Change and the Future

If you were a regular reader of this blog, you will notice that though I used to write weekly (and more), it’s been a loooooong time since my last post. Well, that’s because there have been a lot of changes going on in this author’s life. I think it’s time I tell you about them.

First, I released my debut novel, At the Edge of a Dark Forest, a while back. I did this as an independent author with a little help from some friends. It was only meant to be a small way to get my fiction on a stage where it could be found, but it has become so much more. I have since discovered the benefits of indie publishing that are not only good for me, as an author, they are also good for me as a reader. I have recently become part of a community of other independent authors who have chosen this route not because their work wasn’t good enough, but because someone in the publishing world told them they could not sell a book on the topic to which God led them. These authors, who write what God has laid on their hearts, are crafting beautiful stories with a greater depth than what they would have produced following the lead of a marketing team, and discovering there are readers who’ve been waiting for it.

That’s what I want to do.

I’d never taken this path with the expectation of becoming rich or famous (tho’ if God chose to curse me in such away, I would bear it willingly—sigh!). I chose it in the hopes of sharing stories that I love to write with people who may enjoy and be inspired by them. In fact, I sometimes fear things like riches and fame, due to the temptations that often come with them. That’s where independent publishing suits me. I don’t need to be known to many in order to get the coveted contract or even make a living. I just need to publish the book God has laid on my heart and hope enough people are inspired to pay me to continue.

Perfect!

I’ve also discovered, through my indie author community, that the best platform to reach an audience is not through social media or blogging, but offering more books. I currently have three almost ready to go, so I like this idea. And this is where I feel God has gifted me—fiction. I’ve loved blogging over the past few years. God has shown me many things as I journaled “out loud,” but now I feel it is time to focus on my gift.

So what will I be doing next? First, I will be working on getting my next three novels out. Two of these were set on a university campus, which according to some publishers is a non-starter for them—another reason to indie publish. The other is a spin-off from the second in that series. The long-awaited, One Among Men (about a female Christian grad-student living in and running a hard-partying all-male dorm), will be released in January 2015, followed every 3-4 months by the other two. I also have ideas to continue the stories from the Dark Forest which will feature Manny, the holey-jean-wearing chauffer, in a modern-day retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and I hope to find a girl for Sam Sakamoto, the hippo-therapist from At the Edge of a Dark Forest, as well—no ideas for him yet.

I will continue to post author interviews and articles on InfiniteCharacters.com, and will post here when God inspires me to. I have a new author website I’d love for you to visit www.ConnieAlmony.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter (or you can sign up for it in the right-hand sidebar here), and I am developing a search site to help readers find good Christian fiction written from the heart—IndieChristianFictionSearch.Blogspot.com. I’d love for you to check it out. Lots of great books to see there.

I am so excited about this new direction. Never before have I felt I was heading where God wanted me as I do today. I hope, when you read my fiction, you will feel the same.

For those of you who have come to this website to view my most-read post, Can God Heal Autism, I want you to know, though I have never felt called to write on this subject alone, God has led me to intersperse issues surrounding this disorder in some of my fiction. I have not forgotten you and will continue to pray for those who ask it of me. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement over the years.

God Bless!!!

Kym McNabney Shares about Prison Ministries

One of the greatest things about becoming a blogger is the connections I’ve made with other authors/bloggers and the various ministries I’ve come across to serve our big and powerful God. This week I had the great fortune to e-meet Kym McNabney and find out about her involvement in prison ministries through Willow Creek Community Church. I bet she has some stories to tell. In fact, she does, and thirteen are shared in the book, Stories of Faith and Courage from Prison, by Connie Cameron and Jeff Peck.
 
Find out more …
 
Stories of Faith and Courage from Prison, is an inspirational collection of true stories laid out in a daily format; one per day for 365 days. Each story will tell about a work of God in the lives of those who have experienced some aspect of prison. A single scripture verse will accompany each writing, pointing to the hope and truth found in God’s word.

While incarcerated, many inmates spiritually hit bottom and come face-to-face with the choices they have made. Thankfully, God uses Christian volunteers, prison chaplains, family members, outside friends, Christian pen pals, and other inmates, to share His love and truth with the lost behind bars. Regardless of how they are offered hope, inmate’s testimonies, along with their daily walk challenges, are moving and inspirational.

You will read amazing stories including Brandon, a prisoner who had a prayer warrior mother, and was also visited by a Christian volunteer. Brandon came to Christ while incarcerated, and witnessed constant gang activity behind bars, including preying upon the youth on the outside. Since his release, Brandon often risks his life in his ministry of intervening in the lives of youth who are at risk to become involved in gang activity.

The battle for the souls of inmates is fierce. One female prisoner said, “When I first arrived at prison in 2002, Christianity was openly practiced and Satanic practices were underground. Now it is just the opposite.” This inspirational book will remind Christians of their admonishment by Jesus to visit the imprisoned, to pray for them, and to share the gospel with them (Matthew 25:36). These collective, true stories will especially touch those who are uncomfortable with prison ministry, helping them to develop compassion for the shunned souls of society.

Quotes from inmate letters:
 
I was deeply moved by receiving the blessing of the gifts Willow sent. Being that I don’t have support from family and friends, I’ve come to understand my real family comes from God. God had showed me over the years that He’s the only one I need to depend on. Even though I didn’t hear from family and friends, I was relieved knowing that God always thinks of His people, by utilizing your church and staff to reach out to people such as myself. I want to thank you all personally for doing the work of our Father.

James, Pontiac CC

My purpose for writing you is to inform you that I have received the Christmas bag Willow sent to the prison, and wanted to say to all that worked on this touching idea, thank you, thank you, thank you.
To put all of your judgment about those in prison to the side, and sacrifice your time and money to send something that is helpful, was very heartwarming. 
 
A.J., Pontiac CC

Thank you so much for the gifts Willow gave me on Christmas, and your thoughts and prayers. It is because of all of you that I have finally decided to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
 
Johnathon, Ogle County Jail

Thank you so very much for thinking of us in prison. You put a huge smile on our faces. That was very thoughtful and I’m very grateful. I feel like the Spiritual Survival book was meant for me.

Samantha, Logan CC

I wish to offer my words of gratitude. What you did was more than give us snacks and trinkets. You even did more than speak to our spirituality. You showed us that you cared about us, despite our faults. You brought us some semblance of a Christmas season. Receiving those packages and digging through them with wonder and anticipation gave us a chance to remember how Christmas use to be. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To take up your time and money to do that for us, without even knowing who we are, this is not something that will be soon forgotten.

Brian, Pontiac CC

Thank you for the Christmas cards. I thought I was not going to be able to send a Christmas card to my mom, but thanks to you I was able to. This is my first Christmas away from my family and no one send me a card. I was mad until I got this from you. It made my day.

Rayvone, Vienna CC

When I returned to my housing unit on December 18^th, I found a package on my desk that was donated by your congregation. This was the first time in 11 years that anyone has given me any type of gift for the Christmas holiday.
 
Ken, Pontiac CC

I am writing from Massachusetts to thank you for all that Willow dose with the prison ministry there in IL. I have a nephew that’s incarcerated in Cook County Jail. He asked for a Bible, and received one. He’s now exploring his faith.

Teresa G, aunt of an incarcerated nephew

Thank you all for thinking about us in here. So often society looks at us as expandable, incorrigible, evil, wicked, undesirable, etc. In fact most of us are not any of those things. We are guilty of our crimes 90% of the time, but our crimes are not the sum total of who we are. The gifts you send are Gods love in action.

Patrice, Pontiac CC

*********
Kym McNabney is wife and mother. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and the treasurer for the ACFW Chicago Area Chapter. She fosters for Collie Rescue of Greater IL, and writes for their newsletter. The Coordinator for the pen pal program through Willow Creek Community Church, and involved in other areas of the prison and jail ministry. She had thirteen stories published in, Stories of Faith and Courage from Prison. When she’s not writing she loves to read, listen to music, and watch movies.

Blog, http://kymmcnabney.blogspot.com/
 
twitter, http://twitter.com/kymmcnabney
 
facebook, https://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorKymMcNabney
 
pinterest, http://www.pinterest.com/kymmcnabney/
 
Other posts you might like:
 
3rdDay Rocker—Making Ministry from a Passion
 

March of the Minions
 

My Prayer Shawl Ministry

An Empty Vessel and the Metaphor of a Tree

Do you ever have those moments where you feel truly inspired by God and know you are on the right track? Many authors talk about writing the story God gave them. It’s a wonderful feeling as the Holy Spirit flows through your fingertips onto the page. But there’s another kind of Holy Spirit experience that’s even better than knowing it as it happens. It’s the moment you read back what you thought was a mundane, common-place scene and find the gems He left behind. That’s when you know you are being used as an Empty Vessel of the Lord. And there’s no greater feeling in the world, because the emptier you are of yourself, the more room you have for Him. And the more Him, the better!

I have many moments in my life I look back to and see God’s work in play, even times I’d put Him aside for what I’d deemed more important things. Though I’d neglected Him, He never treated me as though I were of lesser importance. I think that’s why those moments are so special to me now.

He still gives me these wonderful revelations of His presence in my life. One most recent was as I wrote the last scene of my novella, At the Edge of a Dark Forest.

In writing fiction, it’s important to get the pacing of the story just so. That way, the reader can feel they are in the moment with the character. In the final scene, my female protagonist, Carly, is going to a spot in the forest to see the male protagonist, Cole, for the first time in many months. I felt this walk in the woods needed to take a little time so the reader could feel Carly’s nervousness about seeing Cole again. I wanted to drag it out just a bit so as to heighten the suspense of what she’d find. So I added lots of details of the woods she traveled and thoughts of past moments there.

I asked myself, “What would she be thinking?”

She’d be thinking of the tree her father’s car hit when he meant to commit suicide. That was the moment where Cole and Carly’s two worlds intertwined.

“What would the tree look like now?”

I wrote the answer into the story, “New growth in broken spots and animals finding shelter in the holes.”

I added the crunch of the leaves under her feet and the exertion of the climb and ended the story. Phew! It always feels so good to type “The End” even when you know there are reams of edits to make afterwards. So I read through the scene several times, clarified points, elaborated on ideas and …

Then it hit me!

New growth in broken spots and animals finding shelter in the holes.

Wow, God!

That phrase, unbeknownst to me as I typed the words, was a perfect metaphor for Cole’s story. You see, Cole is a double amputee after having been injured from an IED in the Iraq War. Carly came into his life to provide him with her prototype prosthetics and train him how to use them.

New growth in broken spots …

But that was not the part that really shocked me. It was the last words of the sentence …

… and animals finding shelter in the holes.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Could the metaphor be more perfect? I sobbed at the realization, because I had nothing to do with its use. It was all God … when I wasn’t looking. There’s nothing more extraordinary then the feeling of being an Empty Vessel of the Lord. Thank you, God!

Oh yeah, if you’re wondering how the animals finding shelter in the holes relates to the story, well, there’s only one way to find out <wink>.

Other Posts you might like:

God on the Line

Let Him Steal Your Show

Do You Ever Feel Your Offering Is Too Small?

A Really Good Day

We call this day "Good Friday." It always seems funny to me to celebrate the day Jesus died a horrible death on a cross and call it "Good."

But it is.

That is the day our sins were washed away for good. Past tense. Were washed away. For Good.

I guess today really is a good day, even for Jesus, because it's the day we became good enough to spend eternity with Him. I think He likes that too. In fact, He gave His life for the idea.

So have a very GOOD Friday!

*********

And to prepare you for the celebration of the Resurrection, I want to share a music video with you, by a wonderful group I only just found out about today. I hope you love them as much as I do. If you can't see the imbed, try this link. Here's The Western Den:

ADD Spells Red

As many of you know, I’ve published a novella based on a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This is part of a larger project with my critique partners, June Foster, Gail Pallotta, Vanessa Riley and Mildred Colvin. Today, June Foster is going to share a little of what she learned about ADD while researching her character, Red, for her novella, Red and the Wolf. Oh, how I relate!

******

ADD Spells Red

Do you find yourself constantly late, overwhelmed by everyday jobs, forgetful, or disorganized? Are you ready to tear your hair out? Don't go bald. You might be struggling with Attention Deficit Disorder which affects adults as well as children. As an adult, the more responsibilities you have in your life, the greater the struggle.

In my fairytale novella Red and the Wolf, which is based on Little Red Riding Hood, Lilly Hood is a journalist who struggles with ADD. In doing research for her character, I discovered some interesting facts including the most common symptoms.

ADD adults can "zone out" even in the middle of a conversation. They're not trying to be rude but just can't help it sometimes. They might be reading the most fascinating book yet find it hard to focus. Frustrating. Overlooking details and finishing a task, another ADD symptom, can be a detriment to one's career. Lilly Hood, reporter for the Daily Scoop in Fairwilde, Alabama, would agree.

If you know someone who has begun multiple projects that remain unfinished, it's possible your friend could be plagued with ADD symptoms, since procrastination is another issue. Poor self-control and reckless or spontaneous behavior without regard for the consequences is an additional indication. In Red and the Wolf, heroine Lilly Hood displays one more common symptom—she can't keep her mouth shut. She constantly delivers a stream of words and conversation, especially when boyfriend Hunter Woods is trying to kiss her. What's she afraid of?

In doing research, I discovered an interesting concept. ADD adults can channel their symptoms into positive outcomes. There's hope. Since ADD people are high-energy and good brainstormers, they are capable of working long hours on a task. They always have a surplus of ideas, creativity, excitement, and interest to add to the mix. Too, they are flexible, results-oriented, and independent. So there is a bright side to Attention Deficit Disorder. Just ask Lilly Hood when she's not afraid to climb a tree and text her boyfriend for help after she's pursued by a vicious bear in the forest.

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

June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. June has written four novels for Desert Breeze Publishing. The Bellewood Series, Give Us This Day, As We Forgive, and Deliver Us, and Hometown Fourth of July. Ryan's Father is available from WhiteFire Publishing. Red and the Wolf, a modern day retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, is available from Amazon.com. June loves to write stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives.

Red and the Wolf

Newspaper reporter Lilly Red Hood forgot her dinner date with handsome Hunter Woods, thanks to ADD she's had since childhood. In Hunter's absence fellow reporter Wolf Skinner moves in with less than honorable intentions. When Lilly gets lost in the Alabama forest, which of these gentlemen will be her hero?

*********

Other posts you might like:

When You Don’t Fit the Mold—By Rachel Phifer

D is For Dyslexia—By Molly Noble Bull

I’m Dyslexic—By Jane Perrine

Blog Tour

You may have noticed I haven't had a new blog post up in a bit. That is not to say I am not blogging. Believe me, I am blogging--just not here. I have been very busy on what we writers call a "blog tour" in order to promote my novella, At the Edge of a Dark Forest. I didn't mean to neglect you ;o).

If you'd like to see what I've been blogging about, here are the links of the tour so far:

March 3^rd—“Ink from an Earthen Vessel”—Ada Brownell

            An interview about “Minions for the Mighty”

March 14^th—James Callan

            Hippotherapy (therapy with horses) for disabled veterans

March 17^th—Seriously Write—Annette Irby

            An Empty Vessel and a Tree—How God shows up in my manuscript

March 20^th—Sweet South Blog—Natalie Monk
 

            Interview of Carly from At the Edge of a Dark Forest


 March 26^th—Writing Prompts Blog—Jennifer Hallmark

            Three Questions Wednesday

March 26^th—Roxanne Rustand, All Creatures Great and Small

            Hippotherapy (therapy with horses) for disabled veterans

March 31^st—Peering Through Life’s Window—Gail Palotta

            Author Interview talking about inspiration for the novella, At the Edge of a Dark Forest

April 3^rd—Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud

            DoesYour Man Slay Dragons for You?

April 6^th—Overcoming with God—Carrie Pagels

            Author Interview talking about how God prepared me to be the mother of a son with autism.

If you'd like to see the rest as it comes along, check out the Events/Blog Tour tab above. I will be sharing more here very soon.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

When God Calls You to Release Your Gift

Exodus 2:3 (NIV) “But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.”
 
Authors often talk about how their manuscript is like a baby and when they release it for the world to read—and criticize—it’s like sending their child into the wilderness.

It’s hard!

So, when I clicked on that link that sent my novella, At the Edge of a Dark Forest, out to be published and offered for sale on Amazon, Smashwords and all its distributors, my fingers actually shook.

But I did it!

I kept musing about my “baby” out there with no one to shelter it, and it made me think of Moses’ mother …

And all of you.

Moses’ mother had two choices:

Keep her son, risking he be murdered by the king of Egypt

OR

Let him go … allowing him to do the work for which God made him.
She released him to the current of the Nile. That’s what I needed to do with my manuscript. I needed to let it go and do the work God intended for it.

I have a confession. I LOVE my story. I really do. I write for me—the kinds of things I love to read. But I don’t expect the world to love it the same as I do. However, I know God has planned for it to touch someone somewhere. I hope I get to hear from those people who are touched. It encourages me to continue in God’s work.

The same goes for you, dear reader. God has requested you release your baby—the ministry He’s called you to. If you don’t, it will die. Given to Him, it will live, and grow, and blossom. Don’t hold onto the gift He’s given you. Give it away. Because when you do, He will not only protect it and nurture it, He will give you infinitely more!

Other posts you might like:
 
Dark Forests and Military Service
 
Let Him Steal Your Show
 
How Many Talents Do You Get?

Prayers for Those with Autism

One of my most read posts, and consequently, most commented on, is “Can God Heal Autsim?” It seems many people are dealing with this issue and would like answers as to what God’s role is in the whole affair. I’m not going to tell you the answer because I don’t feel there is only ONE. God deals with each and every one of His Creations differently. He made us unique. He will treat us as such.

Still, I know God CAN heal autism. I also know that He can do miraculous things THROUGH autism, as He has for my family. Either way, it’s best for all of us if we invite God into the process of our lives so He can work as He deems best. To trust in HIM.

In the above mentioned post, I ask my readers to pray for my son (who has autism), and I promise to pray for their afflicted child, as well. And I do. Many have left comments to tell me of their children. Others have emailed me. So today, I’m going to do that again.

Out loud this time!

Please join me in praying for these children, their families and the many others struggling with this disorder. Pray for healing, pray for patience, pray for resources, pray for answers. Pray that we see God in the process and know that He is Good.

Pray! It’s the most powerful thing you can do!

…

Dear Lord,

We thank you that you are an intimate part of each of our lives. Not You and a crowd of believers, but You and ME, You and Bridgette, You and Hannah, You and Des, You and Aida, You and Rebekah.

You and each and every one of us—individually. You treat us as the unique creation we are, not as others want us to be.

We thank you that you watch over our needs and give us what is best. We thank you for the many others who commented on the previous post with thoughts, prayers and resources—Albert Soo, Hannah Lim, Thomas Wagner and those who did not leave their name. We thank you for the many who have prayed. We praise you that you created believers who care!

Please, dear Lord, we ask that You will continue to show Yourself in our lives, that you will bless all our children and cause them to know You as well. We ask that You will give us the resources for the jobs you have mapped out for us.

Give us peace, give us guidance, give us Your Joy!

Lord, please show us how to pray for our family. The Bible tells us Your Holy Spirit translates our groans into prayer. I’m groaning Lord! Know my heart. I know You do. Thank You for that.

And as always, Lord, I pray you will heal my son. I pray You will give him words to speak so he can tell me all that is on his heart. I pray for all the others who are dealing with the troubling effects of this disorder. I pray for those who’ve requested prayer from me and my readers, those who have the disorder: Matthew, James and Rashad, and the many who did not leave a name. I pray these families will see Your work in their lives today and know it is REAL.

I pray this in Your Holy Son’s name, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior!

Amen.

Remember to Live and Love … Before It’s Too Late

If you can’t see the imbed, click here.

This song always makes me cry!

Listen and remember …

The days we are given are gifts from above

Get out and do what you were meant to do

Live and Love!

Thank you, Superchick!!!

Other posts you might like:

God on the Line

March of the Minions

Let Him Steal Your Show

How the Story of Rudolf Is Like the Body of Christ

Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer. This is such a great story!!!

Why do I love it so much?

Is it the awesome animation, groovy-hip music, the rounded characters and superb acting?


Actually, it’s the theme of discovering the personal characteristic that makes us feel like a misfit is actually what God gave us as a gift. Like the Body of Christ.

Think about it.

Rudolf’s weird nose saves Christmas. The elf who doesn’t want to build toys, can fix teeth. The Abominable Snowman is the only one tall enough to place the star on the tree and was trained by the gold miner who couldn’t seem to find gold. Lastly, who better to find homes for the Misfit Toys than those who are misfits themselves?

This is how God uses us, as different members of the Body. If you question this idea, read the stories in the Bible. The small shepherd boy who defeats a giant and becomes a warrior king. The man “slow of speech” speaks to Pharaoh. The carpenter’s son (or so it was thought) is truly the Son of God.

We are all gifted by Him to be used for His purposes. When we use them for ourselves, they become a deficit. When seen in light of God’s Will, He will make them our strength!

It’s funny how we often can’t recognize our own gifts. We’ve lived with them all our lives, take them for granted, and don’t realize others are not gifted similarly. Unfortunately, when we do notice others lacking of our gift (the one we take for granted), we see it as a deficit, rather than recognizing their complementary skills. That’s why my other favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. A movie about a man who’d only done what he knew was right all his life, not realizing his impact, until one day an angel showed him.

There are many George Bailey’s in our world. You could be one of them.

I pray for you all this season, that you will open a most precious gift—the one God gave you for His purpose. It’s a one-of-a-kind, especially made for only you. You’ll love it when you recognize it, because it will bring you lots of happiness when you use it. However, when you use it for Him, it won’t just make you happy …

It will bring you Great, Soul-stirring Joy!

Other posts you might like:
When You Don’t Fit the Mold—by Rachel Phifer
How One Small Girl Inspired a Ministry of Access
A No-Matter-What Kind of Joy

Christmas in Light of the One Year Anniversary of Sandy Hook—By Lita Parke

Thank you, Connie, for inviting me to share some of my thoughts and musings. I am honored to have my very first guest post to be with your Living the Body of Christ readers. Please let these thoughts encourage you all to worship anew the only One who can heal the broken-hearted and continue to pray for these families and the survivors.

As my five year old turns six just one day before the one year anniversary of Sandy Hook on December 14th, I am struck again by the pain these families are enduring. I cannot even fathom their broken hearts. As our country is mourning the man who has done great things for our world, Nelson Mandela, in a beautiful little enclave in Connecticut, there is also mourning. An aching for those who did great things in protecting those in their care, and grieving for those whose lives were cut short on this earth. I hope my reflections from last year, will be used to give you eyes to see his deep love in sending His only son into this broken mess of a world to give us true freedom, that he is the only Hope we have in the wake of such terror.

Here is my tribute from last Advent …
 

Sandy Hook and the Meaning of Christmas

Like all of us...there are no words...These times of inexplicable grief during a period that should be happy and joyful.

Last night after our church's beautiful Christmas program, and three joyous parties hosted at our home over the weekend ticked off the list, I was able to think, pray, read, weep.

One of the gems that caught my eye was this article, "Dark Day" by Jamie Dean from World Magazine. The author says,   

 

"But Christmas will still come, and its message will be especially for those who grieve. Indeed, its message will come from a suffering servant, a man of sorrows, and one who is acquainted with grief. It will come from one who invites those sitting in darkness to feel their sorrow," and yet hope in His promises of what Christmas really means.  

 

I listened anew to my favorite Christmas carols and then I heard the pain:

 

Pain of Moms and Dads who lost their precious Children

Pain of Children who lost their Mommies

Pain of Husbands who lost their Wives and are now Half of "One flesh"

Pain of the Neighbors, Family, Friends & Community

Pain for the Ones who survive and may think, "Why me?"

Pain for those struggling with children who have mental illness

And yet, coupled with pain is 

Hope.

Hope not in our safety plan (which is wise)

nor in homeschooling (which I do)

nor in adding more laws

Hope

He is Sovereign and Good and Holy

Hope

He experienced the Death of His own Son

Hope

Death and Sin were conquered on the cross

Hope

In Jesus, we will live forever in His presence 

where there is no more pain, sorrow or grief.

He will wipe every tear.

The double edge of Christmas:

Pain and Healing

Grief and Comfort

Sorrow and Trust

The warm, cozy hymns sounded differently,

struck a chord deep in my heart, 

a new depth of meaning.

Below is a small picture of those carols.

 

via www.JADEintheparke.com

As I looked again at these hymns, I understood the reality of pain and grief was always present in these carols.  

 

I didn't have ears to hear.  

 

Yet, the joyous strains of glad tidings found there coupled with the reality of our sinful world fills my heart with joy.  

 

Bittersweet today.  

 

Joyous forever.  

 

~*~*~*~

 

 Hymns from Top Left (moving Clockwise):

 

Joy to the World

O come, O come, Emmanuel (Barlow Girl) or Boyz II Men

O, Holy Night (Kelly Clarkson) or Josh Groban or Susan Boyle's version

Hark the Herald Angels Sing Acappella version

Messiah by Handel Comfort Ye and Surely, He hath born our griefs

 

~*~*~*~

 

Grace and Peace to you,  

 

Mom to JADE (and hugging each one tighter)  

 

Please visit the Sandy Hook Family website in remembrance of those who lost their lives.  Feel free to print out the picture above if it is helpful to you.

It is my gift to anyone who could be blessed by it.

You may fully share this picture but please keep the link where it is attributed. Please do not distribute it or sell it. It belongs to www.jadeintheparke.com  If you are interested in a print with no watermarks, please email jadeintheparke@gmail.com with more details of your request.  

 

********

 

 Lita Parke has been married to her husband, Justin, for almost twenty years. They have four kids who range in age from 17 to 6 and the initials of their first names spell out the curious little name of her blog, www.JADEintheparke.com. She was born and raised in America by her Indian parents who immigrated to the US in the 1960s. She is a study in contrasts: A theatrical, outgoing child of a physicist/computer scientist mother and an engineer/real estate dad. An only child having four. Homeschooling during the week and then teaching cardio kickboxing on the weekend. Grew up not attending church, and now embraces the truth of reformed theology. Loves Jesus, yet needy, broken, and grumpy for His grace, each and every day.  

 

Other posts you might like:  

 

The Great and the Small—God!  

 

When It Rains, He’s There  

 

Thankful in Hard Times

 

C.S. Lewis on Fiction

I just wanted to share this quote from C.S. Lewis with my fellow creatives today ....

“Reason is the natural organ of truth, but imagination is the organ of meaning.”

Think about it. Story takes the facts and makes them live. Being a writer of fiction, a painter of art, or whatever creative pursuit to which you aspire, you can bring life to mere truth.


I've read that with all the great and thoughtful contributions in the area of apologetics, C.S. Lewis valued his fiction the most. I can tell you as a fan of his, the fiction expanded on the prose in ways the prose alone could not have. I aspire to do the same.

Thank you, Mr. Lewis!

ENLIGHTENED—By Lauri Khodabandehloo

I recognized the subtle differences in my fourth and youngest daughter, first, by comparing her growth—physical and developmental—to her three older sisters. I noticed her difficulty pronouncing “dada,” saying it as if she had an accent, and her very odd way of pulling away from me even before she could walk, at ten months of age.

I recognized her total disinterest in looking at anyone, family members or strangers, almost as if we mattered very little in her life. I was sure she was hearing impaired. But not until I found myself on the bedroom floor at the side of my bed where I’d knelt to pray and then crumpled, heartbroken and crying out to God in hopeless despair did I accept the fact that she would never be like her sisters. And there on the floor beside the bed, where I’d pulled my dusty old Bible off the nightstand and turned to the book of Psalms, was where I found the words—the very truth—that would carry me every day after in peace that passes all understanding, no matter where my child’s challenges might take me.

Without thought of where to find the scripture that might ease my fears, or give me some hope to cling to, my eyes fell on the 139^th Psalm. There I read the answer to those unknown’s that had haunted my days since Farema’s unexpected birth. As I read the words of the Psalmist, I found the answer to how well God knows me:

You know when I sit, and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.

As I read further, I learned through the words of the Psalm, that never was there a moment when God was not near to me, and no matter the disappointments in my life, God would not leave me on my own:

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Just before that day in my room, I’d come to realize that raising a child with classic autism can be a devastating endeavor, permeating every aspect of family life. I had daydreamed of future years with the “empty nest” and a chance to do my thing until, without planning or anticipation, I found I was pregnant. Disappointed and distraught, I told myself it would only be a few years longer. But as I sat there on the floor, reading the Word of the Creator, I understood that my life and that of my daughter with all her special needs and challenges had already been planned—long before my own birth. God had it all under control!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

That day my outlook on raising my daughter changed dramatically. I no longer felt the weight of guilt that I’d secretly carried, believing that God had given me this burden, this child, as some sort of punishment for the times I’d chosen my own way instead of his. I began to look forward to each day filled with new and sometimes miraculous accomplishments that I’d been told by the doctors just wasn’t on the horizon for a girl like mine.

My freedom came with knowledge that God had made my daughter as he made each of us, exactly as he’d intentioned. For Farema and me, every day, hour and moment of our lives God has never once let us walk alone, or left us on our own; he has been faithful to hold us close to himself and guide us on this journey through life, including this amazing, puzzling, and mysterious world of autism.

********

Biography of Lauri Khodabandehloo

Lauri describes her childhood as perfect. She was raised by Christian parents, a mother who was a recording artist, nationally known as “Little Marcy” who sang about Jesus’ love in a child-like voice, and a father whose magnetic personality won him great success as a salesman for Word, Tyndale and Harvest House publishing companies. But although her early life was a road of blessings, walking the path God had designed for her, Lauri’s life took a detour, and she found herself walking the broken road of lost dreams and great sadness.

Through raising her fourth daughter, born with a devastating biological brain dysfunction known as Classic Autism, Lauri describes in her heartrending and vividly honest true life account how she found her way back to a closer, more personal relationship with her Lord.

In Lonely Girl, Gracious God, Lauri reveals the depth of autism’s devastation to family and loved ones, and the truth of God’s unfailing grace. She learns to trust Him in all things, and to see that God sometimes allows trials and pain to draw his children into a more personal relationship with Himself.

Today, Lauri hopes to bring comfort to those whose lives have been turned upside down by life’s disappointments and hardships by revealing to others what she has learned— that nothing in life is by accident for those who love the Lord.

Finding a new capacity for patience and perseverance as she struggles to find a life for her autistic daughter, Lauri comes to understand that often the sorrows of this life are God’s way of showing us that by His unfailing grace, He alone can satisfy the greatest longing of our hearts and that He will always be there to hold us steady as we walk that broken road, with newfound hope and confidence, that leads to His open, ever-loving arms.

Lauri is available to speak to women’s groups and conferences, certified by CLASSEMINARS, Inc., CLASS Communicator

Lonelygirlgraciousgod.com 2262 Dale Ave, Eugene, OR 97408 541-485-5450

Other posts you might like:

On Growth

Jake, The Encourager

God on the Line

Did you ever have a time in your life when you put God on hold to get other things done? I don’t mean momentarily, like you forgot about him during the day. I mean, more like you no longer thought you needed Him, so you left Him as an afterthought. Maybe you hung up on Him altogether.

What happened when you picked up His line again? Was He still there?

Well, let me tell you, not only is He still there, but while He was waiting for you, He held the phone to His ear with his shoulder and continued to work on your behalf!

Years ago I thought I knew too much to concern myself with things of God. I had pushed my childlike faith aside for things of research. I contemplated grand ideas about the world and on occasion considered how a god might fit into it … somewhere.

This god was a small god in my mind. But even though I considered Him small, He still did big things in my life. For example, I can see many ways He’d been preparing me to be the mother of a special needs child. He led me to a story about a mute boy, which would become a favorite years before my son was born. This story taught me how to appreciate my son as nothing else could. God gave me a dog who had several chronic medical issues which required many of the same types of therapies I now use with my son. And He put me in a job with wonderful Christians at just the time I would require a faith before the coming storm.

He was on the line the whole time.

Still, it wasn’t just what he did for me, but how He used me to accomplish His Will even during my weakest (or non-existent) faith moments. There’s nothing like the feel of being an empty vessel of the Lord, even if you don’t know you’re being used at the time.

As a graduate student, I ran and lived in an all-male dorm while working on my counseling degree. This was a tenuous position and my new, all-male, staff let me know they were a little leery. Never before had a woman lived in the all-male dorms at this university. I’d been selected from the applicants who’d actually applied for the resident director position in the all-female hall.

At the first meeting I could sense my staff worried I’d paint the halls pink and hang lacey curtains in the lounges. They asked me pointed questions about my plans and showed their resistance to too much change—particularly since I’d come in mid-year.

It was my goal to develop a sense of authority, yet be sensitive (yes, I used that girly word) to their needs.

Then, my senior resident assistant informed me of a long-standing, streaking (yes, that means naked guys running) tradition the whole community had grown accustomed to and wondered what I’d planned to do about it. It was clear he expected me to do nothing, especially since that had been the protocol for the past several decades.

So here I am, The Woman in the building. I feared taking this tradition away would put me at odds with my staff before I even got started, so I did what the RA wanted. I sat on my hands.

You could say that wasn’t very Christian of me, since streaking in public is against the law and I should have trusted God to have my back while I did the right thing. However, that wasn’t even a consideration for me at the time.

You could say I was a coward for not doing the right thing and sticking to my guns. My only answer to that would be …

Yup!

But there is one thing you could not say about me. You could not say God had forsaken me, because even though I’d neglected Him, He still used me as an empty vessel.

I muddled through that semester, the lone, twenty-something, woman living with hundreds of hard-partying, college-age (and hormonal) guys. To say the atmosphere was sexually charged would be a vast understatement. My building had the highest rate of Victoria Secret catalogues sent to it. The guys had to buy “lacy under-things” on a regular basis so they could continue to receive it.

Hmmmm.

While running this building, I endured being hit on in the hallways by droopy-towel-wearing men, I had to protect myself from attempts to get my white shirts wet, and shield myself from what felt like a constant x-ray body scan. On occasion, however, I planned some really cool programs, developed great relationships with guys who needed advice about women, and even got a little respect.

Though I ended up loving that job, for a number of reasons I decided not to continue the next year. Before I knew this would be the case, I worked to select my next-year’s staff. Among the candidates was a stern, thickly built, young man who wore an expression on his face that said, “Don’t mess with me.” He struck me as a man of character and I knew I wanted him working the hall known for the wildest parties. In fact, he’d already lived there. This was also the place my streakers lived.

For some reason, my boss did not like him, but I suspect it was more that she had other candidates in mind for those positions and saw him as a threat to her placing them. We went back and forth much on this issue, but I was not the one in the highest position of authority. I had to fight for this guy, but something told me I must. I did not make it a point to listen to the Holy Spirit regularly (if at all) back then, but I now believe that’s who I heard.

In the end, he got the job.

I later discovered this young man made his first order of business to end the decades-long streaking tradition. When I heard about it from one of my former staff I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t realize then who was really responsible for this (God), but it felt good to have played a small role in it just the same (even unwittingly). This news also inspired me to be more courageous with my convictions as this young man had been. I’m sure he did not garner favor with his hall mates having taken away their “fun.”

I’ve always carried a certain respect for this guy. So much so that he inspired the character, nick-named Preacher, in my manuscript entitled One Among Men. Though Preacher is not the main character of this story, it was his parallel’s courage that caused me to write about the challenges a new Christian faces in the highly secular environment of a major state university—especially one who is a mid-twenties female living with hundreds of hard-partying, college guys—Sigh!

I love how God used this man’s courage as an example to me, even at a time I did not fully appreciate it. I hope I can do the same for others one day.

Who inspired you when you weren’t looking to be inspired?

Other posts you might like:

Where Did You First Meet God in the Bible?

What Brought You to Christ?

A No-Matter-What Kind of Joy