In the Promised Land - The End of A Series

I don't think I've ever written much on this blog about my books, although I do have a page--which needs updating-- dedicated to them. For those of you who don't know, God has blessed me with the ability to write stories, and this I do in the hope of bringing Him honor and glory. I know that many of you enjoy reading novels, and so I decided to share this with you.

Coming Out of Egypt

Sixteen years ago, I started my first novel, a story inspired by two sisters who attended a school where I was a teacher. The sisters lived near Egypt Village, Trinidad, and it was rumored that they were being abused by their father. Because of the law, or lack thereof at the time, no action was taken, as far as I knew. Years later, my mind went back to them when I realized that sexual abuse is still prevalent in this modern society. In the Bible, the Israelites eventually came out of bondage in Egypt and so I combined the metaphor of the Exodus with the village where the girls lived and named my novel Coming Out of Egypt. This book is my attempt to rewrite their story, to have them come out of Egypt.

In the Wilderness

Continuing the metaphor of the Exodus, I named the second book in the series, In the Wilderness. As you know, the Israelites didn't make it straight to the land God promised them. They wandered in the wilderness for forty years after leaving Egypt.

Here is a short blurb of the series:

When Marva accidentally kills her father while trying to protect her younger sister June from him, she anticipates a new beginning far from "Egypt" where they once lived. But her new life is not what she envisioned. The strain of trying to elude the detective and cope with her rebellious younger sister while holding down her job in a man’s domain, drives her to drink. When Cicely, her former teacher, intervenes and leads the girls to Christ, Marva finds some measure of peace, but guilt over her crime and the desire to save June from disgrace force her to contemplate suicide. Fortunately, a serious accident derails her plans and both Marva and June discover their true calling – to serve God, and others, with all their heart and with all their strength.

In the Promised Land

Yesterday was the official release day of the last book in the series, In the Promised Land. The girls have come out of Egypt, gone through the wilderness and are now about to enter the promised land. However, their journey is still turbulent. Tragedy accompanies them and they lose sight of their purpose, but with God's help, they get back on track and complete their journey. I don't want to give any spoilers, so that's all I'm going to say, but let me encourage you to get these books which are all 99c until the fourth of July. They will bless your heart, renew your hope and strengthen your faith in a God who alone can bring you out of Egypt, whatever it might be.

Here's a bonus for you: Coming Out of Egypt is part of a clean, contemporary romance giveaway taking place on Instafreebie. Click on this link and claim your free copy and other books that may interest you. And when you claim your books, please sign up for my newsletter where you can get more updates like this one. God bless.

Your Hero

Happy Father's Day to all men, whether you are a biological father, stepfather or spiritual father, this message is for you. I am updating this from one of my earlier posts because I think it bears reading again.

Is your dad your hero? Some people may answer  "yes" to this question, but I know some, men especially, who will give an unequivocal "no." It always saddens me when I hear that. My own father, who departed this life when I was just a little girl, was my hero. He taught me to read and spell while he indulged his hobby/part-time occupation -shoemaking. Needless to say, I had shoes to match every dress, and love shoes to this day.

My father also cultivated in me a love for reading and I became a good speller. I enjoyed going places with him, and when I heard his voice in the front yard in the evening, I would leave my mother and run to meet him. She often complained that I loved my father more than I did her, which wasn't true, of course. I was just fascinated with him - his voice, his smile, his jokes. The only bad thing I can recall about my dad is that he left me too soon. Late at night, quite suddenly and without warning. Died of a stroke in his sleep.

So, what about your dad? Is he flawless in your eyes? A man's man? A woman's man? As head of the home, fathers carry a heavy responsibility. They are entrusted with the task of providing, protecting and caring for the home and family. The mother is the one who nurtures, comforts and keeps the home together. However, a real father assumes the mother's role as well. The father who confronts the school bully is the same father who takes his little girl on his lap and reads her a bedtime story. Or tucks her in at night. Or takes her to the doctor when she is ill.

Sadly, some dads do not measure up to the ideal. Some walk out on their families and never look back. Others stay in the home, provide and protect but do little else. We need to pray for these fathers. I think of King David, a mighty man of God, but his track record as a father left a lot to be desired. His son, Amnon, raped his daughter Tamar (2 Samuel 13: 10 - 18) and even though the Bible says David was furious (v 21) he did nothing about it. Absalom, David's other son, had Amnon executed to avenge what he had done to his sister.

Later, Absalom fled from David and they didn't see each other for two years. Eventually, Absalom tried to take the throne from David and to murder him, but Absalom himself was killed. On hearing the news, David wept bitterly. "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you--O Absalom, my son, my son!" (18: 33).

What a sad cry! You may not see your father as your hero, but remember your Father in heaven is faultless. He is perfect and will never fail you. Run to Him and make Him your hero. Happy Father's Day!

Do You Study the Bible?

I hope most of you can answer yes to the above question. Studying the Bible regularly is one of the basic ways we as Christians connect with God and get to know Him intimately. 2 Timothy 2: 15 says,  "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) for Women says,  "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth."

This version of the Bible is the most comprehensive study Bible ever prepared for women and by women. Extensive commentary notes, word studies, answers to hard questions, doctrinal notes, “Written on My Heart” applications, charts and timelines, full-color maps and more, all put together in a sturdy hardcover binding with colorful illustrations will not only make you look forward to studying your Bible, but will provide answers to those puzzling questions you had previously.

I started studying the book of Esther and I have gained a lot more information from the CSB for Women than I did from my other study Bibles. If you truly hunger for God's word and want to get a deeper understanding of it, I strongly recommend this Bible.

And now you can enter this exciting giveaway:  https://www.blessedfreebies.com/csbwomensstudybible.html



To purchase:  http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/products/the-csb-study-bible-for-women-hardcover


 

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