Every now and then I remember that this blog was created to help sell my books. And then I wonder why I post so much unedifying news (see below). Surely my readers already know the world is going to hell in a handbasket, and don’t need me to tell them. So why do I keep telling them?
I don’t know. It seems the right thing to do.
I was brought up a good Christian boy and drifted way away from it, with a great deal of help in that regard from school and college. My life became all about me–what I wanted, how to get it, me, me, me. It didn’t make me happy.
You won’t believe what shocked me out of it.
I woke up one day, as it were, to discover that the President of the United States had been getting serviced by an intern in the Oval Office, lied about it, got away with it, and had millions of Americans rallying around him saying “Everybody does it!”
How in the world, I wondered, did we get here? And by and by I came to believe we got to that disgraceful and ridiculous position by doing what I’d been doing for the last 30 years–me, me, me and don’t pay attention to anything else: and never, never spare a thought for God.
So why do I post these gross news items? My readers don’t need shocking, do they?
Well, folks, if you don’t, maybe you know someone who does. A friend or a family member. Someone who just might listen to you. And besides, I don’t know who else may be reading these posts. It may be someone who needs a shock.
One thing I do know: America needs to pray and America needs to repent, big-time. God gave us into the power of these disgusting evil rulers for a purpose. He will take them away when that purpose has been served; meanwhile, they debauch the nation.
Pray and repent, pray and repent. And get others to do the same. It may be that God will hear us, and heal our land.
And I won’t have to write about that nasty stuff anymore.
If you’re still taking song requests, While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns seems appropriate to this topic (third verse especially).
Your wish is my command.
P.S.–Allison, I listened to your interview on “By the Fireplace.” You have a nice voice! I wish I had–mine sounds like Dracula’s coffin being opened.
I’m supposed to do an interview there this month, but I don’t yet know when.
Thanks, Lee! That’s really nice of you to say. I was so nervous! I’m glad it is over, and that it seemed to go well. Definitely tell me when you get your interview date. I will post it on my social media, and will for sure listen in. I know you’ll give a great one!
On one of my first radio interviews, years ago, I told the interviewer that was a former Navy Seal. I thought she knew me well enough to know that I was kidding, but she just let it go. So I had to take it back.
I’ll be sure to let you know when I do By the Fireplace.
I sometimes ask myself why I keep trying to warn people, enlighten the confused, etc. I seem not to be able to help myself. Your writing is still like a breath of fresh air to me, even when it is about the negatives. The ending of this one explains it perfectly.
Well, Lee, now you’ve got me started. Let me first quote the applicable Scripture:
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Probably I’ve shared my testimony before, but I’m prompted to repeat it now.
Raised in the Catholic Church, (we even had nuns and priests in our family, including 2 Jesuit priests) study of the Bible was not encouraged. ‘Something’ about the Catholic Church and their mass never felt right to me in my spirit. In fact, I was actually uncomfortable (except in choir when I got to sing to Our Lord). I realize now that it was Jesus protecting me.
When I left home, I also left the RC Church, but had no idea how or with what to replace it. I tried a few different churches of friends – nothing happened.
One day, in the mid 1990s, while I was at home alone, I was walking through my living room. That’s when it occurred to me that I had been waving God off with the back of my hand over my shoulder, so to speak, as if to say ‘I don’t have time for you today’. At that moment, I fell to the floor and began to weep uncontrollably in utter grief and repentance. How long I was on my face is a mystery to me, but it was quite some time. Then I asked God to please show me how and where to learn what He said, not what some man says He said. He directed me to a wonderful Bible teacher that happened to be on my satellite tv, which is another part of the story. My grandchildren were coming to stay with me for an extended time so I thought it would be a good idea to get one of those big satellite dishes in my backyard. Little did I know God was orchestrating that, too. The Bible teacher was on a ‘free satellite feed’ 24 hours a day, teaching book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. What a blessing!
For the next week, I barely slept – taking in every word. For a good many years, no other program was on my television (we had another tv for the children if they wanted to watch something). It remained on that program 24 hours a day – all day and night, every day and night. I was so thirsty!
Praise God! And I am so grateful that I heard Him knock – and answered!
My prayer is that this testimony will help to draw a soul who may be seeking to Our Lord.
Amen, Linda–thanks for sharing. Hearing the Word is all-important.
If we don’t Hear the Word, how can we Do the Word?!
Amen. Thanks for the short testimony. PS, I’m half way through “The Temple” and loving it. It’s good to get back to Obann. (I usually wait to get my copy of the most recent book, till I have someone coming back from the US. Between shipping and our horrible exchange rate, it more than doubles the price.)
It’s absurd, that it costs less to ship a book from Seattle to Key West than it costs to ship the same book from Seattle to Vancouver.
Have you ever thought about having a second blog site for your young readers? My son loves your books and would be interested in your advice on writing and your book reviews…but he is too young for your postings on current events.
Heidi, that’s not a bad idea, only I’m so heavily engaged now, I couldn’t possibly manage another blog.
There are in the archives of this blog plenty of book reviews and posts about the art and technique of writing. If you’d rather he didn’t read the other stuff–I’d rather not have to write about it, if the truth be known–maybe you could print out these more innocuous posts for him. Would that work for you?
After reading today’s post I can understand that you are busy enough!
I keep tabs on your blog regularly in hopes of hearing more about your upcoming books, and share the appropriate posts as we go.
Looking forward to hearing of your recovery, and yes, we will pray!
Thanks–I need it, and appreciate it.
The moral turpitude of our society as a whole is the greatest factor in our decline.
I served as chairman of a chapter of Arkansas Right To Life for over 20 years (serving on the Board for two of those years). We wrote to our representatives, handed out tracks at the abortion clinic in our area, helped start two pregnancy crisis centers and a home for unwed mothers (all three still flourishing today). We have no idea how many babies we saved as a result of our faithfulness, but we did see Arkansas go from seven abortion mills to one, and live to see the strictest legislation laws against abortion in America passed in our State.
Way to go!