8 (Long) Years In Review

 

Having spent so much time away from my blog, I believe it is fitting to begin my review in October of this last year. October found me in a bad place, jaded and unsettled by life, taking a walk with my wife one afternoon after work. My birthday had come and gone and I didn’t celebrate it simply because of my funk. There were many reasons, and COVID had really made things stranger for everyone, myself included. I went from managing a single store, to managing no stores, being laid off temporarily, and then managing two locations. My smallest girl was only 3 during that time and we headed into quarantine.

I had been frustrated about the church’s shift from fundamental truth to pluralism, ecumenism, and blatant idolatry. Not being mindful of my standing, I allowed myself to become distracted by worldly habits. Bible study and ministry diminished. My love had waxed cold for a time, but glory be to my faithful God, Gillian my wonderful wife kindled it. Or rather she planted thoughts in me during our late October walk that God kindled into a flame. I was convicted of my own spiritual lethargy and hypocrisy and repented before God before apologizing to my beloved for my blindness. Re-prioritizing, I returned to What’s in a Name? to continue my commentary on James and Biblical studies in general. I was joyful to finish not only James, but Malachi, and now to be working through Hebrews. My hope is to turn my attention to Jonah and Philemon afterward, God willing.

 

My wife’s health has been poor since my last review, but she still home schools all four of our little ones. Since last summer her health has become more delicate, and it’s been difficult for us to adjust to the lifestyle changes. My twins will be in eighth grade, my son in sixth, and my youngest in first grade respectively, come this new school year. Gillian’s mother passed away during Adeline’s first year, and this created a seriously trying time for my wife and her dad, who has since happily remarried. My twins are practicing their artistry and have taken a strong liking to manga style artwork; they are unabashedly very good at it. Gabriel has become an amazing tinkerer with electronics or clay and my youngest has recently joined a program to study ballet. My own mother, who struggled with cancer, has by God’s grace beaten it but it has left her weak physically. She and my stepfather visit every week or two, which is a wonderful time of fellowship, since they are saved as well.

 

Speaking of churches, upon returning to a passionate pursuit of my faith in Jesus Christ I reached out to old friends at New Hope Bible Church and our family has become part of that body, with myself serving as a teacher and elder. My wife ministers with hospitality after teaching, and while New Hope is small it is wonderfully Biblically grounded and slowly growing. New Hope also ministers to youth and families in need of shelter. Honestly, the couple that founded New Hope are an amazing pair of saints that Gillian and I are deeply grateful to know and walk beside! Really, this last year has been a genuine blessing in terms of Bible study and application, in or out of New Hope, and I praise the Lord for the chance to continue.

 

Things haven’t been all quite so straight forward. Gillian has been suffering dizzy spells that we’re trying to discern the nature of, and we tried sending our three eldest to public school for a year at their request two years ago. This ended terribly, as they were bullied the whole time, resulting in emotional breakdowns and some lingering trauma that sticks with two of them even today. It was a vivid, sobering experience for them to see how other children behaved, especially without parental authority present. Couple that with everyone in their middle school or grade school deciding they’re transgender or homosexual and confusion ensued en masse. I’m pleased to report that after 6 months of this circus act we pulled them back out, and will not be repeating this rather egregious error again. On top of homeschooling I have been very diligent to do home Bible study several times a week in our living room. We just finished 1 and 2 Timothy, and have moved on to Proverbs. It’s been a blessing to have this opportunity to train our children and equip them for the absurdity the culture today offers in place of any truth.

 

And finally, Gillian has succeeded in creating cover art for The Canticles of Andurun, and I have finished all of my revisions for books 1 through 4. All four are ready to publish and we have ordered proof copies to look them over before releasing them for purchase on Amazon in paperback. Books 1 through 3 are available on Kindle already. I am feverishly working my way through book 5 correcting it as well, even as ideas for book 11 swim around in my mind. Books 11 and 12 will complete the series and end the story of Andurun for me. Oh, my wife also designed a very nice logo for my series, which I have shared as my Amazon link for anyone’s viewing pleasure. Really, she’s been such a blessing to me in so many ways, and I am so glad to report that at long last my long delayed return to the fantasy genre is over, and Andurun is back. I will post an update when books 1 through 3 become available on paperback, followed in the next month by book 4.

 

This week I have returned to work after two weeks off recovering from surgery, which went smoothly, and makes the rest of the summer, and the year, much simpler to attend. Praise the Lord for success in that, so I can provide for my family in full health. God knows I need it! Oh, and in these last several years I had the pleasure of meeting a coworker, formerly from a pseudo Christian cult, who the Lord led to the truth through our conversations, and now he and his family are members of New Hope Bible Church. There are so many ways one can be misled by the error of the wicked, but there is only one truth and one Savior: a solemn and amazing revelation that everyone one of us needs to keep before our eyes so we don’t stray from the path into error ourselves. But if we do, God be merciful that we have around us brothers and sisters in the Lord that will come looking for us to lead us back to the light. That was my wife this last October, and I cannot stress my gratitude to her for this kindness.

 

There is so much more I could relate about my family’s doings, work related antics (like how I broke away from my second location to go back to managing a single store), and beyond, but sufficed to say my years of silence have not been entirely unfruitful or barren. In the last year I have read the church fathers Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Polycarp, as well as a host of other authors whose subjects run a vast spectrum of topics. I’ve been enjoying the band Seventh Day Slumber, especially their praise and worship song, “Lead me to the Cross.” It’s beautiful. My eldest girl (firstborn twin, at any rate) recently finished a 50+page fantasy story, apparently walking in my footsteps. They can draw like their mother; they can write like their father. I couldn’t be more satisfied watching them become the adults God wishes them to be. Parenthood is an honor.

 

Thank you for bearing with me as I recall a brief summary of the last some years, leading into my November 6^th post: the first I had made in 6½ years. May the God whom I serve use these works to benefit or teach anyone He sees fit. To Him be honor and glory forever and ever! In Jesus’ name, amen.