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Thursday, May 23, 2013
PRESS RELEASE: “Seventh Dimension – The Door: A Young Adult Fantasy,” Takes Top Honors in Multiple Book Awards for 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
GUEST POST BY SIDNEY W. FROST: Chapter One From His Newest Book, ”Love Lives On”
CHAPTER
ONE OF NEW RELEASE
LOVE LIVES ON
by
Sidney W. Frost
CHAPTER
ONE
Karen Williams was fifty-four and divorced for so
long she'd given up hope for that special marriage everyone talked about, but
few probably had experienced. Then, a year ago, her life changed. Her college sweetheart
charged back into her life, acting as if he'd never stopped loving her. He was
waiting for her at the altar now as she touched up her makeup in the bride's
room of her church.
She
hurried to apply mascara, but her right hand wouldn't be still. The pencil hit
the table with a soft clunk. Tears followed. Tears from nowhere. A glance into
the mirror showed mascara running down both cheeks. What was happening?
Was
it that feeling of unworthiness that crept in when she least expected it?
Couldn't be. God had forgiven her long ago, but she would never forget what had
happened. Second thoughts? Definitely not. She loved Brian and he loved her. He
would never do anything to hurt her. Not again.
***
Brian Donelson looked at his watch again. She was
now officially late. The buzz in the congregation meant he wasn't the only one
who sensed something was wrong. All his friends and Karen's friends were
laughing softly, but he knew there was no reason to be concerned. Not yet.
Surely she'd walk up the aisle in a few minutes.
Perhaps
he should announce a delay. Ardis Twiss stared at him from her perch on the
organ bench as if asking what to do. He shrugged and she kept playing.
All
the turmoil he'd endured the past thirty years came back to him now. His sin.
His self-loathing. His unhappiness with his life. He accepted that God had
forgiven him for what he'd done, so why was he thinking about it now? He feared
she'd changed her mind about marrying him.
Phil
was all decked out in a tux with his gray hair complementing his
caramel-colored skin. He took his best man duties seriously. He whispered to
the pastor, just loud enough for Brian to hear, "We're checking on the
bride." He then gave Brian a questioning look.
Pastor
Jim Dunlap merely nodded and waited patiently. He didn't seem flustered at all.
Maybe this was nothing new to him.
Brian
had a sudden image of Karen driving away from the church with a corner of her
long white wedding gown sticking out from under the driver's side door. He
remembered she'd told him she wasn't wearing a traditional bridal gown. His
imagination adjusted to show her in a suit, but still in her car speeding away
from the church. He saw himself running after the car holding the bride's
bouquet high in the air, yelling to her that she'd forgotten to get married so
she could toss the flowers to all the single women. His legs were like rubber
as he moved them faster and faster without going forward.
He
took in a deep breath, tested his legs, and shook his head to erase the vision.
Could their relationship survive one more difficulty? He hoped so.
***
Karen was glad she'd picked a dress she could wear
again instead of a bridal gown. She'd worn a long white one when she married
Steve only to have their marriage end in divorce.
"Well,
is there going to be a wedding today, or not?" The question came from a
large, some say full-figured, woman standing in the doorway. The floral dress
she wore wasn't much different from her everyday attire at the library, but it
appeared to be newer.
"I'm
glad you're here, Liz," Karen said, standing. "I need your
help."
Karen
knew Liz was a hugger. Still, she was caught off guard when Liz put her arms
around her and held her tight.
"What
can I do, darlin'?" Liz asked as she let go of Karen and moved back to look
into her eyes.
Karen's
hands quivered ever so slightly as she gripped them together in front of her
chest. "I need to talk to Brian."
That
was all it took. No questions asked. Liz was heading out the door when she
called back over her shoulder, "I'll get him."
He
entered the room soon afterwards.
"Oh,
Brian. I'm sorry for holding up the wedding, but I have to tell you
something."
"What?"
"First,
let me say I love you deeply and I hope what I have to say doesn't change your
mind about marrying me."
"Nothing
could do that," he said.
"Don't
be so quick to answer. Remember all the little and not so little surprises we
had for each other during the past year? Well, this is one I wanted to tell
you. I just didn't know how to say it."
"You
don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It doesn't make a difference to me.
I love you and want to marry you. No matter what."
She
smiled and hugged him. "I'm glad you feel that way. But, after so many
years of keeping this secret, I didn't know what to do."
"Why
are you bringing it up now?"
She
gazed at those eyes she loved so much and kissed him. "Because I told you
there were no more secrets."
Brian
smiled as he took her in his arms and held her close. "That's all? No
problem. Let's get married." He kissed her back. "Of course I want to
hear all about it later. Okay?"
They
turned and left the room, walking hand in hand down the hall toward the
sanctuary.
***
Phil's father George was the only one ready to go
when Karen and Brian got to the narthex. Brian's daughter Amy was talking on
the phone while her own daughter Julie played some game on her smart phone.
Karen's best friend Cathy was stretched out on the couch with her eyes closed.
George stood at attention at the door to the church waiting to walk Karen down
the aisle and give her away.
He
turned to the bridal party. "Let's go, ladies. It's show time."
The
three women came over and hugged Karen and got in line to walk down the aisle.
Brian
handed Karen's arm to George in a gesture for him to take it from there. "I
guess I better get back to the altar before everyone leaves," Brian said.
"Not
to worry," George said. "No one left. Ever'body wants to know how
this soap opera's goin' to turn out."
Brian
smiled. "Everything is just fine."
Karen
nodded.
Brian
walked down the hallway on the right side of the sanctuary to reach the altar
while Karen looked into the church from the narthex. The organ music was nearly
drowned out by the many voices all talking at once. The buzz from multiple
conversations died down when someone noticed Brian was back and asked loud
enough for all to hear, "Did you find her?"
Everyone
chuckled as Brian smiled and gave a thumbs up. A rippling of applause began and
quickly grew to a roaring accolade as he moved in next to Phil. Ardis sat up straighter
on her bench and started shuffling the music on the stand.
Karen
pulled George closer. "I think you're right. Everyone's here, and they're
pulling for us."
"Amen,"
he said. "Ever'body here loves you two and wants you to be happy."
The
music started softly as the bridal party walked down the aisle, but the volume
quickly increased. Soon everyone was quiet and on their feet looking toward the
entrance where Karen and George stood. Two photographers stepped into the aisle
between them and the front of the church. One was the woman Karen hired and the
other was a young man she'd never seen before. They both snapped photos then
jumped out of the way.
When
Karen and George reached the altar, the pastor asked, "Who gives this
woman to be married to this man?"
George
was resplendent in his tux. His glasses sat so low on his nose he gazed out
over the top of the wire rims. His curly black hair speckled with gray
glistened from perspiration or hair oil. As usual he stood erect with his head
held high. Today, though, when the pastor asked who gave this woman, he seemed
taller. "I do," he said in his booming voice as he handed Karen to
Brian.
She
smiled as she moved into the position next to her fiancé and prepared to take
her vows. Her mind stayed on the unknown photographer and the doubts she
couldn't explain. When she faced the congregation she turned toward George and
mouthed a "thank you." Her father walked her down the aisle when
she'd married Steve, but both he and her mother died a few years ago. They would
have loved Brian and been pleased she was marrying him.
The
room was silent as George returned to his seat. Karen nodded at Phil who stood
next to Brian.
"Who
is that young photographer?" she whispered to Brian.
He
looked around then shrugged.
Pastor
Jim focused on Karen. "Is everything okay?" he asked, speaking
softly.
"Yes.
Sorry for holding up the ceremony."
He
didn't seem upset that she'd kept him waiting. Standing here in front of her
friends reminded her what a huge step they were taking. She took a few breaths
to calm her body. Brian squeezed her hand. Was he nervous, too? Probably. He
blinked more than usual and his forehead was covered with perspiration.
"Brian,
face Karen and hold her right hand in yours," the pastor said. After a
pause and in a voice all could hear, he continued. "Now, repeat after
me."
She
saw only Brian.
"In
the name of God, I, Brian, take you, Karen, to be my wife, to have and to hold
from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death.
This is my solemn vow."
After
they both repeated their vows, the pastor nodded to Phil and Cathy for the
rings. "Bless, O Lord, these rings to be a sign of the vows by which this
man and this woman have bound themselves to each other. Through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen."
They
placed the rings on one another saying, "I give you this ring as a symbol
of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the
Name of God."
The
pastor joined their right hands and said, "Now that Karen and Brian have
given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and
the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife,
in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those whom
God has joined together let no one put asunder."
When
the ceremony ended and they turned to be introduced to their friends as Mr. and
Mrs. Donelson, Karen saw more than friends. Another unknown person stood on the
side of the sanctuary, staring at her. He seemed angry with his arms crossed.
She should acknowledge those happy faces in the crowd, but she couldn't take
her eyes off the frowning one. As they walked down the aisle, she scanned the
area for other strangers. She didn't see one until they reached the narthex.
The young photographer pushed his way past the woman Karen had hired.
Brian
went with the pastor to sign papers while Karen hung back with the
photographers. The same negative feeling she'd experienced before the wedding
came over her again as a man she didn't recognize approached her.
"Karen
Williams Donelson?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I'm
sorry to bother you at this occasion, but I must give you this." He handed
her an envelope.
She
took it, holding it away from her body as if it could harm her. "Who are
you? What is this?"
"Ma'am,
you're being sued. I don't know why. I only deliver the papers. Like I said,
I'm sorry."
"Sued?
Who's suing me?"
"I
don't know that either, ma'am. You'll find all that information in the
envelope." He nodded and turned around to leave. Before he got far, Liz
had him by the arm and walked him to the exit.
Brian
returned and stood by Karen's side. "Who was that?" he asked.
She
held the envelope for him see. "A process server, I guess. He gave me
this. Said I'm being sued."
She
pulled out the document and scanned it quickly before returning it to its
envelope. "We'll look at this later," she said, holding the envelope
next to her hip. "Right now all I want to think about is our wedding
day."
The
rest of the wedding party moved in closer after the stranger was escorted out.
Karen held Brian tightly and smiled at their friends. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder about what she had seen in the envelope.
***
Love Lives On is available on Amazon in Christian romance: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Lives-Sidney-W-Frost/dp/0983070849/.
***
While singing with the Austin Lyric Opera Chorus, he was in 42 productions. He and his wife, Celeste, sing with the San Gabriel Chorale and have been in several Berkshire Festivals.
He was an Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College where he taught computer courses for more than thirty years. He received the adjunct teaching excellence award in 2005.
While attending the University of Texas in the 1960's he worked part-time at the Austin Public Library driving a bookmobile after completing service in the U.S. Marines.
He is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Writers League of Texas, and the San Gabriel Writers' League.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
BOOK MARKETING: “Which Are The Best Book Covers? And Why?” by Lorilyn Roberts
One of the challenges of leading a network of Christian authors is convincing members to spend the money to hire a really good book cover designer. As you can see from the video, I hired some less expensive book cover designers, and while the covers were okay, they didn't “sell” my books. With book marketing becoming more competitive every day, the one thing you shouldn’t skimp on is book cover design. Hire a good designer. These improved covers were all created by Lisa Vento.
You can check out her website at Lisavento.com
Monday, May 6, 2013
BOOK REVIEW OF CHILDREN OF DREAMS, by Amazon Reviewer/Author Steve Corley
Children of Dreams by Lorilyn Roberts
Adoption has always been important to Lorilyn Roberts. She herself has been adopted twice. The first time was by her earthly parents and then by God. Ms. Roberts is the mother of two adopted daughters. Her book, Children of Dreams is the story of all those adoptions, but mostly about the adoption of her daughters. She begins the gripping story at about the time she was thirty years old.
At the age of thirty, Ms. Roberts’ world was torn apart by an unfaithful husband and the subsequent divorce. Her dream of being a mom seemed to be on the burn pile. With no husband, how could she ever hope to have children of her own? Then, the idea for adoption. And, while that sounds simple enough, she chose to move forward with international adoption. The story takes us to Nepal where she encountered life in a third-world country. Her writing style is warm and personal, so the reader experiences in some small measure the fear, doubts, and other emotions she went through. The international adoption process is full of reasons to generate a multitude of emotions. She recounts her relationship with God during this turbulent ordeal. Ms. Roberts never holds herself out to be some “super Christian.” In fact, I thought she was rather forthcoming in expressing her spiritual doubts.
After some years, life seemed to be at a point where she could consider adopting a second child. Then her daughter developed some serious health problems. If you've ever wondered if its possible for an adoptive parent to feel the same love for their child as biological parents do, read about the terror Ms. Roberts went through. Read how God prevailed and made it possible for her to go to Vietnam to adopt her youngest daughter. Vietnam was another place where the reader gets to take a white-knuckle ride.
Through all her “adventures,” Ms. Roberts comes to parallel the story to God's adoption process. She finds her faith at the critical moments, but not before the reader either wants to give her a comforting hug or shake her and say “get a grip on yourself.” In the end, God prevails and the reader is uplifted. I think you will enjoy getting to know Lorilyn's heart and those of her two "children of dreams."
Visit Steve’s Website:
Steve Corley’s Thoughts - A Sometimes Weekly Blog: Children of Dreams by Lorilyn Roberts - A Review
Sunday, May 5, 2013
WHO MADE YOU AFRAID: Devotional from ”Am I Okay, God?” by Lorilyn Roberts
Are you afraid are rejection? Are you afraid your boyfriend
will leave you? Are you afraid you will let your parents down? Are you afraid
that no matter how hard you try, you’re going to fail anyway? Are you afraid of
being bullied at school? Are you afraid you won’t pass that Algebra test—God
just didn’t wire you to do math?
Are you afraid you’ll say the wrong thing at that party and
make a fool of yourself? Are you afraid of losing your friends? Are you afraid
that you’ll never finish school, or you won’t get accepted into the university
you want to attend? Are you afraid for others to know you deep down, that if
people knew the real you, they wouldn’t like you?
From Seventh Dimension
– The Door, a Young Adult Christian Fantasy
The dog stretched and cocked her head enjoying the
rubdown.
I laughed. “Is your name Much-Afraid?”
“I was always afraid until the King healed me.”
In The Donkey and the
King, Much‑Afraid was terrified for Baruch to leave her behind at the
stable. During the time while Baruch was gone, the King helped Much-Afraid to
conquer her fear. When we meet Much‑Afraid again in Seventh Dimension - The Door,
she has overcome her fear. God could then use her to help Shale.
I John 4:18 states,
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
Do you know that the opposite of fear is love? Shale, too,
had many fears until she embraced the King’s love. Every time you are afraid,
that means you are not allowing God’s perfect love into your heart. God’s
perfect love will cast out your imperfect fear. In fact, your imperfect fear is
made perfect in weakness. In your weakness, God can help you. Once you
recognize your weakness, you won’t rely on yourself and your own abilities. You
will rely on God to help you.
Begin
with prayer. Most of us struggle with fear at some level because we don’t love
perfectly. We aren’t able to receive God’s love fully because we are sinners. Still,
God never gives us more than we can bear. Just as the King helped Shale to
overcome her fear of rejection, God will help you to overcome your fears,
whatever they might be. Pray to your heavenly Father, cry out to Him—He won’t
reject you, even if it seems like everybody else who is important to you has.
The King told Shale, “I love you more than you
will ever know.” In the same way, God loves you. Someday when we meet the King
face‑to‑face, we’ll truly know how much He loves us.
Every
time fear threatens you (and I do believe there are demons of fear), remember the
words of the King. Let His perfect love fill your mind and your heart. Let
every cell within you find intimacy in your heavenly Father. Find all your
strength in Him. Don’t just be a fan of Jesus Christ, like on Facebook or
Twitter, be a follower. Make Jesus your King of kings and Lord of lords. Let His
love conquer any fear that creeps into your heart. Then you will be able to
love others in the same way God has loved you.
Again,
focus on the King’s love. Believe. Your heavenly Father is waiting on you to
surrender to Him. He is never too busy, and I guarantee you, He is not
sleeping. Imagine touching Jesus’ scars with your hands. Remember, the King died to defeat every fear
Satan will tempt you to believe. Don’t be seized with a knot in your stomach and
crippling doubts.
Let God’s
love indwell you. Put aside every anxious thought. You must choose to trust in the
King. There is no other way. Don’t
give up. Don’t give in. Don’t wait. Begin with reading Scripture and pray for
God’s help. Take captive every fearful thought, and give it to Jesus Christ.
Meditate on God’s Word. If you do this every time you become fearful, you can
claim victory over this in your life, but it will take time, especially if you
are prone to being fearful. Old habits die hard, and Satan is relentless. But
God will help if you are faithful in prayer and read your Bible.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
BOOK REVIEW: “Seventh Dimension – The Door: A Young Adult Fantasy” Five Stars from Readers' Favorite Reviewer Maria Beltran
Reviewed by Maria
Beltran for Readers’ Favorite
Five Stars
Seventh Dimension - The Door: A Young Adult Fantasy by Lorilyn Roberts is a young adult
fantasy novel about the adventures of Shale Snyder. Bullied at school and a product
of a broken family, she finds herself in an unusual situation when she is
transported to a garden paradise. She meets a donkey and a rabbit there who
inform her that she is in the garden of the king himself. There is trouble in
the garden, however, and Shale escapes to the seventh dimension together with a
dog. More adventures await her in the amazing place where she finds herself.
And in facing them, she is forced to look inside her heart. Hungry for love, will
she finally find it here?
What is surprising about this young adult
fantasy book is that although it is a fantasy story, it manages to deal with
the issues that confront our young people today. Shale Snyder, the main
character in the story, personifies many of the problematic young people in our
present society. This makes her a real person to me. Because of her background,
she longs for real love and she looks for it subconsciously. The talking animals
make this story a fable and I can imagine that it will be an entertaining read
for young people.
In Seventh Dimension - The Door, I think the author
Lorilyn Roberts intends to give young and rejected kids some hope that they
will find what they are looking for someday and hints where to find it. And the
reader also gets the extra bonus of going through a very entertaining book that
will surely tickle their imagination. There is no doubt that this book is a
must-read for people of all ages.
FREE on Amazon Kindle and across the web.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
BOOK MARKETING: HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE IN SALES DOES A GREAT BOOK COVER MAKE? by Lorilyn Roberts
 |
| Original cover on the left. Lisa Vento designed the cover on the right |
How much difference does a great book cover make when it comes to selling books? The one on the left is my original book cover of Seventh Dimension - The Door. I found the photograph at http://shutterstock.com and bought the license to use it. I then hired a professional to design the book cover. There is nothing wrong with my original cover on the left, but compared to the one on the right - what do you think?
How about some numbers to compare how many copies I sold of Seventh Dimension - The Door with the two different covers? From October 2012 through February 2013, I sold 118 books. From March 1 through March 17, with the new book cover, I sold 374 books. Seventh Dimension - The Door reached number one in Christian Fantasy, Christian Futuristic, and Religious Science Fiction & Fantasy on Amazon (Kindle version).
As you can see in the screenshot below, Amazon is now labeling Seventh Dimension - The Door a "#1 best seller." The only significant factor I can attribute the increase in sales to is the book cover. The number of reviews didn't change dramatically. I had three more reviews added in March (If you would like to review my book, let me know in the comments).
Who is the miracle worker that designed my new book cover? Her name is Lisa Vento. She was recommended to me by Jerry Jenkins.
Why settle for a mediocre book cover when you can hire someone to design a great book cover? I had no idea that an excellent book cover made that much difference in sales, but it does. If you would like to contact Lisa Vento or look at other book covers she has designed, her website is LisaVento.com
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
YOUNG-ADULT CHRISTIAN FANTASY NOVEL OFFERS HOPE, INSPIRATION FOR BULLIED AND TROUBLED TEENS: Press Release for “Seventh Dimension - The Door: A Young Adult Fantsy,” by Lorilyn Roberts
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Young-Adult
Christian Fantasy Novel Offers Hope, Inspiration for Bullied and Troubled
Teens
 GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 7, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- For every child who struggles with doubt, for every kid who has been bullied, for every teen who comes from a broken home, and for every young adult who longs to be understood - there is hope. Best-selling author Lorilyn Roberts shares once again the power of redemption in this Christian coming-of-age novel. Written in first-person, Seventh Dimension - The Door reads like a first-hand account by a young girl, Shale Snyder, who is treated unfairly by her family, school, and classmates. Fear distorts her sense of self-worth and she is enveloped with guilt because of a secret from her past. While on a sojourn similar to Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, Shale discovers talking animals and a handsome young man with whom she falls in love. Her journey is one of self-discovery as she battles personal demons, family conflict, and wicked underlings, and comes face-to-face with a personal decision she must make - bound up in the king she meets in first-century Israel. “I spent two years developing the plot,” says Roberts, “as part of my Masters in Creative Writing. I love the classics, particularly books by Charles Dickens, Fydor Dostoevsky, Emily Bronte, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I hoped to provide an entertaining story that would evoke deep spiritual longing.” Roberts adds, “I was a troubled child from a broken home on the road to juvenile delinquency - until I met the king.” From March 1 through March 16, Roberts is offering the Kindle version of Seventh Dimension - The Door for 99 cents. Order from the launch site and enter the drawing for a Kindle, a $50 Amazon gift card, and a $10 Starbucks card (no purchase is necessary for the raffle). About Author Lorilyn Roberts lives in Gainesville, Florida, with her two daughters from Nepal and Vietnam. Manisha’s and Joy’s adoption stories were told in her bestselling memoir “Children of Dreams.” Part of her family’s memoir was featured on Discovery Channel's “Monsters Inside Me.” You may learn more about Roberts by visiting her website at lorilynroberts.com. Roberts can also be found on Facebook at facebook.com/LorilynRoberts and Twitter at twitter.com/LorilynRoberts. Seventh Dimension - The Door A Young Adult Christian Fantasy LORILYN ROBERTS February 2012/Mass Market Original/Fiction $11.77 ISBN 9781480153905 Author Hometown: Gainesville, FL 32606 "Seventh Dimension - The Door, A Young Adult Christian Fantasy" (Create Space, $12.95, 230 pages, 35 reviews 4.7 stars 6 X 9, paperback, ISBN: 978- 1480153905), is available at Amazon. For more information, visit lorilynroberts.com To book radio appearances, see the number below Author Lorilyn Roberts Christian Newswire |
Monday, March 4, 2013
GUEST POST BY TEENA STEWART: The Treasure Seeker: Finding Love and Value In The Arms of Your Loving Heavenly Father
Guest Post by Teena Stewart
One of the toughest women's issues
is that many women, even the most outwardly self-assured ones, wrestle with
feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. Though women want to believe they have
value, messages bombard them daily, telling them that if they don’t look a
certain way, dress a certain way, drive a certain car, weigh a certain weight,
or work in a certain type of career, they have little value..
Stewart
casts God in the role of a heavenly Treasure Seeker who knows every woman’s true value and will stop at nothing to
recover her, His cherished one. He longs to come into a close, loving
relationship so that she can not only feel cherished but also cherish Him, the
greatest treasure of all.
Through practical truth this
Christian Living book will draw women closer to the Treasure Seeker who takes
on the role of Master Jeweler and lovingly shapes, refines, polishes, even
incorporating her flaws, to transform her into a jewel of stunning beauty. He
will help her find her remarkable true worth so that she becomes the dazzling
gemstone she was meant to be.
Unique accompaniments:
- Intriguing
treasure stories
- A
study of the "Lost" parables including the lost coin, the lost
sheep, the prodigal son, the treasure hidden in a field, and the pearl of
great price
- Points
to ponder at the end of each chapter for reflection and discussion
- A
chapter highlighting gemstone attributes allowing readers to determine
which gemstone they are most like
- A
Treasure Seeker Jewelry line created by author/artist Teena Stewart
available at a discount through her website when you purchase the book.
Enjoy an Excerpt from Teena Stewart's New Book
The Treasure Seeker
Viewed Through Expert Eyes
Let us cling
to him and never stop trusting him [Jesus]. This High Priest of ours
understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he
did not sin. (Hebrews 4:14–15 NLT)
God acts in the role of Treasure Seeker while searching
us out, but He also is a gemologist and master jeweler. Gemologists primarily
concern themselves with a gemstone’s characteristics. In what condition has the
stone been found? What are its attributes and inclusions? A gemologist also may
sell gemstones and provide appraisal services. Jewelers, on the other hand,
focus primarily on the settings and design in which a gemstone is placed. Some
jewelers also study gemology to become familiar with the properties of the
gemstones they handle.
A jeweler typically serves in an apprenticeship while
learning the craft. The Jewelers of America require jeweler apprentices to pass
written and “bench” tests on four levels, with certification being obtained on
each level. The fourth level of certification is the Certified Master Bench
Jeweler (CMBJ).1 The master jeweler is a skilled artisan who is an
expert in his or her field. He or she appraises, sets or resets, cleans,
designs settings for unset stones, redesigns old settings, sizes, and even
custom designs pieces upon request.
An artist has a trained eye to see space, color, texture,
and groupings to know what is aesthetically pleasing. A woodworker values the
grain and characteristics of the wood and knows how to shape, turn, and join
the wood together to make a beautiful piece. So it is with the Master Jeweler.
God delights in our makeup, much as a master jeweler appreciates the gemstones
and jewelry with which he works.
God Releases Our Radiance
Just as a master jeweler holds a stone under his scope to
see its clarity and beauty, our Master Jeweler can look into our hearts and see
our true nature. When we first come to Him, it is of a dark and cloudy
composition. But when we enter into a relationship with Him, the murkiness is
replaced with brilliance and clarity.
Our
gemstone nature is much like a mirror. A mirror cannot create its own light
source; rather, it bounces back light reflected into it. God designed us to
reflect God’s glory. When we do, sin is no longer obscuring the beauty God
instilled in us.
One of
the best examples of God’s glory literally being reflected is the story of
Moses on Mt. Sinai . He had been on the
top of the mountain in God’s presence while the Ten Commandments were being
transcribed. How anyone even could bear to be in the presence of such divinity
and majesty and live to tell about it still baffles me. Surely the Lord had to
hold back His true essence in order for Moses to be able to withstand it.
When
Moses descended the mountain, his face still reflected God’s holiness. His
countenance shown so brightly that the Israelites were afraid to come near Him.
The Scriptures describe his face as “radiant” (Ex. 34:29). The word used here
for “radiant” is the Hebrew word qaran2, which means to shine or send out
rays. If you ever have tried to look at a bright sky with unprotected eyes, you
know how painful it can be. You can’t stand to do it for long. Moses’ face
shone like the sun.
David
recognized the amazing transformation that comes from abiding in God’s
presence. He wrote, “Those who look to him are radiant. Their faces are never
covered with shame” (Psalm 34:5). In the King James translation, the word is “lightened.”
It comes from the Hebrew word nahar3. Who better to
understand transformation than a humble shepherd boy who had been made into a
great king? God had raised David up from a humble status and made him a
brilliant jewel to shine before Israel .
Though
David made mistakes, he never lost his sense of awe regarding God, and David
felt humbled by how God covered up David’s shortcomings. One could turn to God
without shame, illuminated by knowing that He is a compassionate, loving, and
forgiving God.
Paul, in Hebrews 1:3, wrote about Jesus’ radiance: “The
Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being,
sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purifications
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” In this
case, the word “radiance,” which is listed as “brightness” in the King James,
is the Greek word apaugasma4, which means reflected brightness. It can also mean shining
forth as rays shine forth from a light source.
Phillip
W. Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, talks about
radiance, which should shine forth from Christians’ inner light. He says,
“Almost every day I am literally rubbing shoulders with men and women ‘on the
other side of the fence.’ What is my impact on them? Is my life so serene, so
satisfying, so radiant because I walk and talk and live with God, that they
become envious? Do they see in me the benefits of being under Christ’s control?
Do they see something of Himself reflected in my conduct and character? Does my
life and conversation lead them to Him—and thus into life everlasting?”5
Just as Jesus is an exact representation of his Father,
reflecting His radiance, we become an exact representation of Christ when we
commit to a relationship with Him. When we allow the Master Jeweler to take us
into His hands and begin transforming us, we take on His nature. The more we
imitate our heavenly Father, the source of this light, the more radiant we
become.
Matthew 5:14
speaks about this light, calling us the light of the world and a city on a hill.
Our radiance hurts the eyes of a darkened world. It draws some people to the
beauty they see. Others can’t tolerate its presence and seek to snuff it out.
He is Captivated by Our Beauty
My love for books began when I was a young child. My
father, whose formal education went no further than high school, was a
self-educated man who loved to read. His books and children’s books lined our
enclosed back porch. I grew up in the era of Dr. Suess and P. D. Eastman.
I fondly
remember my older sister, Vicki’s, and my excitement when a new children’s book
would arrive in the mail. My mother, never one to be extravagant with money,
had for some reason determined this particular splurge to be a good investment,
and for that I always will be grateful. I recall one particular children’s book
series we had on our shelves. These rather thick books contained fairytales,
fables, and children’s stories. Countless times I thumbed through them, reading
and rereading favorites from these beloved stories.
One of my favorites was The Plain Princess by
Phillis McGinley. The king and queen spoiled and pampered their only child,
Esmeralda, the story’s main character. She had everything a royal child
possibly could want: a beautiful palace to live in and charming dresses and
toys. As Esmeralda grew older, her parents struck an agreement that she should
marry a certain prince. But the prince took little interest in the princess
because she lacked one thing a princess should surely have—beauty.
Physicians
and wizards attempted a variety of remedies to improve her looks, but none of
those with whom their royal majesties consulted were able to change the
princess’s appearance. In desperation, the king and queen placed an ad in the
paper, offering a generous reward to anyone who could help.
A
widowed mother with five children answered this ad and brought Esmeralda home
to live in her house. She soon put the princess to work, having her help clean
the house and care for the children. The more the princess learned to take the
focus off of herself, the more attractive she became. By the end of the story,
Esmeralda had been transformed from plain to beautiful. The transformation was
not merely a surface alteration, but one that came from the inside out. She
learned to care for others besides herself.
By the
time Esmerelda returned to the castle, she was a lovely, changed woman. The
obvious moral of the story—beauty comes from within.
Exterior
beauty doesn’t impress God; it is what is on the inside that matters. Like the
Master Jeweler who sees the exceptional beauty of a stone, He is enraptured by
us. He wants to have an intimate relationship with us. Like a lover captivated
by his beloved’s beauty, He can’t take His eyes from us.
The
issue of whether Song of Solomon, written by King Solomon to the Shulamite
woman, is merely a sensual love poem or something much deeper, describing the
intimate and exciting relationship the Father longs to have with us, has long
been debated. I believe that the book, like many other Scripture passages,
holds a two-fold message. First, it details the very intimate relationship
between two lovers, and second, it details the intimate we relationship God
desires to have with us.
Chapter
4, verse 1 reads, “How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your
eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending
from Mount Gilead
In the
movie Shallow Hal, the male lead
character played by Jack Black falls madly in love with a woman played by Gwyneth
Paltrow. He is smitten with her and, like the writer in Song of Solomon, gushes
to his friends about this woman’s beauty and lovely attributes. His friends
can’t make him see that the woman is actually grossly obese, and their
judgment, which is based on external appearances, causes them to view her as
both ugly and worthless.
Some
days I’m rumpled and bone-tired, with dark circles beneath my eyes. My face is
lined with age and fatigue. At my age, the beauty that once may have been there
now has faded considerably. And yet Jeff still will call me “pretty lady.”
Sometimes I think he needs to see an optometrist because I don’t think he’s
seeing all too clearly. He looks at me through rosy lenses.
True
love is like that, looking into the heart and holding the other person as dear
and lovely. This is the type of remarkable relationship the Father has with us.
He Recognizes Our Elegance
Dictionary.com
defines “elegance” as an elegant quality or a refinement. People who exemplify
elegance are in a class all their own. Culture, sophistication, beauty, and
charm together culminate into a unique aura called elegance. Women like
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Princess Diana
come to mind.
On the
other hand, I can think of many famous, beautiful women who do not embody
elegance. Some women, despite their looks and wealth, are actually very crass.
We read about their often-embarrassing exploits in the papers. Proverbs 11:22 cautions us, “Like a gold ring
in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”
Stanley
Marcus, in his book Quest for the Best,
defines elegance in this manner: “Elegance, to me, is a summary word denoting
the ultimate in beauty, craftsmanship, and quality—all put together with taste.
Elegance suggests selectivity, fitness, and authority—whether in decoration,
personal adornment, or manners.”5
Master
Jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé is renowned for designing elegant, golden jeweled
eggs for the household of Czar Nicholas of Russia. Each egg is an incredible
work of art in itself. The eggs’ beautiful, ornate exteriors are covered with
precious metals and enamel and are encrusted with priceless gemstones. Inside
of each egg is a surprise, often a masterpiece in miniature. Fabergé and his
team of craftsmen carefully designed and selected precisely the right gemstones
to adorn each unique egg. Each had to be fit for royalty. The care,
craftsmanship, and selectiveness Fabergé used when crafting each egg made his
name synonymous with luxury and elegance befitting royalty.
The
Master Jeweler sees in us exquisite elegance. He carefully hand-selected us,
His gemstones, as an adornment befitting a palace, and the king’s palace is
precisely where we will remain, a shining tribute to Him, magnifying His glory
for all eternity. Let us remember, then, while we remain in these fragile,
earthly vessels, always to conduct ourselves with restraint and refinement so
that others will be captivated by our unique aura of elegance and be drawn to
Him.
He is Convinced of Our Quality
“Your friend in the diamond business,” reads
the slogan for the Shane Company, a national jewelry chain. For a number of
years, the company’s slow-talking owner has appeared in radio ads promoting the
business’s quality and service. The company set itself apart from the average
jewelry store by claiming to avoid gimmicks, coupons, and sales. Instead, they
touted excellent everyday prices, quality, and service. Today, the Shane
Company has successfully branded itself as a trustworthy jeweler, a name
synonymous with superior gemstones.
John
Ruskin wrote: “Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of
intelligent effort. It is the will to produce a superior thing.”6 Quality
results from intentional, carefully-thought-out production and design.
During
the building of Solomon’s temple, King Solomon (1 Kings 5:17) decreed that only
the most costly stones were to be used for the temple’s foundation. The Hebrew
word yaqar7, which is used
in the passage, means costly. By dictating that only the most expensive stones
be used, Solomon knew he ensured that the selected stones would be the best of
the best. Every item that went into making the temple of the Lord was to be of
superior quality, making the structure of the temple itself an act of worship
to the heavenly king.
Like the
retail buyer who hand selects the fabrics and merchandise to be carried in his
chain of stores or the jeweler who insists on only purchasing the superior
grade of gemstones, God hand selected us and chose us from thousands of others.
He is confident that He has made an excellent choice, and well He should be,
for He is the one who designed and ordained our purpose from the onset.
Unfortunately,
many of us have difficulty believing we are indeed a quality gemstone. It is
one thing to be told we are an exceptional product and another entirely to
actually to believe it. Many women suffer from poor self-esteem. It only takes
one callous word or one seemingly insignificant incident for us to descend into
self-abasement. When we fall into these depressed patterns of thinking, we
really are lying to ourselves.
Self-loathing
grieves God, who wants only the best for us. Instead of self-abasement and
self-loathing, He envisions affirmation and joy. Our challenge, then, is to
remember that it’s not within God’s nature to make junk; therefore, we cannot
be what we often think we are.
Just as
God has instilled in us the best of the best, He also expects only the best
from us. First Corinthians 3:13 says, “His work will be shown for what it is,
because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the
fire will test the quality of
each man's work.” Does our work and our walk reflect the Master Jeweler’s
fineness? We should never forget to continue striving for excellence.
He Sees Beyond Our Flaws
The Master Jeweler
examines us with the eye of an expert. He clearly sees all of the lovely attributes
that make us so desirable: our radiance, beauty, elegance, and quality. But He
wouldn’t be an expert unless He also saw our weaknesses, including our flaws.
Though
the words “oversight” and “overlook” seem to hold nearly identical meanings,
they differ considerably. “Oversight” is when someone examines something but
misses a key factor. The person might have been distracted or careless when
doing the initial examination.
An
excellent example of this is the clearance rack at your local clothing store.
Many of us love a bargain, and you can’t beat the end-of-season clearance
deals. But you also have to be very careful when selecting clearance items. For
instance, you might find gads of one specific style and color in a blouse.
(What? You mean you don’t want that chartreuse size three blouse?) Or mixed in
with quality merchandise are sometimes irregular or damaged items. There have
been times when I’ve thought I’ve found a great bargain, only to arrive home to
find a pulled thread or missing button. Those instances were oversights on my
part. Great sale prices temporarily blinded me enough to make me overlook the
flaws.
But God
actually sees our flaws, and He purposely
overlooks them. We’ll talk more about this in a later chapter, but I think it
bears merit here, so we will examine why God overlooks them—why the one who is
without flaws is willing to overlook ours (Psalm 19:12).
First,
God overlooks our flaws because He doesn’t want our shortcomings to stand in
the way of our having a deep relationship with Him. Second, He knows that many
of these flaws have come about because of tough knocks we have been through in
life. They are a part of what makes us who we are.
J. B.
Yeats wrote, “Personality is born out of pain. It is the fire shut up in the
flint.”8 God knows our tough life experiences have an integral part
of our formation. They add to our beauty and can be
used to glorify God. He does not demand that they be eliminated because He
knows doing so will cause irreparable damage. Instead, He wants us to trust His
gentle touch and expertise as He works to make us into the treasure He knows we
can be.
{Call-out Box:
Treasure
and Gemstone Trivia
England
passed a law in 1283 that made it legal for only those of noble birth to wear
jewels.9}
Points to Ponder
1. How does it make you feel to
consider God as a Master Jeweler?
2. Can you think of any other scriptural examples of God’s glory and
radiance being revealed?
3. Have you ever met someone who
reflects God’s radiance?
4. How does it make you feel to know that God sees us as beautiful no
matter what we look like on the inside or outside?
5. What are some examples of
Jesus reflecting His Father’s radiance?
6. It is not in God’s nature to make anything lacking in quality. How
does knowing God made you make you feel?
********
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