Trot for TBI

Hi! I’ve been caught up with work, and with doing some writing! I’ve been working a future eBook release, Four Techniques for Learning a Foreign Language. It should be available for preorder soon, but I’m working on transitioning to releasing physical books. My background is in foreign language, so I really wanted to share some advice in that area. I’ve also started developing a plot for a mystery book (my first time delving into fiction) and also a poetry piece. Additionally, I’ve also been reading a lot lately. I finished three Agatha Christie novels in addition to two fiction pieces by Lynn Austin A Candle in the Darkness and A Light to My Path. I will read Fire by Night next. If you are interested, you can purchase them through these affiliate links at the bottom of this page. I will earn a small amount of money from any purchases made here. It looks like the series is listed out of order, but I liked reading A Light to My Path second. This trilogy is set during the Civil War. If you’re interested in reading along with me, please follow me on Goodreads!

This morning over breakfast, I read Psalm 2. It is another short Psalm, with only 12 verses.

Why do the nations rebel
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers conspire together
against the Lord and His Anointed One:
“Let us tear off their chains
and free ourselves from their restraints.”

This psalm begins with addressing people who rebel against God, feeling that they can succeed in overpowering their creator. This is why He continues to declare His holiness.

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.
Then He speaks to them in His anger
and terrifies them in His wrath:
“I have consecrated My King
on Zion, My holy mountain.”

Of course, with his incredible majesty, this is ridiculous.

I will declare the Lord’s decree:
He said to Me, “You are My Son;
today I have become Your Father.
Ask of Me,
and I will make the nations Your inheritance
and the ends of the earth Your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
You will shatter them like pottery.”

When we choose to follow God, he will protect and bless us, never abandoning us.

So now, kings, be wise;
receive instruction, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with reverential awe
and rejoice with trembling.
Pay homage to the Son or He will be angry
and you will perish in your rebellion,
for His anger may ignite at any moment.
All those who take refuge in Him are happy.

The last part of this passage is what sticks out – All who take refuge in Him are happy. He is our refuge.

We can always call on Him and He will always deliver us. Sometimes, this does mean enduring trial, but it is often to strengthen our character and to strengthen us so that we are prepared for His plans for our lives.

Candle in the Darkness, Refiners Fire #1 (rpkgd) By Lynn Austin / Bethany House   Caroline Fletcher, a timid southern girl finds her voice as she begins to tell the truth about the atrocities around her. A short stay in the North confirms her abolitionist feelings, but when she returns to the South she finds herself torn between her home, a beloved suitor who doesn’t share her feelings, and the principles she knows are true. Standing for right may mean standing alone. Does she have the courage? Christy Award Winner

A Light to My Path, Refiners Fire Series #3 (rpkgd) By Lynn Austin / Bethany House   SHACKLED in a world where authority is not questioned,Where the will is BATTERED as surely as the body,Hope will not be DENIED.But BROKEN chains bring daunting choices: The way of revenge or the way of the SPIRIT. This is Kitty Goodman’s story.

Fire by Night, Refiners Fire Series #2 (rpkgd) By Lynn Austin / Bethany House   Lynn Austin takes readers on a dramatic journey through the Civil War years in her award-winning Refiner’s Fire series. Told in three unique perspectives–Southern, Northern, and slave–each book offers a riveting and eloquent exploration of a nation and its people grappling with racism and injustice. With writing rich in historical detail, Austin brings to life the compelling journeys of characters confronted with the risks and sacrifices their beliefs entail.