The time of your captivity has come to a close!

Thus says your Lord, The Lord and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people: “See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My fury; you shall no longer drink it.  But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you,  Isaiah 51: 22-23

I love the Old Testament. Far too many churches these days ignore the richness of the Old Testament and only focus on the New.  Or they only concentrate on those stories that are really cool, or those stories that show God in a favorable light, like the parting of the Red Sea, Joshua and the fall of Jericho, Daniel in the Lion's Den, etc..    I've heard many people say that the God of the Old Testament seems like a real gruff meany compared to Jesus in the New. But we are told God never changes, so how can that be? 

The Bible is one of those books that you can't just take a verse out here and a verse out there and hope to understand it. (Or the God who wrote it) That's why so many Christians who only hear one sermon a week and who never crack their Bible, never really learn to know God.  Yes, some of the Old Testament is very hard to swallow. Stories where God opens up the earth and swallows up thousands of people, or where He wipes out thousands with a plague or where He orders an entire family killed for the father's sins. These stories tend to scare us into picturing God as a bully in the sky and if don't behave, He'll zap us. Nothing could be further from the truth!

I've read the entire Old Testament probably close to 20 or so times now. And you know what I hear in it's pages, through it's stories?  I hear the groaning and pleading of the broken heart of a Father who loves His wayward children so much, He would do anything to save them.  Time and time again, God extends His hand of love and blessing to His children, and time and time again, they reject Him and go their own way. It would be like you as a parent telling your kids to stay away from drugs or driving while drinking because you know they will get hurt, but they snub their noses at you and don't listen and run off and do drugs and end up sick and miserable. So, you do what any parent would do, you punish, you restrict, you try everything to get their attention and get them back on the right track.  

When the Israelites would rebel against God, He would wait years.. hundreds of years sometimes, trying to plead with them to come back to Him. His patience and love are astounding!!  Then finally, He had to punish them. There was no other way to get their attention, so He would allow some other nation to come conquer them and take them captive. But like any punishment, it wouldn't last forever. God ALWAYS redeems His people. Verse after verse and chapter after chapter in the Old Testament show God's comfort and mercy and His promises to save and restore His people. 

So, why do I tell you this? Because God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He deals with us the same way.  When we rebel against Him, He punishes us. But it is only for a time. When that season is over, if we have learned, He restores us. Let me get personal here. I spent 35 years rebelling against God. The consequences I suffered for that are still on going. I face my own captivity every single day. I suffer from it every single day. And I deserve it and much worse. But in my quiet time with God lately, I heard Him distinctly say that the time of my captivity is coming to a close. Then the next day I came across the verse listed above, which only confirmed what I'd already heard. Maybe you are still suffering the consequences of your rebellion. Maybe you've resigned yourself to it (A bad marriage, wayward kids, health problems, money problems) Maybe you think you deserve it and more. But you love God. You've learned your lesson and you're growing closer to Him.

God is saying to you. There is an end to your captivity. Just like with the Israelites, He will not leave you in Babylon forever. 


For you shall go out from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland with joy and be led forth by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

And which is better?  This topic has come up quite a bit recently in my family because most of us are the dreaded introverts!  But what comes to mind when you hear the word introvert?  Here's what some people think:

• Introverts are shy 
• Introverts are self-absorbed and don't care about others
• Introverts hate being around people
• Introverts are nervous in social situations
• Introverts are insecure
• Introverts are socially awkward

How about you? Is this your impression of introverts? Would it surprise you to know that NONE of those statements are true??  Yet society has labeled us this way. Why? Because introverts make up only 1/3 of the population, and the other 2/3s who are extroverts do not understand us at all. ( by the way, my mother, my husband, and all six of my kids are introverts)

Extroverts are outgoing. They love being around people. They love talking and spending time with friends. They feel comfortable for the most part at parties and believe the more people, the merrier.  They prefer breadth rather than depth.. in other words, they enjoy a wide variety of experiences and people, rather than just a few intense ones. These are the people who have a gadzillion friends and always seem to be doing rather than thinking. Extroverts need to be social to feel energized.

Introverts focus more on inner thoughts. They like to think deeply about topics and need to ponder a situation to its fullest before making a decision. They tend to have a few, close friends, rather than a ton of acquaintances. They hate small talk and prefer discussions on important, deep topics with a small group.  Introverts need to be alone to feel energized.

One is not better than the other. They are just different. The extroverts tend to run the social part of the world. They get out and do, do, do. While the introverts tend to be the creative minds behind the scenes that help the extroverts know what exactly they should do. Of course these lines are blurred, but you'll find that many introverts are very creative.

Some famous introverts are: Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Sherlock Holmes, Steven Hawking, Jane Goodall, Issac Newton, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan.

All that to say that I'm a HUGE Introvert. As a child, I always wondered what was wrong with me. Why didn't I enjoy the social activities of my friends? Why did I feel so tired after I went to a party? Why did I hate idle chit chat but got excited when talking politics or religion? Why, when my friends called to go out, did I prefer to stay home? Why did my alone time make me feel so good?  People thought I was shy, stuck-up, rude, unsociable.. and for years I thought that must be true. Now I know I'm none of those things.

I actually love people. I enjoy going out. I like parties, but I refuse to talk about the weather. I much prefer to discuss important topics. But most of all, I enjoy being alone. It recharges me and refreshes me.  I guess that means I have the best occupation being an author cause I spend most of my time completely alone. Just me and my characters! 

So how about you? Want to take the test?

True of False  (Test taken from The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D)

1. When I need to rest, I prefer to spend time alone or with one or two close people rather than a group
2. When I work on projects, I like to have larger uninterrupted time periods rather than smaller chunks
3. I sometimes rehearse things before speaking, occasionally writing notes to myself
4. In general, I like to listen more than I like to talk
5. People sometimes think I'm quiet, mysterious, aloof, or calm
6. I like to share special occasions with just one person or a few close friends, rather than have big celebrations
7. I usually need to think before I respond or speak
8. I tend to notice details many people don't see
9. If two people have just had a fight, I feel the tension in the air
10. If I say I will do something, I almost always do it
11. I feel anxious if I have a deadline or pressure to finish a project
12. I can zone out if too much is going on
13. I like to watch an activity for a while before I decide to join in
14. I form lasting relationships
15. I don't like to interrupt others; I don't like to be interrupted
16. When I take in lots of information, it takes me awhile to sort it out
17. I don't like overstimulating environments. I can't imagine why folks want to go to horror movies or go on roller coasters
18. I sometimes have strong reactions to smells, tastes, foods, weather, noises, etc
19. I am creative and /or imaginative
20. I feel drained after social situations, even when I enjoy myself
21. I prefer to be introduced rather than to introduce others
22. I can become grouchy if I'm around people or activities too long
23. I often feel uncomfortable in new surroundings
24. I like people to come to my house, but I don't like them to stay too long
25. I often dread returning phone calls
26. I find my mind sometimes goes blank when I meet people or when I am asked to speak unexpectedly
27. I talk slowly or have gaps in my words, especially if I am tired or if I am trying to speak and think at once
28. I don't think of casual acquaintances as friends
29. I feel as if I can't show other people my work or ideas until they are fully formulated
30. Other people may surprise me by thinking I am smarter than I think I am

 If you answered
20-30 True  then you are a pretty strong Introvert
10-19 True  then you are somewhere in the middle
1-9     True  then you are extroverted.

Wordless Wednesday!

Though the sails look a bit ragged and the ship seems battle weary, she still sails onward, ever strong and ever resilient!!

Hearing from God - 10 minutes a day

Happy New Year!  I can't believe it's 2013!!  It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie!  Anyway, as I reflected back on 2012, I realize it was probably one of the "calmest" years I've had as a writer. I didn't travel for business at all, no conferences, no book signing tours, no research excursions. Plus I only had one book release, when normally I have two.  All that to say that I spent a lot of time at home, writing, reading, thinking and praying. My goal for the year was to grow closer to God, and I believe He slowed down my life last year so I could do just that. And you know what? I do feel closer to Him. I feel like I know Him just a tiny bit more. But it was in the silence and the calmness that I found Him. Not in the busy, hectic modern life we all lead.

And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.  1 Kings 19:11-12

I am fully convinced that one of Satan's strongest weapons against believers is Busyness!  Keep them busy busy busy busy with life and work and kids and activities. And don't forget all the NOISE.  IPhones and Ipads and Ipods and UTube and Facebook and Twitter and Instant movies and TV shows and Video Games! It's all nuts!  I've seen people carry on a conversation in person while they are texting someone and watching a video and playing a game .. all on their phones! There's so much NOISE everywhere. Sometimes I wonder if people aren't afraid of the silence.

What happens in the silence when you shut everything off and you are finally alone?   Then you are forced to think about your life, to think about what you're doing with your life and how you treat people and what's important in life. When you are alone, you are introspective... you start looking deep within you. And I believe most people don't like what they see. So  they turn on the music and the videos and keep themselves busy so they don't have to address the real questions of life.  Like, why am I here? Was I just an accident? Is there a purpose for life? If so, am I fulfilling it? Is there is a God? Is there life after death? 

But people don't think about these things anymore. Satan has defeated both believers and non-believers with the weapon of busyness. Non-believers so they will never seek God, and believers so they will never know God.

Jesus led a busy life. He only had 3 years of ministry to convince His followers that He was the Messiah. During that time, He was constantly surrounded by people wanting to be healed, delivered and people just wanting to listen to Him. Plus, He had His regular 12 disciples who ate, slept, and basically spent 24-7 with Him. Now, read what Jesus did:

He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.  John 6:15
And it happened, as He was alone praying, Luke 9:18
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” Matt 26:36
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. Luke 6:12

I believe Jesus not only spent time praying for others, probably mostly His disciples, but I believe most of that time alone with God was spent listening to what God was telling Him.... getting direction for what Jesus would do next.

The time you spend alone with God without cellphone or music or video or any distractions is the MOST IMPORTANT time of your day. If the Son of God felt it was important, then how can we not do exactly as He did?   I know many of you spend time in prayer each day, lifting up your requests to God. And this is good and necessary. But have you ever just sat still and silent in the presence of God?  It's so hard for us to do, isn't it?  Our minds are used to so much stimuli that they race around and around and we end up thinking about what's for dinner rather than listening to God.

I started doing this last year, and it has changed my life and my walk with God.  Can you spare 10 minutes a day to find a spot alone and just sit and think about God? Some of you may say.. but I have kids and my house is full or I work all day. Okay. Find a bathroom stall and sit. Go outside for a walk.  Settle your mind, clear your thoughts, take a deep breath and concentrate on God and on how good He is. Worship Him silently in your spirit and just sit and be still. If your mind drifts to something else, don't feel guilty, just bring it back to God. It will take some practice, but I guarantee you that if you keep doing this, you WILL HEAR FROM GOD.   He wants to talk to you. He wants you to know Him. He doesn't want just a one-way Santa Clause type relationship.

What the really cool thing is about getting to know God more is you start to be able to sense His presence elsewhere during the day. The more you know Him, the more you sense Him, the more you know Him, the more you trust Him, the more peace and joy you feel. It's incredible.

So, this new year, I'm going to set aside 10-15 minutes a day and turn everything off. And I'm going to sit quietly in the presence of God. Want to join me?

My New Writing Room!

After a few of our kids moved out of the house, we had an extra room. It's one of the largest spare bedrooms that sits near the front of the house, and my hubby decided to make it my writing office. For the past year, he's been working on the room, doing his best to make it look like a ship captain's cabin. He laid a beautiful oak floor, put in cherry paneling on the walls, hand made a built in book case in the closet, and finally put wood beams across the ceiling!  It took him a year of working on weekends, and finally it was done over the holidays. So I moved in!!!!  Here are some pictures of my new haven!!

   My gorgeous library. The book case in the center is the one my hubby made!  The painting to the left is an old one I painted. You can barely see the top of my cat, Hershey's, head at the bottom!

Here's my sea-faring corner, complete with my porthole on the wall and a beautiful painting of a ship battle (not one I did) 

Here's a close up of my sea-faring table. That's a replica of the USS Constitution. An18th century flintlock pistol sits to the left just before a telescope. In front of the ship is my 19th century cutlass, and to the right of the ship sits my Pirate Anne Bonny doll, that one of my friends, Pat Iacuzzi, made for me! Beneath the table is my lady pirate hat and my wooden treasure chest.

 Here is my authentic antique ship wheel!!

Across the room, sits my desk. Above it is my 18th century map of the Caribbean. On the wall by the door are my brig keys. To the left of the desk is my white board where I write down my story ideas. On top are my pirate flags and some paintings!

 Here are the beams hubby made on the ceiling! Cool huh?  Pictures of my kids and some more paintings sit atop the bookcase.

So, what do you think?  Isn't it perfect? I told my husband I was never leaving my room. It's the perfect place to create new adventurous, romantic, sea-faring stories!  

What about you? Do any of you have a room in your house that is just yours? A special place where you go to pray, create, do crafts, or just rest?? 

Author Blog Hop Tour!

I've been Tagged!!!  By my good friend and author, Michele Griep!!  This is how it works. I will answer the following 11 questions and then tag 4 other authors so you can go read their answers to the same questions.  This is called a Blog Hop Book Tour and is a way for you to meet other authors!

So here we go!

What is/was the working title of your book?
Abandoned Memories. This is Book THREE in my Escape to Paradise Series. Yay!!!  Book 1, Forsaken Dreams will be released March 2013

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I got the idea for the entire series from a reader who I met at a conference. She said she had done some research on a group of Southerners who left the United States after the Civil War and traveled to Brazil where they hoped to set up a new Southern Utopia.  I thought.. Hey, that's a really cool idea!!!  So, after I did my own research I came up with 3 story ideas and submitted them to my publisher, and Voila!! A series was born!

What genre does your book fall under?
Historical Romance

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Stranded on the shores of Brazil, a group of Southerners, who left the United States after the Civil War, find themselves struck with disaster after disaster as they try to eek out a new life in a foreign land, only to discover the cause of their troubles comes from a source not of this world.

Will your book be self-published, published by a traditional publishing house, and/or represented by an agency?
Traditional publisher.. Barbour Books

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Three months!  Then I usually go through it another two times which takes another 3 months.


What other books would you compare this work to within your genre?
Hmm. Actually I don't think there is anything in my genre like this. The entire series is a real stretch for me because it branches into the supernatural quite a bit, in particular demons, angels, visions, spiritual warfare, etc. . .and this is not something you normally see in Historical Romance!

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
God, History, and the TV show LOST.


What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Romance! Strong Moral Themes of Loss, Forgiveness, Faith, Idol worship, Bitterness, and Pride. Add to that lots of adventure on sea and on land and toss in a few pirates, and what's not to love??


AND NOW to TAG Four of my Favorite Authors so you can meet them!!  If they don't post answers right away, don't despair... they have promised to do so as soon as possible.  In the meantime, you can check them out anyway!

Laurie Alice Eakes
Julie Lessman
^{Ronie Kendig}
Jamie Carrie

Wordless Wednesday!

Defeated but not Destroyed.  Beaten but not Overcome!