Just returned this afternoon from a retreat put on by our denomination for all their ministers and spouses in our district. We went out to Ocean Shores, WA. The weather was for the most part very nice - a little cold is all, but that is to be expected at the end of September in Washington. 
Hubby and I walked the quarter mile or so from our hotel out to where the surf crested and crashed against the beautiful brown sand. But we didn’t stay out there too long because the wind was blowing really hard and it was chilly.
The trail leading from the hotel, first meandered through tall green bushes - Silal, Oregon Grape, and another larger bush that looked like an Azalea to this untrained eye, but had some sort of blueish-purple berries growing on it. We had to squeeze through some sections where the brush clutched at us from both sides and I was thankful it wasn’t Africa, but merely the Washington coast where nothing harmful would likely flop out onto the trail in front of me (or into my hair! <shudder!>). The path emerged from the tall brush into an expanse of hip-high grasses as the sand shifted beneath our feet. After the expanse of swaying grass, we climbed up one last dune and onto the flat wind-rippled plain of tan sand that extended out toward the white-crested crashing waves of the Pacific. Beautiful!
Our speaker was Jeff Lucas, a British fellow with a Chahming accent and a great message. One big thing that I took away was this. “Don’t confuse the people of God with God himself.” Isn’t that so true? We tend to look at other Christians and see God in them, which can be good. But, lets face it, sheep are stupid. And often make stupid mistakes. We can’t let the mistakes others make affect the way we view God!
Anyhow, it is nice to be home. But I hope the beginning of your week was as refreshing as mine.
Christian Romance Novels posted a nice review of my book Rocky Mountain Oasis today.
In part, they say: “I really thought Bonner did a great job in writing this novel. It was romance with just enough suspense to keep you captivated. Her development of the characters leaves you wanting to see how their lives turn out beyond this novel. A great read!”
You can read the whole review HERE.
I want to introduce you to a great new book. This is one you will want to pick up. I love fiction that gives me a deeper glimpse into the lives of biblical people I’ve been familiar with my whole life. Bodie and Brock Thoene did that so well in thier A.D. Chronicles Series. This book does it with the story of Jonah.
Jonah’s brother was lost to the sword of a scarlet-clad Assyrian and now Yahweh wants Jonah to go preach repentance to them? Unthinkable! Jonah knows his God too well not to understand that if they DO repent He will forgive them. (Did you catch all that double negative mumbo-jumbo?) Hmmm… let me reword. Jonah knows that if he goes to Assyria and preaches repentance, and the Assyrians miraculously repent, God in his mercy will grant them forgiveness.
This is a story of the struggle with forgiveness. And a reminder of the ripples that flow out from each of our lives. Each action, good or bad, carries a consequence.
What I loved about this book were the characters the author surrounds Jonah with. There is Omer the ship’s owner just trying to make one last voyage on his seemingly cursed ship, Shem the ship’s captain who’s seen a lot of storms but none like the squall that blows in on his last voyage, Simon a sailor who hasn’t been home in 12 years, Moshe an old soldier too frail for war but not too frail to do one last battle for a little girl. And then there is Jonah himself. You will see a lot of yourself in the prophet as he tries to escape an inescapable God.
Well worth the read. I suggest you pick this book up. (Click on the cover above to be taken directly to Amazon.)
You can also buy the book on Christian Book Distributors site, HERE.
To find out more about Mr. Judisch and his books you can go to his WEBSITE.
I had a rare privilege a few days ago that I hope not to repeat too many times in my life. I had the distinct honor to be in the room as a Saint slipped into Glory. His family stood around his bed singing hymns and songs of praise and Griff slipped away from this temporal vapor into eternity as we sang “Majesty”. The tool that God gave him to use on this earth was left behind, but we know that Griff is abundantly worshiping his Father as his new life, one we can’t even imagine, has only just begun.
I did not know Griff well. But the few times I met him I was attracted by his sweet spirit and genuine love for all around him. I was there with my husband to be a support to the family because I know his daughter and her children well. As I sat at his memorial service last night and listened to the many people who came to celebrate Griff’s life share how he touched them each in a unique way, a thought struck me. How will people remember me when I’m gone?
Griff’s grandson spoke on the importance of taking time out to step away from busyness and simply enjoy others as his Grandfather did. We need to connect with those around us in meaningful ways and thus live out Epic Christianity - Life, the way it was meant to be, lived to the Fullest. Do I genuinely connect with those around me? I wondered. Or am I too busy worrying about my agenda?
Griff was a hero, who served our country for 30 years in the military. He often had young recruits over to his home for the holidays because they were far from family. More than that, he often shared his love of the Lord with them. They would run to him when they had problems because he had a “direct line to God.” Even in his death his heroism and thoughts for future generations were displayed. You see, Griff had cancer. They found it late and he was only given a few months to live at the start. But there was a test drug, his doctor said, that might help. Would he be willing to try it? Griff did. And before he was put on the ventilator, a last ditch effort to help his body get the oxygen it needed, he made sure that everyone knew he wanted an autopsy done if he got promoted - so that the doctors could see the results of the test drug and potentially future patients could be saved.
No greater love hath a man than this; that he lay down his life for his friends. Griff didn’t have a choice, but his last efforts were to make sure that future “friends” would be helped.
I pray that one day, when my final breath on this side of eternity has been taken, my love for the Lord will be as evident as Griff’s was to those around him. Lord, help me to genuinely connect with and love those you put into my life.
I’ve always wanted to be able to say that I’m in two places at once. Well now I can. My blog tour for Rocky Mountain Oasis took me to two different blogs today.
First stop is on a blog just for readers: http://bookreaderscentral.blogspot.com/
Second stop - I did a guest post for blogger Liberty Speidel: http://libertywordwanderings.blogspot.com/2009/09/guest-blogger-lynnette-bonner.html
Drop by and leave a comment to be entered to win a free e-copy of the book. Hope to see you there.
Sky and Brooke are talking today over on my friend Naomi’s blog. I hope you’ll drop by and hear what they have to say.
http://nmusch.blogspot.com/2009/09/special-guests-characters-from-new.html
This is day 12 of the Rocky Mountain Oasis blog tour. See my characters in therapy today.
http://mindhealingfiction.blogspot.com/2009/09/interview-with-author-lynnette-bonner.html
Today is the 11th day of the Rocky Mountain Oasis Blog Tour!
I’m yakking over on Sharlene MacLaren’s blog here:
http://sharlenemaclaren.blogspot.com/2009/08/rocky-mountain-oasis-by-lynnette-bonner.html
