This and That

Today is my 51st birthday. And the 30th anniversary of receiving my engagement ring :). Hard to believe that much time has passed! I daily thank the Lord for the blessing of a good and faithful husband who models Jesus Christ to me in his love.

We were planning to snowshoe into our cabin today, a family outing to the mountains, which is how I like to celebrate my birthday. But . . . there is a high wind warning in the mountains. I-70 is closed in both directions from not too far west of Denver through Vail Pass. Not that we go that way to our cabin, but those roads won't be in very good condition, either. Plus the idea of being out in that wind with high temps only in the teens . . . well, you get the idea. In the winter we have to park at the end of the paved road in Eldora and walk about a mile to get to the cabin. With as much snow as we've gotten in December, that means snowshoeing or cross-country skiing (something I've tried several times and vow every time not to do again!). So we snowshoe :). Ah, well. It will have to wait for another day.

A book recommendation for all the writers: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction by Ron Benrey. Excellent information presented in an easy to read format. I especially like his chapter on plotting. Knowing I'm in between being a plotter and a seat-of-the-panster, a couple of the methods he offered are definitely doable for me :). Definitely worth buying for your own reference library. I also got Gail Martin's Writing the Christian Romance, but I haven't had a chance to read that one yet. Knowing Gail and her work, I'm sure it will be a big help, as well.

My friend Heather posted a poem on her blog that speaks to my situation at the end of 2007. It certainly has been a year of hardship and change for me, but it has also been a year where I've gotten to know my Lord Jesus much more intimately. Which is the purpose of suffering, to draw us closer to Him, to make us more like Him. I certainly haven't arrived, believe me. But I do see progress. God is soooo good! There is a reason that "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" is one of my favorite hymns. He certainly has proved to be faithful over and over in 2007. And He will continue to be faithful no matter what 2008 holds.

I came across this quote in Karen Ball's What Lies Within, and it so apropo to this time of year: I said to a man who stood at the gate of the year: "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown"; and he replied, "Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That will be to you better than a light and safer than a known way!"

So my prayer for you all is to walk the path God has for you, trustingly putting your hand into His. His way is always best.

Have a blessed New Year!

What Lies Within by Karen Ball

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
What Lies Within
Multnomah Fiction (November 20, 2007)
by
Karen Ball

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Ball , bestselling novelist, is also the editor behind several of today's bestselling Christian novels. Her love for words was passed down through her father and grandfather - both pastors who shared God's truth through sermons and storytelling. Blending humor, poignancy, and honesty, Karen's writing style is a powerful force for revealing God's truth. She lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, and their "kids," Bodhan, a mischief-making Siberian husky, and Dakota, an Aussie-terrier mix who should have been named "Destructo."

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing’s going to stop Kyla…

until the ground crumbles beneath her feet.

Kyla Justice has arrived. Her company, Justice Construction, is one of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful companies in the Pacific Northwest. And yet, something is missing. Not until she’s called on to build a center for inner-city kids does she realize what it is: her sense of purpose. Now nothing can stop her, not the low budget, not supply problems, not gang opposition, not her boyfriend’s suggestion that she sell her business and marry him–and most especially not that disagreeable Rafael Murphy.

Rafe Murphy understands battle. Wounded in action, this Force Recon Marine carries the scars–and the nightmares–to prove it. Though he can’t fight overseas any longer, he’s found his place as a warrior in the civilian world. So he soldiers on, trusting that one of these days, God will reveal to him why Rafe survived the ambush in Iraq. That day has arrived. Kyla and Rafe both discover that determination alone won’t carry them through danger and challenges. When gang violence threatens their very foundations, there’s only one way to survive: rely on each other, be real–and surrender to God. In other words, risk everything…


Margie's comments: I'm not done reading What Lies Within yet, but I will be very soon! It's not just another love story. The characters captured me from the very beginning, and I can't wait to see how God is going to lead them through a very tough assignment. The quotations and verses that Karen uses at the beginning of each chapter have hit home in my heart—probably because like Kyla, I'm struggling to find purpose, God's purpose, in all that I do. I highly recommend this book, one that will appeal to both men and women because of the strong characters and strong story.