Robin Lee Hatcher's Write Thinking

Anne Rice's new novel

I caught this notice of a Starred Review in my latest Religion Bookline from PW:

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana
Anne Rice. Knopf, $25.95 (256p) ISBN 978-1-400094352-1

In the New Testament, the miracle at the wedding at Cana—where Jesus turned water into wine—marks the commencement of his tumultuous three-year ministry. In Rice's beautifully observed novel (a sequel to 2005's Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt), however, the wedding miracle is in fact the culmination of an intimate family saga of love, sorrow and misunderstanding. As the novel opens, Yeshua (Jesus) struggles with a sense of restlessness of purpose and a deep love for a comely kinswoman. Waves of isolation sweep over him as he comes to understand that serving the Lord's will takes precedence over the desires of his own heart. Whereas the first novel in this series hewed so closely to Scripture and to the author's meticulous research as to be somewhat arid as fiction, this book imagining the "lost" young adulthood of Jesus offers wise and haunting speculation where the Bible is silent. And the final chapters, which pick up the story with the New Testament's accounts of Jesus' baptism, temptation, and early miracles, manage to be soulfully insightful even while faithfully tracking the Gospels. Rice undertakes a delicate balance here: How can a writer make a believably sensitive and wounded protagonist out of someone who is believed to be sinless? If it is possible to create a character that is simultaneously fully human and fully divine, as ancient Christian creeds assert, then Rice succeeds. (Mar. 4)

I own but haven't yet read Out of Egypt. Have any of you read it? What did you think? This one sounds like it will be good, and yet I remain somewhat reluctant to read fictionalized accounts of Jesus and His thoughts and actions, especially in regard to things that aren't actually in Scripture. Do any of you feel the same way? I don't have the same problem with other biblical characters (i.e. Francine Rivers's books about the five women who are named in the lineage of Christ).

-rlh-

the learning curve

For a long while, I have wished I could share that occasional YouTube video when I stumble upon one that tickles me. I asked a friend how to do it, but I just couldn't find what she was telling me to do. Then this morning, I checked out the Help section on Typepad, and this time, it clicked. I was looking in the totally wrong place on the YouTube page.

And so, as a test run, I'll use the Evolution of the Dance clip which surely everyone on the planet who owns or has access to a computer has seen by now. If by some chance you, dear reader, have missed it, I hope you'll enjoy it.

Don't you feel like getting up and doing a little bit of dancing yourself? Get your blood pumping. It's good for your heart you know.

-rlh-

romantic times on the perfect life

The Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine review of The Perfect Life arrived yesterday. Here's what the reviewer had to say:

Hatcher delivers a true-to-life look at a wife's reaction to accusations of her husband's infidelity and his part in a corporate scandal. Thought-provoking ideas will have readers questioning their own views on trust and fidelity. The conclusion is unique and faith building.
Compelling. A page-turner.

I always await my reviews with baited breath. It's encouraging whenever one of my books connects with a reader, whether she or he read it for a review or read it for personal enjoyment. Such was the case when I read this review. I especially appreciate that last line.

It's also gratifying that the reviews were good from both Romantic Times and Publishers Weekly. Each magazine is reviewing for a different demographic; RT is for readers/consumers, PW is for bookbuyers and booksellers.

-rlh-

another apple in my life

I managed to resist the iPhone for about seven months, but on Saturday, I succumbed. It wasn't just iPhone envy, which I confess to have had since Steve Jobs first debuted it six months before its release. There were a number of reasons I finally bought an iPhone.

(1) Frustrations with the syncing between other smart phones (I've tried out two different ones in the past two years) and my iMac. I tried both the software that came with those smart phones and I tried special software that I purchased on my own. Nothing was perfect. Nothing synced them exactly. Getting photos on my phone to show up when someone called was a major pain.

(2) Trouble seeing the small screens/small type/small keyboard. I'm far sighted. I don't wear my glasses all the time. Often times the phone would ring and I couldn't see who was calling. And typing names and numbers was impossible without my glasses.

But the kicker was (3) I will be saving $45 a month with the AT&T iPhone plan over the plan I had with Verizon. And even though it will cost me less, I am getting 400 more minutes per month (unused minutes that rollover) and can send picture messages, too. I couldn't send picture SMS with my old plan. Text only. [Correction: Photos go in email, not SMS.]

The main thing that kept me from moving before now was that I believed the AT&T service in my area wasn't as good as Verizon. But two local friends who use AT&T convinced me that wasn't true (and $45 per month less sure made it worth trying the new service). With that last barrier out of my way, I arrived at the AT&T Wireless store on Saturday morning and purchased my new iPhone.

Oh wow! I am so glad I made the switch (and my daughter with young eyes and a Verizon account is glad to get my last smart phone). Syncing is a cinch, which I knew it would be. After all, it is the same Apple OS and the calendar in iPhone matches iCal exactly. No dropped info.

Among the things I love: the last smart phone I used pushed all of my email to my phone (or I could use filters to only push select senders' emails -- a pain in the neck). I didn't want all of my email pushed to my phone because I am in the office most days. I want the ability to check email when I'm out or when I'm traveling. The iPhone lets me do that. That is huge. I don't want to have to delete 150 emails per day from my cell phone, emails that I've already read on my desktop. Who has time for that?

One plus to waiting seven months is that there have been some updates to the iPhone so probably some glitches have been worked out that I will never experience.

Two days isn't a lot of time but as of right now, I'm giving this new tool a 9 out of 10. I'd give it a perfect score but I want to leave a little bit of room in case I find something missing that I wish it had.

Oh, it's fun to get to have special ringtones again without jumping through hoops. When my daughters call, it plays "Butterfly Kisses." When my best friends call, it plays "You've Got a Friend." For everyone else (at this point), it plays "Rockin' Robin." So far only one person has called me, and I was in the kitchen fixing lunch and missed hearing the phone ring in my office. Sigh...

Robin (who became a MacHead in February 2006)

Christian Fiction Monday

It's that time again. Time for me to mention a book by another friend of mine, Rachel Hauck. Her latest release is called Sweet Caroline, and it is sure to be another great read.

About the Author:

Rachel Hauck is a multi-published author living in sunny central Florida with her husband, Tony, a pastor. They have two ornery pets. She is a graduate of Ohio State University and a huge Buckeyes football fan.

Rachel is past President of American Christian Fiction Writers  and now serves the organization as an Advisor. Visit her blog and web site at www.rachelhauck.com.

About the Book:

For most of her life, Caroline Sweeney put the needs of others before herself. When her friends went off to college and exotic European cities, she stayed home in Beaufort to look after her Dad and brother, and whoever else needed her help.

At twenty-eight, she’s invited to embark on her own adventure when a friend offers Caroline an amazing job opportunity in Barcelona.

Meanwhile, her home town is calling her to stay. Unexpectedly, Caroline inherits the run-down, money-pit Frogmore Café.

Caroline must choose between a Beaufort treasure, the Frogmore Café, and the unusual Barcelona adventure. If that’s not enough, Caroline finds herself torn between two lovesa very hunky deputy Sheriff and a returning hometown boy, a country music star.

In the midst of her trials, Caroline shares a lot of laughter with her friends and discovers the sweet fragrance of Jesus as He pursues her heart.

Look for your copy of Sweet Caroline today!

my books and a book meme

Books, books, books.

The UPS guy filled my entry way with several boxes of books, and there they will remain until I can find a place for them in the garage. There are my author copies of my latest release, The Perfect Life, as well as a box of Beyond the Shadows which will all too soon be going out of print, much to my disappointment.

Then there are my books in their pre-published forms. There are the rewrites of When Love Blooms, my January 2009 release, spread all over my desk. I work best on hard copy so it makes for a real paper blizzard. The copy edits/preliminary proofs of Wagered Heart, my May 2008 release, are due to arrive tomorrow and thus will interrupt the rewrites for a week or so. I'm not sure how soon I'll see proofs of Bundle of Joy, December 2008, but it scares me to think they might hit right in the midst of intense work on the other two.

So in honor of the books I'm working on in various stages, I think I'll answer the book meme I found on Camy's Loft. Here goes:

One book that changed your life.
Not counting the Bible, which changed not only this life but the next life as well, I would have to say Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Reading it played a part in me growing closer to God and also changed the type of books I write and the audience I write for.

One book that you have read more than once.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

One book you would want on a desert island.
My Bible

Two books that made you laugh.
Theodora's Diary by Penny Culliford
Book Ends by Liz Curtis Higgs

One book that made you cry.
The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers. I wept buckets.

One book you wish you'd written.
Oh, there are so many wonderful novels, any one of which I wish I could have written. But if forced to choose one, I think I would go with Safely Home by Randy Alcorn. It shook me to my core.

One book you wish had never been written.
I'll have to go with The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. It is a beautifully written book, no question about it. Unfortunately, it is also biblically inaccurate. Readers who don't know their Bibles or biblical history don't know how incorrect it is, and thus are given a view of history that isn't true. (I despise revisionist history.) The novel also has a man-hating tone that I disliked. There isn't a single male character in the novel who is worth 2 cents. Most are worthless wimps. The best among them are jerks.

Two books you are currently reading.
A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith
One Step Over the Border by Stephen Bly

One book you've been meaning to read.
LOL! I have an entire bookcase full of books that fall into this category. I won't even try to name one. I'll just keep trying to get them all read.

If you feel like playing, answer the meme on your blog and leave a link to your answers in the comments or, if you don't have a blog, complete the meme in the comments. Your choice. Have fun.

-rlh-

a sad knight's tale

Oh, my heart hurts. Heath Ledger, star of one of my most favorite movies, A Knight's Tale, is dead at age 28 of an apparent drug overdose. Whether an accident or suicide (they say no note was found), this is sad, sad, sad. Ledger was a fine actor with lots of potential for many great years of acting to come.

-rlh-

Update 1/23/08: Reports say that even accidental overdose is speculative at this time and that it is possible HL died of natural causes. I don't want to add to the speculation so apologize for the "apparent drug overdose" comment. No matter the cause, there is a hurting family, and I pray that they will know God's comfort in the days to come.

smurf this

Don't let this get around, but I haven't yet admitted to middle age. In my head, I am somewhere in my thirties. Both of my daughters are also in their thirties. Hmm.

Anyway, I just learned that the Smurfs have turned 50. I was really feeling ancient when I heard this because I would have sworn that I was already a mom when I first saw a Smurf. But then I saw that they debuted in the US in 1981. Okay, now I feel better.

-rlh-

security in the LORD

This morning I reached Psalm 125 in my study of the Psalms of Ascent in Stepping Up:

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
Jerusalem—the mountains surround her.
And the LORD surrounds His people,
both now and forever.

The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.      
Do what is good, LORD, to the good,
to those whose hearts are upright.
But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the LORD will banish them with the evildoers.

Peace be with Israel. (HCSB)

Those who "trust" in the LORD are like mountains that cannot be shaken. Beth tells us that the Hebrew word translated as "trust" is batach. It is defined as being "confident, secure, sure."

Security is a big thing for Beth. More accurately, insecurity is a big thing for her, and it is a big thing for me, too. For her it was abuse as a child; for me it was growing up without a father (he died when I was 4 months old). Insecurity has led me down many a wrong path as I looked to feel secure. Beth says:

"You would be surprised to know how many people who seem to have it all together are chronically insecure. Though insecurity can be rooted in all sorts of experiences, I have a feeling that many of us share the same one. When key people in your formative years were supposed to bring you security but brought insecurity instead, you inherit a tremor in your soul that is impossible to naturally still. Add to it all the times you let yourself down and fail to measure up like I did, and naturally speaking, you're a piece of earth in a constant quake."

In the natural, I suffer from insecurity a lot. It shows up most often in relation to my writing. It doesn't matter how many books I've written, I continue to be unsure of my abilities, to feel myself on unsteady grounds. The slightest thing can knock me for a loop, even though I know that I know that I know that God called me to write for Him. Brandilyn Collins has written a seven part post on her blog about the book, Art & Fear. I bought it and hope to find time to read it as soon as I'm finished judging books for the RITA Award.

Do you suffer from insecurity in some area or areas of your life? If so this exercise might be of help to you as it was for me. Take the first verse of Psalm 125 and replace "trust" with each of the definitions (confident, secure, sure), then describe what that means in the Lord. Here are my answers:

• Those who [are confident] in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
• Describe confidence in the Lord: Trusting Him no matter my circumstances.
• Those who [are secure] in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
• Describe security in the Lord: Feeling safe, knowing He watches over me.
• Those who [are sure] in the LORD are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.
• Describe being sure about the Lord: Knowing without a doubt that He will do what He says He will do and that He is who He says He is.

I praise God this morning for these reminders. Trusting in Him makes me into a mountain that cannot be shaken. I pray that I will remember this the next time the enemy tries to tempt me to go down the insecurity path. God has proven Himself able to stop the quaking earth when I look to Him with trust, in confidence, with security, and in absolute assurance.

In the grip of His grace,
Robin

a little more perfect

Receiving my copy of The Perfect Life and seeing Publishers Weekly's nice review of same gave me the kick in the behind that I needed to add an excerpt from the book to my web site. So if you want to read the first chapter of The Perfect Life, follow this link.

Skipping the brief synopsis, here is what PW had to say:

"Hatcher (Whispers from Yesterday) is a dab hand with dialogue, which is one reason her characters are so well drawn: readers will feel empathy with all members of the family. Hatcher also gets kudos for creating, in Katherine's best friend, a sympathetic non-Christian character, something all too rare in faith fiction. This will be a surefire hit with Hatcher's many fans."

I confess that I live on pins and needles when it comes to those first reviews. This one left me smiling.

-rlh-

the perfect life arrives

Yesterday the UPS man delivered two copies of The Perfect Life, my latest novel, hot off the press. The cover for this book went through at least ten different versions, but when the publisher got it, they really got it right. It's truly beautiful, and even more so "in person" than just seeing the graphic on the computer screen. I got a little thrill just holding the book in my hands for the first time.

I put one copy on my bookshelf and gave the other to my mom. She had it read in no time, unusual since she tends to fall asleep a lot during the day. But I guess my story interested her enough to keep her awake. That made me feel as good as the words of praise she gave me when she finished it.

I hope other readers will enjoy this story as much as my mom. Look for it at this year's Women of Faith conferences as well as (in a few weeks) at your favorite bookstores.

-rlh-

The Complete Jane Austen

I was very remiss in not sharing with my blog readers about The Complete Jane Austen showing this winter and spring on Masterpiece Theater, The Classic Schedule, on PBS.

These are the BBC versions of Jane Austen's novels. Some I've seen by renting via Netflix. One, I own (Price & Prejudice starring Colin Firth). I own many other Jane Austen films as well. They are:

• Persuasion (also from BBC but it isn't the same as the one shown on Masterpiece Theater this week) starring Amanda Root as Anne Elliott
• Mansfield Park starring Frances O'Conner as Fanny Price
• Pride & Prejudice starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennett
• Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma Woodhouse
• Sense & Sensibility starring Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood

Last night was Persuasion starring Sally Hawkins as Anne Elliott. Delightful. Not sure why the BBC made two versions of this novel, but I believe I liked the actors in this Masterpiece Theater version a little better.

In some markets, there will be a repeat showing of Persuasion this week, so check your local listings and catch it if you can. It isn't showing again in the Boise market, so I'm thankful I had my DVR set to record. I'll be recording and saving them all for as long as I have room on my DVR.

There is a bonus for those watching the Masterpiece Classics. In addition to the Complete Jane Austen — Persuasion; Northanger Abbey; Mansfield Park; Miss Austen Regrets; Pride & Prejudice; Emma; and Sense & Sensibility from now through April 6 — we can look forward to A Room with a View and My Boy Jack in April and to Cranford (starring the incomparable Judi Dench) for three weeks in May.

Now this is great television!

-rlh-

value editions to release in May

I think I've mentioned on this blog that I am returning to writing historical novels for at least the next couple of years. That's where my career got its start, writing novels set in the past. My favorite subjects in school were English and History, so I suppose it was inevitable that I would end up writing historical fiction. I have a fondness for many periods, but particularly for what is often termed Americana.

Of my seven books that have been finalists for the RITA Award, four were historicals. The two books that won the RITA Award were historicals: Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice. Two of these seven books, Patterns of Love and In His Arms, were from the Coming to America series, books that were special to me because I wrote them to honor my family roots (English, Irish, and Swedish). The fourth book was added some time later, and I made the characters German in honor of a loved one's heritage.

Now Zondervan, who has published this series since 2000, is putting out a value edition of the books, and I'm delighted. Today I saw the covers for the first time. The books are already listed on Amazon for pre-order (they release in May), but the covers aren't there yet. So if you like historical romance at a bargain price ($6.99 for trade size paperback), here is your deal. You can click on the covers to find the books on Amazon.com. (They aren't listed yet on ChristianBook.com.)

Please note: The Zondervan version of these books is the only one I recommend to readers. I do not recommend the mass market versions from Harper (available only as used books).

Christian Fiction Monday

BLUE HEART BLESSED by Susan Meissner

Left standing at the altar, Daisy Murien, a wounded but hopeful romantic, opens a secondhand wedding dress boutique, hoping to soothe her broken heart while giving doomed wedding dresses a second chance at love. Her predictable days take a sharp turn, though, when the retired Episcopal priest who blesses the tiny, blue satin heart she sews into each dress falls ill. When the priest’s brooding and recently divorced son arrives with plans to take his ailing father away, a contest of wills begins between two stubborn—and hurting—souls. While fighting to keep Father Laurent close by, Daisy finally begins to understand why she has routinely convinced potential buyers not to buy the one gown that started her business—her own: She doesn’t want to give up on the dream of a fairytale romance. This compelling story is about the magnificence of unconditional love and God’s impeccable timing in bringing it about.

“Meissner tells her story well, and her Christian themes are interwoven throughout with a deft touch. Readers will appreciate some fresh elements: an Ecuadorian couple that cooks for the apartment dwellers every Sunday, and the one gown in Daisy’s inventory she does not want to sell. The ending is well told if conventional, with all the loose ends neatly tied up, which should please fans of “happily ever after” romance novels.” — Publishers Weekly

---

Susan, where did this story idea come from?

I was on a long car ride with a friend one afternoon a couple years ago. She had just seen her roommate’s wedding dress and she was describing it to me. It sounded so beautiful. I said something like, “It’s kind of a shame such a lovely dress will only be worn once.” As soon as those words were out of my mouth, a story began to bloom in my head about a woman who opens a boutique and sells second-hand wedding dresses. I began to imagine what kind of woman would open a shop like that and by the time we got to our destination, I had a title for this book, my quirky character Daisy, and a reason why she can’t seem to sell the one dress that began it all. And I knew this would be a story about waiting on God for true love — that is, love that is true.

I’ve got a great blog started that will dovetail nicely with this book. The blog, called Blue Heart Blessed by the way, will feature stories, ideas, op-ed pieces, poems, jokes, lists, you name it, on quirky engagements, second chances at love, proposals, laughable wedding stories and the like. I’d love to hear from readers and writers alike, especially if they’ve a story to share.

Published by Harvest House, Blue Heart Blessed will release on February 1.

a great western

Earlier this week, Netflix delivered 3:10 to Yuma to my mailbox. When the film was in theaters, a friend saw it and told me it was the best western she'd seen in years. Maybe she said it was the best western ever. Don't remember for sure.

Well, guess what? My friend was right. This isn't just a great western. It's a great movie. I never saw the original so cannot do a comparison. Certainly watching Russell Crowe (even as a bad guy) and Christian Bale (a favorite of mine since he appeared as a kid in Empire of the Sun) for two hours isn't hard to do. They were both superb in addition to being easy on the eyes. But it was the redemptive little twist at the end of the movie that was icing on the cake for me. Subtle and perfect.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it. I gave it my first five star rating of the year on Netflix.

-rlh-

let it snow

Idaho, my home and the location for the majority of my books, has the most wilderness area of any state except Alaska. A great deal of the state is mountains and pine trees and rocky peaks. Southern Idaho is high desert country, and SW Idaho, where I live, gets far less snow than the rest of the state. But we have been getting a series of snowstorms blowing through the Boise area for the past couple of days. Today it has snowed without ceasing. Sometimes great big flakes and sometimes those flakes that are so small you have to take a second look to make sure it is still snowing.

I know. I know. You folks in the East that get several feet of snow dumped on you at once aren't particularly thrilled by the white stuff. But as I look out my windows today, I can't help thinking how beautiful it is and that it will be a blessing to our reservoirs come the spring (we have been suffering with drought for years so all moisture is welcome).

Still, it's getting a bit deep in my backyard for my little Poppet when she goes outside, not to mention that when she comes back inside, she has snow stuck to the hair between the pads of her paws and all the way up the hair on her haunches.

See what I mean? (Click image for a larger view)

It's perfect weather for me to stay home and write, write, write. I'm at work on another historical. And every time I pause and look out the window, I'm reminded how blessed I am to have a home office so I don't have to drive in that stuff (except I'll have to go to the grocery store soon).

Anyway, for now, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

-rlh-

God and squeaky toys

In the Stepping Up study, Beth Moore asks participants to begin every day or every study session (unless physically unable to do so) prostrate, face-down, on the floor before God. She promises that whatever God wants us to learn in this study, He will tell us when we are on our faces because in God's economy, the way up is down.

So yesterday morning, I lay down on my office floor. As I began to pray, Poppet started hitting my back with the little stuffed toy in her mouth, making it squeak.

Squeak, squeak, squeak. Squeak, squeak, squeak. Squeak, squeak, squeak.

Here I am, trying to be in an attitude of worship, and I've got a dog bouncing a toy against my back. It soon became obvious that she wasn't going to stop until I got up off the floor. (Note to self: Shut Poppet out of room when I lay down to pray. Kneeling is safe. Lying down is not.) Needless to say, my prostrate time before the Lord was cut short, and I'm thinking how nonspiritual I am that I can't ignore a little dog while I talk to my Father.

A short while later, I was reading my lesson for the day and came to the part where Beth talked about the experience of being prostrate before God. She instructed that while on the floor to "put your own words to your personal act of reverence and surrender," then she shared the prayer she spoke the morning she wrote this part of the study. Here's the next paragraph:

The whole practice probably took no longer than a minute. Sometimes I linger longer if I'm particularly distressed or filled with a heightened cause for praise. Sometimes I abbreviate if I forgot to leave my dogs in the house and they're fretting over my head, fearing I'm dead.

LOL! On Tuesday I was marveling over how God put the tools together to start my year off as He did, and today He's showing me I am not alone, even in the pestering dog department. I am not a spiritual weakling with the attention span of a gnat. Even Beth Moore shortens her prayer time when the dogs are worrying over her head.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

What a sweet reminder that He cares about the little things in my life, not just the big things. He didn't want me to fret over that abbreviated time on the floor, and He cared so much that He even had it written into a Bible study many months ago.

How cool is that?

In the grip of His grace,
Robin

Journal 10+

Last week, I read on Angela Hunt's blog about the Journal 10+, a "unique 11-year journal, planner and organizer." After looking at their web site, I ordered one. My copy arrived on Monday.

All I can say is, Wow! This is one awesome aid for the office and for life. This isn't a journal like I've thought of journals in the past. I will still have my regular journals to write in, to reflect in, to pray in. The Journal 10+ is something altogether different. It's a place to note things so that you can look back and see where you were a year ago or five years ago or ten years ago. I've always kept track of my writing production in my desk calendar. From now on, I will be doing it here.

The book has a soft leather cover and ideas for how to use the book. The lined pages are not so narrow that they are hard to write in. It feels good in your hands and on your desk.

This is a great way to keep track of your writing, your submissions, your contracts, your kids or grandkids achievements. Really anything you want to remember. It was suggested that it is also a good place to note when you make major purchases.

On the surface it looks a bit pricey, but when you recognize that this book will last you for 11 years, it comes out to  $4.27 per year, including shipping. About 36 cents per month. You can't beat a deal like that, can you?

Thanks, Angie. This was a great addition to my organizational aids.

-rlh-

words for the year, day one

I wrote a long, really good post about my quiet time this morning, and when I went to post it, my program shut down. Bummer! This version won't be nearly as good. The first one took me about an hour to write. Sigh.

Katy at Fallible had a cute post today about being afraid to ask God for a word. It really made me laugh. Katy is one funny gal.

My words for this new year are Intimacy and Devotion. When those words were given to me, I looked forward with anticipation to all this might mean. I've felt in a dry and parched place in recent months, and those words seemed to promise cool refreshment. But I never expected the Lord to start off the year with such a blessing.

I entered my office this morning, ready to begin my Bible reading and new Bible study. This is a year to read through the New Testament three times. I went to my bookshelf for an NLT version and my eyes fell on a New Testament volume I was given for Christmas in 2006. I packed it away soon after in my preparations to sell my house and move. To be honest, I'd forgotten all about it. But when I saw the words "friendship with God," my heart quickened. Friendship with God = Intimacy with God.

The Bible is called Friendship First New Testament: Living in Friendship with God and Others. It is a beautiful volume. Not the sort of Bible you carry to church or travel with because it is over-sized, like a coffee table book. But it is the perfect Bible for my reading in the New Testament as I seek to find a new intimacy with my Father. Plus I'm being accompanied in my Bible reading by two of my dearest friends, making the choice even more perfect.

When I finished reading my chapters, I then reached for Stepping Up: A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent. I first heard of this brand new study from Beth Moore in September or October. I ordered my copy of the workbook and the audio CDs in early December, excited to do a study in the Psalms. About 30 or 40 minutes into the audio introductory lesson, Beth read Joshua 5:14, And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” And then she said (paraphrased), "God has something specific to say to you. You'll hear it on your face before Him." Talk about my heart quickening! On my face before God (in prayer) = Devotion!

I love it when I catch a glimpse of the ways God has been moving behind the scenes. When He gave me the words Intimacy and Devotion, I didn't know He had already placed the very Bible I should use onto my bookshelf. I didn't know that the Bible study I learned about in the fall would be the very study that would relate to the word/words He gave me for 2008. Seeing His hand in these things made me even more excited for what I will learn in the days, weeks, and months to come.

In those moments this morning, I felt a breeze blowing away the desert sand. I felt myself taking sips of cool refreshment.

Jesus replied, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.”   John 4:13-14

In the grip of His grace,
Robin