This post originally appeared December 23 when I guest-posted on fellow novelist Ginger Solomon’s blog A Bed of Roses … Thorns Included. I am reprinting it here. Be sure to visit Ginger’s blog for many more insightful posts on Christian life. My heater died yesterday (Thursday). The bad news is, they can’t get a new part until Monday, and it’s …
One in Six – We Can Change That Number
Our family often goes to lunch after church on Sunday, but this week we will staying after service and buying slices of pizza for $2 each. We’ll probably eat standing up and chatting with others around us, and all there will be to drink will be water. Sound appetizing? The reason is every three months or so the children host a …
10 Things Your Kids Won’t Tell You About Divorce
Divorce wreaks havoc. On everyone involved. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. I know many divorces are not wanted by both parties. I know sometimes they are necessary due to horrible abuse. I know these are wild generalizations, and that not all of these will apply to every family, so please don’t send me hate mail. I …
For as Much Money as it is Worth
Then Abraham rose [and] said, “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.” (Genesis 23:3-4) The Cave of Machpelah, located in the old city of Hebron, is the world’s most ancient Jewish site and the second holiest place for the Jewish people. The cave and …
A Forever Family for Ahmose
Enjoy this excerpt from In the Shadow of Sinai when Bezalel takes Ahmose home from the palace after he has been beaten. Ahmose was asleep by the time Bezalel stepped inside his house. He hated to wake him up, but he knew his back must be tended to. Imma came out to the main room from the kitchen beyond it, …
The Saddest Days of All
Earlier this week, Jews all over the world observed Tisha B’Av, the Ninth day of the Jewish month of Av. Tisha B’Av is a day of mourning in Judaism, wherein several calamitous events are remembered. The first of these is a central element in my second book, By the Waters of Kadesh—the report of the spies. When the scouts returned …
True Liberty
This week was spring break at our house, so we took a couple days and drove up to Philadelphia. We did the standard tourist stops—Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell. I was again reminded that the Liberty Bell is inscribed with Scripture (something that surely would never be allowed today). Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land …
By the Waters of Kadesh
I thought this week I’d share with you the first scene of book two: By the Waters of Kadesh. Kadesh takes places a couple months after In the Shadow of Sinai ends, just as Israel reaches the edge of Canaan. The characters from Sinai are here: Bezalel, Meri, Ahmose—but Egyptian captain Kamose is our hero this time. And now I …
To Know or Not to Know
A week or two ago my pastor talked about waiting on God. He mentioned those programs on computers when you download software, and a little box pops up on the screen and tells you exactly how much time you have left until the program is finished. He wondered how nice it would be if life had little notices like that. …
What Am I Saying?
Earlier this week, I was on an airplane and watched a woman pound a suitcase that obviously didn’t fit into the overhead compartment. She nearly broke the the luggage space. The flight attendant was horrified, afraid to confront her. I myself had actually taken a tape measure to our suitcases to make sure we didn’t encroach on anyone else’s space, …