2013 - A Year of Challenges, Choices and Change

Initials of all of us at the entry
to the new addition.

My husband and I started out the year with the completion of remodeling. My parents and uncle moved in with us in 2012 and because we only had two bedrooms and one living room, extra space was needed; therefore, we added an additional bedroom and family room. Five adults in one home instead of just the two of us presented challenges and change but as a family we've been able to make the adjustments necessary so that everyone is happy and comfortable.  The best part of this situation is knowing my parents and uncle wanted to live with us in their “sunset years”. That meant the world to Mike and I. It also reminded me of how blessed I am to have a husband that welcomed his in-laws into our home with no reservations whatsoever.

 Giving testimony with
Jennifer O'Neill (l), and
Georgette Forney (r).

God led me to San Francisco to speak in front of 50,000 people at the Silent No More Awareness Campaign rally preceding the West Coast Walk for Life. It was the first time I publicly gave testimony of my abortion experience. I was extremely frightened, to say the least, but when I stepped up and took the microphone, the Holy Spirit took over and the fear subsided.

The door of my office 
the day I retired.
  Crime scene tape and all!

Due to my mother's increased dementia and a broken hip, I chose to retire from my job as a background investigator to help my dad with her care. I loved my job and it was a heart-wrenching decision; however, it was most definitely the right one as my mom was recently diagnosed with cancer throughout her body and her time with us is short. I know it was God's will for me to retire as I now have the opportunity to spend irreplaceable time with her and give much needed support to my dad.

Rosemary Benefield, Me, Leslie Brunolli
Rachel's Hope

2013 brought several opportunities to co-lead Rachel's Hope Post-Abortion Healing Retreats which always brings joy to my heart … seeing the wonderful healing touch of Christ in the eyes of women who walked in with nothing but shame, pain and regret. We created a new program which will start in 2014 - one that will provide follow-up for those same women. This retreat will be mostly contemplative (silent) to provide them quiet time to reflect on their spiritual and emotional growth and share that growth as well as possible challenges they have experienced.

On Christmas Day we were given one of the best gifts ever! My step-daughter informed Mike and I she was pregnant! With my son and granddaughters living in Michigan having a grandchild 15 miles away will be wonderful. Wouldn't it be a blessing if my son and his family finally acquiesced to our constant requests they move back to California? Three grandbabies within hugging distance would be a dream come true! 

They say that when one door closes another one opens. And so it happened with my retirement. I've always loved to write so it was time to take up the challenge of getting published. The Holy Spirit led me to Helping Hands Press that accepted my work. Not only was my work published, I'm consistently given wonderful advice, assistance and encouragement. Through my association with HHP, I have met a multitude of wonderfully talented authors that also provide insurmountable inspiration.

The same three C's will follow me into 2014, but just as it was in 2013, accompanying them is the most important “C” of all ..... Christ.  

"May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long ,how high, and how deep His love really is."

- Ephesians 3:17, 18 

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May 2014 also bring a Super Bowl win for my Seahawks!!!!  

WELCOME GUEST BLOGGER - KATHI MACIAS

Kathi provides encouraging and comforting words:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, 

and forever (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV)

Life happens, as they say. Plans made today could easily fall apart tomorrow. Someone once said that the only thing we can count on is change. That leaves us in a very precarious position, doesn’t it?

The Scriptures, however, paint a very different picture. We see a God who never changes, whose love endures forever, whose character is 100 percent dependable, and whose Word is rock solid. Hebrews 13:8 sums it up this way: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

I remember when, as a relatively new Christian, I first read that verse. It was painted above the altar at the church I’d started attending. Each time I read it, my heart was encouraged and my faith grew—until some things in my personal life fell apart. Then I began to question God’s faithfulness. How could such a thing happen to me? Why would a faithful Father allow it?

Thankfully I had a close friend, much more mature in the Lord than I, who reminded me that God didn’t promise we would never have difficulties or hardships or even changes in our lives. In fact, she explained, we could count on such things regularly, so long as we live on this sin-damaged earth. However, she also explained that we could choose to allow those things to damage our faith and drive a wedge between us and God—or we could choose to hand those very difficulties and heartaches and incomprehensible changes over to a loving, unchanging God who has promised to bring good even out of those things that seem so bad.
It has taken many years for me to come to the place of unshakable faith that says, “Regardless of what the world or the enemy throws at me, I know my God is good and that He never changes.” I also know that place of faith will continue to be challenged until the end of my earthly days. But I know above all else that Hebrews 13:8 is true, and I have chosen to cling to that truth until I am released to soar into His presence. 

My prayer is that you too have made that same choice, and that you will encourage others to do so as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Visit Amazon to view all of Kathi's wonderful books:  AMAZON.COM

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Her novel set in China, Red Ink, was named Golden Scrolls 2011 Novel of the Year and was also a Carol Award Finalist; her October 2012 release, Unexpected Christmas Hero, was named 2012 Book of the Year by BookandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I saw this posted on Facebook and it was a wonderful reminder.....

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside. "That laundry is not very clean; she doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap." Her husband looks on, remaining silent. Every time her neighbor hangs her wash to dry, the young woman makes the same comments. A month later, the woman is surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and says to her husband: "Look, she's finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this? " The husband replies, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows." And so it is with life... What we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Expectations

As you can see by my wonderful graphic, Gridirongranny's season ended badly.  I didn't even make the play-offs.  My team entered the season poised for the championship but certain events altered the expected results.  This year, instead of recognition and cash, I was awarded a humbling reminder. 

Let's start at the beginning...

Every season I go through the excruciating process of selecting players that will carry me to victory. Once my team is set, each week I sit in front of the television, with my laptop tuned in to the NFL page. While watching one game, I monitor all the other games to see how each of my players is doing. It sounds obsessive, and maybe it is...but it's "normal" for me, being an enthusiastic competitor. 

This year, the first few weeks were wonderful. My opponents, one by one, were mercilessly defeated. Then it happened ... some of my players got hurt and others didn't achieve their projected points and I started losing. I was furious. I berated the players, using every name in the book. They let me down.  What did I do? I didn't wait for them to heal, or give them another opportunity to perform at their potential... I immediately dropped them and picked up replacements.  Well, those adjustments proved to be disastrous. Had I kept my original team I would have at least made the play-offs.

This happens in “real life” as well. Family and/or friends do not live up to our expectations and we react with anger and ostracize them. Is it right? No, but we do it anyway. We are blinded by anger and don't even consider there might be justifiable reasons surrounding the perceived transgression or that our expectations might just be a tad bit unrealistic. Whatever the circumstances, we are not only hurting them, we are hurting ourselves.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Harboring anger instead of forgiving creates a detachment from God and His will. Whatever the transgression, there is nothing that cannot be forgiven. Jesus demonstrated that on the cross.

Dear Jesus, may we always hold our hearts open to forgiveness.    Amen!

Have a Blessed Day!

Mini-Christmas Concert - St. Timothy's Choir - Christmas Eve

Thought I would post more videos of the music the parish at St. Timothy's Catholic Church – Escondido, CA were blessed to hear on Christmas Eve.

I sincerely apologize for people walking in front of the camera from time to time and some movements, I'm not a professional by any means, but wanted to share the beauty of the music.

Our talented Adult Choir and Christmas Orchestra, directed by the amazing Marion (Mimi) Delano Holtz, accompanied by the awesome Dr. Joe Valent on piano and organ. The wonderful orchestra: Strings: Susan, Mark & Michael Doering, Anna Piland. Wind Instruments: Eleanor Tibbals-Pennington, Don Pennington

Just Click on the Song Title - Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

O HOLY NIGHT - SOLOIST DICK WEEDE

NIGHT OF PEACE

INFANT HOLY, INFANT LOWLY

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

GENTLE MARY LAID HER CHILD

A Christmas Prayer and Beautiful Song by the Church of St. Timothy Choir

Enjoy this beautiful song,

"All is Well"

Performed by the Church of St. Timothy Choir

while Baby Jesus is being placed in the manger.

Christmas Eve

Have a Blessed Christmas!

Blog Tour - Come Along - Enjoy the Ride!

I'm part of a blog tour that allows me to not only get to know what's going on with my fellow authors but let them know what I'm up to as well.  We were asked to answer the following questions:

What are you working on right now?

I'm currently working on three projects:

Behind the Smile - Overcoming Depression through Scripture and Prayer

Steps of Faith - Living the Scriptures in Recovery

Solace in Scripture - Soothing Grief through Scripture

365 Days of Gratitude - From the Hearts of Children

 How does your work differ from other works in its genre?

My published projects (A Mended Heart, Journey to Sunset and Redeemed) are

written in rosary format with prayers and meditation on all twenty mysteries of the Rosary as they relate to the subject matter:

A Mended Heart - Forgivenesss

Journey to Sunset - Caregiving

Redeemed - Healing from Abortion 

Three of my upcoming projects are devotionals using personalized scripture, which is not commonly used:

Behind the Smile - Overcoming Depression through Scripture and Prayer

Steps of Faith - Living the Scriptures in Recovery

Solace in Scripture - Soothing Grief through Scripture

The purpose of personalized scripture is to draw the reader into God's word.  It brings a great sense of serenity and hope.  

Why do you write what you do?

I write devotionals to share my love of God and the Blessed Mother and help readers enhance their faith journey.  I have found that keeping in constant contact with God and the Blessed Mother keeps me centered in all aspects of my life.

How does your writing process work?

When I get inspired, I get on my laptop and start typing what's going through my mind.  I usually have music in the background and it's around 2:00 a.m.  Once I finish with my random thoughts, I  go back and read what I've written, determine how best to present it and find scriptures that apply. 

How can we find all your published works?

Click here to access my author's page.

Visit these authors next week:

Jessie Ferguson - Author, Editor, Encourager

 http://jessyferguson.blogspot.com/

Amber Schamel - God Moments and Faith In History 

http://www.amberschamel.com/history-blog.html 

Sarah Price - Author of Amish Fiction

http://www.sarahpriceauthor.com

How to Pray

We've all been approached by loved ones and/or friends who are struggling.  In our words of encouragement we advise them to offer their struggles to God in prayer.  Have you ever had someone tell you they don't know how to pray?  I heard a man on the radio not too long ago say just that.  He was in a great deal of emotional pain and wanted God's help but didn't know how to ask.

That conversation had to be one of those "God Moments" as it inspired me to write the following poem....I sent it to the radio station to pass it on to the man who called.  I hoped it provided comfort and reassurance.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Introducing Susan Reinhardt's New Book - The Scent of Fear!

First came The Moses Conspiracy, now comes..... 

The Scent of Fear.

The Zimmermans enjoy the tenuous peace in the wake of their hair-raising year battling the New Patriots. Unexpected visitors once again throw them into turmoil.

Jim Kenneman, Director of National Security, masterminded the plan to break up a hate group ravaging the Christian community. Now, his enemies are out to eliminate him. Should he make a run for it or stick by his tried-and-true negotiating skills?

Monty Addison, a topnotch operative, carried out his assignment in Bird-in-Hand. A plot to destroy his boss sends him on a mission. Without agency sanction, it may cost him everything - his career, his family, and maybe his life.

Dr. Abby Weaver strives to save infants and toddlers in Holmes County, Ohio. When she meets two strangers, she can't get the tall, handsome one out of her mind. Will their paths intersect again or will dangerous times keep them apart?

The Scent of Fear is available at:

~~~Amazon~~~

~~~Barnes and Noble~~~

About the Author

Susan J. Reinhardt's publishing credits include her debut novel, The Moses Conspiracy, as well as devotionals, short articles, and contributions to anthologies. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

A widow, daughter, stepmom, and active church member, Susan resides in Pennsylvania. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, couponing, gardening, and finding small treasures in antique shops.

You can connect with Susan at her Blog, on Twitter, and Facebook.

The Book Series

Blog Tour Schedule

December 16 ~Diane Estrella, www.dianeestrella.com

~Pamela Christian, http://pamelachristianministries.com/pamelas_blog

December 17

~Sandie Czosek, http://chattycrone.blogspot.com/

~Linda O'Connell, http://lindaoconnell.blogspot.com/

December 18

~Lynn Mosher, http://lynnmosher.com/

~Jill Ivy, https://lucky4jill.wordpress.com/

December 19

~Debbie Curto, http://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

December 20

~Cecelia Lester, http://quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/

~Lee Privette, http://faithfamilyfrugalityandme.blogspot.com/?m=1

December 21

~Patti Smith, http://gridirongrannyfootballfanatic.blogspot.com/

~Carene Havel, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6440085.Carlene_Havel/blog

December 22

~Darlene Arroyo-Lozada, http://lovebookslozada.blogspot.com/

~Karen Korb, http://stillmagnolias.blogspot.com

December 23

~Maria I. Morgan, www.mariaimorgan.com

~Beckie Stoneking, www.inaminute-beckie.blogspot.com

December 26

~Leah's Good Reads, http://leahsgoodreads.blogspot.com/

~Marja Verschoor-Meijers, http://sacredsabbath.blogspot.com

December 27

~Jennifer Van Huss, http://oneheartonefamily.com

~Brittany McEuen, www.brittreadsfiction.wordpress.com

December 28

~Debbie Curto, http://debbieloseanything.blogspot.com

~Lori Drake, http://www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com

December 29

~Kim Justice, http://breathoflifebookreviews.blogspot.com/

~K. Dawn Byrd, Www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com

December 30

~Ruth Schiffmann, http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com/

~Janette Dolores, www.janettedolores.com

December 31

~Cindi Clubbs, http://ccclubbs.com/

~Kathleen Maher, http://kathleenlmaher.blogspot.com/

January 2

~Jen Cudmore, http://www.jencudmore.com/

~Karen Lange, http://karenelange.blogspot.com/

January 7

~Jeanette Levellie, http://jeanettelevellie.blogspot.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Giveaway Open to US addresses only. One person will receive a $25 Amazon GC and a copy of The Scent of Fear. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered: a Rafflecopter giveaway The winner will be chosen from those entries and announced January 17, 2014. Good luck!

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as e-mailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Diane at That’s What I’m Here For… and sponsored by the author, Susan J. Reinhardt. The author provided me with a free copy of The Scent of Fear to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a giveaway in return for the free book.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

The Cross

A recent court judgment once again ruled the cross at the Mt. Soledad War Memorial violates the constitution and must be removed; however, the removal order will be stayed until all legal options are exhausted. This case has been in the courts for twenty-three years with decisions coming down ordering removal as well as those indicating the cross can stay.




This beautiful cross was originally erected in 1954 to honor veterans of the Korean War. According to the Mt. Soledad Association, the cross was not viewed as a religious symbol but rather an international symbol of sacrifice.

                                                                                                            
                                                                 
    From the Memorial's Website

“Standing today is one of the most unique Veterans Memorials in America. The only one to honor veterans, living and deceased, from the Revolutionary War to the current global “War on Terror.” Black granite plaques include a picture of the veteran with a brief summary of their military experience.

• Currently over 3,300 veterans are honored on six of the original  Memorial Walls.  Five new walls were recently constructed which will accommodate an additional 2,400 plaques.
• Honorees include Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Ford and Reagan, twelve Medal of Honor recipients, Admirals Stockdale and Halsey, Generals Pershing and Patton, celebrity veterans Audie Murphy and Jimmy Stewart and more than 3,300 other veterans with names that are not familiar, but who proudly served our country helping preserve the freedoms we enjoy.”
  

It is a sad state of affairs when something this meaningful to so many be ordered to be removed because a few people are offended. Religious symbols such as a cross or Star of David are seen engraved on some of the individual plaques on the walls...will they have to be removed as well?  

To quote Bruce Bailey, the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association President, “This issue is bigger than just the cross at Mt. Soledad. If removing a cross in this arena is allowed to happen, what is next?  It won’t stop here; it will have major ramifications all across our country.”  

So true, Mr. Bailey, so sadly true.

How do you feel about this?

Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section.  

HAVE A BLESSED DAY

EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME

Thought I would take a trip down memory lane today...just for a change of pace....

Enjoy!

Award show seat-fillers are “commoners” that fill seats vacated by an attendee that leaves to accept an award, go to the restroom, etc.  Producers of these events do not want any empty seats when the cameras are rolling.  

On Thursday evening, March 8, 2001, my husband and I received a phone call from a friend of ours. He was all excited and asked if we were sitting down. He had submitted our names as seat-fillers for the Screen Actor's Guild awards and we were selected. WHAT??????  We went on-line to see if it was just another one of his jokes but lo and behold, staring me right in the face was an e-mail from the seat-filler company with the official invitation and requirements. Being a formal event we were to dress accordingly.... The show was on Sunday (a little short notice????) in L.A. – a two hour drive. Keep in mind, we were not ones to have formal wear at the ready in our closet so we needed to go shopping. Because we both worked, we were limited to Friday night and Saturday to find something that would make us blend in with the Hollywood crowd. Mike rented a tuxedo and I finally found an evening gown at J.C. Penney's where I'm sure many stars buy their evening wear, right?

On Sunday morning we wore t-shirts and jeans to Los Angeles then found a McDonald's close to our destination and changed in the bathroom. It was funny seeing the faces of people as we walked in like regular people and walked out like, well, movie stars! After arriving at the Shrine Auditorium we were escorted to the staging area. To be readily identified as seat-fillers we were given wristbands (mine did not match my gown). From two o'clock until 4:45 we stood, listening to the "ringmaster" explain the seat-filler code of conduct. I don't know why, but we were not furnished chairs. We were instructed to take any cameras back to our vehicles as pictures were not allowed. We were not to speak to the actors unless spoken to, we were not to eat, drink, or ask for autographs. (Well,dang, why be there?) We could hear the crowds outside clapping and yelling as celebrities walked the red carpet (here we are all dressed up and no red carpet for us??). The ringmaster finally announced it was “showtime”. After standing for almost three hours the excitement about who we would be sitting with had been tempered...we just wanted to sit. Our feet were killing us.

We were herded into the auditorium. Mike and I were lucky to be seated at the same table, right by the stage...and there sat Willem Dafoe. He stood up, introduced himself and shook our hands. Evidently he didn't see the wristbands because as we sat down he offered us a glass of wine. Sadly we admitted to him that we were lowly seat-fillers and were prohibited from partaking. He apologized then started to chat with us like we were old friends. What a nice man. The food looked absolutely mahhvelous and we were definitely tempted to take a bite.  I hated to see it just sit there knowing it would end up in the garbage, but rules are rules. So we just sat there and tried not to drool while the everyone else ate. Along with our new best friend Willem, our table included Anne Heche and Cary Elwes. There were others at the table as well that looked familiar but their names escaped me. 

During the meal and throughout the evening I scanned the room and was definitely star-struck. Patty Duke, Dennis Weaver, Tom Hanks, James Woods, Julia Roberts, Benjamin Bratt, the West Wing cast - the list goes on and on. Sitting at the table next to us was Brian Dennehy. I was one of his biggest fans and my heart skipped a million beats. He was much more handsome in person and just as burly as he looked on television. I wondered what would happen if I casually walked over, plopped myself down on his lap and gave him a smooch, but I was a coward. Anyway, I'm sure my husband wouldn't have been pleased and the ringmaster would have taken me by the wristband and thrown me out. (I think it would have been worth it!)

Right before the curtain went up, Chris O'Donnell came to our table for a chat with Willem and took Mike's seat. So here I was sandwiched between two handsome actors with Brian Dennehy within kissing distance....life couldn't get any better!  Mike had disappeared into a sea of people scrambling to find a table. The show began and I kept waiting to be moved, but no one claimed my seat; in fact, I sat there all evening long.

Because of the table's location to the stage, the view was awesome! I was able to see entertainment and winners up close and personal. It was the year one of my other favorites, Julia Roberts, won for Erin Brokovich. She definitely was (and still is) a pretty woman. Benjamin Bratt wasn't bad either!

I had no idea where Mike was, but found out later he was playing musical chairs. There was an empty seat at The Soprano's table and he sat there for about fifteen minutes then got booted by James Gandolfini. He rotated around tables filled mostly with directors and producers after that. Right before the last award, he ended up standing in the bar area of the theater with a group of celebrities that included Sela Ward, Jesse Green and Calista Flockhart. They were readying themselves for a quick exit once the curtain closed ...avoiding the mass exodus.

After the show ended, I walked through the throng of Hollywood's elite, secretly wishing I had a discreet 007 camera built in to my evening gown to memorialize everything.  Once I found Mike, we started to exit and a young man took my arm and started to guide us to the after-party. That would have been great fun but I knew the ringmaster was probably at the entrance of the party just waiting to grab interlopers for an embarrassing bounce. (Again, maybe it would have been worth it!)

It was an evening we'll never forget. We thought about staying on the active seat-filler list, even applying for the Oscar's, but after careful consideration, decided once was enough. Doing it again would take away the uniqueness of the experience so we retired the wristbands and returned to our usual award-watching venue...on our sofa, in pajamas, eating pizza.

The Night Before Christmas - For Authors

It's the night before Christmas, with laptop in tow

I sneak to the window to watch falling snow.

The calm, peaceful scene should inspire me to write

a couple of chapters before I call it a night.

The ticking I hear from the grandfather clock

is a deadline reminder which brings writer's block.

The words are all floating around in my brain,

and I can't seem to catch them, I'm going insane!

The screen of my laptop continues to shine,

it may as well light up a “vacancy” sign.

Maybe spiked coffee would help in my plight

as my keyboard is waiting for fingers to light.

Sipping my beverage, enjoying the view,

should help in releasing at least one word...or two.

The tick-tock continues, I sigh in defeat,

but because of a noise, I slow my retreat.

Then all of a sudden a vision appears,

if it isn't a sleigh pulled by eight cute reindeer!

Here comes Santa himself, now I know I'm insane,

I have to be dreaming, or the coffee's to blame.

With a strong jolly voice he starts to speak,

assuring me things aren't really that bleak.

He says, "No need to panic, the words will come soon,

if your focus is changed from the deadline that looms.

Look through that window, embrace what you see,

take it all in, from that block you'll be freed".

He gives me a wink as he fades out of sight, and

says, “Merry Christmas, now sit down and write!”

WELCOME MARK MILLER - GUEST BLOGGER

                      A Different Kind of Amish

I’ll be the first to admit “Promise of Tomorrow” is not a traditional Amish story. Come on, what’s the last Amish story you read with a spaceship in it?

That’s the whole point. I wanted to do something different. I like to think I am progressive in my beliefs and willing to take a chance on my writing. Does it always work? No. However, if I don’t try, I’ll never know. In the end, I think I accomplished my goal – to tell a story of faith.

“Promise of Tomorrow” is not about space travel or aliens. It’s not even set in the far future. It’s about a family and their faith. It’s about real life, like raising children and meeting people with different beliefs. The story takes place about fifty years from now. The Earth is in trouble. Spoiler Alert: the Earth is already in trouble (overpopulating, pollution, resource depletion, global warming, war). My premise is that a forward-thinking company, Adam Corp, sees the problem and builds a fleet of ships to evacuate the dying planet. This is an “Englische” corporation that tries to accommodate as many as possible. They go so far as to dedicate one ship almost exclusively to the Amish. Oh, that was another idea – over the next fifty years, I purport that the Amish lifestyle will be the fastest growing religion. That is why they get their own ship and are not lumped in with other Christians. The ship is piloted by “Englische” and an interesting crew with a secret of its own.

Here is where the family comes into the story. A 40-ish father, Luke Umble is trying to do what he thinks is best for his family. He does not realize it, but his faith is not as strong as he believes. He worries about the safety of his children. Then he is faced with the literal possibility of their death. He sees his only choice is escaping on one of the “Englische” ships, like Noah’s Ark.

As soon as the story takes off into the science fiction universe, enter the real life issues: the love is fading from his marriage; his father is resistant to change; his oldest son wants to leave the faith; his oldest daughter “falls for” someone outside of the faith; his daughter with Muscular Dystrophy is being bullied. On top of all that, the ship is plagued with problems. They deal with food shortages and technology limitations. Luke and his family go from totally avoiding technology to being completely dependent on it.

Then things really get bad. Luke asks himself, “How far will you go to keep your faith?”

The complete story is available from Helping Hands Press in a six volume series for ONLY 99 Cents each. As a thank you to my blog host today, I invite you to read Volume One: Salvation for FREE. Simply leave a comment on this blog to get your FREE story. The complete edition will be coming soon in eBook and paperback.

You can find more from me at:

My Blog: www.EmpyricalTales.com

My Site: www.MillerWords.com

My Facebook: www.FB.com/MarkMillerAuthor

My Twitter: @AuthorMark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark Miller currently resides in Florida with his wife and four children. Mark has written numerous novels, screenplays, short stories and digital series. He has geared his fantasy series, The Empyrical Tales, for the classroom and explored his spirituality, writing both with his father and daughter. Inspirational stories with positive messages are his goal with everything he writes.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY