Into the Dragon's Den

Hey, guys! Like so many people out there, I wrote a book. I guess you could say I ghost wrote it but Holy Spirit let me put my name of the cover. It is a fiction book aimed at young adults but I've been told its a good book for any age.  It was written with a definite lean toward the young Christian, I tried hard to not include obvious Christian jargon for the non-believer. It has been accepted for publishing and should be available for pre-sale around the end of September or early October 2023. I will let you know when pre-sales are available. God bless you and keep you in these difficult time. 

Ever wonder if there is more to this life? Daniel did, even though he didn’t realize it. He was just a mild mannered, teenage boy trying to deal with the challenges of a major move, a lack of friends at a new school, and the school bully’s repeated attacks. All he wanted was to get through school and immerse himself in his video games and hope that life would somehow get better. Then he met the town’s matriarch who offered him something different, an alternate reality.

Follow Daniel as he slips into realms beyond his own. Daniel discovers it takes faith to follow his destiny and learn the truth of his identity. He finds new friends and together they discover the truth of Evil, its tactics for destruction, and its influence on the darkness of their world as they find themselves within the Dragon’s Den.

The Recital

 Spent the evening watching my granddaughter's dance recital. As I was watching the little ones I made these obversions:

• Watching their teacher as they perform, like we should be watching Christ.
• Sometimes they get the steps right, sometimes its wrong but close, and sometimes their steps look nothing like their teacher..
• Also we must keep our eyes on Christ or we can get way off track of our mission/performance it becomes easy to just do our own thing.
• Sometimes we can be like the little girl who stopped mid-dance and caused the others to bump into her bringing everyone down.
• Finding their place on the stage
• Sometimes the music is soft and peaceful and sometimes it is vibrant and loud.
• The dancers are always beautiful
• Some seem to dance to their own beat.
• More experienced seem to remember the dance better but they still seem to occasionally get off course.
• Dressed in chiffon, tulle, and sparkles like true princesses and princes

Are you participating in a recital or trying to make it on your own?

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16, versus 19-31, Jesus tell us the story of a rich man and a poor man who lived near each other. The rich man lived a life of luxury with the best of everything and poor Lazarus, dumped at the gate of the rich man had nothing. He would have loved the leftovers and discarded pieces of the rich man's life but received not of it. He couldn't even keep the dogs from harassing him.

We may look at this story and think it is a warning about the sin of living lavishly and having great wealth, but it really isn't. If we take a moment to look at the rich man's behavior we begin to see a picture of his heart as well. While he was prosperous by society's standards, his soul was desolate and empty of love. See if you don't agree. He wore purple, a color extremely expensive to produce until only recent times usually only worn by royalty or the very wealthy. Fine linen was delicate and couldn't stand up to the rough abuse of everyday people. The Amplified Bible says he "[habitually] clothed himself in purple and fine linen and reveled and feasted and made merry in splendor every day." Growing up we would have called that, 'livin' high on the hog'. (I have no idea why my parents would say that, but that's what they said.) What this tells me, is that he enjoyed spending his money on himself and he enjoyed showing off his money. His love was focused only on himself. He loved himself! He loved himself to the point that he thought nothing of those around him. He lacked compassion for his fellow man. Then he died...

He finds himself in Hades being tormented, he is hot and he is thirsty. We know this because he is begging for just a drop of water to "cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame." Now here is where we see a little more about the rich man. While we may think he was oblivious to those around him, he knows the name of Lazarus. This means that all that time Lazarus laid at his front gate, the rich man knew he was there and even knew him well enough to know his name, yet did nothing to ease the distress of his life. If he had been a man of love, he could have used his money to cover Lazarus with something so the dogs wouldn't have access to his wounds, they might have had an opportunity to heal. It would have been very easy for the rich man to tell one of his servants to take the left overs from one of his big parties out to Lazarus. I wonder why none of the servants did this on their own? Did the rich man forbid them from helping? He saw Lazarus everything he looked out his gate, yet did nothing. I think that would take a very cold personality.

The point here is to remember that money is not the problem, but the love of money is. We should be showing our love for one another and be willing to give of ourselves, our money, our time and our talents to help those around us. We can do this by partnering with an organization designed to help our fellow man. But beware! God is love and love is God. so if the organization is not founded on love or God if can easily develop a love of the funding they are receiving. Take the government. It is a large organization and those in control are not necessarily grounded in love. That often means that the help they offer is not as productive as is may seem on the surface. Look at the individual giving of the people in the organization. If they are wealthy and expect the government to supply the needs of the poor, they are simply looking for someone else to help so they can keep what they have.

Here is the story in the King James Version. See what you think. All quotes above were from the Amplified Bible. If you don't have access to your own Bible, try YouVersion The Bible App, available in the app store.

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom; the rich man also died, and was buried; An in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of this finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. but Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now his is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed; so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come form thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Does God Really Care?

Have you ever wandered if God really cares? The world tells us man is insignificant, when you look at the physical evidence from a cosmic perspective this must be true. Imagine:

· The universe is believed to be made up of billions of galaxies.
· Our Milky Way Galaxy contains over 100 billion stars.
· Our planet is but a tiny speck on the outer edge of that galaxy.
· Man has been cynically described as a semi-invisible rash on the skin of a sub-microscopic planet in a second-rate solar system.

No wonder we have such a low opinion of our self worth. And if our physical existence is so insignificant, what is the spiritual importance of man? It is hard to believe that the Creator of the cosmos cares. The writer of Psalms 8:3-4 must have had this question on him mind when he asked, "When I consider Your heavens, what is man that You are mindful of him?" We can rest assured that God cares for everyone as if we each were the sole object of His loving attention. Psalm 147:3-4 contrasts the star-studded sky with the hurts of a single soul: "He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name."

Colossians 1:17, says that in Christ "all things consist." This means that in His providence, the Son of God holds all things together and keeps our world in motion. What would happen if God's mind wandered? Trees would crash to the ground. Water would pour out of the oceans. The planets would go spinning off through space. However, most important, prayers would be unheard and unanswered. In addition, those He protects would be left vulnerable to the attack of the enemy. However, that could never happen. Why? Because God never sleeps. He who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:3) He is watching over our world --- and us --- all the time, and not from a distance as Bette Midler would have you believe. We are ever at the center of His attention and His care. We are secure because we love and serve a God whose mind never wanders. It’s mind-boggling! The wisdom and the power that sustains the whole cosmos are focused on every believer. What a source of confidence and strength when we experience weakness and doubt!

Keeping that in mind, it should be easy to go peacefully through life without worry, right? Do you worry? Jesus taught that we are not to worry about anything. If you have given yourself to God, you don't have to worry about life's necessities. God Himself has assumed responsibility for your food and clothing. In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus pointed to the birds and said, "They don't plan ahead or worry about the future, but God takes care of them. Aren't you more important than they are?" That doesn't mean we get what we need by doing nothing. Birds must scratch and search for food. The point is they don't worry about it. Jesus instructed us to center our lives on God's kingdom. Then clothing, food, and drink will be ours as well. Look at it this way: If you center your life on anything else, you'll ultimately leave it or it will leave you, and you'll have missed out on God. Nevertheless, if you center you life on God and doing His will, all these other things are thrown in. All we have to do is depend on Him.

One day a seven-year-old boy and his mother had been talking about what it means to trust God. They had settled on the phrase "depend on." The young boy's prayer experiment was going to be this: Every time he encountered a situation beyond his control, he was to say, "Jesus, I depend on you." That day at recess, he kicked the soccer ball and his shoe flew off his foot and into a private yard next door. He was not allowed to go into the yard and had to call his mother to come get his shoe. Mother was not at home. The young boy hung up the phone in the school office and said, "Jesus, I depend on you." As he headed back to his classroom, the custodian was walking in the front door with his shoe in her hand. For months after that, no matter what happened, the little boy would say, "I'm not going to worry. Remember? Jesus found my tennis shoe!"

There is also the story of a poor man in Ireland who was plodding along toward home, carrying a huge sack of potatoes. A horse and wagon came along and the driver stopped to offer him a ride. The man accepted and climbed up on the seat alongside the driver but kept holding the bag of potatoes in his arms. When the driver suggested that he lay it down on the wagon floor, the man replied warmly in his Irish Brogue, "I don't like to trouble you too much, sir. You're a givin' me a ride already, so I'll just carry the potatoes!"

We do the same when we try to carry life's burdens by worrying about them instead of turning them over to God. No wonder we become weary, our hearts faint within us, and we lose courage. Any circumstance over which we have no control can become a "bag of potatoes" if we fret and worry about the outcome. There will always be some burdens we will have to bear, but even those become lighter when we trust the Lord to give us the grace and strength to bear them.

Always ask yourself, "Is this burden one that God wants me to bear? Or does He want me to let Him carry it?" There's no way you'll overburden Him.

Actually, worry could be seen as a form of taking on God's responsibility. Worry, in its naked form, comes very close to doing just that. There was a sign in a church foyer that read: Do not feel totally, personally, irrevocably responsible for everything. That's My job. ---- God.

This advice does not excuse us of all responsibility, however, the truth of the statement lies in the words totally, personally, irrevocably, and everything. We often feel that we must solve all our problems ourselves, and that unless we come up with the right solution all will be lost. It's like the morning I went to get in my car and found a large puddle of water under it. I filled it up with water, ran my errands (quickly) and returned home. I called my dad to come look. Sure enough, it was the water pump. I called the mechanic to get an estimate on the cost of the repair. The part was $35.00 and the labor was $160.00. I had been out of a job for six (6) months; there was no money for the repair. Dad brought my brother over and they looked at the car and discussed how difficult it would be to replace the pump. Then for two days, I heard nothing. My husband and I discussed how we were going to come up with the money to repair the car and how we wished my dad would repair it for us, but we couldn't ask him. We were certain he was too busy enjoying his retirement. Surely, he wouldn't want to fool with it or he would have said something by now, right? The next day, as my father was giving me a lift to a church program, he and I were talking and some how the car repair came up. It was funny; I didn't want to ask him because I didn't want to impose. He desperately wanted to help, if only I would ask him. I did! I began to ponder this and pray about it. I was certain the Lord had a lesson in this for me but I didn't quite get it.

That night my son brought home a progress report from school. An F in English, his best subject. I was in shock. He sheepishly explained that he had missed turning in an assignment because he didn't have access to a library. My reply was: "Why didn't you ask me for help? That's what I'm here for!" As I stood in his room, everything hit me at once. I was just like my son trying so hard to do everything for myself. I didn't want to bother my father, just as my son didn't want to bother me. God wants us to rely on His guidance. When problems arise, our first duty is to bring them to Him in prayer. He may show us that we've created our own difficulty, and may reveal that we must make changes to resolve it. He'll grant forgiveness and give the strength to change. Or He'll assure us that we're doing all we can, and say, "Leave it with Me. Just do your next duty."

Only God has sufficient energy and wisdom to handle everything well. Worry will gradually lose its hold on our lives if we learn to stop playing God. But what does it mean when we pray and pray about a matter of extreme importance, but nothing happens. Nothing! Have you ever been on the phone and you were asked to hold? Usually before you can reply your listening to music and every so often a taped message assures you that your call will be answered. You wait and wait. You think, I could have driven over there and back by now! You feel forgotten and that nobody cares. Sometimes it seems that God has put us on hold. The book of Samuel tells of a woman named Hannah. She kept asking God for a baby. Childlessness was a curse in her day. To make it worse, her husband's other wife ridiculed her mercilessly. Hannah wanted desperately to give her husband a child. She prayed out of deep pain and bitterness. Yet, year after year she did not conceive. I'm sure Hannah felt like she had been put on hold, that is if she knew what a telephone was.

How can we handle the apparent silence of God to our repeated prayers? Its important to remember that God's wisdom surpasses our own. We can't see the whole picture. It’s possible that what we’re asking for will harm us. Or maybe its just that our timing is not God's timing.

When God puts you "on hold," don't grumble. You can always entrust your most cherished longings and desires to Him, and then patiently wait for Him to answer. Psalm 37:7 says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” We simply have to remember that God cares about us and He never stops caring about us, no matter what happens to us or around us. Because He cares about us, He doesn't want us to worry about anything. He is protecting His children the way a loving parent protects a children. As a loving parent, He wants to take care of us and all we have to do is ask. When we don't allow Him to take care of us we are trying to play God. Sometimes when we ask, He doesn't answer. When this happens we have to be patient and wait for His will to be made known to us because ultimately He knows what is best.

Seaking God's Counsel

January is here and that brings up an age old question. What is my purpose in life? What should I being doing with the time and talents God has bestowed upon me? Well, I don’t know either, but I know God knows and he has a plan for me (that means he has one for you, too, you know) but like most people, discovering that plan is one of the most difficult things in to do.


As I was thinking and praying this morning I was reminded of a story I heard once about a speaker who was traveling to a city to preach at a church. He tells how he was met at the airport by one of the parishioners. As they began their trip to the hotel he was to be staying at, the speaker asked if the man knew where the hotel was. His driver replied, “No, the Holy Spirit will lead us there.” This speaker was amazed that they did quickly arrive at his hotel without complications. This always impressed me. But then His Word does tell us He will guide our footsteps. This would include every turn we make, not just on the road of our lives but every step we take each and every day.

One day I found myself about to be late to a very special friend’s daughter’s wedding. I had exited the freeway because of an accident ahead. I was certain I could follow the other cars exiting and find my way along the residential streets, when suddenly I realized all the vehicles leaving the freeway before me were gone and I didn’t know where I was. Now, I was lost, too. Remembering the story above I prayed God’s guidance and began to move forward waiting for the instruction to turn. As I moved forward I listened to the urging within my heart and I was blessed with the answer to my prayers. The end result, I not only made it to the wedding. I was on time, too. Praise God!

But what does this mean with regard to our individual lives? Just like in the car, we can trust God to lead us every step of our daily life. When you have a decision, don’t make too snap of a decision, nor should you labor long without peace and conviction. Take a little time to ask the Father what His desire is and wait peacefully to hear His response. You will be surprised to find He is there ready to help you.

(Psalm 32:8-9) I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with My eye on you I will give counsel. Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding, that must be controlled with bit and bridle or else it will not come near you.

Developing the Character of Christ

I know it is our human nature to resist struggles and to know the end and thereby plan for it. But that is exactly what you do not want us to do; plan, that is. That is why you don't show us the end. This way you can guide us on a path that brings about the necessary change: a smoothing of some areas and a sharpening of others, to create in us a character that matches Christ. Your character "For he who has seen me has seen the Father, also"

When metal is put to the polishing wheel, sparks often fly out like sharp screams of pan. Likewise, our sharpening and smoothing is painful but necessary to remove the pain and hurt of the experiences of the work. I went to a psychologist once to get help and answers about my feeling with regard to my parents. After only two sessions she told me I should forgive my parent and get over it. It sounded so easy. but the problem was, forgive them of what? I had gone to see her partly because I couldn't remember much of my childhood and couldn't figure out why. And much of what I could remember wasn't pleasant. I needed something more, so I turned to God.

Over the next several years the Holy Spirit began leading me to Journal. I also began recounting my experiences and discussing my memories with my sister and brother. Each of them began filling in my missing pieces and showed me some memories I had  altered. I had tried so hard to remember my mother in a 'June Cleaver' view, but what I began to see was a picture of neglect and verbal and emotional abuse.

Then, during a large family get together, I got a glimpse into my mother's childhood and the abuse she suffered at the hands of an overtly stern father and a passive mother. Now, I can forgive her and, now, I am at peace with my memories of her. I can honestly say, "I love you, Mom, and I forgive you. Please forgive me for all that I put you through." And I can say it because I found the best psychologist to be the Holy Spirit working through God's divine plan.

I still remember my mother in the fictional persona but I know this is a false memory. In my mother's absence, I placed her image over my sister's; the one who was always there for me.
Thank you, God for a great sister and an experience I can use to help others.  Amen

Praying for You

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have all of you, to sift you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32 NLT)


The setting is Jesus’ final Passover meal before His Crucifixion. Jesus has just proclaimed that one of the disciples will betray him. All the disciples began arguing who would betray Jesus and somehow this argument turned into who was the better disciple and who will be greater in the kingdom to come. Jesus explains their error and how it will be in the Kingdom of Heaven when he turns to Simon Peter and tells him He is praying that Simon would not lose his faith. I find it odd that He refers to him as Simon. Perhaps He was speaking to Simon's carnality or old nature. No matter how strong we are in Christ our sin nature is always a part of our physical bodies and the part of our will that is tied to it is continually in rebellion to God. It is this part of us that Satan uses as a door, attempting to open us up to sin. In the King James Version Satan "desires to have you" and in the New American Standard Satan "demands permission." This sounds a great deal like the book of Job where Satan comes before God and asks for the ability to test him. Like Simon and Job, Satan is requesting permission to sift us. Therefore, we should take great care to pray for each other that in times of distress and sifting, we don't lose our faith either.

It is important to note that Christ does not pray that Simon will not be tested, only that he will return to Christ again. He says, "so when you have repented and turned to me again" telling us that because God forgives us when we repent, we must forgive ourselves then we may return to our mission, our 'first love', to Christ Himself. He is waiting for us to come back ... always. No matter what you have done or how far away from Him you have strayed He is waiting for you to return. Only death can stop you from doing so.

The last section of this scripture Jesus tells Simon once he has returned to his faith, his belief and trust in Christ that he should "strengthen and build up his brothers." Because we don't really know who is a Christian and who isn't (only God knows the heart of man) I believe we should do our best to strengthen and build up everyone. We will go through trials and tests. And while everyone has different experiences, the trials and tribulations we endure will give us the insight to help others with their own struggles. We should always be prepared to use personal experiences to help others.

In circumstances it is difficult to keep believing that there is a God that loves you and wants the best for you. A young lady I know was laid off just days after signing the note on a car loan with a hefty monthly payment. A year later, she is still living with her parents and relying on their financial assistance. And while she has sent countless resumes and been on her fair share of interviews, the positions always went to others with more experience also out of work. It is difficult to encourage someone when you are working, so I try very hard to strengthen her faith and build her up. When I am down about something, she is also very good at strengthening and building up me. This is God's design.

I hope that somehow this has helped to strengthen and build up you. And that you can find a way to do the same to other. God Bless You in Your Journey.