He Himself Knows Our Frame
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen” (2 Corinthians 13:14).
Hi Reader!
I scrolled through my Facebook friends list recently, and saw the profiles of old friends and new. Some people I’ve never met. Some, I interact with a lot, others rarely, and so on.
Sadly, there were also profiles of loved ones who are no longer with us. Seeing those profiles was a gut-punch, even years later.
“As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more” (Psalm 103:15-16).
I stopped scrolling and went to the window (the real one, not the browser). For some reason, the mountains and trees were a little blurry.
We forget how precious each life is. How quickly this mad scramble to achieve, amass, and prove—to learn, love, and overcome—how quickly it all ends. How soon those we might take for granted will be gone, leaving an empty place that can never be filled again. How soon we, too, will be gone.
“But the lovingkindess of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:17).
“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame. He is mindful that we are but dust” (Psalm 103:13-14).
Thank God for grace.
Drama may sometimes cloud our relationships, but we are all in process. Let’s give one another grace, and the respect that acknowledges both God’s ability to work in us and our ability to respond to Him.
Soon, we’ll see Jesus face to face.
We’ll reconnect at last with loved ones who’ve gone before us. We’ll celebrate through eternity, together with Him.
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout…. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13, 15-18).
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus…. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess 4:13-14, 17-18).
Do you know God loves you and wants a relationship with you? He wants you to spend eternity with Him.
If you aren’t sure you know the Lord Jesus personally, please click over to my page about finding peace with God. You’ll find Scriptures and a prayer to help you begin your relationship with Him.
Writing News
“Strong, honest, story telling. Full of real people struggling with real faith in an all too real world. A good, provocative read.” –Bill Myers
I’m thrilled to report that Bill Myers read Sons from Afar and gave it this strong endorsement! Bill is the brilliant author of the well-known McGee and Me children’s series, the Rendezvous with God series, and many more. He is an acclaimed film director, author, and screenwriter. His work has won more than 60 awards and sold over 8 million copies.
And he endorsed my little book. To say I was honored is an understatement. I was floored!
The book is also being read, for possible endorsement, by beloved author Robin Lee Hatcher, winner of the Christy and RITA awards and author of more than 95 novels and novellas. Even if she doesn’t endorse Sons from Afar, I’m honored by her interest.
I’m also reaching out to other authors for endorsement, praying these endorsements will help introduce the right readers to Sons from Afar.
Speaking of readers, an “advance reader copy” (ARC) is a pre-published book authors send to interested readers, for free. Hopefully, those ARC readers leave a review on Amazon, Bookbub, or Goodreads, boosting the book’s algorithmic muscle on launch day.
Would you like to be an ARC reader for Sons from Afar?
I would love to send you a free, prepublished copy, with the hope, but not requirement, that you leave a review on Goodreads (pre-launch), or Amazon (post-launch). I can send the book in EPUB, MOBI, PDF, or good old-fashioned print. (EPUB and MOBI are for digital devices, such as Kindle or Nook.)
If you’re interested, please fill out this form. (Ignore the "Expected publication date" sign. I just picked a random date.)
I would be so grateful for your support. Thanks in advance!
Prayer
Please pray with me for the readers of Sons from Afar:
Dear Father,
We are just the vessels of Your grace. Without You, we can do nothing.
Please use the novel, Sons from Afar, to bring those You've called into relationship with You. Bring clarity and healing to anyone who would benefit from its message. Use it to elevate Your grace and love, along with shining the light of Scripture on the complex issue of illegal immigration. You are the way through impossible situations. Please point readers to the sure foundation of Your Word.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
Life-Changing Fiction
This book lives up to its title. I rendezvoused with God.
The story features Will, a college professor with a dysfunctional family background (addiction, abuse, etc.). When Will's very messed-up, hurting niece shows up to live with him, he must face his past, his sin, and his need for a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Interspersed with the story are Will's encounters with Jesus at pivotal moments in our Savior's earthly life. (For these, Will travels back through time.) Thoughtful discussion questions at the back allow the reader to ponder the lessons. So very deep, comforting, and healing for many common life challenges.
To Enchant a Lady's Heart is the first in a series by Robin Lee Hatcher.
The series is The British Are Coming, which is why the timing to recommend it is perfect. King Charles and Queen Camilla just hung out with the Trumps at the White House, after all.
Eliza Southwick is a bored debutante with a passion for horses and a love of reading. (What's not to love?!) This is a "love triangle" plot, with two half-brothers involved. Adam loves Eliza but isn't qualified to marry her. (This is England, remember. Land of the not-so-free.) Sebastian, well, he's qualified but not that interested. Yet social pressure demands their marriage.
When Eliza starts to fall for the handsome, caring Adam, the trouble starts. The cost to her soul of marrying for status and money would be high. But would the cost of "marrying down," for love, be even higher?
Free for You!
This short story is a "cozy mystery"--that's an intriguing tale without intensity or graphic violence, occurring in a charming, small-town setting.
A natural sleuth, Mazie Harris owns a delightful bookstore with her dad. When a man is found unconscious in a ditch, Mazie can't help getting involved. Soon, she figures out the director of a nearby rehab center is hiding something dark...
More from Columba...
Join my team to spread the word about Sons from Afar! Get a free pre-published copy of Sons from Afar. Your review on Amazon or Goodreads would help on launch day. Thanks, and God bless you!
Did you get the freebie I'm offering, By His Grace? Click the button below to download it! Once you've downloaded the EPUB file, follow these easy instructions to pop it on your device and start reading!
- When you've downloaded the EPUB file, make sure it's in your Downloads folder.
- Go to https://amazon.com/sendtokindle (You'll have to type it in. I couldn't find this page by clicking around Amazon.)
- Are you on Amazon's "Send to Kindle" page? Great!
- Click the button that says, "Select files from device." In the popup window, navigate to your Downloads folder.
- You should see the By His Grace EPUB file. Click on it and use the "Send" button to upload your short story to your Amazon library.
- Now, you can access By His Grace from anywhere you have the Kindle app installed. Have fun!
Wonders in the Deep has seventy-five ratings and 4.5 stars on Amazon!
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Thank you for your support! It really does mean the world to me. Please reach out if you want prayer or encouragement.
God bless you!
with love,
Columba
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