Second book

Some of you have been asking me about book #2 - "Gideon's Cabin". I now have them to sell and several hardbacks too, if you're interested.

"Gideon's" picks up where the first book left off with Emily and Gideon and tells the tale of what happens next. The underlying theme is forgiveness....interesting since I was just blogging about that the other day! Hmmmmmmm.

Let me know if you'd like a copy. I'll be glad to sell you one!

(In)Couragement

Great website....I would "incourage" you all to visit it. Very well done, as usual! DaySpring is a class act, in every sense of the word. That's my friend, Holley Gerth, in the picture modeling the T-shirt. She's a writer for DaySpring and a wonderful gal! You can click on her picture for a direct link to the website. Good stuff!

So what encourages us? Let's see: hugs? notes in the mail or online? God's Word? Oh yes, BIG encouragement. I have had scripture lift me up personally when nothing else would work; not words, not hugs, not emails, nothing. The Word is full of encouragement, merely by the fact (at least to me) that most every person that contributed to the writing faced some trial or test or temptation at some point in their lives. Could we think of it as God's blog where those chosen to a specific task have 'weighed in', writing their innermost thoughts and sharing them with the God of the Universe, their Creator and friend? I think of David in the Psalms and how his spirit cried out in anguish to the Lord. Could anyone around him encourage him at those points in his life? Remember when he was hiding from Saul because the King wanted to kill him? How about when David's infant son (by Bathsheba) was dying? We read passages like, "I cry in the daytime but thou hearest not." (Ps 22:2) or "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul." (Ps 69:1) You can find many times people have cried out to the Father for mercy, understanding, healing and restoration. The point is, He's always there. He never moved or went anywhere.

I saw a sign on a church's marquis one day as I drove by and it has always stuck with me, even to this day. It said, "If you feel a distance from God, guess who moved?" Good one! He didn't move, He didn't go anywhere, He's always been right here, listening, watching, waiting. WE are the ones that get off track, out of line, all screwed up.

When we lost Hunter in September of 2004, I thought there was nothing anyone could say, nothing I could read, nothing I could do that would ever lift me up out of the pit of grief and dispair I was in but, know what? "Joy comes in the morning" After months of grief-stricken tears and dashed hopes and dreams, I did begin to heal, I did find encouragement in reading His Word, I could listen to other people speak truth into my life. Amazing? No, just healing and realizing that God never left me, never forsook me. He was there all the time, watching, listening and waiting for me to lift my hands to Him in honest faith.

Reminds me of a wonderful verse: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Love it, love it, love it!

So, could these words all be combined in the same sentance? Faith, Hope, Encouragement? I know the definitions are different but they could certainly be used in the same sentance and I often think of the others when I think of one.

Be encouraged, my friend. Be hopeful, be full of faith. Share one another's burdens, cry with those who cry and laugh with those who laugh. Love one another.

Emily's Three Miracles

Well, I got an email from a friend down south yesterday. I must say, it was enlightening and encouraging at the same time. She has been reading my first book and had pointed out some grammatical errors for me (as I asked her to). The exciting thing is that, as she has been reading the story, she shared with me that she has been so "caught up" in the story that she couldn't put it down. She stayed up until 1:30 a.m. one night just so she could find out if Emily and her father find a wounded Gideon in Indian country to the north! ha-ha! It did my heart good to hear someone else (other than myself or my kids) that was interested in the storyline as well. That was my intention and my prayer. To be able to pen a story with believeable characters that would hold reader interest while sharing Christian morals and ethics. Some of you know that the writing of this first book was a total "God-thing" and I give Him all the glory and praise for the story, as well as any possible good that could come from someone reading such a story. The target audience was young women - thirteen and up but I have had comments from much older gals who purchased the book too. I would ask that those of you signed in and following this blog would not only join in the conversation but join me in prayer about the publishing of my third book this fall. I am asking the Lord for direction and discernment as I beat the bushes for a publisher (Christian) interested in contracting me for future endeavors. That is a tall order in this business, let me tell you and it will be no small feat but I "know in whom I have believed and He is faithful" to see this "thing" He has begun in me. I am praying and thanking Him for allowing me a small part in the whole thing and I know that HE knows what's best. Waiting is a very hard job sometimes. Hey! There's an idea for another post!

Pam

Forgiveness

Wow! That is a word that evokes all kinds of emotions and opinions these days. We all have had a "run-in" with someone in our life or we have been "wronged" by someone; gotten our feelings hurt. I had something remind me of that this very day. I was scathingly rebuked by someone once for "sticking my nose in" and "intruding" in a situation and I can assure you, was nothing like that. This person perceived that I was invading their space or something of the sort (and I don't want to get into the story). Just suffice it to say that I only suggested something be tried as an outlet to painful grief and it was met with this attitude. Of course, I would tell you, "I was only trying to help!" and you would think that was all very well and good and "poor little Pam", etc. but it wasn't like that. My motives were not only called into question but my morals and intentions as well. I guess my first question to Father was, "How can that person know what I was thinking?" I went to Him with my hurt feelings (and slightly-battered pride), desiring to be vindicated and proven right but that did not happen and the person still held ill-will towards me. We haven't seen each other in months but the other night we both attended a prayer meeting in a home for a new ministry about to begin in our area. I was surprised, as were they but we conducted ourselves appropriately and all went very well. Driving home, I was reviewing the events of the night and still questioned why those feelings after all this time. I know the Lord is trying to teach me something through all this but, for the life of me, I'm blank right now! How difficult it is to forgive someone that has wronged you when you have done nothing wrong! Ask Jesus.....remember his words as he hung on the cross? "Father, f0rgive them for they don't know what they're doing" That's some pretty heavy forgiveness. Think about Christ's blood, shed for forgiveness of ALL our sins! Oh man, heavier still. I think I just need to dig into the Word and pray that God shows me what I should say to this person. I don't think this will be easy but then again, nothing that is worth anything usually is, right?
Pam