by April | Mar 16, 2014 | Chronic Illness, Encouragement, Faith, Prayer
Everyone has seasons in their lives of joy and hardship. Sometimes the hard ones feel like they go on forever, though. We’ve gone through many years of health hardships. They don’t seem to stop, but continue to ramp. You can take a break from activities, you can take a vacation from your job—but you can’t get away from your health.
Imagine with me a staircase.
The stairs take you up. The first few get your blood pumping, the next set start taking a bit more effort and you breathe harder. You keep on going, looking toward the end, but now your breath comes in gasps and pants. You have to stop and grip the rail, but there’s no place to sit down. Sweat trickles down your back, so you take off your coat, and keep climbing, because there’s no going back—there’s just up. If you have a disability, you might be pulling yourself along by that rail, one shaky foot, one sweaty palm, at a time.
On a real staircase, there are landings. If you’re climbing at a park, there might even be a well-placed bench for you to take a breather, a respite, a time of recovery—a drink of
cool water. It might be pokey, and uneven, but it’s a bench, and you’re grateful for it. After you catch your breath, you continue on, and then the path, or the stairwell, turns a corner. You’re still tired, but not as tired as you were. You had a break. The best thing is, you know soon there will be another landing, another place to take a break—or you’ll have reached the top.
But, what if there are no landings?
What if those stairs just keep climbing? You crane your neck, squint your eyes and all you see are more and more stairs. That’s where we’re at. These past few weeks, I’ve been praying for a landing.
Maybe you’re with me on those stairs, climbing relentlessly, praying for a break. Maybe it will help you to know you’re not alone. I’m here, too. We can hold each other’s hands as we go, pull each other up over that next step, urge each other along. Pray for one another. Jesus is there with us, He’s got your hand and mine.
Let me know if I can pray for you. You can message me privately on this page, or leave a comment below. Either way, I’ll see you on the stairs.
Psalm 73: 23-26 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (full passage here)
John 10:25-30 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (full passage here)
Philippians 4: 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (full passage here)
by April | Mar 7, 2014 | Author Interviews, Book Reviews
I love getting to know authors–and I love books. Every now and then, when I read a new book that connects with me, I’m going to share it with you! It just so happens, I have another author I would love to introduce you to. Please join me in welcoming author Dina Sleiman!
Dina, what inspired you to start writing? Not to sound trite, but I felt called to writing. I always loved reading and writing, and I studied writing in college and grad school, but I didn’t get serious about it until my mid-thirties when I felt God leading me to write my first novel.
How long did it take you before you were first published? From the time I started my first novel until it was published was five and a half years.
Do you write fiction, nonfiction, or both? I guess you could say I write both, but fiction is my true love, and my published books are all fiction.
Do you use an outline, or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? I’m a mixture. I like to get started on the book organically and meet the characters. I’ll write in random order whatever I see and hear going on in my head. But after that initial writing spree, I sit down and plot the book to the end, usually in synopsis form. From that point on, I stick pretty close to my plan.
Where do you write? I like to write curled up with my computer on my lap, either on the couch in the sunny living room or on my bed.
What are your hobbies/interests (other than writing)? I love dance and theater. Right now I’m in my glory choreographing and directing the dance for an entire musical at my son’s middle school. I also run a worship dance team at my church and lead worship for children’s church once a month, which is always at least as much dancing as singing.
Do you consider yourself to be an introvert or an extrovert, and how do you think that affects your writing? I am definitely an introvert and desperately need my time alone. For writing, this works out great because I’m perfectly happy with the company of the imaginary people in my head for extended periods of time. When I really get in the writing zone, I have to warn my family to remind me to do stuff like cook dinner and pick up the kids from their lessons.
Tell us a bit about your latest book. What was your inspiration? My latest book to be published is Dance from Deep Within, although I actually wrote this one between 2009 and 2010. It is pretty unique, so it took a while to find
the right publishing home. The novel is about a veiled Muslim woman who bonds with a bi-racial hippie chick and a blond Christian ballerina over a group project for college. The book is full of drama, humor, and romance, but is ultimately about how the three girls are changed by their relationships with one another. My husband is from Lebanon, and I always wanted to write a book with a Muslim character. But the specific inspiration for this one came when I saw a particularly stylish young Muslim woman in the parking lot of a grocery store in Sidon wearing a red mini-dress with a black long sleeved top, black leggings, and a black veil. You can order Dina’s latest book here
What project can we look forward to seeing next? I’m very excited to share that I will have a young adult medieval series releasing with Bethany starting in spring 2015. This goes back to my roots. My first novel was a medieval coming of age story geared toward younger women, but at the time I was told that the medieval era was not marketable in the Christian publishing world. As it turns out, it works fine for a young adult audience, and I was very happy to make that subtle switch. The series actually crosses over to the “New Adult” audience as well. It’s called Valiant Hearts, and each novel will feature a strong heroine. Book one, Dauntless, is a Robin Hood type story with a female lead.
If you’ve written other books, could you please list their titles or series name? Dance of the Dandelion and Love in Three-Quarter Time. Both are available through online distributors.
Where can your readers go to connect with you online?
My web page at http://dinasleiman.com
On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authordinasleiman
On Twitter at https://twitter.com/DinaSleiman1
And on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/dinasleiman/
Here’s my five star review of Dina’s novel, Dance From Deep Within
Dina Sleiman paints a clear picture of the oft clashing cultures of Christianity, Humanism and Muslim and offers us three strong young women who must, for the sake of a class, work together to investigate each other’s religions. D.L Sleiman does an excellent job of respectfully delving into each one, revealing their strengths and weakness in clear, honest investigation. The characters of Allie, Rain, and Layla feel real and deep. As each of them goes about sharing about their upbringings, their families and their trials and blessings from their own perspectives, the reader is given an empathetic look into the stresses and pressures each culture applies.
Writing a novel from three different points of view is no easy task–but the author does so seamlessly. I was never left feeling that one character got more page time than another. Having grown up in a cultural area heavy with Christian, pagan and humanistic beliefs, I can say she did a great job portraying those cultures. And having only heard what the media portrays as truth from a Muslim perspective, I found that introduction honest and respectful. All in all, Sleiman used a gentle, respectful, loving hand to guide the reader into areas they might never have tread before.
This book was heart-touching and real, examining the struggles we all have in connecting respectfully to one another–and how we can honestly share our faith in a true, loving, impactful way. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!
Thanks so much for joining us, Dina. Please be sure to check out Dina’s books and leave a comment or question below!
by April | Feb 21, 2014 | Author Interviews, Book Drawing, Book Reviews
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to my friend and fellow WhiteFire Publishing author, Susie Finkbeiner. Susie’s second novel, My Mother’s Chamomile, just released to rave reviews. I’ve recently started reading it–and it’s riveting. You’re going to want to read it, too. Be sure to leave a comment or question for Susie–and we’ll be doing a book drawing for a copy of the ebook version of My Mother’s Chamomile a week from today–YOU COULD WIN IT!
Welcome Susie! Would you share what inspired you to start writing? My grandma gave me this little journal when I was in third grade. It was powder blue with little teddy bears all over it. I still have it somewhere. If I think back, that was the beginning of my writing. I wrote stories about my friends. Drew pictures of us sipping tea. Made up stories about horses that could talk. Really, it was a way for me to escape a little. I loved it. I’ve been making up stories ever since. Recently, though, I haven’t written any talking horses into my stories.
How long did it take you before you were first published? Oh, goodness. Years. Years and years. I was twenty-eight when a play I’d written was published. When I started work on my first novel, what would become Paint Chips, I had no idea that I’d ever submit it. From the first word typed to the day Paint Chips released, it was just about three years. Maybe even more.
Do you write fiction, nonfiction, or both? I typically stick with fiction. It feels much more natural for me. Quite honestly, it’s safe. For most of my life, fiction has been my defense mechanism. It’s worked for me pretty well thus far.
Where do you get your ideas? Everywhere. I see someone quirky at the grocery store and follow them around, listening to the way they speak, studying the way they walk. Don’t worry, I’m smooth about it. Usually, at least. I watch documentaries. Those are absolutely bursting with possibilities. Oh! And church! Church is a fabulous place for inspiration to hit me.
How much research, if any, do you do when writing a book? It really depends on the book and subject matter. For My Mother’s Chamomile, I had to contact funeral directors for interviews and a tour of the funeral home. I read books and watched, probably ten to fifteen documentaries. I interviewed family and friends about their experiences. I committed hours upon hours to learning as much as I could about the funeral business and end of life matters. I’m so glad I took the time.
Do you use an outline, or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants? The more I write, the more I value my notes. I wouldn’t consider myself an outliner. I’m far too disorganized and rebellious for that. I do, however, have a list of things that will happen in the story. After the first draft, I take scissors and tape and turn the thing into a patchwork quilt. It’s messy and emotional, but it works for me.
Where do you write? Wherever I can find a place to set my laptop. In my house, I sit at my desk in the kitchen. Afternoons when my boys are in school, I go to a coffee shop. Really, though, I can get the work done anywhere.
What are your hobbies/interests (other than writing)? I love music. I’m not necessarily the best at piano or guitar, but I sure love playing and singing. It’s relaxing. It gets creative juices flowing. I’m also an avid reader. It’s one addiction I’m not likely to fight off.
Do you consider yourself to be an introvert or an extrovert, and how do you think that effects your writing? You know, I think I’m a little of both. Strange, right? I love getting to know people and I really enjoy being in front of an audience. However, I truly cherish my quiet time. I can be with people to a certain extent, but then I really need to be alone to recharge. I think it does effect my writing in that I can handle the quiet, focused time it takes to put together stories. My outgoing side makes it easy for me to connect with others who can help me research. I guess sometimes it really is good to be a little in the middle.
Tell us a bit about your latest book. What was your inspiration? My Mother’s Chamomile is a novel about a family of funeral directors. They have poured out comfort and mercy on just about every one in their small town. But 
when tragedy strikes their family, they need to accept mercy from others. The inspiration for this book came from my experience with my husband’s grandma, being with her when she died. Seeing the wonderful Hospice nurses and kind funeral directors inspired me. I wanted to write their story because, really, it’s everyone’s story.
What project can we look forward to seeing next? I’m actually pretty secretive about current projects. I like to keep them undercover until I know for sure where they’re going. I will tell you this, it’s very different from my other two novels. I really love it so far!
Is there a subject you’ve longed to write about, but haven’t had the chance? I have this novel that I started several years ago, after the earthquake in Haiti. It’s the story of different people who survived and what brought them all together. I’ve got a good portion of it finished, but I’m not a good enough writer to finish it yet. I need to learn more about the craft to really give it its due.
Where can your readers go to connect with you online? My web page at www.susiefinkbeiner.com my blog at www.susiefinkbeiner.wordpress.com, I’m on Twitter @SusieFinkbeiner and Facebook Susie M. Finkbeiner ~ Novelist
Where can readers go to find your latest release? They can hop on over to Amazon http://www.amazon.com/My-Mothers-Chamomile-Susie-Finkbeiner-ebook/dp/B00IC8E530/ref=zg_bsnr_7588886011_1
Thanks so much for spending time with us here today! And readers, don’t forget to ask Susie a question or leave a comment below to enter the drawing! You could win a ebook copy of Susie’s latest book!
by April | Feb 10, 2014 | Encouragement, Grief
What have you been up to lately? We’ve been very busy. Let’s see, where to begin? I got the manuscript of my latest novel, Macy, turned in to my publisher, and spent the following days celebrating my daughter’s 16th and my son’s 11th birthdays…and worked on our M.E.P (our marriage enrichment project read IKEA shelving unit—see lovely photo on your left).
How hard can that be, you ask? Seriously, IKEA has great instructions, and it’s pretty simple…on paper. Except, did you know you have to drill the drawer front handles yourself? Yeah. That was fun, getting them all lined up (just be glad you weren’t here). Thankfully, my husband came equipped with a math function of which I am sorely lacking. Five, er…six…er…eight ruined drawer fronts later, there you have it! Flawless! Mostly.
It’s beautiful, and it’s something we’ve wanted to do for years and years. All our homeschool stuff is (soon to be) organized into ONE place (I know, right??!). “Mom, where’s the ____?” My “In any one of four places,” answer has changed to “Right there!” Well, it will be as soon as I get everything moved. But then—perfection!
Yes, I know, I attain perfection every time I reorganize that towel closet and perfection is stolen from me in days. I know eleven-year-old habits will be hard to break. Quit raining your well-balanced logic on my parade.
Our M.E.P went really well, considering I had to deal with letting go some more—which wasn’t much fun off and on. I have gone from a capable gal who could unpack most of the house after a move in a couple days to our M.E.P taking three weeks. I had a day of hating that. Much improved over what could have been three weeks of hating that. She’s growing, she’s accepting. (Still stinks though…grumble…grumble).
Your mind is still on all those wasted drawer fronts, isn’t it? Don’t worry, we’ll do something creative for our new kitty with them (I will tell you about him next time). Wait, you’re not worried about that? You just want to know how we could have ruined eight of them?
Sometimes you have this plan that looks great all sketched out, even measures out perfectly, but it just fails. The drill bit was bent and we didn’t know it. The hole for the right side was off just a tiny bit, so the template was off all those times. Lastly, plain and simple, the drill slipped in my grasp (drills are heavier to me now than they used to be).
Sometimes you just have to roll with it. And know when to walk away and let your spouse work out their geometry skills. Knowing when to walk away can be harder than you think. I’m a hang-on-with-my-teeth girl. After I walked away (mentally and physically), my patience for the whole project grew. I used to like drilling—not so much anymore. Gladly, my husband has a knack for it and finished up the fronts and doors like a pro.
Letting go can be very freeing. To be honest, I haven’t noticed the tools, the boxes on the front steps, the unfinished part all that much since I ‘walked away.’ That is not me. Actually, it’s the new me. The project got done, and I didn’t stress about it. Chalk up one successful M.E.P!
Have you had a fun or exasperating M.E.P? Leave me a message about it below!
by April | Dec 15, 2013 | Encouragement, Trials, Trust
Last week a tiny sparrow smacked into the sliding glass door of our house. The evidence of a loud thud and tiny, downy feathers stuck to the glass led my family to race to the door and see. The bird sat stunned near our dryer vent for a long time, very still. No one was sure if it was alive or not. I’m a pretty hands-on type of girl when it comes to animals, so I crept out and gathered it in my hands. The bird’s delicate body was covered in a feathery coat, speckled brown and white, camouflaged perfectly for winter. Nothing appeared to be broken.
I was struck by the near weightlessness of this helpless creature cradled in my palms. How wonderfully made it was to ride the wind, to hide in bushes and trees—but a bit clueless to avoid reflective house windows. Soon after I made contact, the stunned state wore off and it attempted to jump. So I put it in a box with a towel (for warmth and protection from the occasional passing neighbor cat) and went back inside to keep it from being too frightened. It didn’t stay long, and soon jumped out and hid in the bush near our back porch. Eventually, it flew off and I’m sure had an amazing tale for its friends—and a major headache.
I feel like that bird sometimes. I’m going along with my daily tasks, minding my own business, thinking that the path I’m on will get me where I want to go. I’m flitting here and there, checking things off my list when suddenly WHAM, I’m sitting stunned on the back porch in the freezing cold, wondering what I’m doing there. Wasn’t I doing everything right? Why have I been derailed by illness, stress, an unexpected event?
I don’t really have an answer for those questions. Life holds pitfalls and trials just as much as it holds happiness-although the trials seem to last longer and are burned into our minds so much easier than the joys.
I do know that I’m promised, if I belong to the Lord, He is with me. He will lift me in His mighty hands, cradle me and comfort me until I feel able to begin again. But, unlike my leaving the bird to fend for itself, He will never leave me nor forsake me.
If you find yourself slamming against a window of your own, don’t despair. He is with you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (full text here)
Blessings,
April
Everyone has seasons in their lives of joy and hardship. Sometimes the hard ones feel like they go on forever, though. We’ve gone through many years of health hardships. They don’t seem to stop, but continue to ramp. You can take a break from activities, you can take a vacation from your job—but you can’t get away from your health.
cool water. It might be pokey, and uneven, but it’s a bench, and you’re grateful for it. After you catch your breath, you continue on, and then the path, or the stairwell, turns a corner. You’re still tired, but not as tired as you were. You had a break. The best thing is, you know soon there will be another landing, another place to take a break—or you’ll have reached the top.
