Through My Kitchen Window

The Writing Life

“Every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.” Matthew 13:52

In today’s blog, I will tell you about myself as a Christian writer as well as introduce two of my writing friends.

 I began writing a few years ago during a difficult time in my life - a time where I found myself extremely concerned for someone I loved very much. I was praying for this person constantly and longed to understand prayer better. After a self study of prayer through the entire Bible; from Genesis to Revelation, I had a manuscript written. My desire to get this manuscript published led me to freelancing. My goal was to build a name as a writer in the hopes of getting a book deal. That was only three years ago. Today, I have over 80 published pieces. One of my articles has been viewed at least 100,000 times after it was published in Celebrate Life Magazine and then picked up by both LifeSiteNews.com and LifeNews.com. That same article is scheduled for reprint next fall in “Power for Living” (David C. Cooke) here is a link to that article for those who are interested: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/mom-im-pregnant-a-profile-in-pro-life-courage

The good news is I am succeeding as a freelance Christian writer but the bad news is I still don’t have a book deal. So, I have changed my strategy. I am now selling the manuscript in sections as a Bible Study series. I have two sections converted to Bible studies and more will follow this summer. For any who are interested these can be purchased at: http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?type=eBooks&keyWords=harriet+michael&sorter=relevance-desc

Linda Jeffreys

Grief has overtaken you for a while. Death has destroyed your security. Life is changing like an earthquake. You can’t find God in this black hole.

Comfort and Joy is encouragement and hope for ordinary people who need the power of God to overcome death. Linda learned about grief as an unwilling student in a life shaken by sudden death as well as devastating illness. She leads classes in grief, and shares how she received healing after facing loss due to suicide, heart attack, and a malignant brain tumor. Comfort and Joy shows you how to navigate the overwhelming new feelings and responsibilities that accompany trauma, death and loss. More importantly, you will see and hear Linda’s heart as you walk through her grief experience. She will show you how to receive healing beyond grief and loss from Jesus Christ, the only One who has conquered death.

The book will be available in April, 2012 from the website www.TheGriefExperience.com In the meantime, please join Linda at her blog. www.TheGriefExperience.wordpress.com.

Jayne Garrison

Jayne Garrison is the second daughter of Stanley and Jane Ray who served as missionaries to Nigeria in the 50’s and early 60’s. She writes to bring comfort to hurting parents, but sometimes looks back on her African years through the eyes of a child through short vignettes that she shares with family and friends. Her book Tragedy’s Ark, A Book of Comfort for Disheartened Parents can be purchased from Amazon.Com and is available in traditional or e-book format. Read her blog at http://jaynegarrison.authorsxpress.com/ and visit her book at Amazon.Com.

The Two Edged Sword

"Tell it not in Gath"

 “Tell it not in Gath; weep not at all…” (Micah 1:10) 

What in the world does this verse mean?! As I studied the book of Micah, what I learned about this verse struck me as particularly poignant. The prophet Micah predicts an upcoming calamity upon the divided kingdom of Israel. Israel’s enemies lived in Gath. When Micah wrote, “Tell it not in Gath”, he meant, “Don’t let our enemies know of our impending calamity.” And why didn’t Micah want Israel’s enemies to know?  Micah knew they would rejoice in Israel’s troubles. This is sad to me. Micah was called by God to make a prophecy that he wished he did not have to make. Like every Israeli at the time, he especially didn’t want his enemies to know…Tell it not in Gath!

 Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever faced a really tough or even embarrassing set of circumstances which you wish no one else knew about. But at least your family and friends will love you and support you through it. If only you could keep those who might rejoice in your problems from ever knowing!

              Fortunately this is not Micah’s last word on the topic. He later revisits this question, sounding more hopeful. In Micah 7: 8-9 he writes,

“Do not rejoice over me O my enemy. Though I fall, yet I will rise; though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His righteousness.”

             Praise be to God, because of Him we too can tell our enemies, “Do not rejoice over me; though I fall, by God’s help, yet I will rise! God will someday bring me out into the light once again!”