What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? What Are We Fighting For?

Rora - The winds from the valley known as Pelice carried an ominous tale of sorrow and destruction. The army of black-robed Inquisitors had laid siege to the defenseless inhabitants of the valley, burning villages, destroying churches, and killing those who refused to renounce their faith. Yet high on a granite mountain above the land that forms the border between Italy and France stood Joshua Gianavel—one man who held the fate of a nation in his hands. He would not allow the same desolation to reach his home and people in the valley of Rora without a fight. With lionlike courage and a small band of farmers and peasants, he would wage warfare against Europe’s mightiest army with a brilliance the world has never seen. Based upon the true story of the historic stand of the Waldenses in 1655, Rora is a spellbinding tale of a legendary hero, of international intrigue and subterfuge, of cloak-and-dagger tactics, and of a faith that refused to die. 

The Alabaster Cross -  Trapped in a world of anger, 29-year-old Bryan Whittaker cannot move on with his life until he takes a journey into his past…a dangerous journey that will lead him into the heart of the Amazon RainForest. Instead of the revenge he seeks, Bryan finds Diana and through her love he is able to make peace with his past and find redemption. A deeply human story about the complexities of love between a man and a woman, parents and children, a brother and a sister, and ultimately the transforming power of divine love. If you’ve ever struggled to restore a broken relationship you will identify with Bryan’s journey as he strives to make peace with his past.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? World War II Fiction

The Winter Rose - Grace Tonquin is an American Quaker who works tirelessly in Vichy France to rescue Jewish children from the Nazis. After crossing the treacherous Pyrenees, Grace returns home to Oregon with a brother and sister who lost their parents during the war. Though Grace and her husband love Elias and Marguerite as their own, echoes of Grace’s past and trauma from the Holocaust tear the fragile new family apart. More than fifty years after they disappear, Addie Hoult arrives at Tonquin Lake, hoping to find the Tonquin family. For Addie, the mystery of what happened to them is a matter of life and death for her beloved mentor Charlie, who is battling a genetic disease. Though Charlie refuses to discuss his ties to the elusive Tonquins, piecing together their story is the only way to save his life—and potentially mend the wounds from his broken past. 

Fun Facts About The Winter Rose - The author, Melanie Dobson, came up with the idea for this WWII novel in the midst of the 2020 pandemic when she had heard about the American and British Quakers in France who helped Jewish children during World War II. According to Dobson, “The Winter Rose is not meant to be a reflection of modern-day Quakerism but a historical account of one woman who devoted her life to Christ and caring for His children. It is also a tribute to the men and women who sacrificed their lives to transport kids of all ages over the Pyrenees. 

The Forgotten Names - Five years after the highly publicized trial of Klaus Barbie, the "Butcher of Lyon," law student Valérie Portheret began her doctoral research into the 108 children who disappeared from Vénissieux fifty years earlier, children who somehow managed to escape deportation and certain death in the German concentration camps. She soon discovers that their rescue was no unexplainable miracle. It was the result of a coordinated effort by clergy, civilians, the French Resistance, and members of other humanitarian organizations who risked their lives as part of a committee dedicated to saving those most vulnerable innocents.

Theirs was a heroic act without precedent in Nazi-occupied Europe, made possible due to a loophole in the Nazi agenda to deport all Jewish immigrants from the country: a legally recognized exemption for unaccompanied minors. Therefore, to save their children, the Jewish mothers of Vénissieux were asked to make the ultimate sacrifice of abandoning them forever. Told in dual timelines, The Forgotten Names is a reimagined account of the true stories of the French men and women who have since been named Righteous Among the Nations, the children they rescued, the stifled cries of shattered mothers, and a law student, whose twenty-five-year journey allowed those children to reclaim their heritage and remember their forgotten names.

 Fun Facts About The Forgotten Names - Spanish author, Mario Escobar, first learned about Valerie Portheret and her work from a French newspaper, discovering how her story has moved French society. Through that, Mario Escobar wrote The Forgotten Names. In the Clarifications From History section of his book, Escobar shares something incredible:

“It is true that Valerie dedicated herself to identifying the names of the 108 children and locating them personally. Thus began a journey that lasted more than twenty-five years, a journey to return to those children their original identities and to listen to their stories. By 1994 she had identified the names of 93 of the 108 children from a list found in the archives of the Alliance Israelite Universelle, a French organization. In 2003 she uncovered eighty-two of the waivers from the Venissieux camp in which parents signed away their parental rights and entrusted their children to members of Amitie Chretienne. Among the children on the list of those rescued from Venissieux was a girl named Eva Stein. Eva was one of the last children Valerie found, and not until 2018. Altogether, Valerie has identified the names of all 108, has reconstructed the stories of 90 of the children, and has personally met with as many as of the children and the rescue workers as possible.”

My Thoughts - World War II novels are quite possibly my favorite sub-genre in our library, and here’s why: There was so much pain and devastation that came from that time. The concentration camps, the Blitz, countries and families falling apart. It would have been so easy to lose hope in the midst of all that pain and suffering. But as many authors and researchers have found, hope wasn’t lost. Like the people that these two books are based on, there were courageous heroes who helped where they could and never lost faith. And that ‘s why I love World War II books. They remind us that no matter how dark things get, there’s always a light.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Safely Home by Randy Alcorn

What It’s About - “Is this the day I die?” Li Quan’s father had taught him from childhood to ask this question everyday. He told young Quan, “One day the answer will be yes, and on that day you must be ready.” 

Quan stiffened at the shout behind him. The voice rang with the authority of the Gong An Ju, the Public Security Bureau. “You meet in the night like the criminals you are. How dare you defy the law? In three minutes,”Scarbrow said matter-of-factly, “we will shoot every man and woman—and child—who does not declare himself loyal to the people rather than the gweilos, foreign devils.” Quan, Ming, and Shen clasped each other’s hands. Quan breathed deeply and braced himself, “Surely this is the day.” 

American business executive Ben Fielding has no idea what his brilliant old college roommate is facing in China. After twenty years he expects to pick up where they left off. But when they’re reunited in China, the men are shocked at what they discover about each other. The paths they’ve walked have shaped their lives and loyalties in radically different ways. Thrown together in an hour of encroaching darkness, watched by unseen eyes, both must make choices that will determine not only the destinies of two men, but two families, two nations…and two worlds.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Holding Onto The Relationships That Matter

Forgiving What You Can’t Forget - Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain, playing offenses over and over in your mind? You know you can’t go on like this, but you don’t know what to do next. Lysa TerKeurst has wrestled through this journey. But in surprising ways, she’s discovered how to let go of bound-up resentment and overcome the resistance to forgiving people who aren’t willing to make things right. With deep empathy, therapeutic insight, and rich Bible teaching coming out of more than one thousand hours of study, Lysa will help you: 

• Learn how to move on when the other person refuses to change and never says they’re sorry.

• Walk through a step-by-step process to free yourself from the hurt of your past and feel less offended today.

• Discover what the Bible really says about forgiveness and the peace that comes from living it out right now. 

• Identify what’s stealing trust and vulnerability from your relationships so you can believe there is still good ahead. 

• Disempower the triggers hijacking your emotions by embracing the two necessary parts of forgiveness. 

Closer To God - A deep connection with God is not only possible, but vital to a vibrant life. And this powerful, 40-day devotional will help you enjoy the deeper life with God that you long for. Through the pages of Closer to God, written by Bible teacher Jeannie Cunnion, you will be equipped to: 

• Remove the barriers to experiencing God in your daily life

• Enjoy the life-altering benefits of His tangible presence, or “withness”

• Live Spirit-strong in a profoundly new way

If you desire to feel God’s soul-refreshing presence and hear Him speaking in your everyday life, this book is for you. Join Jeannie in discovering the profound difference God’s empowering presence makes, and how we can enjoy more of it, starting today. 

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Who is Your Unsung Hero?

Behind the Lights - In this inspiring debut memoir, Helen Smallbone, mother of seven creative children―including Christian music artists for KING & COUNTRY and Rebecca St. James―chronicles the family’s journey of faith across the ocean to go where God was leading. Written from a mother’s perspective, Helen shares stories of peaks, valleys, and a family trusting God for provision. Helen Smallbone’s heartfelt story illustrates what it means to really let God lead, which almost always means living outside the box of how the world says to live. How did an ordinary Australian family produce two Grammy Award–winning artists―Rebecca St. James and for KING & COUNTRY? What happened to bring the Smallbones through closed doors and to new beginnings in the US? In Behind the Lights, Helen shares not only these stories of her family but of the life lessons they all learned along the way. In 1991 Helen and her husband, David, packed up their family and sixteen suitcases to move from Australia to the United States. Completely isolated from the support of family and friends, they relied on God to provide them with hope and direction. Helen watched her children join forces as Rebecca St. James’ career grew, soon followed by blossoming careers for the others―as artists, entrepreneurs, filmmakers―and the rise of Joel and Luke for KING & COUNTRY on Christian music charts. Helen shares untold stories and insights into how her family worked and stuck together, constantly relying on their faith to guide the way. No matter where you are in life, Helen shows through her own experiences that what God has done in her life, He will do in yours, too.

Unsung Hero - Based on a remarkable true story, Unsung Hero follows Helen and her husband David Smallbone as they move their family from Down Under to the States with nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music. As Helen and David set out to rebuild their lives, they begin to realize the musical prowess in their children, who would go on to become two of the most successful acts in inspirational music history: five time GRAMMY Award-winning artists for King & Country and Rebecca St. James. 

My Thoughts: My first experience with music from For King & Country was when I first heard their song, “God Only Knows.” It was my senior year, and I felt like I had to make all these decisions before graduation. I was tired and overwhelmed. But then I heard this song. It talks about how God knows I’m tired and He knows what I’ve endured. His love is greater than all the pain and heartache. From there, I have fallen in love with such songs as: Together, Burn the Ships, Fix My Eyes, and What Are We Waiting For? When I heard that there was going to be a movie made about their family, I was definitely going to go see it in theaters. And what I saw was a beautiful film about faith through adversity, the power of prayer, and of course, it’s about the love of family. I am disappointed to say that I had not heard of Rebecca St. James before seeing the movie. But her song that was featured at the end of the film, “You Make Everything Beautiful,” is definitely a new favorite and I will be looking for more of her music for sure. If you would like to learn more about how Rebecca St. James got her start in Christian music, and how the Smallbone family navigated life in America, come on into the Cross Reference Library and check out Helen’s book. And don’t miss out on the amazing film as well.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? What It Means to Lead

Beneath A Golden Veil - As elegant as the Sacramento residence she operates, Isabelle Labrie keeps her past concealed, like the treasure she hides under the Golden Hotel. It’s 1853, the heyday of the California Gold Rush. Isabelle is full of hope, staking her claim on the city’s refined clientele and her future on a sweetheart’s promise to marry her when he returns from the gold fields. Then, unexpected guests—fugitive slaves seeking safe passage to the North—force her to confront her past and reconsider her path. While Isabelle learns to trust God’s provisions, a law student in Virginia must confront his father’s cruelty and rescue a young slave from his family’s tobacco plantation. As the two escape to freedom, and Isabelle risks everything to harbor runaway slaves, the past and present are set on an inevitable collision course—one that reveals hidden treasures of the heart.

About The Author - Melanie Dobson has written fifteen historical, romance, and suspense novels—including Chateau of Secrets and Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor—and three of her novels have won Carol Awards. Her first novel featuring the Underground Railroad, Love finds You in Liberty, Indiana, won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010, and The Black Cloister was named Foreword Reviews’ Religious Fiction Book of the Year in 2008. “My desire,” Melanie says, “is that the stories God has etched in my heart will give readers a glimpse of His love and grace, even when they don’t understand His plan.” The former corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and owner of Dobson Media Group, Melanie now writes full time. She and her husband, Jon, and their two daughters live near Portland, Oregon, where they enjoy hiking and camping on the coast and n the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. When she isn’t hiking, practicing yoga, or reading with her girls, Melanie loves to explore old cemeteries and ghost towns.

A Fine Sight to See -  With relatable stories and disarming grace, popular podcaster and author Sophie Hudson cuts through the confusing, differing stances on Christian women in leadership and offers a resource that empowers women to embrace their roles as leaders. Drawing from the book of Exodus, and using her trademark humor, Sophie skillfully helps you

· identify the leadership traits you already possess

· serve with boldness inside and outside the church

· lead faithfully and consistently

This is your invitation to embrace leadership with confidence and to find joy in understanding how God sees you. Prepare to be inspired, encouraged, and equipped to embrace the truth that you are uniquely made to lead.

About the Author - Sophie Hudson is a bestselling author who began blogging at BooMama.net way back in 2005, and she has cohosted The Big Boo Cast since 2007. These two things basically make her feel like the internet’s mama. Sophie loves cheering at live sporting events, cooking her mama’s recipes for a crowd of friends, and watching entire seasons of TV shows in record time. As someone who loves to laugh more than just about anything, Sophie hopes that women find encouragement, comfort, and connection through her books. She lives with her husband in Birmingham, Alabama, where they enjoy any opportunity to spend time with their college-aged son.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Do Great Things for God book series

Corrie ten Boom: The Courageous Woman and the Secret Room - During World War II, Corrie had built a secret room to hide as many Jewish people as possible from the German soldiers. But then Corrie herself was caught and sent to a horrible, scary prison camp…Discover what happened next in this inspiring true story. Includes notes for parents, a photograph of Corrie, and a timeline of her life. 

• “You are my hiding place and my shield,” Psalm 119:114

Joni Eareckson Tada: The Girl Who Learned to Follow God in a Wheelchair - Joni loved riding horses and going swimming. But one day, she dived into the water…hit her head on the bottom…and couldn’t move. Discover how Joni learned to live a very different kind of life, and how she came to understand that God was caring for her even though she had to use a wheelchair. And be inspired by how she has used her life to love Jesus, and to help others whose bodies don’t work as well as they’d like. This amazing kids book includes a timeline of Joni’s life, questions to think about, and a photograph of Joni. 

• “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him,” Romans 8:28

Susannah Spurgeon: The Pastor’s Wife Who Didn’t Let Sickness Stop Her - Susannah was married to a very busy and gifted pastor, Charles Spurgeon. Though she longed to help in his work, she was often so unwell that she had to stay in bed. But she didn’t let that stop her! Discover how Susannah found ways to help Charles, look after her twin boys, and even create a Book Fund that sent out over 200,000 free books to pastors who were too poor to buy them. In this book, you find a photograph of Susannah, a timeline of her life, and a map showing where she lived. 

• “My times are in your hand,” Psalm 31:15

My Thoughts: For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved inspiring stories like these. From a young age, I had heard about Corrie ten Boom through Focus on the Family’s audio drama titled The Hiding Place. Through the great voice-acting and amazing sound effects, Corrie ten Boom’s life story truly came to life for me. And thanks to that audio drama, I will never be able to hear the hymn, Rock of Ages, the same way again. When I found this kid’s book online about Corrie’s life, I knew I had to get it for our library. 

Now, to be honest, I didn’t know much about Joni Eareckson Tada until I read this children’s book by Kristyn Getty. I mean, I knew that she was a famed Christian speaker in a wheelchair; but I’m ashamed to say that I never made the effort to read about her testimony before. When we got Joni Eareckson Tada: The Girl Who Learned to Follow God in a Wheelchair in the mail, I was brought to tears as I read about her accident and how she continued to praise God through it all. But the thing that really got me was at the end when it says that when Joni gets her new legs in heaven, the first thing she’s going to do is kneel before the Lord and praise Him. 

When I was searching for more books from this series, I stumbled upon the one about Susannah Spurgeon. I honestly have no idea why this one, out of all the rest, caught my eye. Why didn’t I click on Fanny Crosby, or even Amy Carmichael’s biography? Was it because I didn’t realize that the infamous Charles Spurgeon had a wife? I don’t know. But what I do know is that once I read the synopsis for this children’s biography, I wanted to know more about this amazing woman. As a book enthusiast, I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement when I found out about Susannah’s book fund. I loved how she saw the need pastors had for reading material and took the initiative to get those books to them(all while being sick at home). This one particularly inspired me, because the Cross Reference Library lends out free books to pastors and community members as well. 

I think every parent should check these books out for their kids. They’re well written, the illustrations are quite good, and I can’t forget the interactive downloads found in the back of these awesome books. Through these free resources, your kids or grandkids can think about what they learned through these stories and how they were impacted by these amazing women. I hope that through reading these books with your kids or grandkids, that you’ll be as inspired by their stories as I was. 

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Books from Local Author Lauri Matisse

A few months ago, local author, Lauri Matisse joined Russ on The Coffee Break to talk about her life story and about her gallery here in Scottsbluff. While she was here, she gave us three of her books: Eve’s Memoirs, No More Dark Days, and The Passion of Jesus. So, I was wondering: How do I make this post unique? It’s a rare occasion to write a blog about books from a local author. So I called Lauri Matisse, went to her gallery, and talked to her about being a writer and what inspired her to write these three books. Please enjoy!

Q: What made you want to be a writer? 

A: So, when I was a kid I had a vision that I was going to be an author and write books about God. I was here in Scottsbluff, and I was just in the alfalfa field up the hill where my sister and I used to play. And we were playing out there, and I had this, I call it now, kind of maybe an open vision. All of a sudden, I just saw thousands of people and they were reading my books about God. And so I told my sister, "I think I'm going to be writing books about God." I did a lot of writing. I wrote diaries and journals and poems. I was constantly writing, so it was just something I did naturally.

My Comment: That's awesome! That’s really inspiring. I love stuff about authors and writing.

Her Response: Yeah, it's really weird, because people say, "oh, I want to write a book,” and, “I wish I could write a book." But writers, they just write. We have to write. Some authors out there get scared, or it is hard to put your work out there. It was hard to put my first book out there, because it was very personal. But I really felt like, if I couldn't expose my personal journey, then how would it reach people? But I think people get afraid that it has to be perfect. Or, "I can't publish a book until it's just right." But I think it's better to just do it. Just get it done. But I think people who aren't natural writers, I kind of feel like they're probably not authors. They're probably not writers, because writers that I know, all of us are just like, "we just write, because we have to write." 

Q: You are an artist, an architect, and a songwriter along with being a writer. Have you always wanted to pursue the arts as much as you do now? 

A: Yeah. I think I wanted to be a playwright. So writing was kind of my main thing, but my dad was like, "you’ve got to be a professional." I'm was like, "what's that?" And he told me, "you know, medical, accounting or whatever." So I started out in theater, art, and writing. And then practicality wise, I looked for something that maybe had arts in it, but was still professional. So that kind of pushed me into architecture. The art was…I think I always loved doing art. I really loved art in high school and middle school, but I think the architecture was great because we would have to go out and draw stuff. So I think that got me to be more of an artist too. But then when my kids were born, I was a stay-at-home mom for a while. So I got the chance to go to art classes, and then I got really passionate about all kinds of art. I have to learn every kind of art, and that's what I did. I know I'm super prolific, meaning I have to learn it. I study it and then I do it. I practically put it out. I can design a bunch of houses, or a bunch of paintings or write a bunch of books. And some people are like, "you need to focus." And I'm like, "that is focusing for me." It is prolifically producing something that I've learned. And I wrote a musical. The musical has 28 songs. It's just natural for me to do that.

My Comment: That is so awesome and inspiring.

Her Response: Yeah, some people's eyes just blaze over that. When they come, they think, "well, you can't really do all those things and do them well." But I have.

Eve’s Memoirs - Eve’s wit and wisdom from the 100th year of the dawn: It is here I met Eve. Yes, Eve of Genesis, Eve of the Garden of Eden. She came alive to me from the Garden where there were no religious walls, no racial separations, no caste systems, no language barriers, no pain in childbirth…Just Eve. With her perfect Adam and God in the Garden…and the talking animals, of course! The answers I needed to know as a woman, I found back in the Garden. 

Q: Where did you get the idea for Eve’s Memoirs?

A: So, as a woman, I had a lot of frustrations with the Bible being written by men. And so, it really was so hard for me. And I'm also, I'm a woman that teaches the Bible, so I had a lot of questions with God about women in general: "why did we kind of have to be second to the men in history. And why is Jesus a man? And the Bible is written by mostly men. There was just a lot of stuff. So then, I'm also trying to guide young women on how to navigate their career, marriage, and kids. But then one day, I was just sitting there writing, because I wrote all the time at this place called The Novel Café, where all these famous writers write. It's really fun and really cool.

My Comment: Awesome!

Her Response: Yeah, it's like a two story coffee shop with little tiny tables, and little stairs you can go up and they don't mind if you sit all day and it's just the coolest place.

My Comment: That sounds so amazing!

Her Response: I know! I started writing there in the eighties, and I'd be sitting there and I'd be hearing people writing a really famous movie or writing books and talking about stuff. It was so fun. So I was writing there one day, and I got my little tea (or coffee) and sat there, and I started writing Eve's diary. And I thought, "oh my gosh! I'm writing Eve's diary." So really, Eve's voice just found me. And then once I started writing her diary I realized, "oh my gosh! That's the perfect voice for women." So that was really inspiring. And I was also trying to find a way to share with women in Islam and women in harsh cultures. I thought, "how do I tell women God loves them in a culture like that?" I personally know women from those cultures, and I've helped a lot of them. So I was like, "well, how do you tell them, "Jesus loves you." So, when I started writing Eve's Diary, I realized, "oh, it's all about going back to the garden." And then that enabled me to have a voice to give to those women too. So it was a really powerful voice, I think, to write Eve. 

Q: Was it difficult to put together since all we know of Eve in the Bible spans from Genesis 2:18 to the beginning of Genesis Ch. 4?

A: Yeah, I think I took a lot of artistic license, obviously, and I tried to really get into her character. I really tried to think, "wow, what would it be like?" And then of course, we don't know, because it's all these years later. But I really, really tried to get into Eve and just be kind of Eve/me. And the chapters really came naturally. I wrote the first five diary entries easily, and then I embellished on them later. So that kind of gave me the groundwork. And I started a lot of different books, a lot of different projects, and I have all kinds of stages that they're in. So I went through my projects and I was like, "which ones would be the most viable to actually get out there and that people would like?" So Eve was one that, I had written those five chapters, and I thought, "I think people would like this." And then for that one, I got two editors. I had a developmental editor, who was a Jewish believer. I just wanted her thoughts. I asked her, "Do you think I'm keeping this on track?" I think her notes really helped me. And then I got a really good editor called, The Wordsmith, and I had a guy's point of view, which was kind of interesting. He really helped me hone in on phrases and wording, which really helped me a lot.

Q: So, how did you come to the decision to have animals talking? I know that some folks say that they probably did because that's how the serpent talked, but then that's also just a theory that I've heard. So how did you come to that decision? 

A: I think, probably because of the serpent. I'm always thinking, "well, why would she listen to a serpent?" She'd think that was weird if all the animals weren't talking.

My Comment: That's fair.

Her Response: So, that's kind of probably just what a lot of people might think. I know that, and I wish I would've had more in the book. I had more of them talking in the musical. The animal characters are full-on characters in the musical. So I've got Lola the Lamb, and I've got this lion, and they do a duet. It's so cute.

My Comment: Okay. Well, that answer was so much better than I expected. So I do have a couple of questions about No more Dark Days. 

No More Dark Days - Complete freedom from eating disorders, depression, and other compulsive behaviors. No More Dark Days is a gut-level heart-gripping and inspirational journey through eating disorders and depression…Experience a sigh of relief and a spark of hope. My journey from darkness to light, to bring light to your journey…Lauri Matisse is an award winning architect, author, artist, singer/songwriter and mother of four beautiful souls. 

Q: What made you want to write a book about your journey?

A: When I had eating disorders, there were other people who had it, but nobody talked about it. It was very hush-hush. There was a stigma that it was bad. So I knew other girls that had eating disorders when I was in college. But if you told anybody, then it was like, "well, stop it. Just eat or stop throwing up." And it was just like, nobody really understood it. And then the books that were out on it were just clinical, and they made no sense, because nobody really knew what was happening. I was in London going through my last year of college, and Karen Carpenter died. She was a very famous musician. So, when Karen Carpenter died from eating disorders, everybody was like, "oh wow, we need to pay more attention to eating disorders." So the whole journey, I felt really alone. I couldn't talk to anyone about it, and psychiatrists didn't understand. They just wanted to give you pills, which didn't have anything to do with anything. So, feeling really alone made me want to publish the book. I had heard stories about its impact. For example, a lot of teenage girls read the prayers and sleep with the book under their pillow. Just stuff like that. It really was just…there was a hole in the market. There was nothing like it at all. And we didn't have social media back then, so you couldn't look up something on people knowing how they felt. And it was a hard book. I felt the Lord really wanted me to put it out. I remember thinking, "I don't want to put this book out. Everyone's going to know my story, and it's so vulnerable." But I really felt like the Lord was like, "if you just put it out, I'm going to be glad you did." 

Q: How did you feel to have Princess Diana read your book? 

A: I was married to a really oppressive guy who was older than me, and she was married to a really oppressive guy who was older than her—even though he was the king. My heart just went out to her; I knew she had eating disorders. So I sent No More Dark Days, but nothing happened. And I was like, "I bet she didn't get the book." And I got a scripture, there's a proverb that says, "my long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and the soft tongue breaks the bone." So I thought, "I'm going to send her a book again. I bet she didn't get it. I really feel like she was supposed to read the book." And that's when I got the letter back from her lady-in-waiting that said later on that she got the book and that she liked the book.

The Passion of Jesus - An inspirational journey with Jesus from Gethsemane to Calvary. “The full moon lit up the long ridge paralleling the eastern part of Jerusalem, in the Garden of Gethsemane as I knelt beside a rock, all alone, praying and thinking of you…” In The Passion of Jesus, Lauri Matisse knits together historical facts with imaginative insight regarding Jesus’ thoughts of devotion for those He loves as He journeys from Gethsemane to Golgotha. 

Q: After making a memoir for yourself and one for Eve, what ultimately inspired you to write one about Jesus?

A: So I went to do a radio show, and I was getting interviewed about Eve's Memoir and No More Dark Days. I wanted to do some dramatic readings for the radio show, and then I started writing The Passion of Jesus. But that came really naturally too. Just like Eve's Diary, I was excited to find, "oh my gosh! I'm writing Jesus’ diary." And I did 12 chapters and then 12 shows. People loved the shows. I got letters all the way from India and China.

My Comment: Oh, cool!

Her Response: It was very cool. All the letters said things like, "you just brought me into this personal place with Jesus." And it was just so cool. And so then I got letters that also said, "you should write the whole thing through to the cross." And I was like, "no, I can't. Nobody can write that." I guess they did with The Passion of Christ. But I thought, "I can't write that." That just seemed like something that I could never write. But the Lord really wanted me to write it. I also went through a lot of suffering, and so I was able to go through it, and I just kept asking him every time I sat down to write, "what is your heart? What do you want to say?" Just, kind of being an open vessel. And then, of course, using my artistic license cause, I'm me. But it was tough to write. It took me 17 years.

My Comment: Wow! 17 years?

Her Response: Seventeen years, yeah. From the beginning to the end. I even lost it. My computer got stolen at one point, and I had the book on there. I ended up losing a lot of it. And then I was able to retrieve it off of the radio shows.

My Comment: That's amazing! I guess it was just meant to be written.

Her Response: Yeah. And I think it has touched a lot of people. The guy that did the audio book, he broke down in the middle of the book. And you can hear it, he completely broke down and had a personal experience with Jesus. So, his voice actually changes in the middle of the audio book. I just love how God works.

Q: How did you grow in your faith through the writing process of The Passion of Jesus? 

A: Oh, that's a really good question. I really grew a lot. I think the most profound part of the book is when I'm trying to figure out, "how does he stay on the cross?" Because he didn't have to stay on the cross. He could have just been God. And I had gone through a lot of things that Jesus went through, like betrayal and a lot of physical suffering. People turned against me. And I'm like, I deserve to suffer. I mean, we're just sinners. So how did God do that? How did he do it? But it was really love. I have a part where it's the love that kept him there. But that really profoundly impacted me. That he loved us so much that he just went through that, and it made me just have a deeper faith as well.

My Thoughts: From the moment I walked through the front door of Lauri Matisse’s gallery, I was welcomed by all sorts of gorgeous art. Before we even started the interview, Lauri took the time to show me all of her paintings from the past 20 years. Lauri had clearly poured her heart and soul into each and every beautiful piece of art. She specifically noted larger than life pieces, which she named, “The Tears of God,” “The Heart of God,” and “Jesus Carrying the World.” So, when we finally sat down for the interview, I should not have been surprised to discover that she has put the same amount of passion and heart into her books as well. As an aspiring author myself, her journey from where she started to where she is today, really inspired me. So, go check out the MOO Gallery in Scottsbluff. Or come on into the Cross Reference Library and check out these three inspiring stories.

What’s New at The Cross Reference Library? Something Pretty Awesome!

Let Me Explain: It is pretty guaranteed that when someone comes to the Cross Reference Library looking for book recommendations for their older kids, or even a fun read for themselves, I usually feel inclined to point them toward The Chronicles of Narnia. Over the last few years though, I’ve noticed that the Narnia books that I would point people to were not in the greatest condition. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found the box set of The Chronicles of Narnia on sale when I was searching the internet. And since the books came in the mail last week, I thought I would explain what they’re about, why I love them so much, and how I would rank these seven books from top favorite to least favorite. Here we go!

What Are The Chronicles Of Narnia? From 1950 to 1956 the seven books that are the Chronicles of Narnia, were created by renowned author, C.S. Lewis. At age 16, Lewis was inspired by a vision he had of a faun carrying parcels through the snow. For over 20 years, he carried this idea, which birthed The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe. The most well-known out of the seven, The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe tells the story of the four Pevensie children who enter the magical land of Narnia through a mysterious wardrobe. Through their adventures, they meet talking animals and learn of a prophecy that speaks of them defeating an evil witch who has terrorized Narnia with an eternal winter. With the help of a powerful talking lion named Aslan, the children defeat the witch and become kings and queens of Narnia. And so followed a prequel story and five more adventures in the magical land of Narnia. These books are known for their religious themes. Featuring parallels to Genesis, Revelation, Jesus’ resurrection, and several stories about redemption as well.

Here’s Why I Like Them: I was introduced to these books at a young age, with my dad reading them to me before bed every night. And when I was able to read by myself, I found myself rediscovering the magic. By the time I was 13 years old, I had read The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe and The Horse and His Boy three times each. And yes, I was definitely one of those kids that was constantly wanting to check my closet for a hidden world. I loved them so much because, just for a little while; I wouldn’t be picked on by my siblings, or working so hard for everyone that I found myself in an anxious frenzy. But for me, really, The Chronicles of Narnia was a story about escapism from the horrors and trials of life, and discovering that you can’t really escape those trials. And the children discovered that once they trusted Aslan, they knew that they could push through and endure. "I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia. That by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.” The final thing I’ll say about why I love these books is their parallels to Christianity. My favorite example of this is from the last page The Last Battle. All of our beloved characters from the six books that came before have gone, “Further Up and Further In,” to Aslan’s country. Their time on Earth was over, and the Old Narnia was destroyed, but as they stood in that heavenly place Aslan says, “The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream has ended: this is the morning.’ And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

So, How Would I Rank Them? Just because this is my favorite book series, that doesn’t mean I would exactly give each book five stars. The books that I placed in the top four spots are the ones that I’ve at least read twice and enjoyed those stories the most. 

1. The Horse and His Boy

2. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

3. The Last Battle

4. The Magician’s Nephew

5. Prince Caspian

6. The Voyage of The Dawn Treader

7. The Silver Chair

With the last three places, on the other hand, the last time I tried to read them, I was easily bored with their stories and they don’t excite me as much as the others do. Now, does that mean I hate them? No. But strangely enough, I’d sooner watch the movies for Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader than read the books. 

In Conclusion: I hope I was able to portray how excited I was for our new copies for The Chronicles of Narnia. These books have really inspired me and I hope that I have inspired you, oh reader, to read them as well.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? How books and stories helped folks survive WWII

The British Booksellers - A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington…until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls. When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago, she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books, lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane. As war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.

Catching the Wind - What happened to Brigitte Berthold? That question has haunted Daniel Knight since he was thirteen, when he and ten-year-old Brigette escaped the Gestapo agents who arrested both their parents. They survived a harrowing journey from Germany to England, only to be separated upon their arrival. Daniel vowed to find Brigitte after the war, a promise he has fought to fulfill for more than seventy years. Now a wealthy old man, Daniel’s final hope in finding Brigitte rests with Quenby Vaughn, an American journalist working in London. He believes Quenby’s tenacity to find missing people and her personal investment in a related WWII espionage story will help her succeed where previous investigators have failed. Though Quenby is wrestling her own demons—and wary at the idea of teaming up with Daniel’s lawyer, Lucas Hough—the lure of Brigitte’s story is too much to resist. Together, Quenby and Lucas delve deep into the past, following a trail of deception, sacrifice, and healing that could change all of their futures.