Dear Dekker ...

Dear Dekker (hopefully you don't mind the reference),

After completing the intrigue of Thr3e, I just finished Chosen and I'm still marveling over the delightful bend off the regular sense of your novels. I have become a voracious fan, but this was the first time down this avenue. I must complete this set as well as the Paradise one I started with Saint.

I was immediately captivated by Chosen's cast of characters and Biblical imagery that challenged, and I think in any partaker, the call, response, and role each of us has. It equally causes consideration of the depth of one's faith. But mostly it made a lasting impression on me about the danger of drifting from the constant daily restoration of the Living Water. It clearly reflected the scaling, dulling, and delusional disease that pervades our being in the lack of ongoing vitalization.

Because my son has the set of your graphic novels, he particularly enjoyed listening to the audiobook with me. He said his collection brought the Bible to life. What a wonderful way to portray these concepts to him. My son explained I need to join the 'Circle' and so I hope those to be next in my qeue.

I am now very tickled, as I have begun to delve into the sobering Showdown, to re-encounter the underworld of the worms and the icky goo. I love this cross-reference between sagas as I've admired in other authors like Robert Ludlum and Stephen King.

Thank you for your faith provoking stories that have mentally piqued myself, my youngest, and even my pastor husband who listens as he knows it de-stresses my mind to escape into your novels; I also have daughters who are fans. Thank God for giving you the gift; I'll keep absorbing the handiwork.

Which reminds me, due to my own miniscule auctorial pursuits, I enjoyed the mention about writing in Showdown.

"The four rules of writing...
1. Write to discover.
2. There is no greater discovery than love.
3. All love comes from the Creator.
4. Write what you will."

Blessings!

Check Mate

The chess board came to my mind, or any such similar effort because the statement was made 'I believe in God, but I am in control of my life'. On the one hand, you have me who at best can competently choose a path to achieve an end sidestepping, avoiding, and working my way through, if necessary, obstacles along my endeavor. I am even equipped to make judgements about the possibilities of what will likely occur and adjust appropriately.

On the other hand,  there is God (drum roll ... smile) who not only is the ace at accomplishing such a task of getting from point A to point B regardless of detriments, but He is fully packaged to know exactly what I will do, exactly what will happen, and exactly how it needs to resolve while allowing me the free will of putting forth my best. Actually this reminds me of the character Seth in Ted Dekker's novel Blink I just read, seeing all possibilities and choosing what works for the best. Bottom line ...Who's really in control?

Okay, the interaction is not as opponents, not challengers, nor gamers; endeavor? To overcome. Check Mate! I'm glad not just that God is my team mate, but moreso that I'm on His team!

Majority

When all I see is beyond me, whatever I alone bring to the table can only be insufficient, God is my sufficiency. I am fortified by His presence with and in me. It is certain peace and salve to my soul to know that God is in control even in His making of me, a place He chooses to dwell. As the pastor said "God and me are a majority"! Grateful!

Let His Eyes be Your Mirror

from a young lady on facebook ... beautiful; she and her words of  wisdom ...

"encounter with the Father ... He allowed me to see myself through the eyes of His son Jesus and I cried like a baby because for the 1st time in my life I felt beautiful and I understood that He had made me according to His purpose for my life. I no longer feel insecure about my outside appearance bc it's what the Father wanted me to look like, and if that pleased Him then it pleased me. I worry about my inside appearance and being beautiful in heart and spirit so others can see the Jesus in me. Love yourself bc the Father lovingly created and fashioned you in his own image."

~the beautiful Loreine Alamillo

watching what the watcher watches

In service during the sermon, I am usually to be found trying to be inconspicuous, taking copious electronic notes, and people-watching (something I do anyway, anywhere). However from the back row I have a different view of what the pastor sees from the pulpit from which I too can gain a sense of the receptivity to the message by watching people's non-verbal communication.

The young couple directly in front of me are a delight because they love each other - its new, its fresh, it's settling in for the long haul. They amused me today because of their knowing glances shared responding to the pastor's teaching and a bit of elbowing going on - I saw a little of the pastor and me as I observed their unspoken tête à tête. It is a wonderful perspective to see how God reaches us and reinforces things we already know and can share, remind, and encourage in each other. Cheers to today's couple - keep hearing God and communicating His Word to each other.

Know Apart

When one deal with twins or multiple birth, in order to know them apart one needs to study and observe them and familiarize oneself with them so as to recognize the differences. Then one is not deceived. That requires time, investment, attention.


God has no twin, but many pretenders.

"Be Ye not deceived."

"Be still and know that I am God".

Faith for your season

Our pastor in his message today, 'Faith for the Season', mentioned the movie 'The Nativity'. He reminded us the perspective the movie brings from Joseph's point of view - and the strength and cost that was involved in his stand. I too encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to view this movie this Christmas season and to see it again even. It would be especially wonderful to make it part of Christmas Eve activities.

I mention the Nativity in 'Pearlz from Shelz':

The Nativity Story - new Christmas family film night tradition

The Nativity Story

but I bring it up again because the sermon brought home what it takes to stand up in these days and times - the pastor reminded us that the circumstances Joseph accepted took a great leap of faith, faith that could only come from trusting God and humble obedience.

I don't know what your season of circumstances are or whether they are more profoundly absurd than Joseph's, but as the Pastor reminded us today, God still speaks to us, still loves us - His plan more than likely is not the easy way out, but it is the way!

If you get a chance make the Christmas story real in your memory, see 'The Nativity'.

Merry Christmas!