What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? The Dawn of Hawaii series by Linda Lee Chaikin

The Spoils of Eden - Rafe Easton rescued an abandoned baby from certain death on a forbidden island. Now that courageous act could cost him his pending marriage and reputation. The Hawaii of 1891 is not untamed as it was when the first missionaries arrived, but the dangers haven’t disappeared. Power, wealth, and ambition still drive the affairs of island life, and Rafe Easton is poised to win big on all three—except for one thing. The woman he loves is walking away from their promise of life together on account of a baby boy…and the forsaken people of the island he came from. For her part, Eden Derrington must choose between her father’s life-long dream of curing leprosy, and a life of privilege with the man she’s loved since childhood. Will Rafe wait for her while she serves alongside her father? And what if she herself falls victim to the dreaded disease that took her mother many years ago? Set against the backdrop of tropical paradise, revolutionary intrigue, hidden motives, and deadly secrets, The Spoils of Eden sheds light on Hawaii’s colonial era and the men and women whose sacrifices yielded such unexpected results. 

Hawaiian Crosswinds - Torn between family loyalties, political ambitions, and their commitment to each other, Rafe and Eden must fight to protect the people and place they care about so deeply. The year is 1892 and the small island nation of Hawaii is in turmoil. Rafe Easton and a small but influential band of Hawaiian patriots are quietly pursuing annexation to the United States out of concerns that the monarchy will fall to a less noble power. But Rafe is not the only one with secrets. And as political tensions mount, some of the island’s most prominent families are faced with revelations that could unravel everything—the future of the country and Rafe’s future with his beautiful and beloved fiancee, Eden Derrington. Just as the enemy of righteousness stalks his prey, danger prowls Hawaii’s beaches and pineapple plantations. The man who murdered Rafe’s father now threatens his mother and adopted son. And Eden is compelled to join her father in the noble yet dangerous work of medical research among a shunned leper community—a community that shelters the mother she never knew.

What's New? Two Awesome Kid's Books about Jesus & Prayer!

Sammy and His Shepherd - Sammy the sheep lives happily under the care of his faithful shepherd. But one day he meets a sheep from another flock, one who lives in misery because her shepherd is not so caring. Eventually, to the delight of both of them, Sammy’s shepherd buys the needy little sheep for his flock and gives her a name—Precious. Thereafter, Sammy tells Precious all the wonderful things about their shepherd. At first, Precious has a hard time believing that the shepherd can be so good. But as she sees the shepherd pouring out his energies for the good of his flock, she comes to trust him, for she sees that he loves his sheep unconditionally and sacrificially. Sammy and His Shepherd is a delightful journey through Psalm 23. As families read through the book, children will grow in their understanding of the metaphors the psalmist used in composing this beloved poem. But more important, they will gain a deeper appreciation for the one who is the subject of the psalm—the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ—and will learn what it means to be a part of His flock.

Fritz and the Midnight Meetup - It’s midnight at the orphanage, and a group of children are sneaking to the kitchen to pray together. Would anyone else come too? they wonder. Night after night, more children join the fireside prayer meeting. But a bully named Fritz threatens to disrupt the group. When he sneaks down to scare the other children, will Fritz be the one who is surprised? In this heartwarming story, readers will share the excitement as the boys and girls creep down the dark stairs, and they will feel the tension of the bully’s threats. But most of all they will discover the difference children can make when they pray together. Based on a true story from a German orphanage in 18600, Fritz and the Midnight Meetup celebrates the blessing of corporate prayer—and how children play a valuable part.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? New Suspense Novels by Susan May Warren

Flee The Night - When Lacey Montgomery boarded the train she never expected to wake up hours later handcuffed to a hospital bed and under investigation by the National Security Agency. Lacey, an ex-CIA operative, is a liar, a murderer, and a fugitive. Or is she? With nowhere to turn for help, Lacey contacts the one man she believes she can trust. A man who is convinced that Lacey betrayed her country and murdered her own husband. Now Lacey must prove to Jim Micah, an ex-Green Beret, that she is not who he thinks she is. As Micah is drawn further into Lacey’s world of aliases, covert ops, and espionage, he must face the questions and pain of his own past. Only by trusting God and daring to trust each other can Lacey and Micah flee the secrets of the night. 

Escape the Morning - Homeland Security Agent Will Masterson has been operating under some guise or another most of his life—sheriff’s son, troublemaker, Green Beret, and now homeland hero. Working undercover as a journalist, Will’s on the hunt for a terrorist cell threatening U.S. security. Search and Rescue worker Dannette Lundeen has one mission: track a teenage girl lost in the woods. The last thing Dani needs is a nosy journalist on her trail. She’ll ditch him before she’ll let a reporter destroy another person’s life. As Will’s and Dannette’s missions collide and the clock to disaster ticks down, they must find a way to work together. But if they’re not careful, they might find that in the darkest hour they need each other…and the love is waiting if they can just escape to morning. 

In Sheep’s Clothing - On the run from the murderer of her best friends, missionary Gracie Benson is all alone in Siberia. What she doesn’t know is that she has in her possession a medical secret that will save millions of lives—or cost hers. Trying to keep her alive is an FSB agent, a man pursued by his own demons, including a killer who destroyed his father’s life. He and Gracie find themselves in a decades-old mystery of betrayal and Cold War secrets. Only with the help of their friends—a group of Americans and Russians committed to freedom—can they outwit the old guard…and save Gracie’s secret, as well as her life.  

Sands of Time - An inexplicable ailment was striking down the children of Russia; in less than  forty-eight hours, American medical missionary Sarai Curtiss had watched two young patients slip away, and she feared she might have an epidemic on her hands. Yet how could she help anyone in the middle of a violent coup? The new leadership had demanded all foreigners leave the state—on pain of death. Unwilling to leave her clinic, but unable to combat her enemies alone, Sarai had to join forces with an unlikely ally—Roman Novik, the rebel Cobra Captain who broke her heart. Faced with a corrupt government, a brutal military and the truth of their own deepest feelings, it would be a race against time to save the lives on  the line—and an entire country at risk.

A New Big Book of Biographies for The Cross Reference Library

50 People Every Christian Should Know by Warren W. Wiersbe - We all need inspiration to lead lives that honor God. When our faith is weak or the pressures of the world seem overwhelming, remembering the great men and women of the past can inspire us to renewed strength and purpose. Our spiritual struggles are not new, and the stories of those who have gone before can help lead the way to our own victories. 50 People Every Christian Should Know gives a glimpse into the lives of such people as:

Charles H. Spurgeon A.W. Tozer Amy Carmichael Jonathan Edwards And many more

Combining the stories of fifty of these faithful men and women, beloved author Warren W. Wiersbe offers you insight and encouragement for life’s uncertain journey.

Memorable Quotes About These Remarkable People - “George Matheson was blind, yet through his books he helps us see better.” “Don’t hunger for books,” wrote Alexander Whyte to a minister friend. “Get a few of the very best, such as you already have, and read them and your own heart continually.” “The news flashed around the world that America’s beloved composer of gospel songs, Fanny Crosby, was home with Lord and at last could see.” “Dwight L. Moody’s campaign seemed a failure at the start, but God worked in a remarkable way and gave Britain perhaps the greatest spiritual movement since the days of George Whitefield and John Wesley. And He did it through two ordinary men who would not quit, but who trusted God to bless His Word.”

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? The Legends of the Guardian-King series

The Light of Eidon - Abramm has dedicated the last eight years of his life to becoming worthy to touch and tend the Sacred Flames of Eidon, and he expects to be blessed for his devotion and sacrifice. But on the eve of taking the vows that will irrevocably separate him from the life he was born to—as Abramm Kalladorne, fifth son of the king of Kiriath—he is betrayed by his spiritual mentor and sold into slavery by his brothers. Swept along by the winds of a new destiny, Abramm is forced to compete as a gladiator. When the oppressed masses rally around his success, he discovers his suffering has molded him into something greater than he ever thought possible—to serve a purpose he never imagined. Set in a world of swords and cloaks, of glittering palaces and mystical temples, of galley ships and ancient mist-bound cities, The Light of Eidon is the first volume of an epic series, Legends of the Guardian King. 

The Shadow Within - Abramm Kalladorne has returned to Kiriath to claim the crown he thought he would never wear and to prepare his people for the inevitable attack of the Armies of the Black Moon. Though fiercely opposed by his own kin and reluctant to thrust his country into civil war at the worst possible time, he nevertheless believes this course of action is Kiriath’s only hope of salvation. In the midst of this turmoil, a headstrong princess from a neighboring realm endeavors to uncover Abramm’s secrets—including his heroic exploits as the White Pretender and the fact that he wears a golden shield upon his chest—and her interference threatens to destroy any chance he has of maintaining his rightful place as king. Against a backdrop of somber council meetings and back-alley sword fights, of magnificent ballrooms and windswept mountain fortresses, plots and counterplots unfold as old alliances dissolve and new ones form. If he is to succeed, Abramm must come to terms with his own limitations—and the sufficiency of the one who controls his destiny.

About the Author: Karen Hancock has won Christy Awards for each of her first four novels—Arena and the first three books in the Legends of the Guardian-King series, The Light of Eidon, The Shadow Within, and Shadow Over Kiriath. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in biology and wildlife biology. Along with writing, she is a semi-professional watercolorist and has exhibited her work in a number of national juried shows. She and her family reside in Arizona.

Setting Your Sights

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.” - Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV)

Have you ever heard the phrase, “That person is so heavenly minded, they are no earthly good?” It’s an old phrase, but what does it actually say about a person? Not only that, but it is usually another believer that says it about a fellow believer. Do they have their head in the clouds? Are they just a dreamer? Or have they focused their minds on Christ at the right hand of God?

A couple of thoughts; Our life here on earth is truly a temporary one. But our future life with Christ is eternal. Which has more value? Quite frankly, at this stage of my life, I prefer the companionship of those who can’t seem to talk enough about the Lord. I find them to be genuinely refreshing.

I know there are a few that have gone off the deep end and become cultish, but they are not the ones I’m talking about. I’m referring to the lovers of God. When we are “saved” from sin and death, some of us stop there and there is no more growth. That’s a sad thing. Maybe it’s our fault for not guiding them further down the road of righteousness and sanctification. However, I don’t want to start the blame game.

It is our duty to each other to push ourselves further into Christ. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul tells us to walk worthy of God’s calling thereby pleasing Him. Focusing on this world pleases our urges. Focusing on Christ pleases the Father. So set your sights on what pleases the Father, and you will find yourself “heavenly minded.”

Amen?

This series of blog posts titled, “Pondering Hope”, are written by Craig Stevens. If you are interested in reading more from him you can find his blog at ponderinghope.com.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? New Novellas by Francine Rivers

Unveiled - Betrayed by the men who controlled her future, she fought for her right to believe in a loving God. Meet Tamar, one of the five women in the lineage of Christ. She risked her life and her reputation to be the woman she was called to be. Her story serves as an example of how God uses our circumstances and our steps toward Him, however faltering, to fulfill His plan. Unveiled is book one in the popular Lineage of Grace series about five unlikely women who changed eternity.

The Prince - Jonathan’s humility led him into friendship with the man who would become king in his place. David was a man after God’s own heart. But it was the courage and selflessness of his best friend, Jonathan, that opened the door to David’s rule. A man of honor and deep faith, Jonathan’s zeal carried him into battle; his faithfulness won him honor among his people. Includes an in-depth Bible study, perfect for personal reflection or group discussion.

A Reconciliation or a Reckoning, Your Choice

Sometimes it is our duty to ourselves to look at the really tough topics. One of those would be “Free Will.” Denying the fact that we have been given a free will by God puts our actions and responsibilities in God’s hands instead of our own. This can be used as a crutch to claim that “it’s not my fault.” One of our natural instincts as humans is to blame someone other than ourselves for our own mistake. But in the end, this thought pattern will never protect us from reality.

Adam and Eve Painting by Lee Chapman | Saatchi Art

Free will is obvious right from the beginning of mankind. Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV):

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Pretty cut and dry, right?

Next, Genesis 3:6:

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

A free choice made!

Genesis 3:8:

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.”

God called out, “Where are you?” Adam admitted he had hidden himself because he was naked. God’s response was, “How did you know you were naked? Did you eat of the tree? Adam immediately blamed God, “The woman You gave me made me eat.” Adam didn’t blame the woman, he blamed God. Then the woman blamed the serpent.

This was not only the beginning of dire results from “Free Choice” but the beginning of blaming others for our wrong choices. Our disobedience brought a hard life down on our heads. We were thrown out of the presence of God. The woman would be ruled by her husband. The man would work hard all the days of his life trying to get food from the ground that was now cursed. And they would die and return to the dust from which they were formed. Paradise was over!

We immediately passed into the realm of judgment and the settlement of penalties for our debt of rebellion incurred. The relationship with the Lord God broken by us with no excuses accepted. That’s what we call a “Reckoning.” Not a pretty picture, is it?

Is there any hope?

Colossians 1:19-23 (ESV):

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast…”

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (ESV):

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them…”

Yes there is hope, and not only hope but a way to peace and relationship with God again. But only through Christ. To reconcile means to make friendly once more, or to bring back into harmony. We have been granted another free choice to make. Will we choose Christ as Lord, and Savior, and Reconciler or will we continue to exercise our free will to do whatever we want?

I see the relationship with God is an all or nothing choice. We cannot hang in the middle. We cannot straddle the fence. Will you choose to be just another Adam or Eve being rebellious or will you choose the wonder of life that Christ offers? Reckoning or Reconciliation, the choice is yours.

What say you?

This series of blog posts titled, “Pondering Hope”, are written by Craig Stevens. If you are interested in reading more from him you can find his blog at ponderinghope.com.

What will Heaven be Like?

I’ve been contemplating Heaven and what it will be like.

“Heaven” by John Pitre

This week I’ve got two pairs of friends in town–two married couples and their kids. Each of these friends have been some of the closest friends I’ve ever had. There have been times in my life that each of them were privy to every single thing going on in my life and vice versa. And each of these friendships were built on the foundation of our love of Christ.

There are various reasons why there is distance between us at this point in our lives and the primary one is literal distance. They all live elsewhere now. And, while we’ve kept in touch, it’s still not the same as sharing our literal physical lives together–going to the same church, getting together for holidays, etc. Nevertheless the places they hold in my heart are still the same places of high esteem, honor, and love; and, I’m pretty sure the same is true of me in theirs. 

Last night we were all sitting around a kitchen table, one we used to sit around years ago, back when our adult lives were just beginning. Their kids were running around playing together, and all I could think was…this…this is it. This is what Heaven will be like.

Then I realized…not quite…there are still so many people missing. People who have passed away already. Friends who aren’t really friends anymore, separated by disagreement or the steady fading of connections through time. Family who just physically weren’t there at the moment. 

I began to imagine what it would be like to have everyone I love and have loved and will love together. To hear the ruckus of multiple enthusiastic conversations, the layers of laughter, the reminiscing of our memories together. To see all of their joyful smiles, to watch their silly gestures as they tell stories. To know they are all safe and with me right now and forever more. That is Heaven. That is what Heaven will be like.

I long for that day, when I will be reunited with my brothers and sisters in Christ, together in paradise. 

As C.S. Lewis said in his book “The Weight of Glory, “Apparently, then, our lifelong nostalgia, our longing to be reunited with something in the universe from which we now feel cut off, to be on the inside of some door which we have always seen from the outside, is no mere neurotic fancy, but the truest index of our real situation. And to be at last summoned inside would be both glory and honour beyond all our merits and also the healing of that old ache.”

That is what we have to look forward to, what we will gain if we’ve accepted Christ’s sacrifice as our own, and what others who are still planning on earning their own way into Heaven, have to lose. That is why it is so vitally important that we tell our loved ones about God’s love for them and about Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross (John 3:16-18).

Click these options for more information about how to get to Heaven: 

I desperately pray for the salvation of everyone I care about who hasn’t yet accepted Christ as their Savior. 

Please remember to tell everyone you can about Jesus. I promise to do my best to reach the circle of people around me, the one’s God brings into my life. Please join me in reaching the ones He brings into yours. Together we can build a wonderful family.

As C.S. Lewis described at the end of “The Chronicles of Narnia” in the book, “The Last Battle”, “...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 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 for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have glorious joy to look forward to.

This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more things written or transcribed by Amanda Hovseth.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Christian Suspense in Orange

The Mermaid in the Basement - It’s 1857, and everything is a stake for Serafina Trent. A woman of means…but not the typical Victorian lady who feels her place is to be seen and not heard. When her brother’s most recent female dalliance, a beautiful actress, is found murdered, all evidence points to him. Especially since the actress had just rejected him in a most public manner. Now everyone believes Clive is headed for the gallows. Everyone, that is, but Serafina. Determined to prove her brother’s innocence, Serafina finds herself working with unlikely allies—including Dylan Tremayne, a passionate storyteller and actor with a criminal past. This novel will hold fans of mystery and history spellbound until the very last page. 

Betrayed - Deadlier fires seethe beneath the tenuous calm of a nation recovering from brutal civil war. Anthropologist Vicki Andrews is researching Guatemala’s “garbage people” when she stumbles across a human body. Curiosity turns to horror as she uncovers no stranger, but an American environmentalist—Vicki’s only sister, Holly. With authorities dismissing the death as another street crime, Vicki begins tracing Holly’s last steps. A pilgrimage leading from slum squalor to the breathtaking and endangered cloud forests of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere. But every unraveled thread raises more questions. What betrayal connects Holly’s murder, the recent massacre of a Mayan village, and the long-ago deaths of Vicki’s own parents? Nor is Vicki the only one demanding answers. Before her search reaches its startling end, the conflagration has spilled across international borders where powerful sectors have far too much at stake to allow Vicki Andrews to expose long-buried truth. With no one turning out to be who they’d seemed, who can Vicki trust and who should she fear? A politically relevant tale of international intrigue and God’s redemptive beauty and hope. 

When the Lion Roars - When a sixteen-year-old girl is abducted into slavery in southern Sudan, her future depends on the unlikely partnership of three individuals who are distrustful of each other. Dr. Larson Kerr, American physician; Paul Farid, an Arab-born Christian; and Colonel Ben Alier, a commander in the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army, have little in common except their individual hopes for the people of Sudan. But when slave traders take Ben’s sister, these three must find a way to overcome their fears and prejudices if there’s to be any hope of rescue. Award-winning author DiAnn Mills weaves a moving and unforgettable novel about the redemptive power of sacrifice.