New Year 2014--Joy, Hope, New Start

Now a few words about the New Year.

As the title of this says this post is about new beginnings along with Joy and Hope. Not everyone needs this but it’s still something I wanted to say.

Jesus Christ offers us all three of those things and more. God doesn’t hate any of use nor is He waiting to bash us over the head when we do wrong. My last post talks about how Christmas shows His love, followed by what we call Easter. His death and resurrection shows us His love and that He can be counted on.  And that He is the supplier of the fresh start many of us need.  

That is what the term Born Again is about. Starting new, starting fresh with right standing with God the Creator and with inner Joy and Hope. 

Here are links to three songs that share this idea in different ways. There are some ads either at the beginning or at the bottom, but you can ignore them and turn them off. 

Third Day  NewsBoys  Leon Patillo

There are many fine songs that explain this event but I didn’t want to get too carried away with song links so these three and this one that talks about how nothing can separate us from the love of God are ones that I thought would add to what I wanted to say here.

Chris Tomlin

God gives us all a second and even third and fourth chances. Failure isn’t good-it’s down right rotten-but it’s not the end either. God-Jesus-won’t stop loving us, won’t abandoned us, won’t turn His back, is there to help and save us. He wants to fill us with enough Joy to start dancing and Hope to know we can do it--we can live our lives with Him who saved us from sin and who we need to serve. 

Hope is there because God can not fail, turn from who He is and nothing can separate us from His love. Not death, angels, demons, or anything we do, or anything done to us. And He will be there for us. A big part of Christmas was God is with us. He is with us to help us change from the inside out, to guide us and to help Joy and Hope grow in us. Tell Him what you want and need, ask Him to be that for you to save you and to be with you. 

There is much more I could say but I hope this all gives you something to think about. 

One more link to a message by the pastor of my church Bill Chaney. It’s Rekindling the Radical Spirit of Foursquare part ten- it should be highlighted. The message if 49 minutes long but he talks about Joy what produces it and how to keep it among other stuff. 

About Joy

Short Message on what Christmas is all about.

I'm a bit late with this but at least it's not the 25th yet.  :)

 Christmas is a time to celebrate the Love of God. 

He sent Jesus to be born and to live as a man for us because we needed it. His love transforms us. Parephrasing a certain song we are special in the arms of Jesus. No matter who are, have done, have not done or what people have done to us.

I believe the main reason Jesus went through all this: living and dying as a man, the teachings and miracles, physically raising from the dead, was so we can be right with God and go to heaven. We can’t be good enough we have to do it His Way. On top of that there are good things that come along with His Forgiveness. Like His Love and acceptance of us no matter what, as I referenced a moment ago. There’s also Peace that passes all understanding and Joy so great you can’t explain it. And Hope that is great because it’s based on what the Creator promised and is able to fulfill. All that is embodied in Christmas. 

All of us need His love and Forgiveness.

Even if you one of the few who really have it all together with very little if any emotional baggage and everything you do succeeds, you still need his forgiveness--at some time or another you will need his Peace even if it’s only when you die. 

The rest of us need His Love, acceptance, Mercy-Grace. 

So that is a short synopses of what Christmas is all about. A day to show God’s special unconditional Love for us all. And to show That God IS With US. He doesn’t hate us or turn his back on us. He sent Jesus as a baby to show us what He thinks of us.

New book by Lisa Shearin almost out

The Grendel Affair

New Urban Fantasy series by a great Fantasy writer. Her Raine Benares Books are well written, and Lisa invented an excited world to have her MC live in. Raine belongs to a well known pirate family yet has a magic ability so she uses it instead of swashbuckling. She has all types of unique adventures, some romance later. Lisa know well how to put her Main Character is types of danger and how to get her out again.  So read the series if you like Fantasy.

But her new book is different. As I said it's UF and this is a guy who works for an organization that protects ordinary folks of bad things that go bump in the night. I cant wit to get it in January.

Barnes and Noble link

Her Page about the book

Right Here

laura anne gilman--new shorter writings

Been meaning to post this for awhile but you can now buy two of Laura Anne Gilman's shorter stories in a new Cosa Nostradamus series. 

If you like her writing these are better than ever. 

I have stated for years that she might be the queen of Urban Fantasy. In this round of UF Jim Butcher is the King. He didn't invent it, that was decades ago, but I believe he is responsible for the popularity of as I said this round. Laura's first Cosa book Staying Dead about Wen, came out about the same time as Storm Front. I believe that her storyteller skills along with the character of Wren Valera also played a big part in the explosive growth of UF this time around. She has a second Cosa series about a very minor character in the Wren books. That one is very well done too even for reasons I'm not sure of, but one of which might be more personal, I don't think it's as well done as the Wren books. Still good and still very much worth reading but not quite the same.  

Which brings to these two stories. Novelettes actually. I was able to get copies-through a kickstarter deal-before they went on sale to the general public. I recently started the second one. They are about another minor character in the Wren books, and he made a guest appearance or two in the other series. And a relatively new character. These two deal with a detective agency so they might be considered part Noir. They involve mysteries, action, and a race against time.  

I believe these two could very well be her best writing yet. The detail, the descriptions, scenes and the characters, all combine with an excellent story To make a very entertaining tale--two tales that is. And hopefully soon a third and fourth etc.

She has written a other books in other worlds, include a new series about a cat and dog that evidently solve crimes. And edited a steampunk book. And one I just discovered with five stories set in the Cosa Nostradamus world. I couldn't find a table of contents so I don't know if the two stories I'm talking about are included or not. 

In either case get these stories they are Uber good, cool and any other pop statements for good.  One word of warning though. Some readers do not like more than one POV. These have two. But still very good writing.

Nook Books
One Story:
Miles To Go
Second story:
Promises To Keep
 Amazon:
Miles To Go
Promises To Keep