MY BLOG POSTS

Have you ever had the amazing spiritual “high” after a great week of camp? Or felt like God is so near you could almost reach out and touch Him? Do you ever feel like God is really far away? Or do you sometimes wonder if he’s even there at all?

My kids and I were listening to the fabulous Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre production of CS Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters in the car the other day. In this book, a “head demon” is writing to his student about how to keep “those awful” humans from knowing God.

The whole book is brilliant, but one particular “letter” always sticks out to me: The one where Screwtape tells his student about the “Law of Undulation.” This law is the reality that sometimes Christians can feel very close to God and sometimes we can feel very far away. Screwtape’s advice is that, when humans feel far from God, they need to believe this is how they will always feel. They should doubt if they even know God, if there even is a God, and if it is at all worth it to continue serving Him when it seems like no prayers are being answered and no blessings are filling their cups.

Have you ever been there? I know I have. The Christian life isn’t easy, and we sometimes live with the false expectation that it should be, that if we know Christ and serve Him, everything is going to be terrific, all the stoplights will be green and all the cute shirts will be on sale.

The advice, “unknowingly” given by Screwtape in this book, is that God allows those periods where we feel distant from him – what one author has called “the dark night of the soul” – to help us grow. He wants us to be motivated, not emotions, but by faith. To obey even when things aren’t going well, to rejoice even when life is tough, to love even when we don’t feel like it. This state, Screwtape says, is “dangerous.” He warns his student to do all he can to prevent humans from understanding the truth that there are waves – undulations – in the Christian life. Good times, bad times, happy times, sad times, times we feel close to God, and times we feel like he is a million miles away. Because when we understand that, we are free to serve God regardless of how we feel or what circumstances we might currently be in.

So, my friends, let us be “dangerous.” Let us commit ourselves wholeheartedly to serving our Savior no matter what. Even on bad days. Even when people treat us poorly. Even when we are in the middle of terrible circumstances. Let us “ride the waves” of life and not be sucked into their undertow.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith   produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature   and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Starring Me comes out TOMORROW!!

You can read the back of the book or the blog reviews to find out what’s in this novel. What I thought I’d give you today is a little peek into the “making” of Starring Me.

The idea started with a conversation I had with my editor, Amanda. We both wanted the second book to be about Kara, and we both wanted it to be a modernization of a biblical character. But I didn’t know “who” Kara was. I had originally planned her to be Rahab, but that story didn’t seem to fit, anymore. Amanda suggested I keep writing about show business, especially since acting is something Kara loves. So we tossed around a few characters: Bathsheba? Nah. Sarah. Not quite right. Rebekah? Yes!

So I re-read the story of Isaac and Rebekah a few times. I asked God to show me what to write and how to write it. I talked with my students and asked what they like to read and what they thought would be interesting. And the plot began to fall into place.

Writing about auditions and acting technique was especially exciting because, while I was writing this, I was also directing our school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.” This was definitely not the same as what Kara was dealing with, but I was able to use some of what I was telling my actors in the story, and I was able to use some of what they were telling me. (This was a high school production, but since we needed a “little” Chip, I was able to cast my daughter, Ellie, in that role. Isn’t she cute??)

Early on, we decided that Chad should have his own “voice” in this story. So several of the chapters are written from his perspective. Since he is “Isaac,” I wanted to give him Abraham and Sarah-ish parents – so they are older, godly, protective and loving. I decided that he should be homeschooled – partly as an homage to several of my friends who do just that and partly because it fits his “superstar” lifestyle.

There is a lot of me in this novel – in Kara and Flora, particularly. And there is a lot of what I love: Jesus, drama, and romance. I hope that you love it, too. Drop me line when you finish the book and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!!

We might not all say it, but we ALL feel, at one time or another, some of us more often than others, that we are not good enough.

We look at others and see so many who are smarter, prettier, richer. We see girls who seem to have it all together and we get discouraged because we are SO not together.

Just about everyone struggles with these feelings. Seriously. I can’t tell you how many girls I’ve talked to who are beautiful, stunning, yet look at themselves in the mirror and think they are the ugliest girl on the planet. Or girls who seem to breeze through even the toughest classes, but are wracked with worry every night before a big test. Sometimes the girls who seem to know everyone feel incredibly lonely and unloved.

Becoming a supermodel or a famous singer or a movie star doesn’t change it, either. Believe it or not, those folks have even more pressure than we do. Many of them struggle with insecurity to a degree that would shock most of us “normal folks.”

So here’s the deal: The problem isn’t that you’re not good enough. The problem is that you are believing a lie. That lie comes straight from the Father of Lies himself, and the way we battle with him is by using Truth – the Word of God.  Replace those lies with Truth every time they come into your mind. Every time.

Here are a few verses of Truth to start with. Memorize them. Write them on a post-it and stick it on your bathroom mirror, your bedroom wall. Fill your mind with  “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Phil. 4:8 Fill your mind so full of Truth that there is no room left for the lies.

Ps. 139:13-14 “For you created my inmost being;  you knit me together   in my mother’s womb. I praise you  because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,  I know that full well.”

I John 3:1a “See what great love  the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”

Romans 8:17 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings   in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Thanks to those who entered the Starring Me giveaway. I loved reading your comments!

Since it was Thomas’ birthday when I posted this giveaway, I figured he should be the one to choose the winner. So I gave each entry a number, and Thomas picked #3…

Johanna!!

Please e-mail me your address, and I’ll get your signed copy of Starring Me in the mail this week.

If you didn’t win, no worries. There will be more chances this month from Thomas Nelson Fiction. Check them out on Facebook or Twitter for details on their “Friday Freebies”!