What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? A New Literary Classics Display

Let Me Explain - I was looking through our shelves the other day, and having just added a few new donated books, something had caught my eye. Amongst some of the Christian romance and Biblical fiction novels was a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo. Now, I thought to myself, “what is this classic, known for its themes of betrayal & revenge, doing among these other novels?” But as I looked around some more, to my surprise, I found more than 10 literary classics in the midst of the many other novels in the library. There’s Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, My Antonia by Willa Cather, The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and so many others. Through this post, I’m going to share what a couple of these are about, and which ones I would recommend to our patrons.

The Basket of Flowers by Christoph von Schmid - James, the king's gardener, teaches his 15-year-old daughter Mary all the principles of godliness through his flowers. She is falsely accused of stealing, and the penalty is death. Mary remembers her father had taught her: that it is better to die for the truth than to live for a lie, and that the worst pillow to sleep on is the pillow of a guilty conscience! 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - A nineteenth-century boy from a Mississippi River town recounts his adventures as he travels down the river with a runaway slave, encountering a family involved in a feud, two scoundrels pretending to be royalty, and Tom Sawyer's aunt who mistakes him for Tom.

What I would recommend - I’ve always had a special place in my heart for stories that weren’t written during our time. There’s a certain comfort that can be found in the way they were written, and who they were written for. And they’re called classics because they have stood the test of time, and kept the love of thousands of readers worldwide. With that being said, I’m not sure if I can recommend any specific ones. They all deserve to be read and experienced. But if you wanted something in particular to start out with, I’d recommend The Trail Stopped Here. That one is special because it was written by our previous director, Glenn Hascal. It’s a sweet story about a family that stops in Nebraska after being on the Oregon Trail. But please, come take a look at the amazing books recently found in the crevices of The Cross Reference Library.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Donita K. Paul Fantasy Novels

Dragonspell - Once a slave, Kale is given the unexpected opportunity to become a servant to Paladin. Yet this young girl has much to learn about the difference between slavery and service. . . And so the desperate search begins. A small band of Paladin’s servants rescue Kale from danger, but turn her from her destination: The Hall, where she was to be trained. Feeling afraid and unprepared, Kale embarks on a perilous quest to find the meech dragon egg stolen by the foul Wizard Risto. First, she and her comrades must find Wizard Fenworth. But their journey is threatened when a key member of the party is captured, leaving the remaining companions to find Fenworth, attempt an impossible rescue, and recover the egg whose true value they have not begun to suspect…Weaving together memorable characters, daring adventure, and a core of eternal truth, Dragonspell is a finely crafted and welcome addition to the corpus of fantasy fiction. 

Dragonlight - The fantastic land of Amara is recovering from years of war as well as from the spiritual apathy corroding the Amarans’ hearts. With Kale and her father serving as dragon keepers for Paladin, the dragon populace has exploded. It’s a peaceful, exciting time of rebuilding. And yet, an insidious, unseen evil lurks just beneath the surface of the idyllic countryside. As Kale and her father are busy hatching, bonding, and releasing the younger generation of dragons, the light wizard has little time to develop her skills. Her husband, Sir Bardon—despite physical limitations—has become a leader, serving under Paladin. When Kale and Bardon join the dragons on a quest to find a hidden colony, they encounter sinister forces. Their world is under attack by a secret enemy…can they overcome the ominous peril they can’t even see? Prepare to experience breathtaking adventure and mind-blowing fantasy as never before in this dazzling conclusion to Donita K. Paul’s DragonKeeper chronicles.  

About The Author & Her Five-Book Series - Donita K. Paul comes from a family of storytellers and teachers, so it is only natural that she loves spinning imaginative tales interwoven with lore. Her first seven books were Christian Romance, but then later discovered that she really enjoyed writing Christian Fantasy. A retired schoolteacher, Donita keeps herself busy by being one of the professional storytellers in the Sunday-school department of her church. And when she’s not writing, she enjoys reading all genres, from picture books to biographies.

In the year of 2010, book five of The Dragon Keeper Chronicles was put into The Cross Reference Library. A few people checked it out over the years, never knowing what happened before the events of Dragonlight. Well fifteen years later, book one has been donated and put into the library. So, if our patrons enjoy Dragonspell, we’ll maybe consider purchasing the other three books that come before Dragonlight. Fly into The Cross Reference Library and check out these fantastical gems.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Behind the Stories by Diane Eble

What it’s about: Today’s Christian novelists entertain and inspire millions with their heart-warming and thought-provoking books. Yet few readers really ever get the chance to know these talented writers beyond the brief biographies included in their novels. Behind the Stories now offers a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the personal lives of dozens of your favorite storytellers, revealing their hopes and dreams, their successes and failures, and providing fascinating insights about what it means to craft stories from a Christian worldview. These honest discussions of fear and faith, of compromise and calling. Including never-before-published thoughts and insights that will enrich your life—and your future fiction-reading experiences. 

Author Quotes: 

• Bill Myers, “My intent is to use a story the way Christ used parables: to find something eternal that needs to be said, then wrap it up in enough entertainment so the reader will continue turning the pages as he or she is drawn closer to the heart of God.” 

• Judith Pella, “I am a storyteller. I have finally come to realize that stories can be savored just for the sake of the story. Pure escapism is a blessing to many, and I am happy to be used for this purpose.”

• Catherine Palmer, “I see myself as a smuggler of God’s truth under the guise of fiction. I want readers to feel so caught up in the story that the truths sneak into their hearts…and then stay for a long, long time providing light as they face their own challenges and struggles in love and life.” 

• T. Davis Bunn, “I am not a minister. I am an artist who deals with words. I am an artist who loves God, an entertainer who loves God, and my calling is to be the best artist and entertainer I can be.”

My Thoughts: When I was introduced to The Chronicles of Narnia at age 12, my whole perspective on stories was forever changed. I was enthralled by the world, the characters, and also the deeper message intertwined through each book. So you can bet that when I found a C.S. Lewis biography at the dollar story, I was begging my mom to buy it for me. I desperately wanted to know where Narnia came from. And believe me, I read that book cover-to-cover twice in one month. Now, while I did find out where Narnia came from, I also read about the wonderful history that contributed to Lewis becoming the Christian author that also gave readers Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters, and so many other acclaimed works. 

 Through being a part of the Cross Reference Library over the last few years, I’ve become even more fascinated by the many Christian authors that fill the shelves. When Behind the Stories was donated, I was more than excited to put it into the library system. Diane Eble collected more than 10 stories from authors on how God led them to write stories for Him. One of my favorites is about author Robin Jones Gunn. She hadn’t planned on being a writer. Instead, she had hoped to be a missionary who traveled the world to share the gospel. But on one fateful weekend with her husband’s youth group, Robin had discovered that the novels that the teen girls were reading was not something they should have been filling their minds with. So she was given the challenge to write good, wholesome novels for teen girls to take in and be impacted by. And what followed was the creation of 5+ books series that have been read and enjoyed by countless teens. So, my dear patrons, I hope this book will encourage you to discover what inspired your favorite Christian author to bring forth a deeper message through their writing.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? The Tahn Fantasy Series

Tahn - Tahn Dorn is trapped in the middle of a looming conflict between two noble families. Trained in his youth to be a mercenary but troubled by the deeds of his past, Tahn must now choose between the commands of a master and the urgings of his own good conscience. When his latest orders instruct him to kidnap Lady Netta of the House of Trillet, Tahn realizes that following his conscience won’t be easy, especially with the lives of his young students at stake. As Tahn’s struggle continues, neither he nor Lady Netta can foretell the series of events that will unfold and change both their lives forever. Wrestling to understand Netta’s God, Tahn is filled with doubt, and Netta herself wonders how such a man is willing to risk his life for a ragtag band of little children. The bravery of an unlikely hero, the love of an honorable lady, and the innocence of each wayward child resonate throughout this gripping tale of courage, faith, forgiveness, and unconditional love. 

Return to Alastair - Once a feared mercenary, Tahn Dorn has abandoned his old ways and is building a new life. But his heart is still heavy. Though he has made peace with God, he is not fully at peace with himself. Haunted by confusing dreams and uncertain of his growing attraction to Netta Trilett, Tahn knows he must come to terms with his past before he can look to the future. And that means embarking on a journey he knows will not be easy—to Alastair, seat of his earliest memories, a place that represents to him only torture and pain. And so begins Tahn’s search for truth, where he must face not only deep-seated fears but also old adversaries, deadly threats, and the distrust of an entire town. As he tries to unlock Alastair’s secrets, tragedy is imminent. And without divine intervention, all hope of being free from the past could be lost forever. Return to Alastair is the continuing tale of an unlikely hero who must find the courage to forgive others—forgive himself—in order to accept the love of a good lady. 

The Scarlet Trefoil - Freed from a life of darkness, Tahn Dorn finds God’s grace toward him a comfort he has never known before. He has put away his painful past and is looking forward to a bright, peaceful future with his bride-to-be. But the past returns to haunt him, threatening to ruin all that he loves. On the eve of their blessed union, Lady Netta’s gilded carriage is attacked by a team of rogue bandits hired by the ruthless Baron Lionell Trent. Despite the baron’s noble talk and pretended peace, Tahn is lured into a trap that will secure Lionell’s hold on the House of Trent. Can Tahn free his true love? Or will his dream be forever lost?

About the Author - Leisha Kelly authored 11 books, including the best-selling historical fiction series centered around the Wortham and Hammond families—published by Revell/Baker Publishing Group. Her most recent book, The House on Malcolm Street, was published by Revell in September 2010. It was only for her Tahn Fantasy series that she penned herself as L.A. Kelly. Kelly, who home-schooled her two children, served as children's ministry director and youth minister at her family's church. On January 25, 2011, Leisha and her son, Justice, were killed in a traffic accident.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? How to deal with the anxieties of life

To Fly Again - Like a violent microburst that threatens to down an aircraft, an unexpected crisis may rock your world and leave you wondering whether the life  you’ve known is over. Gracia Burnham understands those feelings. Reflecting on the horrific year she and her husband, Martin, spent as hostages in the Philippine jungle and her experiences since returning home, Gracia shares how she is rebuilding her life by God’s grace alone. You may be one of the many thousands who know the Burnham’s story, or perhaps you are seeking direction and hope in the midst of your own pain. This book addresses the confusion, fear, anger, anxiety, and loss of control that all people in crisis experience. It also illustrates how God longs to pour his grace into people with broken dreams and fill their life with new meaning and joy. 

Tips From the Author: “How do you survive the tailspins of life? Continue to walk with Jesus.”

• “While we fantasize about what life might have been like without our difficult junctures, the truth is that these intersections are not abnormal. Jesus told his disciples that they will have many trials. That much is guaranteed.”

• “The more we center ourselves on our true definition in God’s sight, not the possessions we have been able to gather or the esteem that others have given us, the more stable we will be in good times and bad.”

Reclaiming Quiet - In a restless and distracted world, the cultivation of quiet often feels abstract and impossible. But quiet is, and always has been, essential to spiritual life, the only way we can turn from the frenzy toward the peace for which we were created. Reclaiming Quiet is an invitation to discover the profound, daily joy of resisting  patterns of anxiety and hurry and cultivating a life of holy attention instead. With practical strategies to address our use of screens or fear of silence and compassionate ideas to nourish stillness, listening, and rest, this book explores: 

• What it means to become a person who listens each day for God’s voice before all others

• How to reclaim wonder in prayer

• How to cultivate an interior life

Quiet is not for specialists or the ultra-disciplined. It’s not limited to those who have great swathes of time. Quiet is our inner native land, the place to which we turn to find God already waiting, calling us beloved, and drawing us homeward into a life of holy and joyous attention. 

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? New Historical Romance Novels

Calling on the Matchmaker - Haunted by the death of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she’s not worthy of a family of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in the slums. When Finola sabotages yet another unwanted relationship her parents arranged for her, her father calls upon the local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker Riley Rafferty. Finola quickly realizes her usual tricks won’t work on him, however, as she cannot outsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man. A candidate in the St. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthy Shanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning—and even more assured he and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins to take St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger testing all they know about love and sacrifice. 

Washington’s Lady - Though still a young woman, Martha Custis is a widow. But she is not without means and has no desire to remarry. Not, that is, until a striking war hero steps into her life and she realizes she is ready to love again. Yet she wonders whether this man, accustomed to courageous military exploits, can settle down to a simple life of farming and being a father to her children. Even as she longs for domestic bliss, Martha soon realizes she will have to risk everything dear to her and find the courage to get behind a dream much larger than her own. Known for her moving first-person novels of Nannerl Mozart and Jane Austen, Nancy Moser now brings to life the loves and trials of the first First Lady of the United States. 

Fun Fact! - Author, Nancy Moser, dressed up as Martha Washington for Halloween in 1962. And as she found herself writing novels about other famous women in history, Moser remembered that old Halloween costume, did the research, and was inspired to write a novel about the first First Lady of The United States.

Election Day: Feeling Alone When Loved Ones Vote Differently Than You

As I write this it is Election Day and I am struggling to maintain my angst and frustration. 

Leading up to this day I have interviewed a few people on the radio who have talked about how there are said to be millions of Christians who don’t bother to vote. This fact drives me crazy. I will never understand that choice and the fact that fellow believers are making it gives me the unmistakable feeling of being out on the front lines and glancing around me only to find out I am here alone.

Now, am I really out here alone? No. 

Am I even really on the frontlines? Not really, not compared to so many others. I’m just voting, it’s not even like I’m running for office. 

Have there been times I haven’t voted? Yes, once, because I wasn’t physically able to get back to my hometown to vote. But, when people live right down the street from their polling place and they don’t have to fight their way through some sort of militia to get there, I don’t understand how they can avoid doing something so easy. Especially because there have been and are people who have fought and died for the right to vote. They’ve sacrificed to make it easy for us, and some people are just like…, “Nah, no thanks.”

I’m not delusional, I know that one vote in a sea of millions can seem futile. But that’s how so many things in life work which are still worth doing. One step may seem futile, but without a bunch of single steps we wouldn’t be able to walk anywhere. One hour of work may seem like barely a drop in the bucket towards paying your bills, but without every single ‘one hour’ you’d have nothing at the end of the month. You can’t create a ‘bunch’ without a bunch of ‘ones’.

I also know that many people are skeptical about our votes being fairly counted. I too am skeptical about that. But, if they aren’t, then me voting doesn’t hurt anything and at least I tried. However, if they are counted fairly and I didn’t vote, then I messed up. So, the better gamble is to do what is in my power and vote.

---

Alas, I know people won’t be able to read this in time for me to try to convince them to vote in this election, so that is not why I am writing this.

“I am writing this for anyone who feels like their soul is being crushed by the people they expected to help them fight these battles but who have instead decided to turn a blind eye to them.”

— Amanda Hovseth

Instead, I am writing this for anyone out there who is struggling with the same thing I am at the moment. Anyone who knows people they care about who for some reason couldn’t be bothered to care enough to go cast a simple vote against the horrors which keep us up at night. Anyone who has that same churning in their stomach that they’ve come to associate with the desperation for people to just understand the importance of some things in this world. Anyone who feels like their soul is being crushed by the people they expected to help them fight these battles but who have instead decided to turn a blind eye to them.

What if that person causing this distress is your friend, your sibling, your parent, or even your spouse? Maybe you can’t help but think, “I don’t think I’d have married them if I knew they wouldn’t care about these things that are vitally important to our way of life.” Or, “I’d rather skip family get-togethers than have to pretend like I’m not bothered by my siblings’ indifference.”

To you, my fellow ball of distress, I say the same thing God so aptly made sure I heard this morning on the radio during the Focus on the Family Minute: 

“You didn’t marry the wrong person, you’re looking in the wrong place. You’re trying to find life from a person, from a job, from an amount of money, it’s never going to satisfy you. You have to look vertical, that’s the whole point. Look to God instead of your spouse to find fulfillment.”

God is still there, look to him instead of your spouse, your parent, your sibling, your friend.

---

At least for me, a huge part of that twisting in my gut is the fear of being alone in an important fight. The fear of feeling like I am screaming into a void and no one is there to hear or to care. The fear of looking to my left and right and finding out I am all alone…but I shouldn’t be looking left or right, I should be looking vertical. I should be looking to God, because God is always there.

Slowly, as I am reminded of that truth, the churning in my gut always begins to settle. The angst against people I love begins to fade. And the fear which was threatening to engulf me, disappears.

As God reminds us in Psalm 46:10 (NIV), “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Everyone is on their own journey, facing their own struggles, and growing at their own pace. Let’s give the people we love–and even those we only kind of like a little–the benefit of the doubt.

Yes, talk to them about the important things, about how you feel about their indifference, about how you wish you had their support, but do it from a place of love, not fear or anger. After all, it’s not them who will guide the course of history, that task is God’s alone.

---

I’m going to sign off for now, but I want to leave you with this: when I’m feeling really angsty about world events I take a moment to read Job 38 to be reminded of just how awe inspiring and powerful God is, and it puts my mind back in its safe little place under God’s “wing”.

Here’s just a little snippet of it to get you started:

Job 38:4 (NLT), “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, then, if you know so much.”

---

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.

Why Do You Think Thomas Doubted?

You can listen to Ask The Pastor every weekday at 9:00am MST on 97.1FM Hope Radio KCMI! You can also listen and subscribe to Ask The Pastor in your favorite podcast feed. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music and most other podcast services.

This edition of Ask the Pastor features Pastors Johnathan Hernandez and Gary Schick.

Garry Schick
So, this is one that came to you, Jonathan. Somebody asked you the other day, "why do you think Thomas doubted?" And we were just talking this morning that this could even be a good springboard to talk about all 12. I mean, obviously Jesus is the center point. He's the focus of the gospels. But we do read about these other 12 guys who we get quite a bit about. Others only have their name, really. And then there's guys like Thomas that, and he kind of has this nickname, Doubting Thomas. Actually, if you're reading the gospels, he had a different nickname. He was also known as, "the twin." So he had a brother. But we're going to dig into all that a little bit today. But anyway, Jonathan what have you got?

Jonathan Hernandez
So, we see this right after the resurrection. The disciples were all together and Jesus comes. And unfortunately, or fortunately, I don't know how we want to look at this, but Thomas wasn't there. This is what? John 20:24, "One of the 12, Thomas, was not with the other disciples when Jesus came. And so the other disciples told him, 'we have seen Jesus." And this is where we see that whole, where we have given Thomas this nickname of, the doubter.

Garry Schick
But he didn't just doubt. He said, "I don't believe it." That's a little different.

Jonathan Hernandez
Yeah. And he's like, "unless I see the nail marks, if I not only see it, but I want to put my hand on, so maybe my eyes won't deceive me. I have to be able to touch it and feel it." And, you know, that's intense. I think, as we look at the story, there's a lot of things that jump out to me. Like, why was Thomas not there? Right?

Garry Schick
Yeah.

Jonathan Hernandez
Thomas, he was a huge part that we see throughout different parts of scripture. He's a leader in a sense. He's part of this group, and so why is he not in the room at that time? And we can read into it and have some, I think I was reading one commentary. They said that they think he was out running errands doing some things like that and just missed it.

Garry Schick
Did he work for DoorDash?

Jonathan Hernandez
Yeah. Maybe Uber or picking up the Walmart order, going to grab the fish. Who knows, right?

Garry Schick
Something fishy about that.

Jonathan Hernandez
And it's sad to think that he wasn't there. I think of another story---

Garry Schick
But it wasn't like Jesus said, "by the way, guys, I'm going to be here at six."

Jonathan Hernandez
Yeah, and then Thomas just missed it. Right. But he did miss it. He wasn't there. There's a story in John 11 when Lazarus was sick. And, you know, Jesus, they haven't gone there yet. Cause he said, "let's wait. And then we'll go." And all the disciples are like, "whoa, wait. Let's not go. Because last time we went, they tried to kill you Jesus." And Thomas goes, "if he goes, I want to go. If he's going to die, then I might as well go die too."

Garry Schick
Yeah. But that's the way you phrase it. We might as well go die with Him.

Jonathan Hernandez
Yeah. So we've dubbed him, "Doubting Thomas," from that later event, but we also see where he didn't doubt anything in this moment. He's like, "Jesus. If he's going there, I'm going there and I'm going to go and die with him. I'm going to be part of this." And so we know that Thomas is just like, "I am going to do this. I'm going to be a part of this." And then we find him later on not being a part of it. And the question is, why do we think that he wasn't there? And to me, I always wonder, is it because of the hurt that he experienced at the cross? Thomas gave up his whole life to follow Jesus. He gave up everything to be a part of this group of people with Jesus. And maybe his expectations weren't met. And I think about us, like there's many times that we become hurt. And what do we do? We put up a wall. And I'm wondering if, from the moment of Jesus dying on the cross, did Thomas put up a wall? And was he walking around with hurt and pain and depression or whatever it may be that he was dealing with in that time. And then the disciples, obviously, they know where he's at, because they go and tell him, right? And they go, "Thomas, we've seen Jesus." And he's like, "oh, there's no way. It's impossible. There's no way that you've seen Jesus." And then we're like, "he totally missed it. He missed everything." And to us it feels like it should be the end of the story. And yet Jesus says, "no, that's not the end of the story. I'm going to come back and I'm going to show him." And He comes and he shows Thomas, and Thomas is able to see and everything, right? And he gets that extended grace that God gave him in that moment for him to be able to experience that breakthrough moment again for him.

Garry Schick
Well, and the breakthrough is not just that Jesus is alive, but also his statement as he falls at Jesus' feet. And, "my Lord and my God," he saw more clearly than anybody what this means. Jesus is not merely a man. I mean, we know this because we're looking at it from the other side. We've already seen the end of the book. But we have to remember, these guys are coming in to him. To them, I mean, the beginning of the gospel, he's called Rabbi. In fact, Mary Magdalene even calls him after the resurrection, 'rabbi,' which means teacher, an ordinary human teacher. But over time, well, "but this teacher does miracles. But this teacher teaches stuff that we haven't heard before that is clearly of God." It brings the scriptures together like we've never heard it brought together. What does this really mean? I mean, when he stilled the storm, the question of the disciples was, "who is this man?" Even with the wind and the waves, they still didn't know. But in Thomas, at that resurrection moment, "put your hands in my nail-scarred hands and in my side." And, you know, my thoughts on Thomas were exactly yours. One of the things about this that I love is it reminds me, and it reminds us. When we're reading the gospels, we're not reading good fiction. We're reading the real story about real people in the real world. I don't know if some of our listeners are fans of fantasy fiction, but in the fantasy world, in those stories, people always assume whatever the fantastic is---if you read a Greek myth where there's, what do they call them? A centaur or whatever, that's half man, half horse. Nobody is freaked out by this creature that is half man, half horse. They don't go, "did you see that? They're real?" No, they assume it. In fantasy, centaurs are real. Magic is real. Unicorns are real. Whatever it is that the fantasy is about; flying horses. I guess I'm tapping into a lot of Greek myth here, but nobody is surprised when a Pegasus flies into the room with his wings, because that's part of the reality of the fictional. But if it happened while we were broadcasting, where a faun, like Mr. Tumnus from Narnia. He comes in, this bare chested guy with the legs of a goat comes clomping into the room. I'm not sure what we would do with that, Jonathan, because this is the real world. And in the real world, people who are dead, stay dead. People in the biblical era, were far more aware of death than we are because all of our meat comes packaged from the grocery store. Where does milk come from? "Well, it comes from a bottle." No! These guys grew up on the farm. They drank it from the cow. They slaughtered the animals that they ate. They caught the fish, and they filleted them. They cooked them on the fire, and they saw the life go out of them. And one thing they knew, once it's dead, it's dead. And that includes those they loved. He was such a realist. "Well guys, let's go with him." Or even, you didn't mention that right before Jesus dies, Jesus is trying to comfort them. "Guys, do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me and my Father's House. There are many mansions, so I've told you. I'm going there to prepare a place. And if I go, I'll come back and take you to be with me. And you know the way to the place where I'm going." But Thomas is the one who speaks up. "Lord, we don't know where you're going. How do we know the way?" Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." And that was actually the last thing he hears Jesus say personally to him that we know of before the crucifixion. "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me." And then the next day, Jesus is on a cross and dead. How does Thomas deal with it? I think you're right. I think he was grieving. I think he needed to be alone. He needed to be by himself. And when first he first heard the story, "Jesus is alive!" He thought, "Oh, come on, get on with your lives. This is over. And feel the pain. It's real." But then Jesus stood before him. And so we live in that real world. And Jesus is real, guys. You can embrace him. You know, Jesus said, "blessed are you who've seen and believe. Blessed are those who have not seen and still believe." That's us. But we've seen the testimony. And the first testimony that we're talking about is Thomas'.

What’s in the Cross Reference Library? The Librarian’s Top Three!

The Orphan’s Wish by Melanie Dickerson - Orphaned and alone, Aladdin travels from the streets of his Arab homeland to a strange, faraway place. Growing up in an orphanage, he meets young Lady Kirstyn, whose father is the powerful Duke of Hagenheim. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion, and their childhood friendship grows into a bond that time and opposition cannot break. Even as a child, Aladdin works hard, learning all he can from his teachers. Through his integrity, intelligence, and sheer tenacity, he earns a position serving as the duke’s steward. But that isn’t enough to erase the shame of being forced to steal as a small child—or the fact that he’s an orphan with no status. If he ever wants to feel equal to his beautiful and generous friend Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim and seek his fortune. Yet once Aladdin departs, Lady Kirstyn becomes a pawn in a terrible plot. Now, Aladdin and Kirstyn must rely on their bond to save her from unexpected danger. But will saving Kirstyn cost Aladdin his newfound status and everything he’s worked so hard to obtain? 

What I love about this book: I’ve read and enjoyed the other books in Melanie Dickerson’s Hagenheim Fairytale Romance series, but this one really stuck out to me. Usually, when you hear about the story of Aladdin, what comes to mind? Do you think of the wishes? The genie? A cave of wonders and temptation?Well, what fascinates me about The Orphan’s Wish, is how the author decides to focus on the redemption of Aladdin. As a child, he stole money and food to survive. But when he escapes that life and becomes friends with the duke’s daughter, it becomes Aladdin’s mission to become more than his past. In a way, this version of the story feels more real to me. Now, I know the original is folklore and isn’t meant to feel real, but the fact that Dickerson’s Aladdin finds a way to achieve his new life without magic wishes is a lot more inspiring.

To Hell With The Hustle by Jefferson Bethke - Modern life increasingly makes us feel more wired, chaotic, and burned out. To Hell with the Hustle fights back. Jefferson Bethke shows you how to: 

• Quit the cycle of more, more, more

• Question the noise all around us

• Set boundaries and cultivate discipline

• Push back the demands of contemporary life 

• And rediscover the fundamentals that make us human

If you are weary of the pressure to be more, do more, have more, you have permission to opt out. To Hell with the Hustle is your necessary guide to resisting  our culture’s frantic madness and embracing the pace of Jesus. 

What I love about this book: I’d be lying if I said that my life wasn’t busy and stressful. And that’s why when I first read To Hell with the Hustle, I found that the author had a lot of good points on slowing down and finding ways to really be in the presence of Jesus in your daily life. Jefferson speaks to the individual reader where their at in their fast-paced chaotic life.

The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis  - 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.

What I love about this series (I expressed this in another post a few months ago): https://www.kcmifm.com/blog/2024/10/1/whats-new-at-the-cross-reference-library-something-pretty-awesome

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? What Story Are You Writing?

The Novelist - What happens when a writer’s story begins to change the story of her life? To the world she’s Jordan Casey, creator of the wildly popular series of novels featuring international spy Rex Tower. To her family she’s Jordan Casey Kerrigan, a loving wife and mom with an almost empty nest, and an unexpectedly successful midlife career. To the diverse class of community college students she’s agreed to take on for a fiction-writing course, she’s a complex teacher determined to prove that with a plan and some dedication, any one of them can do what she does. To show what she means—and to respond to a challenge from an egotistical student—she decides to actually write a novel for the class. But not a Rex Tower novel. Not a spy blockbuster. Something more personal, something closer to home. Something that touches on her faith and might even speak to her deeply troubled younger son, Zack. But something strange is happening in the midst of it all. As she struggles to keep the novel on track, Jordan starts to realize it holds a deeper mystery than she could ever plot. And she and Zack are part of it. The stirring outcome is something the novelist could never anticipate…or dare to dream. And the truth is stranger than any fiction. 

Paperback Writer - Paul James Watson is the writer of mid-list paperback novels. His humdrum life is flat, routine, and generally unimpressive, and his spiritual life follows suit. But Watson’s escape is his craft. He becomes absorbed in his novels and his character, Toby McKenna, a highly successful detective who always solves the crime, heroically putting his life on the line for justice. But there is another Paul James Watson. He is the Watson of his imagination, who is living a life in his mind of new and exciting situations, conversations, and relationships. It is not long before the lines of reality, fiction, and imagination become so entwined that the real Watson threatens to become lost.

My Thoughts -  For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by those who write for a living. Especially those who write novels. Their attention to detail when it comes to characters, plot, and world-building is quite spectacular in my opinion. When these two books were donated, I thought it was funny just how similar they were. They each step into the shoes of authors who write about spies/detectives for a living, and they have reached a point in their career where they feel hollow and the passion is slipping away. But what really caused me to want to share these novels here, were the taglines on the back of each book. For The Novelist it says, “What happens when a writer’s story begins to change the story of her life?” And with Paperback Writer we get, “Paul James Watson is a paperback writer. But is he writing fiction or living it?” They seem to let us know that, “you’re about to, as the reader, discover what it feels like to be the author.” And what’s even more awesome is how that author, the main character of the novel you’re reading, gets their chance to experience a full character arc. Written by Stephen Bly and Angela Hunt, those character arcs have allegory in their veins. With the intention to show their readers a loving God. But also to show that the Author of our lives has our story written and has a perfect plan for our lives. There is a song by Katy Nicole that goes like this: “God is in this story. God is in the details. Even in the broken parts, He holds my heart.” So come on into the Cross Reference Library and check out these novels and discover their incredible messages.