/B007O97Y0E/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1/192-2517852-7109947

Oooh! Did it send a chill up your spine?

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

WRITERLY WISDOM–Moving Forward

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I’ve been writing for a lot of years. One thing I’ve noticed is a lot of the “rules” that make up good writing works for life as well! That’s what Writerly Wisdom is all about. This week:

MOVING FORWARD

One of the rules of writing is to keep the story moving forward. Back story is anything that’s happened to the characters before the story actually starts. Writers love back story. And, in fact, we need to know some of the characters defining moments to understand why the character reacts in a certain way in the present story.

But too much back story bogs things down.

Life is the same way. If we get too focused on our past, we aren’t moving forward. And moving forward is what we should be doing. The interesting this is that whether we’re focusing on the good or bad things in our past, it keeps us from moving forward.

For example:  The star high school quarterback who relieves his glory days over and over isn’t moving forward. He’s stuck in the past instead of living in the future.

Another: The victim in an abusive marriage relieves the horror over and over. And that makes her afraid to get involved with anyone else–ever again.

Neither of those situations are good. Just as a story should keep moving forward, so should we.

What’s stopping you from moving forward?

UNTIL NEXT TIME… GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

 

Biblical Advice For Writers!

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1 Peter 1:13

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled,

set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

 

Paul may not have written these words with a writer in mind, but I think it’s great advice. We can learn much when and where we least expect it. Let’s take a look at the verse part by part.

STEP 1: Prepare your minds .Being an excellent writer takes more than sitting down at a computer and writing. First, you must be a reader, and I don’t mean one or two books every year. One of the best ways to learn to write is to read, read, and read!

Second of all, as a Christian writer, you want to be excellent at what you do. And that means being good at the craft of writing. There are lots of ways to do that, such as classes, workshops, reading books on writing, joining writing groups and critique groups. Along with learning more about the writing craft, writers need to learn more about the business of writing as well. But whatever you do, you must prepare your mind.

STEP 2: Action. You can’t stay in step 1 forever. Some people talk about wanting to be a writer. Some people study writing.  But the only way to become a writer is to write.  So even as you continue to learn all you can about writing, you must write. Writers write!

STEP 3: Be self-controlled. So much to do and so little time to do it! We live in busy times. A multitude of people, activities, and responsibilities tug at us.  You can’t say yes to everything and still have time for writing. Being a writer takes a commitment, self-control, and self-discipline and time. Lots of time. If you can’t make a complete commitment to writing , this may not be the season for you to follow the dream as wholeheartedly as you want. You can still work on steps 1 & 2 so that you will be ready for step 3 when the time is right.

STEP 4: Set your hope fully on God’s grace. How long will it take you to reach your writing goals? I have no idea, but I can assure you it will be longer than you want or expect. Whether short or long, keep your eyes focused on God and His goodness, and know that He is faithful.

Paul’s words may not have been intended for writers, but when you consider the fact he wrote a majority of the New Testament, I believe he knew what he was talking about.

 UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

Book Blast–Win an Amazon Gift Card!

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More Than ThisMore Than This
By Staci Stallings

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About the Book:

Liz Savoy has no plans to date anyone—least of all the dark handsome mystery man who sometimes inhabits the corner table at the coffee shop where she’s working to get through school. But plans change, sometimes in ways no one expected.

Jake McCoy is the next mega-millionaire author, or at least he would be if he could get the stories in his head down on the ether. With no good place to write, he resorts to dark corners in Wi-Fi hotspots, knowing no one in the world cares about him or his comings and goings one way or the other. However, there is one waitress at The Grind coffee shop with a cute smile and kind eyes who doesn’t seem to think he is as invisible as he likes to think he is. Can reality with her ever hope to match the fantasy world where his imagination has him living?

LINK to KINDLE

Staci new haedshot

Now a #1 Best Selling Christian and Inspirational Romance author, Staci Stallings, a stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Although she lives in Amarillo, Texas and her main career right now is her family, Staci touches the lives of people across the globe with her various Internet and writing endeavors.

Follow Staci Stallings
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 Amazon gift card, sponsored by author Staci Stallings!

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This book blast is hosted by Crossreads.

We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Friday Friend–Bonnie Doran & A Giveaway!

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It’s been a while since I’ve had a friend stop by on a Friday.

Today’s guest writer is  Bonnie Doran. She tells me her heart is in science fiction. She enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, solving Sudoku puzzles, and telling groan-producing puns. Her published works include six magazine articles, three short stories, 67 devotional writings, and her science thriller, Dark Biology.

And Bonnie wants to give one lucky winner a print copy of her book, DARK BIOLOGY. To be entered to win, leave a comment. A name will be drawn next Friday!

 

I Married a Mad Scientist

Not many women claim they’re married to a Mad Scientist. They might be a military wife or pastor’s wife. Not me.

Thirty-one years ago, I had celebrated by 31st birthday and broken up with a boyfriend. I figured I’d never find that special someone. I was living on the Central Coast of California at the time.

Then Don, friend of mine, played matchmaker. He knew a guy who worked at Vandenberg Air Force Base as an electrical engineer with Martin Marietta, now Lockheed Martin. Does anybody remember the MX missile? Yes, he was a rocket scientist at the time. Don was his quality control inspector.

We exchanged photos before we met. John’s photos showed him playing a harp and working with his homemade laser. He also had a photo of his Siamese cat.

We rendezvoused at Don and Tricia’s place and went out for dinner. The rest is history. John proposed after two and a half weeks and we married three months later. Six weeks after that, John completed his work and we moved back to Denver. We’ll celebrate our 32nd anniversary this May.

I should have suspected that John was a Mad Scientist. He owned a home-built laser that had been his senior project at Georgia Tech. He spent his free time with computer and model-rocket groups.

Although the label of Mad Scientist hadn’t occurred to me, the moniker fits him well. He built a Tesla coil. One of his latest projects is working with a Van de Graaf machine. He has a 2,300-pound electromagnet that now resides on the production floor of his company which builds laser-engraving machines. Getting that electromagnet out of the basement of our house required several men and a mechanical engineer who devised a block and tackle.

For a number of years, he’s been a member in good standing of the Denver Mad Scientists, an informal club which meets at a restaurant for brunch and at a pot luck at someone’s home every month. The conversation usually disintegrates into techno-speak about computers, electronic design, or the latest sci-fi movie.

So yes, I’m a Mad Scientist’s Wife. My experience as such resulted in a flash fiction piece, “The Mad Scientist Pot Luck” which Splickety Magazine published several years ago. John sees a few of his quirks reflected in one of my characters in Dark Biology, but of course I disavow the novel bears any resemblance to real people or events.

Thanks, Bonnie. Here’s a little more about her book, DARK BIOLOGY. And by the way, Bonnie, I love this cover! It’s awesome.

DarkBiology2

Renowned vaccinologist “Hildi” Hildebrandt has set her sights on beating her brother to a Nobel Prize, and the opportunity to conduct experiments on the International Space Station might just provide the means to obtain that goal. Chet Hildebrandt should have had that opportunity. But now he’ll teach a lesson to them all: his hot-shot astronaut sister, his philandering hypocritical father, and the CDC for not properly appreciating his work. One vial of a virus purloined from the CDC labs and released at his father’s marriage seminar should do the trick, without hurting anybody. After all, it’s only a mild influenza strain…Or is it?

If you’d like to buy it, go to: http://pelink.us/1fzRErC

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered to win the book!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

Are You Ready To Play In The Super Bowl?

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Who doesn’t want to be a champion, especially on this Super Bowl Sunday, right?

My preacher had a great sermon today so I thought I’d share the highlights. So thanks, Tom, for inspiring this post. He entitled it SUPER BOWL CHRISTIANS. Don’t you love the title and wouldn’t we all love to be a Super Bowl Christian. Being a Super Bowl Christian might mean different things to different people but there’s a few things we all need to do if we want to become one.

DESIRE: You can’t win the game if you don’t care about it. Psalm 42: 1 says, As the deer pants for the streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God”  To be a Super Bowl Christian, we should desire a relationship with God above all else. 

DISCIPLINE: To be all that we can be, we must endure a little discipline in life, sometimes self-displine but also from others. (Just ask the Army!) Discipline is not a bad thing. Hebrews 12: 7 tells us,  “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father.” To be a Super Bowl Christian, we must accept and learn from the discipline, not be made angry, frustrated, or bitter.

DETERMINATION: This step is about focus and commitment. Lots of people start lots of things every day, but it takes determination to finish. Proverbs 24: 16 says it all, “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.”  To be a Super Bowl Christian, you’ve got to get back in the game no matter how many times you fall.

DENIAL: This is a painful one–because it’s about self-denial.Something we’re not very good at these days. We want what we want when we want it, and we don’t want to sacrifice anything to get it. .Paul tells us in Romans 12: 1, ” Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.”   Each time we make a sacrifice as we run our race, we move a little closer to the goal line. To be a Super Bowl Christian, you must be willing to sacrifce.

DISTINCTION If we follow the other four steps to the best of our ability, then we will have completed the race we were given to run. We will live a life of excellence, a life pleasing to God. As Paul said in Phillipians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”. And we, too, can say we are a Super Bowl Christian.

Can you even begin to imagine what your life might be like if you practice these four steps consistently and to the best of your ability in your writing life as well (or whatever dream you are pursuing)?

You might start that story you’ve been wanting to write.

You might finish that story that’s been sitting dormant for so long.

You might edit, revise, and polish so that it’s ready to submit.

And you might just obtain that illusive goal of being a published writer.

Now that I’m published I still want to write the best story I can. My writing is my ministry, and because of that I want to do it as well as I can. To be a Super Bowl Champion means to live the life of excellence God calls each of us to live.

Any other ideas what we need to do to live a life of excellence?

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!