by Roseanna White | Nov 10, 2016 | Thoughtful Thursdays
Well, here we are, on the other side of the election. The results are in, the new president is declared, and some less-than-peaceful protests are under way. I have friends who are gloating, friends who are weeping, and friends (the vast majority) who say something along the lines of, “God is in control. He put who He wanted in the White House.”
Um . . . er . . .
This has been rubbing me wrong for months, every time that’s someone’s reaction to the election. I’ve been letting it churn around inside my little head, trying to pinpoint why. But I think it comes down to this:
Free will.
God is in control, yes. God is capable of doing anything, yes. But God also gave us that beautiful free will thing, right? We can’t say, “Well obviously God wanted me to steal that necklace, because He didn’t stop me.” or “Obviously God wanted me to sleep with that guy,” or “Obviously God doesn’t care if I cheat my customers. He’s in control. But I still did it.”
That’s just silly, and everyone knows it. So why do we extend it to the national level?
Most of the quotes I see go back to Romans 13, where Paul tells us that we’re under the authority of our leaders, because all authority comes from God. Well, yes. That means I must honor and respect my president, whoever he or she is. That does not mean that every person who holds an office is the best person to hold an office, or that if I voted them there, I’m not responsible in part for their actions while in said office. Moreover, those who want to read this so strictly ought to have a problem with the very existence of the United States. Those in the Revolution certainly didn’t think they had to kneel before the authority of King George just because he was their God-appointed king.
Here’s the thing: we live in a democratic republic. We vote. That means we, the people, are responsible for the politicians elected to our offices. Us. Not God, any more than He’s responsible for any of our other choices. Inherited monarchies, like those we see in the Bible, are different. And also irrelevant to us today. Because our officials are chosen by our free will.
Does God know who will win? Of course! And sure, everything’s part of His plan. But so, then, is our sin–that doesn’t mean it’s good, doesn’t mean it’s the right way, doesn’t mean it’s what He wants us to do. It’s what He lets us do.
Now, I’m not saying one way or another that this election’s results pleased or displeased God. What I’m saying is that it’s theologically dangerous to assume it pleases Him just because it happened that way.
I’m saying God didn’t put Donald Trump or Barack Obama or George Bush or Bill Clinton in the White House–we did. We, with our free will and our choices. We get the president we ask for.
I’m saying that this win for the Republicans isn’t God giving the country one more chance. And if we think it is, we might just be resting in the wrong authority–we might just be trusting our president-elect to fix things, when he can’t.
We might be shrugging responsibility for change onto his shoulders when it’s ours. WE need to fix this country, from the bottom-up, on our knees, reaching out to our neighbors, teaching our children, redefining the national morality to line up again with the biblical. No president can do that. WE must.
We can’t rest easy now, my friends. We have not won a spiritual victory
with this election–we wouldn’t have, either way it had gone. We’ve just
exercised the democratic process. The spiritual battle is still raging,
as it was before and as it will do after and as it would have done had
Mrs. Clinton won as well.
Yesterday someone shared a prophecy a young pastor had made, which basically said that God told him He was going to use Trump as a trumpet to sound forth and point out evil and corruption. I won’t disagree . . . but we also have to remember that God rarely works as we expect Him to. He has certainly used Trump this election cycle to point out evil and corruption–but not just in the opposition. His behavior has also pointed out corruption within the church, some leaders of which have bent over backwards to defend some pretty indefensible actions this fall. Because of him, I now know that racism and sexism are much more prevalent than I thought. But he wasn’t the one shouting against it.
He’s being a trumpet . . . but are God’s people hearing the right message? Or are we dancing to the battle cry?
by Roseanna White | Nov 9, 2016 | Ancient World, Remember When Wednesdays
As a promised, a bit more about Giver of Wonders today. 😉
At the start of the story, my heroine Cyprus is twelve years old. In the very first scene, she experiences an accident that leaves her paralyzed–and the thoughts and fears are quick to bombard her. Her father–Roman by heritage but Greek by upbringing–will have no patience for her in such a condition, she knows.
She knows he loves her. But she’s just a child–and a girl, at that. In that society at that point in history, female children weren’t viewed as precious–not when they had a disability, certainly. They were possessions of the father, and their purpose was to bring him honor through their marriages. According to Roman law, a father can kill his daughter at any point in her life without consequence. It’s his right.
So Cyprus, suddenly unable to move, sees her life flash before her eyes–but not the life she’s lived thus far. The short, brutal life she knows is about to come.
She’ll die. Not from the fall that severed her spinal cord (not that I name it as such, LOL), but from what she views as the decision her father will have no choice but to make. It’s unthinkable that he’ll saddle himself and his wife with such a child for innumerable years. He’ll do what his Greek neighbors would expect him to do:
Kill her.
Because he loves her, she doubts he’ll be able to do it by his own hand, so he’ll do what most parents do in the face of an obviously imperfect child: leave her on a hilltop for the weather and wild animals to snarl over.
To modern, Western philosophy, this mindset is simply unthinkable. Because children are precious. They are a gift from God. We give them, in general, more consideration than adults–but this is a relatively new idea. As recently as a hundred years ago, families with any means still believed children were meant to be tucked away and cared for out of sight–and earshot–by hired help. Christmas celebrations were for the adults, not primarily the children. They would have considered this ancient mindset extreme, but they without the benefit of modern medicine and therapy and equipment probably would have also shrugged and said, “But I understand. What can they do? Wouldn’t it have been more merciful to end her suffering?”
Throughout the book, Cyprus’s father represents that Greek/Roman way of thinking–first for himself and only after that for his daughters.
So how are daughters to respond, especially in a world that thinks like he does?
How do you honor a parent who is not honoring God?
These are a few questions I dig into–quesitons I had no answer to going in, but which came to light as I wrote. And I do it by remembering something that would have been new and revolutionary at the time:
God values children, even daughters. He pours love and affection out upon them. The early Christian church did something unprecedented in history by taking in orphans and unwanted children and loving them. Teaching them that God loved them. That they were precious.
That mindset we take for granted today? That’s all thanks to God and Jesus. Which is why it’s pretty funny when the secular feminist today spouts nonsense about the Bible being anti-woman. Because honey, without the Bible and its mores, you wouldn’t have any rights to complain at all. 😉
Of course, the book would be pretty short if Cyprus’s father really killed her after chapter one. She ends up miraculously healed . . . but her father won’t accept that either. Because why would God waste a miracle on a third daughter? And so, in the years to come, Cyprus asks a new question:
Why did God heal her?
I think this is a question many of us relate to. Why did God move in that way in our lives? What was the plan, the purpose? How are we supposed to remember the feeling of peace and Joy when the world around us crumbles?
Good questions. It takes Cyprus many, many pages to arrive at an answer. And it’s one I pray will shed some new light on what love–selfless, God-given love–is really all about.
by Roseanna White | Nov 3, 2016 | Giveaways and Contests, Scavenger Hunt
Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #4
Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve
just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues
through all 31 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 grand
prizes!
• Hunt
through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
• There is NO
RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 11/6)! So take
your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you
discover new authors/new books.
• Submit your
entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue on each author’s scavenger
hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at Stop #31. Many
authors are offering additional prizes along the way!
I’m thrilled to welcome the amazing Cindy Woodsmall to my
blog! Cindy has been writing bestselling Amish fiction for years and wowing
readers for good reason. If you haven’t checked out her books before now, don’t
waste any other time doing so! (Confession: I’m not a huge fan of Amish
fiction, but I’ve loved everything I’ve read of Cindy’s!!)
Cindy is here with The Angel of Forest Hill, an amazing
journey toward love and belonging, filled with the wonder of the season of
Christ’s birth. Because of Joel’s impossible situation, twenty-one-year-old
Rose must sacrifice everything. As days pass into years in the midst of the
beautiful hills, the laughter of children, and God’s providence—is it too much
for Rose to hope for love in return?
And now without further ado, here’s Cindy!
Seven Ways I Escape into an Amish Setting
by Cindy Woodsmall
I love writing, and I love exploring the Amish culture and
the challenges and romance that are a part of that lifestyle. Since my home as
an adult is far removed from the Plain world, I rely on certain methods to help
me escape into the Amish world
1. Some
mornings, I rise early, the way I do when staying with Amish friends, and then
sit on the porch with my coffee. While darkness surrounds me, I listen as
nature wakes. Keeping the windows open once I’m in my home office helps too.
2. I may put
bread onto bake. (In the bread machine, of course!) The aroma of bread baking
really helps transport me.
3.
Years ago,
as an Old Order Amish friend and I were going to the dry goods store by horse
and buggy, I took a video clip of it as the horse clippety-clopped along, and
watching that is often helpful.
(Click to see the video!)
4. Throughout
the last two decades, I’ve taken many pictures (by permission) of Amish
friends. Those can visually transport me from my home in Georgia into their
homes and lives once again.
5. Spreading an
Amish-made quilt over me works well. If it’s winter and my windows are open,
this is a nice treat. If it’s summer, it’s a good reminder of how hot a day
gets for the Amish since they don’t have air-conditioning.
6. Brewing
coffee in a percolator on my gas stove the way the Amish do surrounds me with
the feel and aroma of being in an Amish home.
7. Going to the
local farmer’s market is very helpful. The one nearest me has ten to fifteen
booths that line one side street of a small, historic town. Sometimes going to
an antique store is helpful too.
Cindy Woodsmall is an award-winning New York Times and CBA
best-selling author who has written nineteen works of fiction. Her connection
with the Amish community has been widely featured in national media outlets,
including being featured on ABC Nightline. The Wall Street Journal listed Cindy
as one of the top three most popular authors of Amish fiction.
Here’s the Stop #4 Skinny:
Clue to Write Down: this year’s
And of course, I have one for you as well. =)
At stop #3 I told you a little bit about Ella–well, here’s your chance to win her story! Or if you’re in the mood for some holiday reads, you could opt for Giver of Wonders instead, a story featuring the young man the world now knows as St. Nicholas and exploring the origin of Christian traditions we still uphold today.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Roseanna White | Nov 1, 2016 | Announcements, Book News
It’s November 1st! That means that at long last, my first Christmas novel is LIVE!
I intended to have this ready to go last year, but, um . . . I didn’t. 😉 Given that the book was only half written last November, I instead took the holiday season to finish it up and then had this year for editing and feedback and that sort of excitement. 😉
But I’m so excited to share the story of Cyprus and Nikolaos and Petros. And seeing it reviewed in RT Reviews two weeks ago with a 4.5 Star Top Pick rating was pretty darn awesome too. This is what RT had to say:
Perfect for the Christmas season, White’s latest is a story
that begs to become a tradition. The setting comes alive in sights, sounds and
smells, but it’s the people in this book that make it so memorable. Despite the
general solemnity to the plot, vivid characters and their strong and unswerving
faith frame the tale in life and warmth and love. This story of love and faith
belongs on every holiday reading list, it’s a beautifully crafted reminder of
the true purpose of giving.
Squee!!
So I figure I’ll share a bit of behind-the-scenes on this book today and tomorrow–and then later in the week is the Fall 2016 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, where I’ll be hosting Stop #4–so be sure to swing by then for a chance at the epic grand prize and for a giveaway just from me too, where you can choose from either of my recent releases.
Now . . . Cyprus.
When I decided to write this story, I figured it would be fun to get a peek at the Visibullis family that I’ve written about in
A Stray Drop of Blood and
A Soft Breath of Wind–two hundred fifty years after those stories. Though readers certainly don’t see any of those previous characters on the page, we do see their legacy. At one point, Dorus Visibullis, father of my heroine, receives a shipment of scrolls and codices (think early books) from his uncle, part of his inheritance. And on each scroll and codex is part of his Christian heritage–including an eye-witness account of the resurrection by Abigail, which Benjamin transcribed in her later years.
I hope readers enjoy this sort of nod at the early books–and that they fall in love with these characters too. Cyprus has in a way been a long time coming for me. I was in college when I decided I wanted to use the name for a heroine someday. Not sure why, but I just love the way it sounds. So I had Dorus and his wife Artemis name their girls after cities where they’d lived. Alexandria, Rhoda (after Rhodes), and Cyprus.
When I was brainstorming what I would make happen in this book, I knew it was crucial that Cyprus not look like the typical Greek/Roman girl. I wanted it to be dangerous for her to venture out alone in a world where it wasn’t unusual for children to be kidnapped and sold as slaves. And the rarer the coloring the better. At first I’d thought blond would work, but then I remembered reading that no slave in Rome fetched a higher price than a redhead. So that’s what Cyprus needed to be.
I searched for images forever. Seriously. Looking for some appropriate stock photo that I could use for Cyprus. But I couldn’t find one. Anywhere. So I took to DeviantArt and eventually stumbled upon Kirilee, who had this amazing series of “Greek Queen” photographs.
I contacted her about using one in accordance with her permissions, which stipulated that we couldn’t do anything like change out her face for someone else’s, but she had no problem with me reddening her hair. So the kind Kirilee became my Cyprus.
Cyprus is a girl who receives a miraculous healing in the opening chapter . . . and who then spends the next years of her life wondering why God would save her. She has always believed in Him . . . but she is just a girl, as her father keeps reminding her. A girl has no purpose but to marry advantageously. Can that really be all the Lord wants from her? Or will she doubt too much and have that paralysis overtake her again?
When tragedy strikes her family, the questions only get worse. Why save her for this? But love for her sisters spurs her onward, into a fight against the culture, the expectations, and into the realization of what God really asks–for everything, sacrificed freely to Him. So that He can work His wonders.
It’s a story of love at its foundation. Love for our parents, our siblings, our children. Love for our friends, love for the one who becomes our spouse. But ultimately, love for God.
This is a story about the man we now call
St. Nicholas. But in my typical fashion, it’s not the sort of story you might expect when you hear that. Because it’s not just about the man who created traditions we still keep today. It’s about the God-given love, the God-given gift of healing that spurred him to take extreme actions to save his friends. And it’s about those whose lives were forever changed by it.
Also, quick note!
I have four other books on sale this month!
by Roseanna White | Oct 20, 2016 | Thoughtful Thursdays
I admit it–I’m sick of it. All the politics on the news, the divisiveness, the fact that I can’t go on Facebook without my friends’ feed being an explosion of vitriolic “Who I’m voting for and why” posts. It makes me tired. But more, it makes me sad.
And here’s why.
Last weekend, my husband gave a message in our church that had been brewing inside him for a year, but whose time was finally right. In a way, it was about the country. But mostly–more importantly–it was about the church. And how we’ve failed.
Because here’s the thing. Politics and laws don’t change the culture. Ever. They reflect it. We as Christians are so up in arms over this election, convinced that if we don’t vote for the person who promises what we want, then we’re voting for Satan himself. That if one person wins, America is lost, but if the other person wins, then surely it’ll be a Samson or David or Solomon story all over again, right? God will work through one candidate to save us and the other to destroy us.
Um, here’s the thing folks. God isn’t going to save a country that doesn’t want to be saved. (Individuals, sure. There’s always a remnant. But I’m talking the nation as a whole.) So let’s look around and ask the real question:
Does American want God to save them?
The answer is terrifying. And undeniable: NO. America as a whole doesn’t want God. We’ve gone beyond tolerating sin–we embrace it. We as a culture have looked at the Bible, seen its wisdom, and chucked it out in favor of what’s fun and pleasurable and doesn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable. We just want to be happy. And we have that right, right? It’s written in our founding documents, for crying out loud! Everyone has the right to pursue happiness!
What we forget is that it’s not America that gives us that right. It’s the Creator. America is actually unique for giving the Creator that due rather than claiming it for the state. France, for example, in their revolution, said that the State gave its citizens those basic rights. So then, the State also has the power to take them away.
America can’t . . . unless we, as a people, let it.
So why do we today get so worked up over the system, the politics, and what those politicians can give or refuse, force upon us or take away . . . yet not expend half so much energy–or vocal power–proclaiming the Good News of Jesus? Convincing the world there’s a better way? Trying to change, not the politics, but the people it serves?
We’ve had politicians from both sides with senate majorities or in the White House. What have they done, really? Those who share our beliefs sure haven’t slowed down the moral decay. And those who oppose them have only instigated legislation that reflects the beliefs of most of the nation.
That is the problem–that is what we need to be fired up about. The fact that our nation, our culture, our neighbors have turned their backs on God.
No politicians, right or left or in the middle, can change that. Ever. Because we’re only going to get the leaders we ask for–the leaders we deserve. And right now, this is what we’ve asked for. What we’ve demanded.
So how about we turn our focus away from the leaders . . . and work on being a people who deserve the best?
It’s easier to just think we can elect people to do that work for us–but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the easy way is seldom the right way, and the right way is seldom easy. Let’s, as the Church, as Christians, as believers in the best news to ever be given to mankind, stop whining about party politics–and start trying to change the culture that has created it.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. Having successfully launched two homeschool grads, she now spends her time writing fiction, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years, as well as a fantasy series and contemporary mysteries and romances. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.