God's Plans . . . Not Mine

Hi Friends,

I just got back from Mount Hermon Christian Writers conference near Scotts Valley, California. What a rich, wonderful time of being with God, friends, and other writers! As usual, I stayed up late in Central Lounge laughing at the stories told by long-time friends like Steve Laube (my agent), John Olson, Randy Ingermanson, Tracy Higley (my roommate for the conference - fun!), Lynne Thompson, Meredith Efken, Mary Hampton, and others. And new friends like Tosca Lee and Rick Acker. The seminars were fantastic, the weather mostly sunny, and the food yummy.

Now I am both exhausted and refreshed. :-) So, no story with a scriptural point from me today, but I did want to share a thought that was meaningful to me over the time of the conference. Here it is:

A recurring scripture for me (both in life and this past weekend) is Ephesians 2:10, which when translated from the Greek reads something like: For we are His masterpiece, having been created in Christi Jesus for good works which God before-prepared, that in them we may walk.

What I love about this verse is both the idea that God has already PREPARED (not just "assigned") the good works for us but also that we're not just to do them, but walk in them. The Greek there for "walk" literally says "walk around." So, there's the feel not of a good works to-do list, but these good things that God has prepared for us to walk around in, to live in, experience and become.

For me that is a huge encouragement. I don't need to force my own plans into my life. I don't need to compare my success with others. I don't need to fret because things don't work out the way I want them to. God has prepared the good works for me. They are a gift, not a task. Now, I may walk around in them. I have a chance to live them.

I just need to walk. That's all. God says to me "This is the way, walk ye in it." (Isaiah 30:21) So, I just need to go forward, love Him, and be looking for ways to love others, ways that He has already prepared for.

That's the wonder of my walk, your walk, with a VIVID God.

(P.S. I've got some news coming out on my newsletter soon, so make sure you're signed up -- go to my website homepage - see button above - and enter your email address in the box on the right column! And please feel free to tell anyone else who might be interested about the newsletter too!)

Obeying God - The Right Tool

Hi Friends,

Today, I'm reminded of a story about what it takes to obey God, to follow Him, to be the person He wants me to be. I'm reminded of the difference between will power and submission. It happened like this . . .

It was the size of a watermelon. A very large watermelon. I stuck my hand through the huge hole in the screen door and hollered for my husband. “Aren’t you ever going to fix this screen?”

I heard mumbling from the other room.

“Well?”

“Maybe this weekend,” Bryan yelled back.

This weekend? Was he crazy? A hundred flies would buzz through the hole before then. Or a mouse could get through. Or even the neighbor’s cat. I stood up and put my hands on my hips.

“I want to do it now.”

“Go ahead. The new screen’s in the garage.”

It wasn’t exactly the answer I was hoping for, but I wasn’t going to wait any longer. “Fine. I’ll do it myself. No problem.” I slapped my hands together and headed for the garage. There, as promised, was the brand new hole-less screen.

I tromped back into the house with the screen in my hand. Within minutes I had the door removed and the old screen out and thrown away. Now all I had to do was squeeze the new screen into the metal frame and replace the door. It seemed like a simple task.

I laid the screen on the frame and pushed, and shoved, and tweaked, and groaned. But the screen wouldn’t stay in the frame. Finally, I took a butter knife and tried to wedge the mesh into the thin crease. I pushed the screen in. It came out. I pushed it in sideways. It came out again. I smashed the stainless steel knife into the mesh and pushed it into the frame with all my might. It stayed in for a moment, then slipped out. For forty-five minutes I tried everything I could think of to squeeze the screen into the frame, but nothing work.

Finally, I threw the butter knife onto the ground. “I can’t do this!" My shout echoed through the house. "It’s impossible!”

Bryan ambled into the room. “What’s wrong?”

I sniffed. “I can’t get this stupid screen into the frame.” I grabbed the butter knife and stabbed it in Bryan’s direction.

He grinned. “You’re using a butter knife?”

I crossed my arms. “Yeah. So?”

“There’s a tool for that, you know.”

“Of course I want to."

Ten minutes later we were standing before a bin of 79-cent tools. I stared at the small plastic sticks attached to miniature wheels. “This is it?”

“That’s it.” Bryan smiled.

Less than a dollar later, Bryan and I were headed home with tool in hand.

Once I got back, changing the screen took only a few seconds. I couldn’t believe how my impossible task had suddenly become so easy. All because I had the proper tool.

Sometimes I feel like following God, and obeying his will, is a lot like changing a window screen. Without the right tool, it’s almost impossible. I like to think that I can obey God through sheer will power. But after struggling, groaning, and trying with all my might, I find the hole-filled screen of my life far from fixed. What I need is not the butter knife of will power, but the new heart that God promises. I need to lay down my self-sufficiency and pick up complete reliance on God. I need to stop thinking that I can fulfill God’s dreams for me if I just try hard enough.

Instead, I must depend on the right tool – on God’s grace and mercy in my life. Only then will I be able to accomplish the tasks God has for me.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Through grace, God gives me what I need to obey Him. He only asks that I be willing to give up my old heart of stone . . . or in this case, of stainless steel.

The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher

Hi Friends,

This week, I'd like to tell you a little about The Perfect Life, a new novel by Robin Lee Hatcher. So here we go . . .

THE PERFECT LIFE
by Robin Lee Hatcher

Katherine Clarkson has the perfect life. Married to Brad, a loving and handsome man, respected in their church and the community. Two grown daughters on the verge of starting families of their own. A thriving ministry. Good friends. A comfortable life.

She has it all—until the day a reporter appears with shocking allegations. Splashed across the local news are accusations of Brad's financial impropriety at his foundation and worse, of an affair with a former employee. Without warning, Katherine's marriage is shattered and her family torn apart. The reassuring words she's spoken to many brokenhearted women over the years offer little comfort now.

Her world spinning, Katherine wonders if she can find the truth in the chaos that consumes her. How can she survive the loss of the perfect life?


**************

Publisher's Weekly says:

"Hatcher is a dab hand with dialogue, which is one reason her characters are so well drawn: readers will feel empathy with all members of the family. Hatcher also gets kudos for creating, in Katherine's best friend, a sympathetic non-Christian character, something all too rare in faith fiction. This will be a surefire hit with Hatcher's many fans."


*****************


About Robin

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 55 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.


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An Interview with Robin

Question: Where do you get the ideas for your stories and what has been your greatest inspiration?

Answer: Ideas come from all kinds of places – from dreams, from bit of news on the television, from conversations overheard in restaurants. Sometimes I’m conscious of the exact moment an idea for a novel began. But for most my novels, the ideas seem to creep up on me. The Perfect Life was more the latter. One day I simply recognized I had the premise for a story rolling around in my head, then I began brainstorming the bigger picture and eventually the novel was born.

Some of my novels have come from deep personal experiences. Because God has walked me through dark places and brought me out on the other side, I want to share with others the grace He has shown me. Since I am a novelist, fiction is the main way I can do that. And naturally, the faith element of my novels comes out of my own faith experiences, from lessons God has taught me or is teaching me. Sometimes I’m looking for answers right along with the characters of my books, so writing is a form of discovery for me.

Question: How does it make you feel to see your books, not only in print but on the shelves of stores?

Answer: I can honestly say it was every bit as exciting when I held The Perfect Life, my 56th book, as it was when I held my very first novel (1984). Every novel is a story from my heart, and I pray that each one will bring readers both enjoyment and new understanding. To see it come to fruition is an amazing thing.

Question: Do you have a favorite of all the books you have written so far? Why is it your favorite?

Answer: I don’t have one favorite book, but some of my books are special to me for different reasons. For instance, I love Ribbon of Years because my protagonist, Miriam, is the kind of Christian I hope to be at the end of my life. I love The Shepherd’s Voice because God taught me that He can and will do amazing things with what I offer to Him, even when it is so imperfect. I love Beyond the Shadows because I long to let Christians who love alcoholics know that they are not alone and that there is always hope in Christ. I love Catching Katie because Katie was such a fun character and the research was fascinating. I love The Forgiving Hour because God poured that story into my heart and many of the scenes came straight out of my own life (albeit the experiences came more than 25 years before I wrote the book). I love The Perfect Life because I understand Katherine’s perfectionist tendencies and her need to control the chaos. And I always love the next book I plan to write because there is still hope that it will completely fulfill the vision I have for it.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595541489/

Robin's Web site: http://www.robinleehatcher.com/
Robin's Blog: http://robinlee.typepad.com/

Finding Your Way Through Darkness: A Poem

Hi Friends,

I've been thinking this week about how dark times don't last forever. Dawn comes, light dawns, and joy can be renewed. So, what is the purpose of the night? I think the night teaches us to trust God, to follow Him in the dimness, to submit our wills to His and believe that the path on which He leads us will bring us to a new day. The night teaches us to believe. The day teaches us wonder. But we can't be filled with the wonder of God, with the wonder of the Cross, until we've walked through the darkness and learned to believe when we can't see.

So, in that "light," I offer the following poem:

Submission

I ask Him where I'm going,
Where does this path lead?
To a land of endless day
Where all darkness flees?
Beyond the tears I weep today,
Will joy come tomorrow?
To banish fear within me,
To sooth the edge of sorrow?

I hear the voice of the King
Calling through my night,
Beckoning to my soul,
"Bask within my light."
I dry my tears, lift my head,
And choose to follow Him,
Despite my fear and sorrow,
Despite the ache within.

And, lo, as I travel
Where His feet have gone,
The depths of my darkness
Dissolve into the dawn.
Joy begins to blossom
From the seeds of pain
For He has led me on the path
Where He alone can reign.

Leaving November by Deborah Raney

Hi Friends,

The book I have to introduce to you this week is Leaving November by Deb Raney. Read on for a little about it, plus an interview!

Leaving November is the second novel in the Clayburn Novels series from Howard/Simon & Schuster.

Daughter of the town drunk, Vienne Kenney has escaped Clayburn for law school in California. But after failing the bar exam—twice—she’s back home with her tail between her legs, managing Latte-dah, the Clayburn café turned upscale coffee shop. Jackson Linder runs the art gallery across the street and Vienne has had her eye on him since she was a skinny seventh grader and he was the hunky high school lifeguard who didn’t know she existed. Now it’s his turn to fall for her and suddenly Clayburn seems like a pretty nice place to be...until Vienne discovers that Jack is fresh out of rehab and still struggling with the same addiction that ultimately killed her father.

DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her seventeenth novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award and Silver Angel from Excellence in Media. Deborah's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Deb serves on the advisory board of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small-town life in Kansas.

Visit Deb on the web at http://www.deborahraney.com/.

Q&A

Q. What was your inspiration for Leaving November?
A. When I was writing the first book in the series, Remember to Forget, Jackson Linder, a secondary character in the book, really intrigued me. Jack has struggled with something that is my greatest fear: being responsible for the death of another person. I wanted to explore how someone in his shoes could find forgiveness, redemption, and even happiness.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. I've just finished the first draft for the third book in the Clayburn series, Yesterday’s Embers. I have a new contract for another three-book series, and a couple of stand-alone novels to write, but there are other characters from the Clayburn novels begging to have their stories told! I don’t know if I’ll get to write any more Clayburn books, but I’ve loved my time in this little fictional Kansas town!

Q. What do you enjoy most about writing? Least?
A. Most: Having written! Because that means I’m getting reader feedback on my novel—the reward for all the hours of solitude! I also love that I get to be at home and make my own hours.
Least: First-drafting! I love rewriting—taking my editors’ comments and applying them to make my book the best it can be. But the blank page terrifies me! For me, it’s far easier to fix a horrible manuscript than to try to come up with something out of thin air.

Q. What do you do when you're not reading or writing?
A. I love working in the beautiful garden my husband, Ken, designed in our back yard (for a peek, go to http://kansasprairiegarden.blogspot.com/) and I love decorating our home. It’s such fun to comb antique shops and flea markets for a great object from the past that I can use on my desk or in my kitchen, or a great piece of furniture to paint or refinish. I’m not much for pretty stuff just for the sake of having it on display, but I love “repurposing” antiques—like the old chamber pot I use for deadheading in the garden, or the antique bank mail sorter that serves as my filing “cabinet.”

As much as I enjoy my career, I’ve always believed that my most precious calling is wife to Ken, my husband of 33 years; mom to four great kids; and now mom-in-law, and “Mimi” to two darling little grandsons. In addition, I have some of the most amazing friends in the world, including a group of women who share my name. We affectionately call ourselves Club Deb. I think being in the solitary profession of writing helps you really appreciate the people you have eye-to-eye contact with!

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Leaving-November-Clayburn-Novels-2/dp/1416558292/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204478125&sr=1-1

In the Heat of Life...Taking Risks

Hi friends,

It's strange that now, during one of my busiest months ever, one of my busiest weeks ever (get this - I taught at a writer's conference Saturday, had a half-day women's ministry team meeting on Sunday where I led the Bible portion, my next novel is due this week, I have a big profile article due on Friday, I had a chance to expand my construction consulting business that I had to jump on right away, and I'm teaching at our small group training meeting this Saturday, oh, and I have a cold - yikes!), that God is right now calling me to trust him to take some risks.

Last week I wrote about pruning, about cutting out the "poison oak" in our lives. This week, I'm thinking about daring, about plunging in to those places where we see God moving, especially when the heat is on. A contradiction? Pruning and Plunging? I don't think so. I'm starting to see that God is calling me to both - to prune in those places where He is not, and to plunge into those things where He is working, calling, moving in my life. Pruning and Plunging go hand in hand.

And as I've been thinking of this, I was reminded of the following story from a few years ago. A story about a hot day, a log ride, and how when we take the plunge with God, we are not exhausted but refreshed. And I'm finding that to be true . . . even this week. So, read on . . .

The creak of the ferris wheel called petulantly to the seagulls as we walked down the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Sweat trickled down my forehead to make a damp trail on the side of my face. I squinted into the hot California sun. Another 100 degree day in September. I still wasn’t used to it.

Earlier that day, Christy had turned up her innocent six-year-old face and pleaded to go to the Boardwalk. So, we forsook the comfort of air conditioning to brave the tortures of sun and surf.

The Boardwalk teemed with people in swimsuits and sunglasses. I squeezed Christy’s hand and brushed her hair back with my fingertips. She was as hot as I was. “Just a few more minutes,” I assured her, “and we’ll be there.”

Within moments, we reached the ride we had all been looking forward to – Logger’s Run. I shaded my eyes from the glare as I looked at the twisting trail of canals far above. With a shriek of pure joy, the kids in one of the plastic logs plummeted to the end of the ride. Splash! Sunlight danced off droplets of water like a thousand tiny diamonds.

I smiled. Christy would love this ride. The water, the logs, the bumping along in bright blue channels, the final plunge, the big splash . . . it was just the type of thrill that suited her.

“Here we are. The log ride." I motioned toward the water. “Are you ready for some fun, Christy?”

She scrunched her face into a frown. “No!”

I stepped closer. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t wanna go.” She crossed her arms and pushed out her lower lip.

“But this is the kind of ride you like the best.”

“I don’t wanna go.” She stomped her foot and gave me that 'I need discipline' look.

“Fine,” I muttered. “We’ll sit here on the bench and wait while everyone else goes on the ride.”

She glared at me, walked over to the bench, and sat down.

What had gotten into her? The heat? The fear of something new? I watched the others get in line. It didn’t make sense. The ride would cool her down, and she knew that I would be right there with her if she became afraid. Besides that, it was fun.

I shook my head and let a frown creep over my face. We had come to the Boardwalk because Christy had asked. Now she sat on the bench, in the blistering sun, and refused to enjoy the best ride of all. It was crazy.

I opened my mouth to blast her with my opinion, but God stopped me. I looked down at her, her brow still furrowed in stubborn rejection.

Was Christy a bit too much like me? Did I sometimes make that same surly face to God? I remembered a gentle urging to talk to my neighbor about Jesus. I hadn’t done it. And last spring I thought I might start a new Bible study in my neighborhood. But the heat of life and the fear of the unknown had stopped me. Had I refused the best ride in my spiritual life?

God often asked me to plunge forward with what He wanted for me, to take a risk, to try something new with Him. But, my tendency was to hang back, to sit on the bench while others enjoyed the ride.

Perhaps the uncomfortable things that God was calling me to do would actually refresh me, and be a lot of fun besides. I knew, too, that God would be with me the entire time, right there holding me tight as I bumped along the channel of His will. What had I been missing by my reluctance to do something new and join Him on the “Logger’s Run” in my life?

“There they are.” Christy’s words startled me. Sure enough. The others had finished the ride. They came laughing down the steps, their shirts wet, their hair dripping.

“That was great!” Bryan strode over to us with a grim still spread across his face. “You guys should have come.”

I smiled up at him. Yes, we should have. And from now on, I would.

In the heat of everyday life, I couldn’t afford to miss any more log rides with God.

A Whisper of Freedom by Tricia Goyer

Hello Friends!

I wanted to tell you about a new novel from my good friend, Tricia Goyer. Tricia's books are always rich with history and wonderful detail. I think you'll enjoy her latest, so here's all about it, including an interview.

ABOUT A WHISPER OF FREEDOM:

A Whisper of Freedom is book three in The Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series. Battles heat up…not only those being waged by the soldiers on both sides fighting for Spain, but in the hearts and minds of the men and women who must sacrifice more than their dreams to save the lives of their loved ones.

In this meticulously researched novel, brave and idealistic Sophie, Philip, Jose, and Deion realize their only hope for freedom is escaping Spain's borders.

By continuing the story of this band of volunteers during the Spanish Civil War, A Whisper of Freedom proves that there are whispers of hope and liberty that resonate through even the darkest night.

Read an excerpt here: http://triciagoyer.com/cmsdocuments/WhisperCh1.doc

Watch the book trailer here: http://cg.creativenuclei.com/wip/TriciaGoyer/cscw.html

Buy the book here: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=467690&netp_id=506844&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=details


Q & A WITH TRICIA:

Q. A Whisper of Freedom is Book #3. Did the story wrap up like you expected?

A. Good question, I'd have to say yes ... and no. The basic plots points that I envisioned at the beginning of the series still happened. It was the characters that had minds on their own. They did things, said things, were involved in things that I didn't suspect when I started the series. It was very exciting and fun to write!

Q. A Whisper of Freedom ends with Europe on the verge of WWII, are you going to continue the series and carry the story on?

A. I'd love to! But ... I have no current contract to do so. I would LOVE to see what happens to Philip and Sophie and Jose and others during the war. I have a feeling there would me more spying, more intrigue, and more ways God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways.

Q. Who is your favorite character in A Whisper of Freedom?

A. Are you kidding? That's like asking which kid I love best. Each of them are unique and special :)

Q. There are some very interesting plot twists concerning stolen gold. Is this gold completely fictional?

A. No, actually it's not. It's true! While I was researching for novel #1 I read about gold that was stored in the bank vaults of Madrid. Before The Spanish Civil War broke out Spain had the fourth largest gold reserves in the world. Afraid that the Nationalist would conquer Madrid and take the gold, they used it to buy arms and troops from the Soviet Union. The gold was transported by ship to Russia, but the amount that left the vaults and the amount that arrive in Russia is a different quantity. I found the "missing" gold to be a good opportunity to wrap my story around.

Q. Have you gotten any feedback from your story?

A. Yes, so far the early reviewers have been pleased. I've gotten comments that they story surprised and pleased them with the various twists. Also, many, many people appreciate that I brought this part of history to life.

Q. What does your writing day look like?

A. Every day is completely different. With kids, and homeschooling, and appointments, and shopping, and church, and (the most important) family activities, each day is different. Actually ... that's not completely true. There are a few things I do first every day ... no matter what's going on. I always have quiet time in the morning--Bible reading, prayer, journaling. I always have a time of prayer and Bible reading with my husband, John. And I try to exercise. If I'm not running out the door, I spend 30 minutes on my exercise bike and I read as I pedal.

Q. What is your favorite part about writing fiction?

A. I have a few favorite parts. I love researching. I love really, really digging in and giving my characters deep motivations, needs, and desires. I also love being "there"--which is getting so caught up in the fictional world that it's as if these characters are real, and I'm really there.

Q. You've written seven historical novels now--four about World War II and three about The Spanish Civil War. Would you ever consider writing a contemporary novel?

A. Yes, I would consider it. Actually, I've done it. I'm working on contemporary novels for Guideposts, as part of a continuing series called Home to Heather Creek. I wrote novel #2 titled Sweet September. It will be out the end of June. I had a great time, and I'm exciting to be writing more contemporary novels in the future.

Q. Do you have any more historical novels in the work?

A. Yes, actually I'm working on a historical, action-packed spy novel with my friend, Mike Yorkey, titled the Swiss Courier. Having a Swiss wife, Mike adds a nice International flavor to the books. He's also great writing action scenes. Think Mission Impossible set in WWII.

Q. Have any of your novels been translated in other languages?

A. Yes. Some have been translated into German and all of them in Dutch. What's really cool is that I've heard they're "best-sellers" in Dutch. I'm ready for a trip to Holland!

Q. What advice do you have for those who want to write historical fiction?

A. First of all, reading LOTS of historical fiction and figure out what you like best and why. Second, read books on writing fiction ... as many as possible. Third, write, write, write. Give yourself goals and stick to them. Fourth, attend a writer's conference. I highly recommend the American Christian Fiction Writer's Conference (www.acfw.com) and Mt. Hermon Christian Writer's Conference. The workshops are great. The teachers are amazing. And meeting other writers is one of the best things you can do to further your career.