Darkness to Light

 

As a Christian, how do you feel about Halloween? That question kept nagging at me as I was writing the Holliday Hotel series. Would a Christian book centered around such a dark holiday go over well? There are strong feelings about it on both sides. As I thought about my character, Carol Holliday, though, the answer was clear. There was no way that Carol would overlook this holiday that has grown to be so popular.

I'll admit that it surprises me when people say that Halloween is their favorite holiday. To me it celebrates darkness, and the demonic realm. But the Bible says that the darkness is overcome by the Light of the World, so should Christians hide on that day?

Carol would never hide on Halloween. She would celebrate in a way that would bring light to the darkness, use it as an opportunity to share love to those who are hurting, and draw others to Christ. 

In Harvest Hollow, Autumn Black had been living in the shadow of grief for more than a year after the sudden death of her husband. When she is assigned to visit Holliday Hotel for her job, she is resistant, but found that it was just what she needed to begin to heal. God uses Carol to share some of her own painful experiences with death to shine light into Autumn's darkness.

This book was a struggle for me to write. I was dealing with my own depression and often didn't feel like writing or doing anything. When I did write, I felt like it was disjointed and difficult. I had no idea what it would end up being. But God used it to help me begin my own healing. As Autumn made her transition from darkness back to light, I began mine, too. 

Halloween might not be my favorite holiday, it may be full of darkness and horror, but for Christians this is the opportunity to shine our lights brighter than ever! God is not overcome by darkness on any day of the year. Christians stand in His victory every single day. His light shines through us and on the darkest day of the year, we can be seen the brightest.

Photo by Burak The Weekender: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hanging-light-bulb-132340/

Back to School Multi-Author Giveaway

 

Hello Readers!

Summer is over and kids are back to school so it is the perfect time to do a special giveaway just for you!

 

Here is your chance to win 45 books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books for yourself in Celebrate Lit's Back to School Giveaway.

 

Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/207ae/2022-back-to-school

 

The event and giveaway is going on now through September 17.

 

Connection

My pastor did a mini-series on how we are created for connection. The first two sermons were easy. Life is better connected to Jesus. Check! Life is better connected to the church. Check! Then came the last sermon. Life is better connected to one another. Hm. 

The past two years have created isolation in ways that we never could have predicted. Yet studies have shown that the people who come through trauma the best are those who have strong connections to others. It's no wonder that we have struggled collectively throughout this pandemic. 

For me personally, I've been struggling with some pretty severe depression for the past couple of years. Most of the people in my life probably never saw it, because I was pretty good at putting on my happy face around others. My husband and my children - yeah, they noticed. I couldn't keep up the front at home. You know what makes depression worse? Isolation. Trying to solve it on my own only plummeted me further into darkness.

Remember the story of Moses where as long as he held up the staff, the Israelites would win the battle, but if he brought his arms down, the tides turned against them? Moses wasn't physically capable of holding the staff up long enough for the battle to be won. Fortunately, he had two friends who were able to help. Aaron and Hur first placed a rock under him, and then they held up his arms for him. Because of their help, the Israelites were able to win the battle. 

Having the support of friends can help us through the battles we face. As I listened to this story being told by my pastor, he challenged us to think of friends that we had which would be our Aaron and Hur. I couldn't think of anyone. Not because I don't have people around me who would help whenever or however I needed it, but because I refuse to ask for help. Through the past few years, I could have reached out to any of several people who would have gladly prayed for me, guided me, counseled me, supported me, but instead I tried to keep my arms raised by myself. And I couldn't do it! I even pushed my husband aside and wouldn't allow him to help me. Why? I'm not entirely sure, but I think part of it at least is pride. I don't want to have to rely on others. I can do it myself. Fear is another factor, because if I become vulnerable with others, then they can hurt me. Past pain has shaped me with that one, but it doesn't justify my actions.

Even introverts like me need to be connected to others. The Bible is full of instructions to meet together, to bear one another's burdens, to come alongside those who need help. While I will gladly hold up others in any way I can, I refuse to accept that help for myself. I need to stop looking at the community I have around me as those who need my help, and instead also see them as people who can support me.

 Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-jigsaw-puzzle-illustration-262488/

Summer Book Lovers Giveaway

 

Summer Book Lover's Day is August 9 and we are taking a whole week to celebrate!

I want you to have a chance to win 40+ books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books yourself in Celebrate Lit's Summer Book Lovers Giveaway.

Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/1f449/summer-book-lover-s-multi-author

The event and giveaway is going on now through August 13.

Truth

    I think almost nothing good about myself. It's true. When you tell me something good about myself, I will most likely smile, thank you, and my brain will immediately contradict what you just said. This has been going on for a couple of years now and has become very deep rooted. But I never noticed it. 

    This summer it hit me that these are all of the negative things I think about myself are lies of Satan intended to keep me from being who God wants me to be. I didn't realize how bad it was until my husband said that he needed to be better about finding all the wonderful things about me and telling them to me. Immediately, I told myself, "There's nothing wonderful about you!" I couldn't believe how deep those lies had gotten.

    Satan is the father of lies. He will use any tactic he can to interfere with God's plans for our lives. For some, he might puff them up with arrogance while others he drives into the ground with self-doubt. 

    On the other hand, God is the source of all truth. He's the only One that I should allow to run roots into my heart and mind. Only then will I get an accurate picture of who I am.

    God created me fearfully and wonderfully. I am exactly who He designed me to be. (Psalms 139:13-14)

    God is working on me, and He will keep working on me until I am completed. (Philippians 1:6)

    I have direct access to God and can approach Him with boldness where He will always give me grace. (Hebrews 4:16)

    The Lord is my helper, so I can be confident and not fear. (Hebrews 13:6)

    The Lord is always with me. (Joshua 1:9)

    God's power is made perfect in my weakness, therefore I shouldn't be ashamed of them, but rather allow God to show His power through them. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

    God will renew my strength and bear me up when I feel weary. (Isaiah 40:31)

    I am blessed when I trust in the Lord and place my confidence in Him. (Jeremiah 17:7)

    I should not compare myself with others. (2 Corinthians 10:12)

    God places great value on me and knows everything about me. (Luke 12:7)

    Jesus bought me with His life. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

    God put a plan in place for my life. (Ephesians 2:10)

    My inner self is of great worth to God and is where true beauty lies. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

    God's faithfulness is new every morning - no matter how badly I mess up. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

    Because of God's great love for me, He saved me by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:4-9)

    Unfortunately, it's not as easy as flipping a switch. I know these things, but I need to really believe them, lean into God, allow Him to transform my thoughts and heal me. Lies can be so damaging, but truth overcomes lies.  

 Photo by Magda Ehlers: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cutouts-of-letters-4116661/

Christmas in July Giveaway

 

Hello Readers!

As summer heats up, what better way to cool off than to think of Christmas in July! To celebrate, I have partnered with Celebrate Lit Publicity to do a special giveaway just for you!

I want you to have a chance to win 40+ books or a $500 Amazon card to buy a ton of books yourself in Celebrate Lit's Christmas in July Giveaway.

Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/1e46d/2022-christmas-in-july

The event and giveaway is going on now through July 23.

Ministry Dangers

    

    June is typically a busy month for me. For the past eight years, I've directed the Vacation Bible School at my church. June is the culmination of months of preparation. This year it was time for me to step down, and I've been doing a lot of contemplation about some of the dangers involved in ministry. Specifically, I've been thinking about two opposite problems: fear and pride.

    When I was first asked to direct VBS, my reaction was one of fear. I often call it my 'burning bush moment' because I responded very similarly to Moses. I knew God wanted to me to serve in this capacity, but I had every excuse in the book for why I was the wrong person for the job. I wasn't qualified. I had no idea how to do it. Someone else could do it better than me. There wasn't an excuse that I didn't use. Eventually, God gave me my sister to co-direct with me, much like He allowed Moses to take Aaron along with him.

    It didn't take long for me to realize a few things. First, God doesn't throw us into the deep end and stand back to see if we will sink or swim. Instead He is next to us the whole time, keeping us afloat. Second, because He is the one keeping us afloat, He gets the glory for it. Third, God uses these opportunities to grow us in ways that we would be missing out if we let fear reign. When I think of all the benefits I would have lost if I hadn't followed God's leading, I'm so thankful that He didn't let me get away with using my fear as an excuse to say no.

    As I realized how much I loved serving in this capacity, I recognized another danger in ministry - pride. I got comfortable in my role and fear no longer played a part, but pride could definitely become a problem. It would be easy to start to think that any successes were due to my leadership instead of God. I prayed often that the Lord would help me remain humble through the years, and that I would be willing to step back when it was time. I began to joke that God would have to pry my fingers out of VBS because I loved it so much. Joel, my husband, joked that I would be 80, and he'd have to tell me that I couldn't do VBS anymore because I broke my hip. My kids began thinking that this would be an inherited position and that someday they would also direct VBS. So it was a very real possibility that pride could hinder the ministry.

    A couple years ago, our church started another church, and Joel and I felt that God was calling us to serve there. It was pretty apparent that it was time for me to step down. I didn't feel the pain that I expected. Instead it felt right. God answered my prayers and allowed it to be an easy decision and a clear choice. 

    I've always said that if you begin to feel like you are absolutely essential to a ministry, you'd better check your motives, because no one is indispensable in the work of the Lord. God doesn't need our service. He allows us to serve for His honor and glory. When He's ready for us to move on, we need to be ready to move. VBS did not suffer one little bit without me, and that's exactly how it should be. In fact, some would argue that it was better without me, because after eight years, I might be set in my ways and be resistant to change. 

    Where are you right now? Is there a ministry that you know God is calling you to do, but you're afraid? Maybe like me, you don't feel qualified? Give your fears to God and see what amazing things He has in store for you. You won't regret it!

    Maybe you've been in ministry for a long time. Do you feel like the ministry where you're serving will fail if you leave? Or maybe you think they can't do without you? Confess your pride, and step out in faith that God will lead you and use you in other ways. If the ministry does fold, have faith that was God's intention as well. It's hard, but we are most effective when we submit to God's plans. (And if you're still struggling with this, take a moment and read 1 Corinthians 1:27. It really helps with perspective.)

    Don't let either fear or pride keep you from being where God wants you to be. Serve Him with gladness regardless of where He puts you.

Photo by cottonbro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wrapped-in-tape-3951632/