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Showing posts with label Lorilyn Roberts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lorilyn Roberts. Show all posts

Saturday, December 11, 2021

New Christmas Treasure Among Christmas Books - "On That Starry Night," by Linda Fields



I (Lorilyn Roberts) want to share the backdrop of this book. Linda Fields had written On That Starry Night a few years before I met her, but for a variety of reasons, she never published it. Then, in the fall of 2019, I sat beside her on a plane returning from a prophecy conference that we had both attended. 

As we chitchatted, I became aware of this book that she had written but not published. I could feel the burden on her heart to either push forward with it or abandon the project altogether. 

To make a long story short, she sent me a copy of the unpublished manuscript, and once I started reading On That Starry Night, I knew God meant for it to be shared. I encouraged her to make a few tweaks here and there, and then spiritual warfare delayed the project two more years. But Linda never gave up, and I am thrilled to see her published book, On That Starry Night, now available on Amazon. 

I have no doubt that our meeting on the plane was a divine appointment. This time I was blessed to be on the giving end. I know On That Starry Night will impact many families this blessed season and many more to come as we celebrate our Savior's birth. Enjoy.

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 Excerpt from On That Starry Night

Christmas Carol:  O’ HOLY NIGHT


Allow me to introduce myself, Placide Cappeau. My passion was quite the opposite of other “religious” songwriters. I was no preacher, nor could you refer to me as a spiritual man. No, I was a wine merchant described by clergy as “a social radical, a freethinker, a socialist and a non-Christian.” Occasionally, I tried my hand at poetry. Well, one hand anyway, as I had lost the other at age eight in a firearms accident.

My home, nestled in the small town of Roquemaure, France, was a safe fortress from the ugliness of the world. Or so I thought. The parish priest was not particularly fond of me; however, he praised me for my works of poetry. This one thing motivated him to persuade me to use my talents for the Almighty rather than foolish worldly pleasures.

He needed a song for his Christmas Eve mass. His skeptical tone told me he was not confident I could conquer the task. The truth is, neither was I. Even at that, I felt honored at the invitation to share my expertise.

I was inspired to write the song on a business trip to Paris on December 3, 1847. Pulling my mother’s tattered old Bible from my bag, I read the words from Luke 2. As the events captivated my mind, people and places came alive. Lyrics started to flow from heart to pen. I scribbled the words before they vanished from my thoughts.

Upon my arrival, I took the lyrics to an acquaintance and composer, Adolphe Adam. Being a man of Jewish heritage, Adolphe opposed the celebration of a mere baby for anything, much less for being called the Messiah, the Son of God. As a professional and honorable man, he dismissed his beliefs for a time and put the words to music.

I enthusiastically returned to Roquemaure and presented the song to the priest. Three weeks later, I was persuaded to attend Midnight Mass where the music was heard for the first time that Christmas Eve. The aahs and tears of parishioners told me the song had touched their hearts, and I was moved as well.

However, it was not well received by clergy in the area. They did not align with my way of thinking or living. One bishop denounced the song, declaring it “lacked musical taste and was absolutely absent of the spirit of religion.” My beloved Roquemaure was no longer a place of shelter, but one of tension and isolation.

The influence of church leaders soon faded. Before Christmas of 1855, the carol had been translated into German, French, Latin, and other languages and published in England. The song made history on different occasions.

Soldiers, reportedly, sang the song on the battlefield during the Franco-Prussian War. Their performance received a standing ovation in concert halls around the world. For two centuries, churches have weaved it into Christmas pageants. The most fascinating story connects men at sea with Christmas Eve onshore.

The night was bitter, the full moon hung brilliantly in the black sky, and the wind howled as it fiercely tossed ships at sea. Crew members longed to be home for the holidays. On December 24, 1906, Reginald Fessenden, a university professor and radio broadcaster from Brant Rock, Massachusetts, did something unspeakable. For the first time in history, he used a newly developed generator and microphone to broadcast over airwaves.

Fessenden’s voice was heard loud and clear through the speaker’s snaps and crackles as he opened the night by reading the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Astonished radio operators turned the knobs to get a clear message. After the reading, Fessenden played Handel’s “Largo.”

As the evening slipped away, the crewmen’s spirits soared, their hearts filled with peace, and their minds were set free to embrace the splendor and glory of the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The sailors cherished the moments as Fessenden played “O Holy Night” on his violin.

My heart filled with joy knowing the world celebrated the night of our dear Savior’s birth with a song that had been rejected by clergy. The song’s words tell the story of my heart and the truths I know of the Savior’s HOLY BIRTH.

 


DEVOTIONAL

TREASURES OF THE SNOW


The majestic elegance of an intricate snowflake swirling in the wind echoes the Holiness of God. Each storehouse of crystal reflects His purity.

Although a white candle beautifully represents the character of God, it is not pure. Wax candles are made from petroleum, contaminating them with impurities. Jesus came to Earth in holiness and purity. He has no contaminants. He is whiter than the new-fallen snow and is the only one pure enough to give Himself, through His Son, to those He loves.

Moses wrote in Job 38:22, “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow . . . ?” When Job walked the Earth, snow was, and still is, a mysterious miracle filled with treasures.

Each unique snowflake declares God’s artistic character. The human mind is finite. To comprehend the immeasurable power of God’s creative intelligence is inconceivable. He is like an artist sketching each snowflake as it emerges like a stunning six-sided star reflecting light, making the translucent wonder appear white. God is not overwhelmed as He delicately weaves each line, angle, and point. As steady as a jeweler’s hand, He gently layers tiny ice crystals and paints them as pictures of diamonds.

As crystals adhere to one another, a wonderland of elegance springs forth. Brown, barren tree branches glisten like crystal. Lakes and ponds sparkle as though a wave of diamonds have merged and settled above the waters. Fields of sunflowers and fireweed whither under a blanket of breathtaking loveliness. Like white wax, even the solid whiteness of the snow and its unique crystal composition are not pure.

Illustrations break down when attempting to describe the character of God. Old Testament authors tried to explain it.

They used the word “snow” to represent purity, depicting it as a contrast between black and white. In Psalm 51:7, David acknowledged his transgressions before a holy God. He pleaded for God’s mercy and great compassion toward “all” his sin and the darkness which had taken residence in his soul. “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

Isaiah 1:18 records God’s voice, “ . . . though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Snow was the whitest white Old Testament writers had as a reference.

That is not the case in today’s world. In 1986, scientists developed a material designed to be used in medical diagnostic equipment. The substance enhances the scattering of light.

It reflects 99 percent of the visible light that hits it. Technicians refer to the material as Spectralon—“the whitest white.” It reflects a higher amount of light than anything else. The material must be free of contaminants to retain its reflective properties.

Opposite from the “whitest white” is the “blackest black.” Vantablack absorbs 99.965 percent of visible light. However, in 2019, engineers created a coating used on cameras, vehicles, and other products that demand an indestructible covering. It is ten times darker than Vantablack. The absorption rate is 99.995 percent of visible light. It is so black it emerges as a black void.

God is the whitest white. He is Holy. He cannot retain His holy character if the tiniest particle of contamination penetrates His Spirit, but that is an impossibility, or He could not be God.

On the contrary, man is not pure. Isaiah 5:20 says that man views good as evil and evil as good. Not only does man not see a Holy God, neither does he see his own sinful heart. To God, sin is the blackest black. It leaves a black void in the heart of man. Black happens when there is no light.

One might ask, “Who gave God the title ‘Holy’? By what right and authority is that name given Him?”

By His own authority, God calls Himself Holy. His spotless character gives Him the freedom to refer to Himself as holy. Is He, then, a narcissist? No, He knows His character and is comfortable with who He is. He proclaims His holiness to “all people, for all times, for all places,” as Josh McDowell wrote in his book Right from Wrong.

During the early years of the created world, God said to the new nation, Israel, “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). God allowed other voices to speak of His character. The Psalmist praised God because of His justice and holiness. “Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD, our God is holy” (Psalm 99:9).

Jesus confirmed God’s holiness when He prayed, “Our Father who art in heaven, ‘Holy’ is Your name.” Jesus was fearless. He made the stunning announcement that not only was His Father holy, but He was holy. In proclaiming this, He acknowledged Himself as equal with God. Jesus was unashamed to equate Himself with the Father. The supreme God released Himself to leave the grandeur of heaven and make His journey through the blackest black world in the form of the Man, Immanuel.

When visible light hits Spectralon at the strike point of a surface, light scatters and bounces back at different angles. A canopy of brilliant light forms as the light bounces back. The blackest black absorbs visible light. Any light that hits the strike point is immediately absorbed and snuffed out. Jesus is the luminous light from heaven. Unlike the blackest black absorbing any light that hits the strike point, the light of Jesus cannot be snuffed out.

 

To purchase On That Starry Night from Amazon, click here

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Monday, July 19, 2021

A Biblical Perspective on How to Avoid Being Scammed; Book Review by Lorilyn Roberts of Steve Cioccolanti's New Book, "Scam Proof Your Life in the End: Justice & Restoration for Christian Times"

 


Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021
Almost all of us have been the victim of a scam. I can think of several right off the top of my head that I've experienced. The Bible says in Mathew 10:16: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

Jesus was upfront about the state of this world. He was sending His disciples (and His followers like you and me) out among wolves, and that we needed to be prepared, and expect to be scammed, attacked, mocked, and ridiculed. Make no mistake; people's hearts are getting more and more hardened, and scammers are getting more and more brazen.

Pastor Steve Cioccolanti's book "Scam Proof Your Life in the End Times" will give you practical advice as well as Biblical teaching on how to carry out Jesus' directive in Matt 10:16. The last thing any Christiaan wants to do is line the pockets of those who are doing the devil's bidding. Read this book and let God open your eyes to Truth.

I never knew there was a Biblical blueprint that could be followed to avoid being a victim. Or at the very least, to minimize the opportunity. 
The last thing any Christian wants to do is line the pockets of those who are doing the devil's bidding. Read this book and let God open your eyes to Truth.








Tuesday, March 16, 2021

FREE Memoir for Animal Lovers for St. Patrick's Day AND the Day After - Tails and Purrs for the Heart and Soul

You can check out all of my books on my website at LorilynRoberts.com
FREE book for St. Patrick's Day
2 days only
March 17 and March 18
BRAVE NEW WORLD OF COVID AND THE COMING MARK OF THE BEAST.

If you look at what the Bible says about the mark of the beast, the technology being rolled out now is what will be required for the antichrist to become the world leader as foretold in Scripture. The COVID-19 vaccine is just the beginning—a pseudo-pandemic to set the stage for something far more sinister.

The goal is to condition people to the standards of a new reality, to seduce people into believing the government is going to take care of them, and to turn them into sheeple—useful idiots who believe the lies the media tells them because they have turned away from God. They would prefer to seek their identity in tribal affiliation, comfort, or sexual perversion. TO READ MY FULL BLOG POST, CLICK HERE.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2021

My Favorite Creative Writing Books - by Lorilyn Roberts



From time to time, people ask me what my favorite books are to learn how to write. Of course, it depends on what kind of story you want to tell. There are hundreds of creative writing books penned by excellent authors, and some of those books may be better than the ones I’m going to recommend here.

That said, every author has his or her favorites.

Most of these I’m listing are books I read when I earned my Master’s Degree in Creative Writing. Considering how many awards I’ve won, I believe they've helped me and would also help others.

If you have any favorites, please add them in the comments section below, and I can do an addendum later.

First, I want to add a few insights on writing (I can’t help myself). 

1.  Good writing is rewriting. 

2.  No matter how many books you write, writing is hard. You might learn a few things to improve your craft along the way, but it takes persistence. Don’t give up. Just keep working at it. Those paragraphs eventually turn into chapters, and those chapters eventually turn into a book.

3.  After writing your first draft, that’s when the real work begins—editing. I’ve heard many newbies say they hate editing. Learn to love editing. You will edit many more hours than writing your first draft.

4.  If you are writing to make a lot of money, you might be disappointed. If you are writing because you can’t help but write, you are a writer.

5.  Read a lot, and those books that stick with you forever, ask why. Writing is more than just a mental activity. Writing involves the heart, the emotions, the senses, and the intellect. Think about what made those books special—and there is no right or wrong answer. Books are a work of art.

6.  Be willing to take constructive suggestions. In the end, it’s up to you what you do with that “criticism.” Don’t be defensive. Just say “thank you” and move on.

7.  If you write something that changes the world or improves people’s lives, relationships, or perspective, thank God He used you to make the world a better place, and give Him the glory. 


Here goes my list of books in no particular order linked to Amazon:


Writing to Change the World, by Mary Pipher

The Elements of Style, By William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White

How to Write Killer Fiction, by Carolyn Wheat

Writing for Story by Jon Franklin

On Moral Fiction by John Gardner

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham (important for fiction)

If you are interested in writing a memoir, here is a link to an award-winning article I wrote:

"Writing a Memoir in Twelve Easy Steps"

I would also recommend you find a writer's group in your area and start attending. I lead the local Word Weavers International in Gainesville, Florida, so if you live near me, you are welcome to join us. There are also many other chapters across the United States as well as some online critique groups. Click on this link to learn more.

If you have any specific writing questions, post them in the comments below and I will reply as time permits. 

If you would like to check out my latest book, Tails and Purrs for the Heart and Soul, click here.

In the meantime, happy writing!





Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Book Review by Award-Winning Author Lorilyn Roberts of Lisa J. Lickel's New Medical/Romance Thriller "UnderCut"

 



UnderCut by Lisa J. Lickel may be her best novel yet. The story begins with a couple who are engaged amid a backdrop of family dysfunction, emotional entanglements, medical intrigue, and dark forces out for revenge. The narrative builds into an engrossing plotline that is driven forward with authentic, engaging characters caught in the crossfire of evil. 

The medical thriller never lags, and many themes dealing with complex and relevant issues concerning racial relations, adoption, and family dynamics take center stage.

More subtle topics like the intersection of faith in the midst of suffering add depth and authenticity to the characters.




I also learned more than I knew before about the world of kidney transplants and the need for more volunteers to sign up on the national register.

While the story has a good solid ending, the author left an opening for a sequel, so I look forward to reading the next book in the series if one should follow.

To order from Amazon, click here.


About Lisa J. Lickel

Lisa Lickel is an author, editor, and mentor who lives with her husband in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin. Surrounded by books and dragons, she writes inspiring fiction both short and full-length, including mysteries, romance and family drama, feature articles, and radio theater. She belongs to the Wisconsin Writers Association, the Chicago Writers Association and is a writing coach at Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp & Retreat. Lisa loves to encourage new authors through mentoring, speaking, and leading workshops. Lisa also is an avid book reviewer and blogger, and a freelance editor. Find more at www.LisaLickel.com.



Monday, December 16, 2019

Please Help "The Howing" to Stay in the Running for Best Book Cover At All Author



UPDATE:  I MADE IT TO THE THIRD ROUND
To continue in the best book cover contest at All Author, I need to be in the top 24, and I'm at number 28 right now. That means without your help, I won't be able to continue. I have six days to get there.   

The main reason I want to make it to the next round is my book is a Christian book, and anytime we can promote our Lord Jesus Christ to a secular reading audience, we should do everything in our power to be a witness to the unsaved.   

I am asking those who love Christ to help me keep going. Perhaps someone who is not a Christian will see my book cover and be led to purchase it. I lowered the price to 99c on Amazon as long as I'm in the running. That means for every book sold I make 33c on Amazon, so this isn't about money. It's about spreading the love of Jesus Christ to secular readers. 

I truly believe the Lord's return is imminent. The Howling is the final book in the Seventh Dimension Series and is about the end days. 

Many people will never pick up a Bible, but if they are hooked in the first chapter of a book, they will usually keep reading. 

Getting people to pick up a book by an unknown author requires a book cover that intrigues them. If you think my book cover is "awesome," please vote. It only takes a second. 


You can do "open voting" by signing in with your Facebook account. Someone told me All Author asks for your birthday, and that's to make sure people only vote ONCE in each round. 
Round three just opened yesterday, and so if you are wondering if you have voted in round three, if you haven't voted in the last twenty-four hours, you haven't. 

Again, thanks for your help. To have a realistic chance of winning, I need about two hundred votes. 

 


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Friday, November 15, 2019

Reaching Teens for Christ Through Christian Fantasy



I would like to give away some copies of Seventh Dimension - The Door for Christmas.
I'm going to share something that's been on my heart for a while, and I'll select a winner from those who leave a comment.

Even though I'm not as young as I used to be, I still love young adult books, probably because I remember how much I enjoyed reading books as a teen. When I was twelve, I remember falling in love with Jesus, or, more succinctly, I remember the first time I felt loved by Him unconditionally.

In many ways, I was Shale Snyder from the Seventh Dimension Series - bullied, smart, and insecure, and spent my early years in a broken home. My childhood pet, Gypsy, came to me much like Much-Afraid did with Shale, unexpected and miraculously, and I had a dark secret I never wanted to share with anyone.
But enough of the similarities. Through the years, I've come to appreciate how much writing has helped me to grow as a person. When I write, I clear out cobwebs from my mind. More often than not, they are lies I've spun from mistakes rooted in condemnation. 

I remove stones from my heart that weigh me down, and I escape into this beautiful dimension of enchantment as I commune with God, my Lord, and Savior. Sometimes it's hard to turn off that voice in my head at night when I go to bed. I just want to create stories.

As I look at young adults today, their world is different from my world of long ago. Teens have so much more materially than I ever had. I didn't grow up with much in the way of those kinds of things. I read books. 
My life was forever changed when I discovered I could read at the age of eight. You see, as strange as it may sound for an award-winning author, I was forced to repeat the first grade because I couldn't read. 

If I could give one bit of advice to the young people of today, it would be this: You can make your plans, but the final outcome is in God's hands (My paraphrasing of Proverbs 16:9).

I believe the affluence of America today has hindered the appetite of many for the things of God. Young people see what we have in America as theirs, and while our country has its flaws, it's still the greatest nation in the world. 
If you are willing to work hard at something, you can succeed. If you are eager to get an education and work hard at something, you can be an achiever. If you are willing to postpone gratification, work hard, get an education, and make many sacrifices, you stand a good chance of achieving your dreams. Maybe you want to be a professional basketball player. Perhaps you long to be a lawyer. The list is only as short as you make it. Practically anything is achievable because America is great, and opportunities abound. 

But what happens when stuff happens? When things don't turn out the way you thought they would? When tragedy strikes? 

I remember many years ago going somewhere with one of my daughters and the family of a friend of hers. She was a teenager at the time, and I remember getting into a discussion with my daughter's friend's father. He surprised me by something he said. His comment basically was this: "Why talk about the end times with our kids. Let them live their life, get married, and have a family. They don't want to think about the world coming to an end or the Lord's return. They just want to live their life."

I didn't have a good response to him at that time because I remembered struggling with that same thought also when I was young. There is one particular memory I recall as if it happened yesterday.

I was putting my husband through medical school at the time, and he was in his second year of a four-year residency. We were watching a show on HBO, and basically, it was a documentary focusing on an end-time scenario, primarily based on the writings of Nostradamus (not the Bible).

That was back in the days before I knew not to trust such writers. While there might be a degree of uncanny accuracy in what they say, it's not based on the Bible, and therefore will never be a hundred percent accurate. Anyone who predicts anything that is not one hundred percent accurate is not a prophet of God. Occultists are relying on demonic powers, and the Bible tells us not to listen to them.

I digress. That's not the point of this article. The point is, as I sat there and watched the documentary with my then-husband, in my heart, I was telling myself, I don't want the end to come. I don't want Christ to return. 

Not after doing all this work and putting my husband through medical school. I want to have children, buy a big house with a pool, and enjoy the fruits of what we've worked so hard for. That hard work was arduous labor for me as a court reporter. I put in long hours in a small town that didn't think women should make more than minimum wage.  

I wish I knew back then what I know now. And it is this: We long for the things of this world because we have no idea what better things God has in store for us in the next. 

And while the years pass by, we fill our hearts with material things. We get married, and husbands commit adultery. We raise children who rebel against us. Young people turn from the Lord and go their own way. I personally know of two Christian families that had sons who committed suicide. I know of other Christian families whose children have chosen alternative lifestyles.


I lost my hair through chemo treatment

You see, we can make our plans, but because we live in a fallen world, sooner or later, we will face adversity. However, the imperfections of life in some ways can become a blessing. Without suffering, I don't believe we can become all that God created us to be because He created us for so much more. Pain allows us to turn something meant for evil into good.

It is out of our suffering that we learn obedience, and in our willingness, we see God. We see beyond this world into the next. We know that we weren't made for a fallen world - we were made for perfection in the future one. 

Recently, I went to the "Understanding the Times Prophecy Conference" in Minneapolis. As I looked around at the audience of six thousand people, I didn't see a single young person. I expected to see at least a couple, perhaps some homeschooling families who brought their teens. But nada, not one.

My heart's desire is to win over young people to Christ. As I wrote many times throughout the Seventh Dimension Series, "time is an illusion until God's appointed time."  

It's true, most young people will have many years to live before God calls them home, but Jesus could return tomorrow. Death is only a heartbeat away. If only I could encourage young people to know Christ personally and to live their life for Him and not for themselves.
I won't reveal the final scene in the last book of the Seventh Dimension Series, The Howling, but the idea is "to occupy" until God returns. That means for young people to live their life, get an education, raise their family, and enjoy life, but live for the glory of God, live to share God with others, live in a way that brings honor to Jesus Christ. 

Young people need to have a personal relationship with their Savior and live as if God could come back at any time. I believe the priorities for most young people do not put Christ first. 

We must not live to please our own appetite. We should occupy until God's return or until He calls us home. That's a vastly different mindset than I could have imagined that day when my then-husband and I watched that apocalyptic HBO pseudo-documentary. I didn't want to live for God. I wanted God to let me live the way I wanted to live. And in His mercy, He did. He showed me a better way, and it was a way of suffering.

So my question is, how can we get young people, teens and young adults, to realize how quickly time flies, that time is an illusion, and as James 4:4 says, our lives are merely a vapor, here for a little while, and then gone? 

When we look around at the world today, we can't help but come to the conclusion that God has made us for so much more. How do we get young people to seize this day, this hour, this moment, for Jesus Christ? 

I've written the Seventh Dimension Series in hopes of reaching those who, like me, love to read. While it's a dwindling number of teens, I believe our future leaders of tomorrow are the young people who read today. A person can't learn all he needs to know to live well only through personal experience. Reading opens the door to biographies of famous people, traveling to other places, and "tasting" different cultures. For the creative ones, reading can take a person to faraway places in time and space, as in the Seventh Dimension Series



Books can teach the reader about God in ways he is unlikely to learn any other way. That's one reason why God gave us the Bible, which includes sixty-six books written by many authors. Life is just too short to experience everything personally. But vicariously, a reader can experience so much more, and in my opinion, it can be better than a trip to Disney World.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments, and I will choose some winners to receive a signed copy of The Door.