Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home, a new anthology

Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home, an interview with April Gardner and Elaine Marie Cooper, two of the contributors to this anthology.

Saying good bye to a loved one leaving for war is a gut-wrenching proposition. But for those left behind, their deployment marks the beginning of our battle. And yet, it is possible to find God’s peace in the midst of fear and conquer the terror that lurks in the darkness of doubt. In Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home, parents, spouses and siblings recount their personal journey as God goes before His people during times of spiritual, physical and military warfare. Learn the secret to living a peace-filled life when a loved one leaves for battle. Fight fear; win the war at home.

1. Tell us how you got involved in this project and what you hope will result.

April: It was actually Elaine that alerted me to the project. I knew instantly that I needed to do my part, in this amazing book. Deployments are a regular part of my life. I've been there many times, and will be there again. Besides the Lord, it's been the support of understanding friends that's gotten me through. That's what this devotional is--friends reaching out to touch the lives of those who are lonely, fearful, and in need.

Elaine: I got involved in this project when I saw a posting on a blog that Edie Melson was looking for contributions to a devotional for families who had a loved one at war—any war. Edie wanted first person accounts that emphasized various aspects of dealing with the real-life difficulties of having a loved one on deployment and how, as Christians, our faith was able to sustain us. Since my own son had been deployed twice, I was able to draw on the personal angst of a Mom who knows her son is in danger, yet trusting that the God Who created him would be his shelter in war. What I hoped to impart was my own real life scenario: already dealing with the loss of my daughter to cancer, limited support of my family members, and struggling to maintain faith amidst my own battles on the home front. I hope that by sharing my own moments of both fear and faith, I can help others walking in my shoes.

2. Can you share a little summary of your contribution to the book?

April: When I heard about the project, my husband was in the middle of an eight month deployment in Baghdad. I knew instantly I needed to be a part of Fighting Fear, but it took months for the Lord to guide me in exactly what to write. It was over the holidays at a small town post office that God used an elderly woman and her generosity to sooth my ache. Needing to be a constant pillar of strength for my kids, I didn't know how scared and lonely I was until that kind stranger gave me permission to cry. God's strength and comfort comes in many forms and it's those forms this book addresses.

Elaine: I couldn’t believe the title of my son’s e-mail: “In the Sandbox.”

My breathing quickened as I clicked to open it. There were the words that made my heart lurch and my soul cry out. My son was actually in Iraq on the ground.

He’s supposed to be in the Persian Gulf on his aircraft carrier, I thought. Tears were pouring down my cheeks. Why is he there, on the ground?

My son Ben explained in his note that he had been flown into the country from “the boat” to help coordinate flying missions. It was an honor and spoke highly of his character and leadership ability.

But that’s my son, I cried out to God. This isn’t fair.

I remembered telling my children for years that life was not always fair. Never had it seemed more unfair than three years prior to Ben’s deployment, when my only daughter was taken from us, the victim of a brain tumor. Before she had been diagnosed with this devastating cancer, the horror of 9-11 had occurred, prompting Ben to join the Navy and defend our nation. So while my husband and I fought our daughter’s cancer battle at home, Ben was sent to Florida to train to go to war in the Middle East. In May of 2006 he left for Iraq.

 

3. What was it like to write about this experience?

April: It was tough! But good for me. Writing it freshened the experience and its encouragement. It reminded me of God's sovereignty and love.

Elaine: Writing about my experience was heartbreaking. Even now reading it, the tears begin to flow. I don't know that the passage of time ever removes the deep, painful times from a mother's heart. And knowing that in 2012 he could be deployed again only adds to the distress. Yet the God Who watched over my son in 2006 is still watching over him today—and tomorrow as well.

4. Have you connected with others and/or learned something in the process of this project?

April: I've been amazed at how eager and desperate people are for encouragement during deployments. Not only family members but friends, as well, who want to do something to help. Many have already told me they can't wait for the release so they can buy the book for someone in need.

Elaine: Other than April and Edie, I have not connected with any of the other contributors as yet. I want to read the whole compilation of stories before reaching out to the others on a more personal basis as we share our struggles as fellow fighters of fear.

5. Anything else? Thanks for the opportunity to share about this much needed book. The war in the Middle East is now the longest war in American history. Our troops are weary. Their families are falling apart. Fighting Fear couldn't have come at a better time.

Day Tour with Elaine Marie Cooper

About The Promise of Deer Run:
America’s war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still haunt the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run. Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war.

A near-tragedy in the woods brings Nathaniel face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired but he assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms.

But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States.

About the Author:Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight.

She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run.
Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.


An Absolutely Charming Tale!
Once again, Elaine Marie Cooper pens an absolutely charming tale of eighteenth century Americana. War, no matter the era, takes its toll on both soldiers and families. The Promise of Deer Run is a precious next story following Mary and Daniel’s story in The Road to Deer Run, picking up with Mary’s sister, Sarah a few years down the line. Be sure to read the first book too! As a historian and author, I am grateful to Elaine for her dedication to authenticity.
—Lisa Lickel, author of A Summer in Oakville

Leave a comment with your e-mail here by November 18 to be entered into a drawing for the following: Winner announced November 21, 2011.

Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains:• Basket • $25 Starbucks gift card • Spode Christmas teapot • Spode Christmas mugs • Yankee candle • Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run • Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run • Bath and Body Paris Amour scent

Letters to God - special today

John 3:16 Marketing Network Book Launch Tuesday, November 8, 2011, Only Amazon Letters to God, on a Prodigal Son-Overcoming Addiction Through Prayer by Anita Estes   Letters to God on a Prodigal Son Overcoming Addiction Through Prayer by Anita Estes The poignant, true story of a parent's journey through the minefield of her adult child's addiction. This book will help you find peace in the midst of your tsunami and the secret to victorious prayer! Letters to God is a powerful journal packed with prayers, practical advice and key spiritual insights. It will help unlock the secrets to successful prayer, not only for those dealing with prodigals, but for anyone facing their own storm

What Others Are Saying This book should be required reading in schools to help parents and students recognize the dangers of alcohol as a gateway to harsher drugs, a fact often overlooked. --Yyonne Pat Wright, author, From Spice to Eternity I teach 3 recovery classes weekly. I'll be using this book. With God...we're finding 95% success rates, so I'm good with that! I'm happy! --Jay Miller, author, Sal and Sally This book will greatly increase your faith and helps others to stand firm in their faith. A genuine love of prayer will be ignited within your soul with this book; learn how to come close to God through prayer, petition and worship. This book is proof positive that God is a Mighty Deliverer and is still in the business of answering the prayers of the faithful. Truly He has the power to work all things out for good. A highly recommend read and a wonderfully written book, witness the transformation of a mother who felt helpless to help her son, but turns to God and never lets go. Watch her faith grow and her son find freedom, redemption and deliverance. This true story will touch your heart and give you the faith to keep holding on. This book is truly a triumphant and wonderful testimony to the saving power of God and the power of prayer. Thank you Anita Estes for sharing your story and writing this book. --CBM Book Reviews   Anita Estes resides in the beautiful Hudson Valley of upstate New York with her husband and son. She is an art teacher, freelance writer and avid gardener. As an educator, she has been honored in "Who's Who of American Teachers" for 2000 and 2005. Her work appears in several compilations including God Allows U-Turns, A Cup of Comfort, Deliver Me and Adams Media books. Her devotions have been published in Penned from the Heart, "Upper Room" and on-line. She is the author of When God Speaks: 40 Days of His Promises, Transformed-Inspiring Stories of Freedom and Letters to God on a Prodigal Son-Overcoming Addiction through Prayer. Her passion is encouraging others in their Christian walk, by calling the church to intimate and honest communication with God. She desires to help others break the bonds of addiction and pain through an understanding of God's promises. Theme of Letters to God on a Prodigal Son The plans of the enemy are at work in our children's lives today, but the prayer of faith has the power to destroy the strongholds of the enemy-no matter what! If you need help knowing how to undermine Satan's tactics then Letters to God on a Prodigal Son would be an ideal book for your prayer arsenal. Letters to God...will help you access God's powerful promises and teach you how to apply them to your own battle. It will show you how to gain peace in the midst of a tumultuous storm and lead you to victory. It will show you how to cope with those affected by addictions and how to pray fervently and effectively. Woven throughout the journals are entries in Lessons Learned and Suggestions for dealing successfully with these circumstances. Sure to help anyone who is coping with an addicted loved one or counseling someone in the grip of addition. It will also be welcomed by those facing challenging circumstances and trying times.   You can buy this book and any of Anita Estes others at www.anitaestes.com For a sneak peak of Letters to God, on a Prodigal Son go to http://tinyurl.com/3pmzusd On Tuesday, NOVEMBER 8 ONLY, the John 3:16 Marketing Network will be hosting a book launch for Letters to God... and you'll be able to receive a lot of FREE Gifts AND a chance to win a free gift card when you purchase Letters to God from Amazon.com on that day ONLY. You can find out more about the launch on my web-site, www.anitaestes.com, or this direct link http://www.anitaestes.com/landing-page.html

Touring with my friend Elaine Marie Cooper

About The Promise of Deer Run: America’s war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still haunt the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run. Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war. A near-tragedy in the woods brings Nathaniel face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired but he assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms. But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States.

The Promise of Deer Run
ISBN: 9781462037964
Softcover: $16.95 ISBN: 9781462037971
Hardcover: $26.95 ISBN: 1462037968
E-book: $9.99 Released: August 16, 2011

In book one, The Road to Deer Run and now in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run, I made every effort to stay true to the colonial times. Descriptions of food, homes, clothing, farming, worship practices, medical care, etc. are the result of extensive research. It has been a personally inspiring experience to write these novels. While the times have changed since the 18th century, the same struggles of their day are our own. Forgiveness, fear, pain, illness, despair, the pain of having a family member at war, the death of a loved one—these are all the battles we contend with in the 21st century. But we also share faith, laughter, love, the excitement of that first kiss, the wonder of looking at a newborn. These are the same joys that we share with our ancestors who are so much a part of who we are. Their journeys are interwoven with our own.

Leave a comment with your e-mail here by November 18 to be entered into a drawing for the following: Winner announced November 21, 2011.

Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains: • Basket • $25 Starbucks gift card • Spode Christmas teapot • Spode Christmas mugs • Yankee candle • Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run • Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run • Bath and Body Paris Amour scent

ON THURSDAY, COME BACK TO READ THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY AND SEE THE TRAILER.

Classics Review of The Grand Inquisitor with Lorilyn Roberts

The Grand Inquisitor

by Fydor Dostoevsky

A Politically Incorrect Critique

by Lorilyn Roberts

The Grand Inquisitor by Fydor Dostoevsky is a parable in his novel, The Brothers Karamazov. The story takes place in Seville, Spain, during the time of the Inquisition, when heretics were routinely burned at the stake. The first time I read The Grand Inquisitor, I found it disturbing. There had been, according to Dostoevsky, during the sixteenth century, chatter among the masses about the fact that Christ had not returned, and many questioned if His miracles were real.

According to the parable, Christ came back once again, briefly, and appeared quietly in the midst of the people, healing those who came to Him. The crowds recognized Him and clambered to be near Him. Christ healed the blind and the needy bowed down to Him. But Christ was too good, too powerful, and the guards came and took Him away. The Inquisitor came to the Prisoner and asked, "Why, then, art Thou come to hinder us?"

There followed a conversation between the Prisoner and the Inquisitor which was disturbing. Christ’s thirty-three years on earth was distorted. The Inquisitor implied that Christ had failed at His mission; that He didn't set men free, for example, and therefore it fell on the church to set men free. According to the Inquisitor, freedom meant bondage. The Inquisitor believed that men couldn’t be free, that they needed to be told what to do, and the church saved the masses by forcing them to cower in submission.

The Inquisitor twisted the meaning of Christ's three temptations in the wilderness; speaking as if he (the Inquisitor) was Satan incarnate, using distorted logic with a kernel of truth when carried to its logical conclusion.

The parable encompassed more than a spiritual meaning and made a political statement; i.e., referencing the notorious conquerors of Timours and Ghenghis-Khan, who subdued men in the name of unity. The Inquisitor valued submission.

When one contemplates the ideology and the two choices presented in the parable—freedom versus bondage—and the Bolshevik Revolution that followed a few decades after Dostoevsky’s death, I wonder what Dostoevsky had in mind—who was The Grand Inquisitor? And surely he gave the Russian people more credit than what he opined. Did Dostoevsky not believe they could live in unity and freedom?

Was the great experiment of American democracy in the 1800’s not sufficient to persuade him? Or was he prophetic? Did he believe the populace would be unable to handle the same freedom if given it? Or was he equating the Inquisitor simply with the time of the Great Inquisition and the depravity of mankind; that even if Christ had returned again, He would have been rejected? Did he accuse men after sixteen centuries of being just as wicked, concluding that Christ had failed once again? Could one surmise that the Inquisitor was Satan himself?

I read The Brothers Karamazov to understand the context in which the parable was written. The parable was told by Ivan, an intellectual, to his Christian mystic brother, Alyosha. Alyosha, in my opinion, was too weak, but represented a moderating influence on the otherwise dark story that covered much of the book.

Toward the end of the parable, Alyosha stated to Ivan, "You don't believe in God." Those who don't believe in God take the most loving aspects of Christ—His salvation and death on the cross—and belittle it. Perhaps Alyosha was comparing his brother to The Grand Inquisitor. Alyosha kissed his brother Ivan on the lips, reminiscent of Judas's betrayal of Jesus with a kiss. But representing the opposite meaning—a feeble attempt at best.

Dostoevsky referenced the Masons in a less than glamorous way, accusing them of possessing the same "mystery," perhaps in conflict with the Catholics' pursuit of unity.  

Dostoyevsky raised more questions than he answered. I felt a sense of hopelessness in the parable. Perhaps if Alyosha was more assertive and less passive, he could have countered the progressive mindset of Ivan—who attempted to intellectually provide answers to questions that did not require belief in a higher being.  Ivan’s tone was over‑reaching and intolerant. The two brothers represented types‑‑the intellectual versus the mystic (I will include the third brother when I analyze the entire book).

The parable provides no easy answers to the accusations of The Grand Inquisitor. Did Dostoevsky have an answer? Perhaps that's the point—to give the reader the freedom to ponder, unlike the accusations of The Grand Inquisitor, who didn't give people enough credit to even do that.

Perspective is everything. Having had more time to consider the book, The Brothers Karamazov, I wonder if my early thoughts were flawed. Upon further reflection, I don’t believe Alyosha was weak. He was humble. His responses were much like Jesus’ response to those who criticized Him. He never lashed back, except at the money changers. And perhaps Dostoevsky was making a broader statement about life. Communism followed in Russia shortly after his death. Is that what will happen here in America? Do people really want to think for themselves, or would they rather have the government or some other entity tell them what to do?

If you cherish your freedom, don’t be like the masses who expect the government to take care of them. Don’t take that government handout. Don’t expect the government to do for you what you can do for yourself.

God gave us freedom in Christ. He knew there would always be tyrannical governments, like the Romans, and Alexander the Great, and Hitler. If each person takes a leap of faith, trusts God, and become his brother’s keeper, we can prevent our country from going the way of others.

As my mother says, our country is going to hell in a handbasket. Little by little, The Grand Inquisitor will have his way in America because as a nation, we have turned our eyes away from God. And because God is love, He has given us the freedom to be conquered—and I ask, what or who will conquer us?

Classics Review of A Tale of Two Cities with Lorilyn Roberts

A Tale of Two Cities

By Charles Dickens

Review by LorilynRoberts

(spoiler)

A Tale of Two Cities has a complicated plot with twists and turns that eventually unravel the tightly woven story. The story begins in France, several years before the French Revolution, switches to England, and then returns to France at the end. A lot of foreshadowing creates suspense, and as the story progresses, war ensues. Death is always a constant threat or recurring theme. In typical Dickens’ style, every character and scene is fully developed with symbolism playing an important role; i.e., the broken wine cask in the beginning and the reference to blood. The imagery reminds one of the Christian sacrament, and the impending war in France.

Of particular interest are the characters; the protagonist, Lucie Manette, discovers her father has been found alive imprisoned in the French Bastille for the last eighteen years. Lucie is the embodiment of love, and her unconditional love restores her father’s sanity.

As the French Revolution draws nearer, the reader senses the progression of hopeless bloodshed through the continued foreshadowing of events. There is an overarching uneasiness that something evil is going to happen to the main characters. The darkness of one of the main antagonists, Madame DeFarge, and her constant knitting of the names of those condemned to death, stands in stark contrast to the loving protagonist, Lucie Manette.

Soon Darnay and Lucie marry, and a few years later, the French Revolution begins.

Dickens shows the intense suffering and affliction of the masses and the arrogant aristocracy, which is portrayed by the heartless Marquis Evrémonde when he runs over a poor plebian child. The impending conflict in France creeps ever so closer to the Manette family in England when Darnay travels to France and is arrested. Darnay returns to Paris to free one of his former servants from prison, but is imprisoned on false charges. After a year, he is released following a trial, only to be immediately seized again by the evil Madame DeFarge. The father, who has been “recalled to life,” teeter totters on psychosis, reverting to his old shoemaking occupation while in prison when Darnay for the second time is sent to the guillotine.

The tight plot, where nothing is wasted, builds to a stunning conclusion with the eventual escape of Lucie, Darnay, and their young daughter from Paris back to London, thanks to Miss Pross’ killing of Madame DeFarge.

One of the most poignant characters is Sydney Carton. In the beginning, he is an unhappy attorney that has taken to drink and feels his life has been wasted; yet, he still longs for a meaningful relationship and finds it in the ever-so-compassionate Lucie Manette. Through her kindness, he becomes more than he could have hoped for or imagined. Her love reaches deep, and, in the end, propels him to make the ultimate sacrifice for Lucie and her family, where his purpose in living embodies ultimate redemption.

A Tale of Two Cities reminds me of those books and movies that need to be enjoyed twice; the first time for the overview of the complex plot, and the second time to appreciate the various symbolisms and motifs that make for a magnificent story.

Classics Review of The Brothers Karamozov with Lorilyn Roberts

The Brothers Karamazov

By

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

Review by Lorilyn Roberts

The Brothers Karamazov opened my eyes to the depths of fine writing and what is necessary to improve mine. I felt humbled and chastised by The Brothers Karamazov.  The meanings and symbolism were much deeper than my own superficiality; i.e., I didn’t like the ending, there wasn’t the redemption I was looking for, Dmitri was found guilty; thus, the court system failed. I wanted to know what was going to happen to him. I felt like Dostovsky didn’t know what to do, so he just left it open for the reader to conjecture, a cop-out. I didn’t agree with the theme of the book, that we are responsible for other’s people’s sins in the sense that he was so emphatic. I felt like there were a lot of extraneous people in the story that served no real purpose, or why did the little boy die?  What did that add to the story?  I liked The Brothers Karamazov, it’s just I wanted it to be nice and tidy. It wasn’t.

The most difficult place to affect change is in someone's core beliefs. What depth of understanding can we impart to a reader beyond his current level? If we can convict a reader to change one aspect of his thinking, we can influence a whole generation. The Brothers Karamazov more than any other book broke down my idealistic view of what is good writing.

Once we acknowledge there is a higher standard than what we are familiar with, we  must be willing to risk failure to attain it. Do we not learn more from our failures than from our accomplishments?

Writing superficially is safe. It's not that we don't have an arc to the story, a protagonist and a villain, complications and a denouement; it's just that the superficiality will not touch deeply the heart of the reader. If we write with emotion and risk failure, though no one may acknowledge or know the risk except the writer, we will have raised the art of our writing to a new level.

Initially, due to my own flawed perception and pride, I felt like Alyosha was weak and Zosima was a dreamer. But they were real people with untarnished characters. They were their brother’s keeper. Pride has a way of distorting our vision of who we are. The Brothers Karamazov confronted  my flawed thinking about antagonists, forcing me to address  my own sin in one significant area: Maybe I am my brother’s keeper. 

But I admitted in my black heart, I don’t want to be my brother’s keeper. That means I have to love some people that are quite unlovable. If I am unwilling and I call myself a Christian, I am a fake. Am I willing to be my brother’s keeper? If I apply my beliefs to only loving those whom I choose to love, that means I am no different from Ivan or Dmitri.

It would be rare for a book to change more than one core belief in a person's thought process. To  effectuate any change is mind boggling. How many people read the Bible and walk away, darkened in their understanding? If the Greatest Book ever written can't convict every soul who scours its pages in search of answers, what pride we must have to believe we can bring about a metamorphosis in anyone. There must be a movement of the Holy Spirit to effectuate change. Only then can our words be powerful and only if executed to perfection. The Brothers Karamazov came as close to bringing me to my knees as any book I have read outside the Bible.

It is also interesting to note the political undertones in The Brothers Karamazov which predated the communist revolution in Russia by a few decades. .And freedom – Christ set men free. The opposite of that is totalitarianism. Perhaps the fight is greater than we realize. Our thoughts spoken into our books may even reflect prophetically the future as we seek to write from a Christian worldview. That was certainly the case with Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Some consider The Brothers Karamazov the greatest book ever written outside the Bible. Considering its place alongside the rest of the classics I have read, I would agree.