Sometimes I listen to Netflix during work. I know, I know, I should focus on work. However, it keeps my mind calm to multitask, and it helps me to not focus on the difficulties in life. I've been watching One Tree Hill, a show for teenagers on the CW that ended a few years back. Normally rife with swearing and teenagers doing things I don't want to even contemplate my daughters doing when they reach that age, every once in awhile they do something that surprises me - they show a Christian message in a messy world. Those of you familiar with Vox Dei Publishing know that that's our motto - Christian books for a messy world. In an episode I was listening to earlier today, a teen was shot and killed in a convenience store robbery, and one of the main characters tells his mom, "Your strength is inspiring." The mom says, "My strength is from Jesus Christ. I am going to miss my baby boy for the rest of this life, but I know we are going to see him again, and our faith will see us through." What a powerful message, and one I needed so badly. Sometimes it takes a mainstream show to get out an important message, and today was no exception. I saw that even as my family and I face illness and grief, we must show strength--inspiring strength that can come only through our faith. No matter what road God leads us down, we will not be weak because our strength comes from Jesus Christ. Though grief may bring our tears, it cannot diminish God's love for us. When we lose someone, we will miss them for the rest of this life, but we know we will see them again. What a beautiful message from such an unlikely source. "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
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About the Book:
About Emerald:
Entertaining Angels Excerpt: I’m the girl that my friends would throw into a pack of zombies if it meant they could stay alive longer. Well, they really wouldn’t have to throw me to the zombies; I’d probably lag so far behind I’d become zombie food. See, I’m not too thin, and I’m not too pretty. I’m just me, Madison Andrews, a fat sixteen-year-old girl from Nowheresville, Mississippi. I sifted through my clothes, looking for something to wear for the first day of my junior year of high school. Standing in front of the mirror, looking at myself, I pinched the fat on my belly, disgusted that I had let myself gain so much weight over the summer. I hated that mirror. I hated that it showed me for what I really was. A fat nobody. I could see the lumps, rolls, and fat. The fat did nothing but damage my soul. My blue eyes stared back at me, but they were empty, void of happiness. I wanted to feel beautiful, but I couldn’t. The mirror wouldn’t let me be beautiful. I had really wanted to lose weight, but my best friend, Chase Sanders, and I decided to veg out on the couch and watch marathons of our favorite science fiction shows instead of going to the gym. Yeah, that was my best friend for you. A big ole nerd, and he was certainly proud of it. I, on the other hand, wanted to fit in this year. I was tired of being a nobody, but since I was still fat and ugly, fitting in wasn’t gonna happen. I’d have to settle for my old life, being someone that everyone was nice to but didn’t bother getting to know. Even my so-called-friends didn’t bother. I continued looking through my clothes, sure that I had something my mom insisted on buying me that would cover this hideous belly. I was wrong. Interview with Emerald:
I've been working hard to embrace faith, not fear, this week especially. It think it's easy as a human to be fearful of what we are facing, but if our faith is strong, there is nothing to be afraid of.
One of my twins was afraid as all get-out that her tooth was going to hurt when I pulled it. I kept telling her that tooth hurt anyways, since it was barely in there and she could hardly eat in the front. Isn't that what it's like to be a Christian who's afraid? We're terrified of what might be (or might not be), and we hold ourselves back from truly living. It was an amazing realization (and kind of awful) when I realized I was the screaming child who didn't want her tooth pulled, but in my case, it was not wanting my dad to die. Yes, he will eventually die. No, it won't be tomorrow. So I embraced life. Man, the rewards God had in store for me for faith, not fear, are HUGE! Not just one amazing announcement with Vox Dei/Booktrope, but two. The worst week of my life and the best week of my life. And you know what? My dad's still here. I can't worry about what might happen in four months when I might get a year with him. He might see the first book I publish under the Vox Dei imprint. He might see my first royalty check as a book manager. He might just decide to stick around out of stubbornness for much longer than that awful doctor I almost had to use my mean words with thinks he'll have. What might happen might not be so bad. In fact, maybe it'll be the best week ever. |
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