Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill

Hey, friends! It’s no secret how much I love books. You can usually find me in the middle of one of these activities:

1. Reading a book
2. Talking about a book I’m reading
3. Talking about a book I want to read.

Plus, English majors tend to be really into stories, so I call it using my bachelor’s degree.

Anyway, today I want to share about a brand-new book I read a few weeks ago: Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill. I’ve shared about several of her books on the blog over the years (The Lost Girl of Astor Street, The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet, The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet, and Throwing Stones), so it’s an honor to get to do it again!

First, I’ll share the book’s synopsis, then I’ll post my review and info about the author andhow you can get a copy! Happy reading!

About the book:

When Evalina Cassano and Taichi Hamasaki are torn apart by the events following the attack on Pearl Harbor, they must fight if they want any hope of returning to one another before World War II steals their future together. Within These Lines is one unflinching, haunting, historical novel you don’t want to miss; perfect for fans of Monica Hesse, Ruta Sepetys, and Elizabeth Wein.

Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family living in San Francisco in 1941 is quiet and ordinary until she falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it would cause and that inter-racial marriage is illegal in California, Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm and move to a Japanese-American internment camp.

Degrading treatment makes life at Manzanar Relocation Center difficult. Taichi’s only connection to the outside world is treasured letters from Evalina. Feeling that the only action she can take to help Taichi is to speak out against injustice, Evalina becomes increasingly vocal at school and at home. Meanwhile, inside Manzanar, fighting between different Japanese-American factions arises. Taichi begins to doubt he will ever leave the camp alive.

With tensions running high and their freedom on the line, Evalina and Taichi must hold true to their ideals and believe in their love to make a way back to each other against unbelievable odds.

My Thoughts: 

In December 1941, Japanese forces bombed Pearl Harbor, officially bringing the United States into World War II. As fear spread through the nation, the U.S. government forced Japanese Americans to leave their homes, jobs, friends, and lives behind and enter internment camps. 

Set against this historical backdrop of turmoil, fear, and racism, Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill tells a heart-rending, yet beautiful story of love that perseveres, even when all else is against it. 

Though Evalina Cassano and Taichi Hamasaki are fictional, their lives pulse with such compelling authenticity that you forget – even if for a moment – they’re characters in a novel and not living,breathing souls. 

Yet their story of hope in the face of utter darkness and their courage to fight for what is right is inspiring. Even though this story takes place many decades in the past, it rings with timeless truths about the dangers of letting fear dictate our decisions, and reminds us of the value and dignity of all human life. That’s a message as needed today as it was in 1942. 

This story gripped me from page one. By the time I read the final line, I’d not only learned more about our country’s history – and events that did affect real people – but I was also reminded of the importance of acknowledging the truth of where we’ve been so that we can  live justly and love our neighbors today. 

I believe that’s a testament to the power of stories like Within These Lines. 

About the Author: 

Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas, with her husband and three kids. She is the author of The Lost Girl of Astor Street, The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Book, and the Ellie Sweet series. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, GoTeenWriters.com. To connect with Stephanie and read samples of her books, check out StephanieMorrill.com

 

Within These Lines is available from all major book retailers.

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God Breathes

Something shifts
on the sixth day.
God spun the universe
into being by His Word.

But now
He bends down,
breathes life into dust.
Love into smallest substance.

Breath into flesh
meant to fill the earth
with beating hearts,
breathing lungs,
songs of praise.

But in the breadth of a breath,
teeth sink into pride.
Tasting glory,
swallowing mortality.
Baring souls
bearing shame.

The One who
set earth on its path
calls prophets to proclaim
the God-breathed Word.

He’ll crush the head,
snuff the breath
of the serpent of death
by His own death.

Mighty God is on His way.
Mysteries of the ages
will unravel
in the swaddling cloths
of a child.

But first,
centuries
of aching,
waiting,
longing.

 

Silence.

 

A virgin
overshadowed
by sovereignty,
conceiving divinity.
Accepting a plan
to usher in
The Promise.

A girl carrying
the King of Kings,
breathless
as all of history contracts
in a single moment.

On the manger floor
a baby enters the world
to save the world
and the Hope of the World
inhales oxygen.

Breath of life
from the Bread of Life
declaring life
to all who were condemned
to death.

The Son of God takes
a first breath
in a barn.
An infant’s cry
splits the skies
and breaks the silence.

The Word made flesh
bends down,
into the dust
to serve those He made
from dust.

A splintered cross
displays the One born
King of the Jews.
A man nailed to
beams and struggling
to draw air.

God breathes
one final time.
The earth quakes,
darkness falls.

The Lord of all
gives it all.
The Lamb slaughtered
for the sins of the world.

Three days in a grave,
lifeless.
Until lungs inhale
oxygen.

 

God breathes.

 

Something shifts
on the third day.
God spun the universe
into being by His Word.

But now
He conquers death.
Once-for-all battle
in a grave.

Breath of life
from the Bread of Life
declaring life
to all who were condemned
to death.

A promise of
a future restored,
a King to reign
on a throne forever.

Recorded on pages
passed down
through generations
as an invitation
to believe in
a God who breathes.

 

 

 

From the Beginning

Their mouths are still sticky from the fruit when God goes for a walk in the garden.

They hide behind leaves, leaving behind friendship with their Creator in exchange for deception.

What was good and pure and holy moments ago is now a source of shame.

“He’s coming! Hurry! Hide!”

“Adam, where are you?”

“Stay quiet. Maybe He won’t see us.”

“Adam, come out.”

They slowly step out from the maze of trees, the man made from dust and the woman made from his side. Space now between them.

“I heard you coming and I hid because I was afraid and naked.”

“Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat the fruit I told you not to touch?”

The man glances over at the one sculpted from his own flesh and bone. “This woman you gave me. She told me to eat it.”

She dips her head, letting her hair curtain her face.

God turns to her. “What did you do, Eve?”

“That serpent tricked me.”

The serpent lurks in the shadows, his eyes gleaming.

God sees him and says, “Because you did this, you are more cursed than any other creature. For as long as you live, you will slide on the ground, eating dust. I’m putting hostility between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

***

The first chapter of the true story of the world is beautiful. Breathe deeply and you can smell the sweetness of the flowers. Listen carefully and you can hear a brook trickling through the garden. Tilt your head and feel the warmth of the afternoon sun on your face. Taste the pure, clean air.

Then turn the page. Feel the chill race down your spine as the serpent wraps himself around the tree. Let your nose burn as you inhale the aroma of the freshly-bitten fruit. Feel your eyes open wide as you realize your humanity. Feel shame flood your face as you realize God is coming.

The story is now stained with sin. Darkened by deception. Hiding and lies are a part of the plot, and the earth is cursed.

But notice.

Even in the curse, there is a promise.

“He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

It’s called the Protoevangelium: The First Gospel. The first time we learn that rescue will come.

Eve’s offspring will crush Satan. It will be a painful, long journey, but He will come to overcome evil. Thousands of years will drag on as the consequences of that garden choice spiral deeper and deeper into darkness.

But then, after centuries of prophets declaring this is not the end, Eve’s consequence is lived out in the body of a young woman. With great pain, a baby is born.

In a small town, in a room where animals sleep, the Offspring breathes for the first time. His tiny heart beats wildly and color fills His face as His skin meets the chill of the outside world.

They wrap him tightly in strips of cloth and they lay him in a feeding trough because there’s nowhere clean for them to go.

The baby gradually falls asleep.

The enemy lurks in the shadows, but the promise will not be broken.

Every scraped knee the baby will feel as he grows, every bloody nose, every time a bully taunts, the promise remains.

And then one day, it will look like the curse wins, like the serpent’s offspring has crushed the woman’s offspring for good.

They strike him and spit on him. They strip his clothes from him, and a crown of thorns crushes his head.

“If you were really God, he would save Yourself!”

“Let’s see what kind of King you are now!”

“Don’t you have angels who could come down to help you?”

Then they stretch his arms across wooden beams and drive nails into His hands to hold Him in place.

They raise the cross.

His heart breaks.

He dies.

For 3 days, He is lifeless. Cold. Unmoving.

Then…

Life pumps through His veins, His heart beats, and He crushes the enemy’s head.

The promise wins.

Way back in the garden, we had a taste of what would come.

Now death, shame, and fear are defeated.

Through one man, death entered into the world. Through another, life.

Through one woman, pain entered the world. Through another, the promise.

His name is Jesus.

Come out of hiding and come to the One who paid the price your sin demanded. He gave His life so we would never have to experience death or be forever separated from Him.

^“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned…Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.

And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” – Romans 5:12-19

This was the promise from the beginning.

Summer Book Recommendations

If you’re a bookworm like me, you look forward to reading by the pool or with your toes in the sand at the beach. You get excited about reading for fun, and you basically inhale any good story you can get your hands on.

But you may find yourself 1) Overwhelmed by all of the choices or 2) Not sure where to find a good book. So I thought I’d share a few of my favorites with you. These are books I’m constantly recommending. They’re all YA, which means the main characters are teens and the dialogue is quippy and honest.

So here’s five books/series I keep going back to whenever I want something fun to read.

After you browse this list, leave a comment with your own recommendations! I’m always  looking for the next good book!

1. The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill

I posted about this one a few months ago, so click here to read my thoughts on it! It’s a must-read if you’re into the 1920’s, mysteries, and a touch of romance.

2. There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

I’ve read this one probably four or five times, and I’m about to read it again. It takes place in Ireland and is told from the perspective of Finley Sinclair – a flawed and funny narrator with some big-time heartache to work through. I love this one not only because of how Jones makes the beauty of Ireland come alive on the page, but also because of the realistic/relatable narrator, humor, and message of redemption.

3. The Selection series by Kiera Cass

I read the first three books awhile ago, and recently read the final two in the series. Now I’m reading my way through a novella collection that lets you peek into the lives of some of the supporting characters. Set in a world post-America, the series is like a teen version of The Bachelor with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Plus, there’s nothing in them that’ll make you squirm or want to wash your eyeballs. Kiera Cass is a brilliant storyteller, and you’ll find yourself wishing there was a sixth book in the series.

4. The Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn

Or, let’s be honest, anything by Robin Jones Gunn. The Christy Miller series began before I was born – back in the late 80’s – and they’re still going strong. Follow Christy from the summer she turns 15 into adulthood. The most recent book in the collection (pictured above) just released, and I inhaled it in one evening. Plus, a couple of Christy’s friends get their own series, and they’re all so good. This is one of my all-time favorites.

5. The Merciful Scar by Rebecca St. James and Nancy Rue 

 

For a more serious, yet deeply moving story, The Merciful Scar is a must-read. Heartbreak and pain are interwoven with messages of hope, redemption, and mercy. It’s beautifully written with a narrator whose story will grip you.

I reviewed this one when it released a few years ago, so click here to read more.

Currently…

Happy beginning of summer, friends! Unless it’s not summer break for you yet. In that case: HANG IN THERE, BUDDY!

I just finished my second year of seminary. One more year, and I’ll have a Master’s Degree! I also recently had that quarter century birthday, so now I’m solidly in the mid-twenties and that’s something.

Since it’s been a while, I thought I’d do another “currently” post to summarize some of what’s been going on recently. After you read this, let me know what you’ve been up to in the comments section – I’d love to catch up!

Watching…

• Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I believe this is my fifth time through (don’t even get me started…), but it’s my mom’s first time watching it. She finished up the original series this Spring, so I’m watching the new episodes with her.

Reading…

• Fiction! I went to the library with a friend last week and came home with a stack of YA novels. I have my favorites I usually re-read in the summer, but this year, I’m trying not to do that. There’s just so much to read, and I’ve been buried in books for school all semester. I’m about to start reading The Heir by Kierra Cass since I read The Selection series last summer.

Drinking…

• Hot peppermint tea with almond milk. Guys, this has become part of my nightly routine. A woman in my Bible study group at church introduced me to this, and I’ve been hooked. You put your teabag in a mug, then pour in a little almond milk, then add the hot water. Give it five minutes, stir, and voila. It’s amazing. It also makes me fall asleep, which is why I save it for the evening.

Preparing…

• For my sister Abby’s wedding! We’ve got bachelorette shenanigans going down this weekend, then the wedding in a couple of weeks! It’s gotta stop raining around here so I can not be super pale in that bridesmaid dress…

Discussing…

• Wedding stuff. Abby’s, not mine (if it were my wedding you would’ve known before now, for sure).  There’s a lot of wedding discussions going on right now.

Traveling…

• To Europe in a few weeks with some friends! I’ll share more about that later, but my flights are booked, my passport is waiting, and I am SO EXCITED!

Praying…

• About what’s next after grad school. I know what my heart loves, and I know what I’m called to do, so I’m asking the Lord to direct my steps in the right direction.

How about you? What are you watching/reading/praying about/etc.?

The Sound of Emeralds Birthday Blog Tour & GIVEAWAY!

Today I have the privilege of participating in The Sound of Emeralds birthday blog tour, as we celebrate The Sound of Emerald’s birthday!

The Sound of Emeralds is the third book in the Steadfast Love series by Rachelle Rea Cobb – click here to read my post about the other two books in the series!

In this post, you’ll get a peak into Emeralds, learn more about the author, and have the opportunity to enter a giveaway for a chance to win all three books in the series!

Let’s get started…

About the Steadfast Love Series

In 16th-century Europe, the Reformation rages between Protestants and Catholics.
Gwyneth, half-Dutch, flees from England to Holland to escape the man who murdered her parents. When he follows her there and insists he came to rescue her, will she trust this man called Dirk? When tragedy strikes, will their steadfast love erode?

About The Sound of Emeralds 

What once was blazing hatred has turned to lasting love, but could the union of a wild heart with that of a lady ever result in more than heartache? With the help of an old friend with uncertain loyalties, Dirk inches ever closer to clearing his name. Gwyneth throws her faith into good tidings and the promise of a future as a family. But an old evil comes to call, just as tragedy rips apart a fledgling truce. Enemies from the past and grief for the future threaten to tear asunder what God had brought together…

As the date of Dirk’s trial approaches, his fate and his family hang in the balance. Will he be proven innocent of Gwyneth’s parents’ murders—or separated from her forever? How much pain does it take to erode a love steadfast?

Find The Sound of Emeralds on…
Amazon Paperback: http://is.gd/F53u5R
Kindle: http://is.gd/F53u5R
Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/RguS9l
Books a Million: http://is.gd/NdMWGr
Goodreads: http://is.gd/zRI9dg

About the Author

Times gone by snatch Rachelle Rea Cobb close, so she reads and writes about
years long ago– her passions include the Reformation, Revolutions, and romance.
Rachelle wrote the Steadfast Love series during college. Five months after she
graduated, she signed a three-book deal with her dream publisher, WhiteFire. She’s
a homeschool grad, Oreo addict, and plots her novels while driving around her dream car, a pick-up truck. In June 2016, she married a man with the same name as her fictional hero, and they live happily ever after in Small Town, South. She is also the author of Write Well, a guide for writers, which released on March 4th!

Author Links 

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram: @RachelleReaCobb
• Amazon Author Page
• Goodreads

Interview with the Author

1. When and where did you first get the idea for the Steadfast Love Series?

A song I was listening to on the radio inspired the title of the first book. So I wrote Diamonds, but when I finished it, I realized to my great frustration that the characters weren’t done with their story, even though I had been quite adamant that I would write a stand-alone novel. But the story wasn’t finished, so I kept writing.

2. Readers often pick out favorite quotes from a novel. Do you have a favorite of your own from The Sound of Silver?

Yes! In fact, my friend Mindy, a calligrapher, even created a beautiful piece of art from one of my favorite quotes: “Within the pages of books one’s heart can be revealed.”

3. Can you tell us what first drew you to writing Inspirational Historical Romance?

My first exposure to the genre came when I read Heartsong Presents novels when I was twelve. Those small books introduced me to how much I believe in the power of story, especially love stories set in times gone by.

4. I saw on your website that you also write reviews, articles and offer editing services. What’s one of your favorite things beyond writing novels that you enjoy?

Editing is such fun! I daresay I enjoy editing a page full of my own (or others’!) words just as much as I enjoy splashing words onto a blank page. I recently released my first nonfiction book, Write Well, which is a short ebook designed as a guide writers!

Enter the Giveaway! 

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below to signed copies of ALL THREE of Rachelle’s novels. The whole series, signed!

International friends, this giveaway is open to continental U.S. addresses only (sorry!). But do still enter, because one international winner will also be chosen to receive all three e-books.

Follow the link to go to the giveaway:  a Rafflecopter Giveaway

Thank you, friends, for stopping by today! Go ahead and grab your copies of the Steadfast Love books, and you’ll be all ready for reading by the pool this summer :)
– Anna

The Lost Girl of Astor Street Clue Hunt: Clue #16

Hey, friends! If you’re looking for the next piece of the puzzle in The Lost Girl of Astor Street Clue Hunt, you’ve come to the right place!

Not sure what this is about? Click here to get started! (There’s a prize involved!)

Stick around for my review of the book, more info about the story, and clue #16!

“I am many things, Detective Cassano, but safe isn’t one of them.” – Piper Sail

My Review 

Q: What do you get when you mix a strong female protagonist, the Roaring 20’s, and the Chicago mafia scene?

A: The Lost Girl of Astor Street, a story that will immerse you in the world of Piper Sail as she tries to solve the mystery of what happened to her best friend. Hold onto your cloche – it’s a wild ride.

The 1920s are fascinating. Flappers, jazz, speakeasies, and the likes of Al Capone all color this time period. And that’s where you’ll find Piper Sail, a tenacious eighteen-year-old determined to find answers to all of the secrets swirling around her.

Stephanie Morrill brings Piper’s world to life through vivid description and a keen eye for historical detail. The story grabs you and won’t let go, but the setting of 1924 Chicago – both the glamorous and the gritty – is enough to keep you reading. Even the dialogue is reflective of the time period.

The characters are unique and well-developed, and the plot will keep you guessing as you try to solve the mystery alongside Piper.

Lost Girl gives readers a perfect blend of suspense, humor, and romance throughout the story, which is realistic yet doesn’t include any iffy language or content.

I’m a big fan of all of Morrill’s books, but she outdoes herself with this one. It’s become one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it. I hope this isn’t the last we hear from Piper Sail!

“To love anyone is to risk.” – Piper’s father

About the book 

Lydia has vanished.
Lydia, who’s never broken any rules, except falling in love with the wrong boy. Lydia, who’s been Piper’s best friend since they were children. Lydia, who never even said good-bye.
Convinced the police are looking in all the wrong places, eighteen-year-old Piper Sail begins her own investigation in an attempt to solve the mystery of Lydia’s disappearance. With the reluctant help of a handsome young detective, Piper goes searching for answers in the dark underbelly of 1924 Chicago, determined to find Lydia at any cost.
When Piper discovers those answers might stem from the corruption strangling the city—and quite possibly lead back to the doors of her affluent neighborhood—she must decide how deep she’s willing to dig, how much she should reveal, and if she’s willing to risk her life of privilege for the sake of the truth.
From the glitzy homes of the elite to the mob-run streets of 1920s Chicago, Stephanie Morrill’s jazz-age mystery shows just how far a girl will go to save her friend.

About the author

Stephanie Morrill is the creator of GoTeenWriters.com and the author of several young adult novels, including the historical mystery, The Lost Girl of Astor Street. Despite loving cloche hats and drop-waist dresses, Stephanie would have been a terrible flapper because she can’t do the Charleston and looks awful with bobbed hair. She and her near-constant ponytail live in Kansas City with her husband and three kids.

Website: www.stephaniemorrill.com
Facebook: facebook.com/StephanieMorrillAuthor
Twitter: @StephMorrill
Instagram: @StephanieMorrill

The clue 

Are you ready for the next clue? I thought so!

Clue #16 is…

NOT

There you go! Good luck on the rest of the hunt!

Blog stops

Here’s the complete list of stops along the clue hunt! Make sure you stop by each blog to collect all of the Lost Girl clues and be entered to win the prize!

Clue 1: Stephanie Morrill
Clue 2: Some Books Are
Clue 3: Gabriella Slade
Clue 4: Page by Page, Book by Book
Clue 5: Pens and Scrolls
Clue 6: Singing Librarian Books
Clue 7: Heather Manning
Clue 8: Annie Louise Twitchell
Clue 9: Noveling Novelties
Clue 10: Kaitee Hart
Clue 11: Classics and Craziness
Clue 12: Zerina Blossom
Clue 13: Rebecca Morgan
Clue 14: Keturah’s Korner
Clue 15: That Book Gal
Clue 16: Anna Schaeffer
Clue 17: Hadley Grace
Clue 18: Lydia Howe
Clue 19: Ramblings by Bethany
Clue 20: Matilda Sjöholm
Clue 21: Lydia Carns
Clue 22: Broken Birdsong
Clue 23 & Clue 24: The Ink Loft
Clue 25: Roseanna M. White

For the Wonderer

He was old and frail, but wiser than men twice his age. He was a man of steadfast faith, choosing to spend his time in deep prayer and service to the Lord.

He knew the words of the prophets by heart. The ones who had prophesied about deliverance more than four hundred years ago. Before God went silent. He knew the Messiah would come to free mankind, though he did not know when. Every day he wondered when the Promise would be fulfilled.

He knew the stiffness of his joints and the thinning white hair on his head and beard. He knew the ache in his back each morning when he woke up, and he knew the fatigue he felt by the end of each day. He knew he didn’t have many more days. But he also had a special promise, a knowing he clung to deep within his soul:

He would not see death until he had seen the Savior.

And so, with sturdy faith and secure conviction, Simeon waited.

***

He hadn’t planned to come to the temple so early, but he had been unable to sleep the night before. He’d tossed and turned on his mat before finally lying on his back and praying toward the roof until the first sliver of light from the sun. He ate breakfast, all the while feeling something compelling him to go to the house of worship.

He had just arrived at the temple for the day when he saw them: a man and a woman stepping into the courtyard. The man held a staff and the woman held a baby. He watched the young mother tuck the blanket under the chin of her sleeping child.

Simeon saw this often: first-time parents bringing their son to the temple on his eighth day of life. He knew the couple was presenting their baby to the Lord and offering a sacrifice, according to the Law.

The man rested his hand gently on the woman’s back – she was barely more than a young girl – and gently led her forward. The young woman looked up, and her eyes met Simeon’s.

Instantly, he knew. Deep within the depths of his soul, he heard the Spirit whisper: I Am here.

Trembling, Simeon walked to meet the couple. The man wrapped a protective arm around his wife, and she snuggled the baby closer to her chest.

Simeon reached the man and woman and slowly stretched out his shaking hands. The young mother carefully placed the infant in his arms.

The child was so small, so helpless. Simeon held him close. The baby slowly opened his sleepy eyes and held Simeon’s gaze.

With tears streaming down the creases of his weathered cheeks and into his beard, Simeon raised the baby up in the air, careful to support his neck and keep the blanket wrapped around him.

“Lord,” he whispered, his voice wobbling, “I can now go in peace, just like you promised.” His voice grew in strength until it was steady and strong. “I have seen your salvation with my own eyes, who you have brought for everyone. He is a light so the Gentiles can know who you are, and He is the glory of your people Israel!”

Then Simeon pulled the baby back close to his heart, overcome that the Lord would allow him to hold the Promise in his hands. Aware God Himself was bundled in his arms.

The man and woman silently watched the moment unfold. The mother of the Messiah leaned slightly against the man, both of their eyes shining in wonder at what was taking place.

Simeon bent his neck and gently kissed the baby’s head before handing him back to his mother.

Behind Simeon, a prophetess, old and frail, stepped into the sacred moment. As a widow, she had known deep love and deep sorrow. She had known the joy of companionship and the throbbing ache of loneliness. She was a woman of steadfast faith, choosing to devote her days to fasting and praying in the temple.

When she saw what was taking place, she raised her hands in praise. While Simeon continued to bless the child and speak to the child’s mother, Anna whispered prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord.

The Savior had come.

***

Simeon and Anna are two of countless people who wondered when the Savior would arrive. They waited and prayed and fasted and sought to see God at work. They anticipated God’s answer to sin and shame. They knew with their whole hearts that He was coming, they just didn’t know when.

Just as Jesus came to Simeon and Anna in the temple, you don’t have to stumble around, aimlessly searching for Him because He has come to you.

Neither did the shepherds stumble into the stable on their own – they were invited. Moreover, they were chosen as the first to receive an invitation, and they were given the job of inviting others to come. To tell the world that He had come to save the world.

You are invited. You are chosen.

You aren’t chosen because of who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done. Neither are you chosen in spite of who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done.

You are chosen because you are loved, and He came to us as one of us to prove this is true.

There was a star over a stable. Now there is a Spirit stirring hearts. Both inviting, saying, come and behold Him.

For the one who wonders if the good news of Christmas is actually true….come and behold Him.

 For the one who wonders if God will come through before it’s too late…come and behold Him.

 For the one who wonders if it’s too late to follow the Lord and live for Him…come and behold Him.

For the one who wonders if God has forgotten him…come and behold Him.

 For the one who wonders if her dreams and desires even matter to God…come and behold Him.

For the one who wonders if the darkness of night will ever end…come and behold Him.

 For the prodigal, the wayward, the searcher, the lost…come and behold Him.

Simeon and Anna wondered, but they never wandered. They trusted in God’s promise, and they saw Him faithfully deliver. They beheld the answer to their prayers – the Hope of the world.

If you’re ever tempted to believe God has given up on you…

If you ever doubt He could really love you after all you’ve done…

If you ever wonder if you’re wanted…

Your king has come to you.   

For the wanderer…come home.

For the wonderer…you are known.

To those who wander, stand in wonder. Behold the One who calls you beloved.

The Savior has come.

“I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” – Luke 2:30-32

Merry Christmas,
Anna

 

 

 

The Waiting

Thousands of years of waiting for redemption, prophecies promising the coming of the King. Four hundred years of silence, wondering and longing and praying for a word from God.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus…

Then nine months.

Three quarters of a year between Mary learning she would bear a Son and the birth of the Savior.

Days and days before little limbs began to stretch and grow.

Weeks and weeks before the first felt flutter of life.

Months and months before the Savior could be seen.

Born to set thy people free…

Trusting in the promise, yet waiting weeks to know for sure.

Wondering what everyone would say, what she would do, where she would go.

 Knowing she was carrying the Messiah, yet patiently living daily life while a miracle was in the making.

Holding onto the hope of redemption, yet not holding Him in her arms.

Believing in the impossible, yet not understanding how.

Following in obedience, yet not seeing Him face-to-face.

From our sins and fears and sins release us…

Watching friends make choices about their futures, yet walking on a path she didn’t plan.

Waiting for God to speak to the heart of her betrothed, waiting for the accusations that were sure to come.

Traveling to an unfamiliar town. Looking for a place to stay. Praying for an end to agony. Longing for morning to dawn.

…Let us find our rest in Thee.

Then, after thousands of years of waiting for redemption, four hundred years of silence, and nine more months…

Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art…

 The waiting is over.

No more desperate praying for a word from God because the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us.

No more seeking signs, no more wondering, and no more longing because she gives birth to the Son.

Dear desire of every nation…

The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Joy of every longing heart.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. – Galatians 4:4-5

When the right time came.

On a divine schedule.

In the perfect moment, the perfect, sinless solution to all of our shame and sorrow entered into the world.

Born Thy people to deliver…

 Emmanuel. God is with us.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.

The flesh-and-blood image of the invisible God lies in a manger. The firstborn of all creation is cradled by a first-time mother.

Born a child and yet a King…

 She waited nine months to hold the promise in her hands. But He was already there, though she couldn’t see Him.

Grace was growing. He was already on earth, forming in secret. Unseen, but very present.

Born to reign in us forever…

She couldn’t yet see Him face-to-face, but He was with her.

His plan was already forming. Hope was already infiltrating history.

Now thy gracious kingdom bring.

When you’re in a season of waiting, longing for what’s next, remember: He’s here. And He’s already working.

He’s behind the scenes, but He’s not silent.

He’s working within us, stirring inside us.

By Thine own eternal Spirit…

He’s here in the middle of the waiting.

When others are living the dreams you’ve dreamed…

When you’re faced with failure yet again…

When you felt sure you wouldn’t be spending yet another Christmas alone…

When you wonder if He has forgotten you…

In the waiting…

Emmanuel. God is with us. And at just the right time, He will provide light in the middle of the darkness.

 …rule in all our hearts alone.

 He’s unfolding a plan too precious to show us all at once.

He’s telling His story.

 In the silence. In the stillness. In the most fragile of faith.

Take heart.

Hold onto hope.

Wait in faith.

Rest in His redemption.

By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

He is listening.

He is restoring.

He is speaking.

He is working in the waiting.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. – Galatians 4:4-5

This is Rescue

Slow, cautious steps forward until flames strike out toward skin and eyes burn. Another step. Then one more.

“Do not come any closer.”

A shepherd’s staff forgotten. The arm of a cloak raised as a shield from the heat.

“Take off your sandals. The place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Dirt-caked sandals set aside.

Bare feet, bare soul. Holy ground.

“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”

Tanned hands trembling. Head bowed in fearful reverence.

Flames licking the sky, but the bush below remaining unconsumed. No branches breaking, no leaves withering.

“I have seen the misery of my people. I have heard them crying out in their slavery, and I am concerned about their suffering.”

In Egypt, the backs of the chosen break under the weight of bricks and the beatings of slave drivers. Nightly cries for deliverance are thrown at the skies. Weeping and wondering and waiting.

“So I have come down to rescue them.”

A hesitant yes from a man born in secret, hidden in a basket, and raised among princes.

“I will be with you.”

Plagues. Passover. Parting seas.

Deliverance.

Disobedience and doubts and decades of wandering in the desert.

Provision and prophecies and promises.

Then silence.

***

Quick, panicked steps forward, fear flickering in wide eyes.

Knocking on a closed door. Then another door. Then one more.

A walking staff forgotten. The arm of a cloak raised to wipe a sweat-drenched brow.

The place where you are standing is holy ground.

A desperate call for help. Dirt-caked sandals tripping on gravel. Refuge found in an unassuming corner of a crowded city.

I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

Tanned hands trembling, unsteady voice sending pleading prayers up to the sky.

A cry of new life as light is born into the darkness.

I have seen the misery of my people.

A soft palm and tiny nails and wrinkled fingers inspected and kissed by a virgin who quietly learns a lullaby.

Dark hair and pink cheeks and little arms gently scrubbed by the calloused hands of a man who has only known the rough work of sanding wood.

I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

Woven together in a womb. Formed from flesh. Born from a cry of pain onto a bed of hay. From a frame of faith and innocence into a cave, dark and damp.

So I have come down to rescue them.

A stable as the holy of holies, the dwelling place of the Divine. A manger as the altar where the Sacrifice lie swaddled and snug. A shrill, tiny cry as the call to worship.

I am with you.

Angels rejoicing. Shepherds running through the streets. Deity resting.

Deliverance.

***

When I think of Yahweh, I think of power, might, a thundering voice. I think of God in the Old Testament, sending plagues on the Egyptians, parting the Red Sea, leading with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

But then He came to us as a Baby. He gave up every ounce of strength, everything we associate with Divinity. He showed us the length He would go to save us.

He showed us what Emmanuel truly means – not just God with us on a mountain, handing down commandments. Not just God with us in a bush that blazes but doesn’t burn up. Not just God with us, leading us through the desert.

No.

When He became incarnate, He became intimate. Closer than walking in a perfect garden beside us, He placed Himself in our arms.

He placed Himself in the womb of a girl so He could one day place His Spirit in our hearts. He challenged everything we thought we knew about God, showing us true love is messy and painful and often takes time.

“God said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.’”

I Am. Yahweh.

Teaching and guiding and freeing.

Drying tears, healing hearts, breathing life into those paralyzed by fear and shame and disease.

Reaching out to the outcast, healing souls in desperate need of hope.

Provision and prophecies and promises fulfilled.

Jesus. Yahweh is salvation.

Back bearing the weight of wrath, palms pierced with nails driven by hatred.

Then dawn breaks and life defeats death.

The stone is rolled away and the curtain separating God and man lies on the floor, ripped in two, forever breaking the silence and freeing us from slavery to sin.  Inviting us to come if we believe this good news that is truer than feelings and more certain than what our human eyes can see.

Emmanuel. God is with us.

The name we still remember on the other side of His first coming and in anticipation of His second.

I have seen the misery of my people…I have come down to rescue them…I will be with you.

This is rescue.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21

(Find the story of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3)