It's hard to find appropriate stories for children that don't contain objectionable ingredients. Even in small doses, spices set the character for a whole dish. How impactful then for character to be infused by the holy ingredients of biblical truth, love, and hope. Each month, we recommend a story work of art that is both creative and faithful to the Creator and the lover of our souls. May God add to these authors and their works. April Pick - click to see moreBetween the miracle of propitiation (satisfaction of God's wrath) by Jesus on the cross and the moment the risen Jesus was physically lifted up to heaven, a lot happens that defies human expectations and understanding. But the events are just the sort of thing we claim we want: God intervening with all of his glory and might into the affairs of man, for the good of mankind.
Jesus's resurrection and his empty tomb confirm the miracle of his atonement - his rising from the dead demonstrates that his work in taking on our sins was completed. It gives us assurance. However, God is holy. Nullifying the sins of Christians does not make those Christians able to approach a holy God. Our accounts may no longer be negative but a zero balance is not sufficient to have eternal life in the presence of God. Christ, our Savior, saves us twofold by covering our sins with his death through faith and by uniting us through the same faith in his resurrected life which he and we live on the other side of a vanquished and toothless death. His bodily assumption into heaven is a glorious continuation of this truth, and a preview of our own resurrections to come. And it is another confirmation: that of his role now as our advocate at the right hand of God the Father. When our hearts stray from the lamb of God who humbly laid down his life for our sake, our affections will surely grow for man-made gods and goddesses, cherubs, spirits, and mystics. We are made to be intimate with our Lord and our Savior. His love and affection is for us - what more proof do we need? And our love and affection are rightfully for him alone, forsaking sparkling goddesses that would grant our every desire. Jesus shall not remain our advocate forever. He is returning as king to claim his own and to judge the world. Jesus said in Matthew 24: For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man...At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Jesus died, publicly, just like he came into the Holy City of Jerusalem. He drank the cup of God's wrath against helpless and hopeless sinners to the dregs, while he was lifted up, for all the world, and us, to see. He willingly took his place on the cross and satisfied God's justice. He did it. And there is nothing for us to add to the work he accomplished on the cross. His words "It is finished" ring across the centuries.
Yet, we try. When we add our efforts to his, what we are really doing is stating that our sins are not that bad, that our sinfulness is so superficial that we ourselves can repay a holy God for our infractions. Really? If that is the case, it hardly seems necessary for God the Son to have come and died on our behalf. The words of our savior should strike hard against our egos. If we belong to him, we can admit, even if we forget, that we were the ones who should have rightfully hung and died on a cross between criminals. The cup is empty. The work is done. The prophecies have been fulfilled. Jesus the King bought peace with God the Father. We add nothing but our allegiance, our total love, our whole worship, and our complete obedience to the lamb who is worthy to be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." It's hard to find appropriate stories for children that don't contain objectionable ingredients. Even in small doses, spices set the character for a whole dish. How impactful then for character to be infused by the holy ingredients of biblical truth, love, and hope. Each month, we recommend a story work of art that is both creative and faithful to the Creator and the lover of our souls. May God add to these authors and their works. March Pick - Light of Mine by Allen BrokkenWhat kind of Christian content is in your novel?
Besides answering "the true gospel," how else might an aspiring author describe the spiritual nourishment provided in story form? Our member and author Amy Lynn Green led our group in a fabulous discussion of gospel truth across Christian fiction. She drew from her years as a publicist at Bethany House and her experience writing novels (four published and a fifth in the works). From lighthearted to serious, from detailing the fall of man to reveling in the glory of God, the classifications she used as descriptors of fiction spiritual content are helpful not only for pitching to agents and editors but to the writer who hopes to accurately reflect their personality and spiritual message. A story about deep personal failure will resolve radically differently if it hinges on an atmosphere of gospel life or if meatier answers are spoken. A cozy romance can likewise look very different if common grace is the hope versus specific gospel tenets. Delivering the hope we have through the death and resurrection of Jesus against the sinful nature of man can look like a wide and creative swath of story telling styles. What is your style? Thank you, Amy, for an insightful evening. Throughout the gospels, Jesus strictly charges the disciples and others not to disclose his identity. His hour had not yet come. Then, one week before the Passover, Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly, seated on the back of a donkey, walking over cloaks and garments and palm leaves spread in front of him by a clamoring crowd who cheered his official public appearance.
"Hosanna!" the throng around him cried. Save us, oh Lord! They rejoiced over him as the Son of David. And yet, they still did not see him clearly. They had seen his power. They had seen his authority. But they didn't understand his full nature and his mission. Jesus is a savior with all power and all authority who says: "The Lord has need of it [the donkey] and will send it back here immediately" (Mark 11:3). What ruler speaks this way? He is a savior meek in his humility who also earlier said "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:20). The meekness in which he came (the first time) had implications for the type of King he was to show himself to be in just a few short days after this triumphal entry. And for the Kingdom he was ushering in. It was a world shattering story twist that still astounds 2,000 years later. As authors who write for the glory of God, can we articulate this story twist well? Do we preach the specifics of the gospel to ourselves daily, as encouragement and shield against fleshly failings and the poisonous darts of the evil one? In our lowliness and our imperfect understanding, we too can shout with joy as we anticipate the conclusion of the story, "Hosanna, in the highest! We pray you save us, oh Lord!" Thank you to Cynthia Ruchti, senior literary agent with Books & Such, for speaking at our February meeting! She shared 15 gems with our small group - hefty gems and soft pearly ones, and sparkling gems to keep us in the light. Her vast experience and knowledge of the publishing industry from both sides was a treasure trove and we were blessed by her wisdom and generosity. Her admonition that being called to write is not sufficient excuse to forego daily time with God was needed, especially given the ambitious goals of our group members this year. Our group met virtually as is our tradition for the cold snowy month of February but look forward eagerly to seeing each other in person next month when our speaker will be one of our members who also has a new book just released last month, Amy Lynn Green! See our full schedule.
It's hard to find appropriate stories for children that don't contain objectionable ingredients. Even in small doses, spices set the character for a whole dish. How impactful then for character to be infused by the holy ingredients of biblical truth, love, and hope. Each month, we recommend a story work of art that is both creative and faithful to the Creator and the lover of our souls. May God add to these authors and their works. February Pick - The Purloined Boy by C.R. WileyIsn't this cover beautiful? Congratulations to our own Michelle on her new book which released in January 2024. If you're new to Deep Haven, it's a small town on the rugged Minnesota Northshore. You'll have to visit within the pages of Michelle's book to meet the newest arrivals.
In June of this year, it will be 80 years since the D-Day invasion that saw American, Canadian, and British troops storm the beaches of Normandy in a costly effort to save Europe from the Nazis and their allies. Today, the wide beaches and tall cliffs are quiet. But the grassy National Cemetery nearby, spread across a foreign shore, lies as a permanent reminder.
The men and women who fought in the Second World War and their personal stories will never be adequately known. What made them laugh? What encouraged them as they volunteered their young lives to battle in strange lands for people they had never met? Our group's newest book release takes you back to 1943. |
Books
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