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Sunday, February 14, 2010

My Songwriting Inspiration

Today I’d like to talk a little about the source of inspiration for writers. Nearly all writers like to think that their inspiration comes from some sort of mystical muse. For Christian authors, we hope that muse is the Holy Spirit whispering in our ears. With each of my books, I had that clear moment when I sensed Him speaking a theme, a premise, or even a plot line to my heart.

But never in my writing have I felt the Holy Spirit step down and take the reins like I have in the area of songwriting. Allow me to share the story. My husband produces Christian television programming for the Arabic speaking world. Almost two years ago now, he decided there was a real need for songs in English that would help Americans to understand more about Islam and the Muslim people. He searched for a musician to undertake the project, but every time he asked, the answer came back the same. “I just don’t know enough about the subject.”

Well, having lived with my husband for 14 years at that point, I knew a lot about the subject. I mean a whole lot--like could have earned an honorary doctorate in Islam lot. So finally I said, “I write poetry, and I can play a little piano. Maybe God would give me a song.”

A few days later a line popped into my head. “They cry peace, peace, but there is no peace.” Hmm. It sounded like the perfect cry for the Muslim people. And it sounded oddly scriptural, so I looked it up. I found it in Jeremiah 8:11. From there God began to fill my heart with stories of Muslim people and their struggles. I wanted Americans to understand the beautiful hearts of these people and to catch a glimpse of God’s love for them. I wrote the song over a few hours time. Then a sat down at the piano, and surprisingly, my very rusty fingers stumbled their way onto the tune in my head. I tried to transcribe it onto paper, but at that point my neglected skills failed me completely.

I played it for my husband, and he videotaped it. I almost forgot about the song. I knew one of his friends had sent it to a composer, but I was busy writing novels, and it was far from my mind. Until, one day I went to a conference with my husband in Europe, and he turned on the completed song in a room of about 200 people. I was moved to tears along with everyone else. When it was over, I couldn’t help but clap.

I felt like Balaam’s donkey.

I have no real musical ability. But my husband had a song in his heart, and the Holy Spirit birthed it through me. I was just an instrument. A conduit. A clay pitcher. I hardly felt involved in the process at all. Since then I’ve written four songs about Islam— each in under a day. And each has been turned by composers and musicians into a stirring, emotional work of beauty. Only the Holy Spirit can do a work like that.

Here is the first one titled, “A Cry for Peace.” You can learn more about the songs, the stories behind them, and where to purchase them at http://acryforpeace.com/



Click here for Song #2, Please See Me.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Pastor's Wife by Jennifer AlLee

Today I'm pleased to bring to you The Pastor's Wife by my good friend and fellow Inkwell Inspirations blogger Jennifer AlLee. I was so excited when I received my advanced copy in the mail. It’s always fun to check-out books by my author friends, and as it turned out, this was my very first Inky novel. The cover caught my interest right away. It was beautiful and engaging, and I couldn’t wait to start reading. Once I delved inside, the book did not disappoint. This delightful warm-hearted contemporary romance was a joy to read and an encouragement to my spirit.

While a traditional romance in structure, this book breaks out of the mold by introducing us to a hero and heroine who are married, but have been separated for many years, allowing Jen to take a hard look at the nature of love and romance from a Godly perspective. The book was not all about tingles and emotions, although the attraction was apparent. Instead, the primary plot was about forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation. Add to that the complex roles and expectations placed upon a pastor and his spouse, and this novel stands out from the pack as unique.

Maura Sullivan arrives in Granger, Ohio with the intention to claim her inheritance and quickly high-tail it out of town, hopefully before running into her estranged husband, Nick Shepherd. But fate, or perhaps God in the form of an eccentric old lady, has other plans. Maura finds her husband headed to the same meeting and discovers their departed friend, Miss Hattie, has carefully devised her will to force them into one last chance at love. While Maura still has the option to run away, she finds the offer to good to refuse. She had hoped the inheritance would give her a new start at life, and decides to give Nick one last chance. She can handle a few months with her husband for the reward dangled before her.

Nick longs to reconcile, but Maura has hardened her defenses against him. She was too hurt by him and his church members last time around. Besides, she has a secret she knows they can never overcome. In her mind, saving their marriage is not an option. She will live with him only for the specified time, and then move into her own apartment over the theatre.

Maura faces many challenges reacquainting herself with the town, renovating her rundown theatre, and being forced to deal with her husband and his congregation once again. This book kept me turning pages right until the emotional ending.

I was captivated to discover that Maura’s inheritance was in fact an old theatre. I loved watching the transformation of the quaint building, as well as the inclusion of drama and the theatre world in this story. The theatre also served to demonstrate how each of us must serve God in our own unique roles and gifts. Maura may have failed as a pastor’s wife the first time around, but once released into her own calling, she was able to view the situation from a different perspective. I enjoyed the way Jen depicted this second time around at love. Maura and Nick did not fall into the same traps. This time they faced the situation with a new level of wisdom and maturity that all of us need when dealing with the complicated subject of romance.

This book is not only an enjoyable read, it is an important book as well. Each of us should take time to ponder the roles of our pastor’s and their spouses. We should give a moment to consider how we can better understand and support them. I applaud Jen for shedding light on this significant subject.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Bend Don’t Break

Last night I was watching the Winter X Games, and I witnessed the most horrifying accident. A trick skier on a half pipe flew up about fifteen feet, came down, hit the pipe, and cracked the middle of his back on the rail, face up, bending his spine at a 90 degree angle in the wrong direction. By all logic, it looked as if the blow broke his back. Except that this was a clip of a run earlier in the week. The guy was a little achy, but he competed and delivered an amazing performance. You see, this skier bent. He did not break.

I understand about people who bend and don’t break. I’m raising three of them. It’s my middle son who skateboards and does gymnastics and best proves this illustration. He back flips off small buildings, jumps from the top of twenty-foot-playground equipment just for the fun of it. I don’t know what blessing of genetics has given me three children with good flexible bones, but trust me, I am very grateful. I am well aware that some kids break bones simply by tripping and falling.

Watching that skier reminded me of something. When we face hard times in our lives, we can either bend or break. I’ve been seeing an overused motif recently in Christian fiction, and I see a common origin. I’ve read at least five books in the last two months with characters who start out bitter and broken because of some tragedy in their lives. They did not bend with the winds of adversity. They blamed God and turned away from him. Of course, as the book goes along, they come to trust God no matter what bad things God throws at them, but still I see something problematic here.

I know the majority of Christians look at tragedies and assume it must be "God's Will." I wasn't raised that way, and I'm thankful. I look at a tragedy and assume it is the result of evil and an active enemy in the world. That God only wants to love and protect and heal us through this situation.

I realize this sort of theology is complicated, and I know it requires some sort of balance, but I will say that due to the way I was raised, tragedy has ALWAYS pulled me closer to God, never farther away. I have never blamed him for anything bad in my life. I have only turned to him to solve it and thanked him for the good.

Honestly, reading so many characters recently who do blame God for the tragedy in their lives, I have to wonder if in fact poor theology has led to all of this brokenness. If the bones, the skeleton of our relationship with God is weak, then we’re bound to break.

I don’t really know why tragedies happen. I assume it’s all very complex. Yet in my childlike faith, I choose to believe that ultimately, God wants only good for us. I’m sure there are many factors that could contribute: sin, doubt, not hearing a warning from God, simple weariness, an active spiritual attack from the enemy. Perhaps it merely comes back to a world where God has provided choice and therefore a certain degree of randomness must scientifically accompany that reality. I see no need to search out fault or cast blame. We simply live in a fallen world, and not yet being perfected creatures, naturally bad things will happen.

But if we truly see and believe that God is on our side and wants only the best for us (really the best like a loving father, not like a twisted sadist) then it is so much easier to trust him to see us through it. This leads to what I see as the key factor in characters and lives that do not break.

Good perception.

In any tragedy we can focus on the blessings or the problems. Here’s a quote from my first novel, “Only remember this, Dandelion: happiness is not so much about our circumstances as it is about how we perceive those circumstances. The poorest, crippled beggar on the side of the road can have joy in his heart; and the richest, most influential man surrounded by people who love him can be caught in the throes of despair. You can’t choose your circumstances, but you can choose how you will face them.”

With a proper perception of God and of circumstances, we can maintain the intimacy with our loving father that we will need in order to receive the help and healing we so desperately crave.

So I vote for characters and lives that bend and don’t break. For belief systems based on a proper understanding of God’s truly good and loving nature. For a recognition of an active evil in this world bent on our destruction, but an awareness that we as believers can overcome the world.

John 16:33 (New International Version) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Oh, and in case you were wondering, MaryLu Tyndall and Karen Hancock are two of the best inspirational authors for teaching excellent theology in their novels. In general, most of the books I recommend in the side bar come from a solid theological perspective and provide many fresh insights into the wonder and nature of God.