Every inclination of their hearts was evil

I love the story of Noah, don't you? I mean what's not cool about a huge boat that saved a family and a bunch of animals from a massive flood? But it's what prompted the flood that I want to speak about today. In Genesis 5, we see one of the few times in scripture where God lets us in on His personal feelings. You can go read it for yourself, but he says that He saw how great man's wickedness was and that every inclination of his heart was toward evil. (Sounds like today, doesn't it?) Then it says that the Lord was grieved that he had made man and "his heart was filled with pain" verse 6. Wow. God crying, God hurting. We don't often think of Him that way. Yet didn't Jesus weep at Lasareth's funeral, didn't He have great sorrow when He gazed at Jerusalem and predicted its destruction. God hurts, God cries, God grieves and God loves deeply. Don't think for a minute that when He looks down upon all the violence and hatred going on today on the earth, that He isn't hurting as well and crying for us.

Then, why doesn't He do something, you might ask? Well He is. Just like in Noah's day, He sent an Ark, His Son, so that all who climb on board, all who live in Him, will be saved. So what is He waiting for? He's waiting to give everyone a chance to enter the Ark. After He gave Noah the command to build it, it took quite awhile to build. During that time, I'm sure people came by to ask Noah what he was doing, thus giving him a chance to warn them, to tell them of God's upcoming punishment. Yet, in the end, no one entered the Ark but Noah and his family.

Today, God is sending His people abroad to warn the world of His upcoming judgement and that to be saved they must enter the Ark of Jesus Christ.

Sad to say. Most will not heed the warning. But when all have had the chance, God will send His flood again, not in water this time, but in fire.

And I have a feeling from the looks of things...time is running short.

Speaking of His return, Jesus says in Matthew 24:

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark

What is your drug of choice?

I have a terrible fear that our country is over-medicating themselves. Recently, as most of you know, the actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment, a bottle of sleeping pills beside his head, and although the toxicology report is not in, the news has reported that Heath was on anti-anxiety and sleeping pills, that he had extreme trouble sleeping, and that he was very stressed. The reason this story hit me so hard was not only because I thought Mr. Ledger was a great actor, but because I too, suffer from a very nervous disposition and tend to get easily stressed about things. I have also had very difficult bouts of insomnia where I was up until 3 or 4 in the morning trying to fall asleep. I have been on anti-depressants, anti-anxiety and sleeping pills myself to combat these problems, so I can really relate to Mr. Ledger.

I can now say, by the grace of God that I am no longer taking any of those drugs, nor any drugs at all. But, I also know several friends and family who are. Christians, in fact. Now, I'm no doctor and I'm sure there could be true biological and chemical reasons for some of these disorders, but all of them? Millions of Americans on sleeping pills? I believe this a result of three things:

1. We Amercans love a quick fix. We love fast food, fast women, fast cars and quick results. Gone are the days of long hours working to produce a product of great quaility that would last a lifetime. When I was a kid, TV sets were expected to last over 20 years, Now 5 years. Same with cars. If your car is over 5 years old, it's a hasbeen, washed up and will most likely break down soon. Now, we have a problem with our marriage, we get divorced, We can't afford to buy what we want, we borrow money. We snap our fingers and expect instant gratification for all our needs and this includes stress and sleeplessness. Instead of addressing the real problem, we cover it up with a pill.

2. Life is more stressful today than in prior generations. Is that true? A hundred years ago, two hundred years ago when our forefathers fought their way through this wilderness, you can't tell me they didn't have problems. Half of their children died before they reached puberty. Not to mention, freezing winters, hunger, Indian attacks... What I think life is today is far more busy and far more complex. We keep ourselves so busy busy busy with a million tasks that steal all our time away. We rarely just sit down without phones, Ipods, blackberries, TV or radio blaring in our ear and just reflect on life. With all our technology and all our advancees, we've only made our lives more complex and distanced ourselves from human interaction.

3. We've taken God out of our country, our schools, our politics, our workplace, our homes and even most of our religions. Only Almighty God is our true source of peace and rest. Without Him to lean on, to bring our problems to, without a trust that He is in control and loves us beyond measure, life just becomes too frightening, with too many unknowns.

"God is our refuge and strength an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46: 1-3

Booksigning!

I thought you might like to see a picture of our booksigning last Saturday! We had alot of fun! From left to right, Krisin Billerbeck (She writes awesome chic-lit), then Brandilyn Collins (Seatbelt suspense-thrillers!), Shelly Bates (Women's lit and Young Adult - really cool), Camy Tang (Asian Chic-lit- very funny!) and moi.

We signed at a local book store called E-ternal treasures in Morgan Hill, CA. The owners, Fran and Rick Dresser are the nicest people. We sold a few books, answered questions about writing and basically had fun hanging out.

Weapon of the Week Psalm 91:14-16

Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." Psalm 91: 14-15

Does God really care about you? Does God really answer prayer? Does God really help us?

Humm... Sounds like something our enemy loves to whisper in our ear when we are going through a hard time.

I not only find great comfort in this scripture, but it is a great weapon to throw back in the enemy's face when he's tempting you to believe God isn't with you.. Say it out loud and with force and make it personal : "The Lord says He loves me. He will rescue me. He will protect me because I acknowledge His name. He will answer me when I call upon Him. He is with me in trouble. He will deliver me and honor me."

The Word of God is powerful. Memorize it and use it like a weapon when you are attacked. Speak it outloud with conviction and see what happens.

Have a blessed week!

Read a Chapter a Week from new Titles

For Better or For Worse by Diann Hunt
She's a wedding coordinator. He's a divorce attorney. She begins marriages. He ends them. How could these two possibly find common ground?

AND

The Max & Me Mysteries by Patricia Rushford

You'll enjoy meeting Jesse Miller and Max Hunter, both twelve, who form a deep but unlikely friendship. Jesse is thin and frail and has leukemia. Max is wild and adventurous, with spiked hair that changes color from day to day depending on her mood.Jesse has no real friends until Max comes along. She sees Max as being very brave and adventurous and tries to keep Max out of trouble. Then Jesse discovers Max's dark secrets and must lead Max into danger in order to set her free. There are three books in the series, The Trouble With Max, Danger at Lakeside Farms, and Secrets of Ghost Island.
To read an excerpt from For Better or For Worse and The Trouble with Max visit

Chapter-a-week

Come meet me and 4 other fabulous authors tomorrow

At E-Ternal Treasures Christian book store in Morgan Hill, CA. And look who else is coming!



Shelley Bates - Award winning author of 12 novels: http://www.shelleybates.com/
Brandilyn Collins - Best seller author of over 17 suspense novels http://www.brandilyncollins.com/
Kristin Billerbeck - Award winning Chic-Lit author http://www.kristinbillerbeck.com/
Camy Tang - Asian Chic-Lit author http://www.camytang.com/


The store is located at 433 Vineyard town Center Way in Morgan Hill, CA>
We will all be there between 1:00 and 2:00 pm.


Hope to see you there!

Before and After the Fall

Before the Fall

1. Man enjoyed unhindered fellowship and friendship with God. God walked with them in the Garden. They saw God. They talked with him. Genesis 3:8
2. Man was given rulership and authority over all the earth, over all the plants and the animals. Genesis 2
3. Man was given a purpose, work to do that was easy and pleasing. Genesis 2:15
4. Man was naked but had no shame. He was completely innocent and without sin. Genesis 2:25
5. Man was free to do whatever he wanted except to eat the fruit of one specific tree. Genesis 2:17
6. Man did not age or die. He was immortal
7. Women had no pain in childbirth, so we can assume there was no pain at all.

After the Fall

1. Mankind was separated from God and from fellowship with God. Genesis 3:8
2. Man lost his rulership over the earth. It was given to Satan. Ephesians 6:12
3. Man's work became hard and unpleasant. Genesis 3: 17-19
4. Man lost his innocence, became sinful and ashamed. Genesis 3:7-8
5. Man lost his freedom and became enslaved to sin. Romans 6
6. Man lost his imortality, aged and eventually died. Genesis 3:19
7. Women will give birth in great pain and their husbands will rule over them. Genesis 3:16

You'll notice that the first thing man did when God asked him what happened was blame Eve, then she went on to blame the snake. Isnt' that just like fallen human nature? We never take responsibility for our own actions.

I thought it was so cool that even after Adam and Eve defied God and disobeyed the one command he'd given them, God still made garments of skin for them and clothed them. He still loved them and cared deeply for them. Genesis 3:21. What a God we serve!

We lost a tremendous amount in the fall, didn't we? But the good news is, when Jesus defeated Satan on the cross and rose again, we gained a few of our privileges back, namely, unhindered fellowship with God, freedom from the slavery of sin, and immortality-everylasting life. The rest will be restored after this life ends. Praise God for his love and grace!

Thoughts on the Fall of Man

The serpent said to the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden." Eve's reply was "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die"

Genesis 3 records the fall of man. We all know the story, right? The serpent tempts Eve to eat of the fruit from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and she gives some to Adam and down they go. A couple of things stood out to me. One was Eve's reply to the serpent.

I searched and searched through Genesis and couldn't find anywhere where God told Adam and Eve they couldn't touch the fruit. Why did she say that? Then it occured to me that many people often twist the word of God around to mean what they want it to mean. Cults do it all the time, and even some well-meaning Christians, and some not so well-meaning Christians. We need to be extrememly careful when dealing with God's word. Twisting it, adding to it, interpreting it out of context can all lead down a very dangerous road. In my opinion, when you do this, it is the beggining of your own fall.

Hear the words in Rev 22: 18-19

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."

I think God is serious about His Word, don't you?

Tune in tomorrow for the a before and after look of the Fall.

Weapon of the Week and a personal story

Last week I received some sad news. My great uncle, Fred F. Patten died Wednesday. Truthfully, because of our broken family, I didn't know him very well. I had only met him twice that I can remember, but those two events are forever planted among my happy memories. You see, not only was my great uncle a charming, intelligent and kind-hearted man, but he also had a fascinating life story. In 1934, when he was in his early twenties, he received a devastating phone call that his brother, his only brother had died in a plane crash. His brother, Robert Patten was my Mother's father and after graduating from the Naval Academy he'd become a navy pilot. He was performing military maneuvers when his plane crashed in the ocean. He was still alive, but unable to survive in the water before rescuers reached him. Because of this, my Uncle Fred set out to invent the inflatable life raft. After the US entered the fighting in WWII, both the Navy and Air Force adopted my uncle's rafts. He went on to invent several other military inflatables that saved many lives. You can read about him and them on The Patten company web page.

How does this relate to our Weapon of the Week? Our fear of death. Are you afraid to die? I know most people I talk to are very afraid. The Bible says that humans are in bondage to the fear of death, but that Christ came to destroy the one who holds the power of Death, Satan (Hebrews 2)

Check out these verses in 1 Corinthians 15:

22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

25-26. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

54-57. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, I'm not saying that our physical bodies will not die. They will. But for those of us who trust in Jesus for our salvation, it will be like taking off an old, haggard coat, dropping it to the floor and walking through a door into the most glorious place you can imagine.

Nothing to fear at all!

Winner of The Restorer by Sharon Hinck!

Is Liz!


Liz, Please contact me with your mailing address. Send it to marylu@mltyndall.com.


And congratulations!





And many thanks to all who entered. If you didn't win, you should definitely pick this book up sometime. I know you'll enjoy it!

Read a Chapter a Week from new Titles

Murder in the Park, by Veronica Heley

When Ellie's friend Felicity witnesses a pit bull savage a young mother in the park, she goes into shock, and calls on Ellie for help. Ellie's discovers that the dog and its owner are strangers to the neighbourhood, but soon there are other attacks…and after each one, the dog vanishes. Between problems raised by her dreadful daughter Diana, her aunt's failing health, and the imminent departure of her good friend Thomas, Ellie hardly has time to hunt down a killer dog, and has no idea that she is the next target – until the police question her for a crime she didn't commit!


Family In His Heart - released by Steeple Hill Love Inspired - January 2008 by Gail Gaymer Martin
Ms. Martin has once again penned a sweet love story. Her characters are flawed and only too human, but have a genuine desire to be a better person, to trust in God. This quiet and unassuming story is layered with love and pain and messages of trust and forgiveness. An inspiring read. --Reviewer Connie from Once Upon A Romance

Nick Thornton couldn't help being impulsive. But he had no misgivings about hiring away the feisty new waitress at this favorite diner. After all, he could spot a person in need, and Rona Meyers needed a protector. Yet as he got to know her, he was humbled by her caring and no-nonsense attitude. Maybe he was the one in need---after all those long years he'd been struggling to keep his faith. With his sense of family shattered, Nick couldn't stop wondering if God wanted him to have a new beginning.

To read an exciting chapter from each of these books, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChapteraWeek/message/324

The Restorer by Sharon Hinck

I've been meaning to read Sharon Hinck's book, The Restorer, for quite some time. The cover alone drew my interest. What's not to like about a woman carrying a sword? Plus, I had heard great things about it and I've talked with Sharon on the phone on a different matter. She's such a sweetheart. I do not consider myself a book reviewer but I will briefly describe the plot. Imagine yourself a somewhat complacent, bored housewife who is tired of the day to day drudgery of raising kids and keeping a house. Now imagine yourself being wisked away through a portal to a completely different world and thrust into the middle of a war of kingdoms. And as if that weren't daunting enough, you discovers that you are the long awaited Restorer, the one who will defeat the enemies, unite the people and bring them back to the Verses. Wow. Okay, count me in. But this isn't just an adventure story. Intertwined within its pages are themes of God's love, the power of His Word, Faith, family and the battle between good and evil. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm willing to give up my only (slightly used) copy to any brave soul who comments on this posting. Just leave your name, and email address and I'll enter your name in a drawing. I'll announce the winner on Saturday.

Imaginary worlds

I'm in the middle of writing a very difficult scene. It's set in downtown Charles Towne in 1718. There are six different characters in the scene and a variety of other stimuli such as horses, shops, a throng of citizens, the Charleston harbor, ships, slaves, taverns. . .etc. This scene involves some very important events that are pertinent to the story, so I need to keep each character active and involved in both the conversation and their surroundings. Normally in a scene, I put on some music, close my eyes and start typing. I can see the entire scene, the scenery, the characters in my head as if it were a movie playing before me. I can even picture the look on their faces, their eyes. I can hear their thoughts, feel their emotions. But this scene is an overload of sensory details. The heroine is trying to have a conversation with the hero but a horse clomps by and tosses mud on her brocade shoes. A ship bell tolls, a fisherman yells, a lady and her husband are quarreling across the way, an old man is singing a ballad under an oak tree and a tiny orphan sits begging by the tavern door. The stench of rum and horse manuer assail the heroine and she coughs while her sister begins to complains that the weather is too hot. Now, tell me, how can she have a reasonable conversation with the hero with all that going on?

Well, I suppose I'll figure it out, but it occurred to me that I've always been able to imagine entire worlds in my head without really trying. all the details just appear as if placed there by some secret director. (Either that, or I'm completely insane!) Even when I was a young girl, I would spend hours living in imaginary worlds inside my head. (No, I'm not on any medication...currently)

Anyway, I wonder if other writers out there are the same way? Or if you're reading this and can relate, perhaps you should be a writer.

Speaking of alternate worlds, tomorrow, I'll give a brief review of The Restorer by Sharon Hinck and I'll be having a drawing for a free copy for all those who dare to comment.

WOW

Enemy argument: God doesn't care about your petty little life. He's too busy with bigger issues. In fact, He remains at a distance, uninvolved with his creation anymore. He no longer gives individuals guidance.

How many times have you heard that from other people or even had the thought pop into your mind? Especially when problems seem to be coming at you from all directions or when you don't "feel" God's presence or it "feels" like He's not answering your prayers. Here are some verses to shout back at the enemy.

Thrust your Sword: Psalm 37: 23-24 "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

Another thrust: "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Psalm 145:18

The final thrust: God says "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

By no means by enemy do I mean people. I mean Satan and all his demonic cronies. Although he can use people to speak through, we must never consider them our enemy. Recognize your true enemy and love all people, especially the ones he is using for his vile purposes.

May God give you strength this week for the battle.

My new blog! and read a Chapter a week

Hi everyone! I switched to a new blogging service just in case you noticed something was different. I'm also going to start participating in a Chapter of the week yahoo group, and I'll be posting about it here (Probably every Saturday) This group provides a great way for you as a reader to sample a book before you buy it. Each week, one chapter out of a newly released book will be displayed for all to read. This week we have 2 books: To read the chapters, just click on the link below. Enjoy!

Reluctant Smuggler by Jill Elizabeth Nelson
"Jill Elizabeth Nelson has crafted an amazing tale of international intrigue, pulse-pounding drama, and sacrificial love, as well as an exceptional story line. Reluctant Smuggler is a great read and highly recommended! "
~Mark Mynheir, homicide detective and author of The Void

SPLITTING HARRIET by Tamara Leigh
"Tamara Leigh delights readers with Chick Lit that sparkles and characters who come alive."
KRISTIN BILLERBECK, author of The Trophy Wives Club
To read a sample of these exciting new novels go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChapteraWeek/message/323

Growing closer to God this year

I'm also going to start reading my Bible differently this year. I'm going to read each book 3 times in a row and each time I'm going to read it in a different version and focus on something different. For example
1. Pick out the general theme or themes of the book

2. Note anything I learn about God, his love, grace, punishment, heartache, character, purpose

3. Note anything I learn about the fall of man, God's commands, and how to live a more godly life

I won't make it through the entire Bible in one year, but I bet I'll grow closer to God. Want to join me?

Resolutions of a crazed writer!

I usually have the same New Years resolutions each year. Get healthier, grow closer to God, be a better wife and mother. . . How about you? By the end of the year, I have usually forgoten my resolutions and I never really assess whether I reached them or not. Am I healthier than last year? I'm older. That's for sure! Am I closer to God? I hope so. What about being a better wife and mother? Humm. I guess you'd have to ask my husband and kids.
This year will be a very busy year for me. I have two complete novels to write (the first 2 in my Charleston series). I have another novel being released in August (The Falcon and the Sparrow) and at least 2 cross country trips that I know of so far. And all that while trying to be the perfect wife, run a tight ship at home, and keep my crew in order! I guess I'm really going to need to keep those first 2 resolutions in order to keep the third, and in order to complete everything I need to do this year.
So in order to get healthier, I'm going to try and take most of the sugar out of my diet. Did you know that white, refined sugar is almost like a poison to your body. It can suppress your immune system, cause fatigue, mood swings, it feeds cancer cells, weakens eyesight, contributes to obesity, and a variety of other problems. My problem? I'm a sweet freak. So, I've found this sugar substitue that's all natural. It's called Xylitol and its the stuff they put in sugar-free gum. I've tried small amounts in my coffee and so far it is the only sugar substitute that does not leave a nasty aftertaste in my mouth. So I ordered a bag of it and I'm going to try baking with it. I'll keep you posted.
Tomorrow I'll share with you how I plan to grow closer to God. How about you? What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Weapon of the week: Isaiah 64:4

Happy New year! I'm staring a new event on my blog. Every Monday, I'll be posting a verse or verses from the Bible. I'm calling this our weapon of the week. Sounds harsh? Well, the Bible is very clear that the Word of God is our sword. (Ephesians 6:17 . . . take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God)

Now, I don't know about you, but I think that's awesome. If you've read any of my books, you know I love a good sword fight! But we can't use our swords, unless we take them out of their sheaths and point them at the enemy. How do you do that, you might ask? You study the word of God, memorize it, and when the enemy attacks, you pull out the correct sword (or verse) and say it outloud to him. It's exactly the same thing Jesus did to battle Satan when he spent 40 days in the desert fasting and praying before His ministry began. (Read Matthew 4) So, each week, I'll post a verse or verses that I'm memorizing and give some examples of when to use them. Any comments and examples from you are welcome. So with that said, here goes. . .
Isaiah 64:4 Isaiah 40:31Psalm 37:34

1. You've been asking God for something for a long time. Perhaps it's the salvation of a loved one. Perhaps it's for direction in a move or a career. Perhaps it's help for a relationship gone bad, or healing for a sickness. The enemy comes in, like a taunting ruffian, waving his flimsy sword in your face and says. "God doesn't hear you. He doesn't love you. He's not going to answer your prayer." Many times you've given in to his voice, and despair and hopelessness swallow you up whole. But not this time. This time, you remember that you are not unarmed. You have a sword. You grab the hilt, you pull it out and point it at the lying villain and you say the following verses (making them personal):

"Since ancient times, no one has heard, no eye has seen any God besides my God, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him."

and as he slowly begins to cower, you continue with another thrust

"Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; I shall mount up with wings like eagles, I shall run and not be weary, I shall walk and not faint."

Now, the enemy stumbles and shrinks from you and you go in for the final blow

"I will wait on the LORD and keep His way, and He shall exalt me to inherit the land"
With a sneer, the enemy leaves.

Cool, huh? Now don't get me wrong. This doesn't mean God will answer your prayer exactly how you want. It means He will answer your prayer according to His divine will, for His glory, and your good. Just wait and see what He will do.
I hope you'll join me in memorizing these verses and use them whenever you are attacked.