THE FIRST TO REACH THEM WINS!

At Castleton Community Church, Indianapolis. If you can't read the screens, both read, "Every Child, Every Nation, Every Day," the slogan for Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF).

"The first to reach them wins." This was the theme at the annual dessert night for the Central Indiana Chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship.

 Is it any wonder why government backed education presents a godless worldview? Is it for the same reason China makes it illegal to take children under 18 to church? And is it coincidental that most Christians come to know Christ as children (yours truly at 9)?

CEF has a heart for reaching children. Here in the United States, they have Good News Clubs at public schools. For those who think that's violating the separation of church and state, the Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that Christian groups have equal access at schools as any other group.

But CEF's focus is not limited to North America. Their motto is "Every Child, Every Nation, Every Day." When Becky and I started getting involved with CEF's Central Indiana Chapter, there were only 17 nations that did not have trained workers working with children. It wasn't long after that the number dropped down to one (North Korea). That means there's CEF work going on in the majority of what Voice of the Martyrs designates as Restricted and Hostile Nations.

Some might say that children are too young to understand the Gospel. Charles Haddon Spurgeon disagrees. He stated that at 5, a child can understand the Gospel.

Before you object, CEF isn't alone in that view. The enemy might say it's too young, but what they mean is they want us to wait until after they indoctrinate them. There are ideas being taught the children that are for tack of a better term war against traditional values and the Christian faith.

Back in college, I read of a history textbook where two paragraphs were devoted to George Washington, compared to five pages to this great historical figure - Marilyn Monroe? That was in the '70's; has it improved today? 

Okay, enough pontificating. Let me get to the dessert night. The event was emceed by Randy Ollis, long-time and recently retired weather man of WISH TV. The featured speaker was WTHR-TV's anchorman Scott Swan. Scott did an excellent job pointing out the importance of grandparents and parents in training up children in the way they should go. We also heard of what's going on in our chapter. The Central Indiana Chapter encompasses 5 counties: Marion (which is synonomous with the City of Indianapolis), Hancock, Hamilton, Hendricks, and Boone. 

One last comment I want to make - I'd like to share the culture of CEF:

• The Importance of Godly Leadership at Every Level. Spiritual leadership is the highest form of authority. The men and women who lead must have a personal heart for God in order to be able to discern the will of God and lead the ministry effectively.  Regardless of the skill of a leader, if he or she lacks a heart for God, the work will be eroded at its very foundation.
• The Importance of the Spiritual Welfare of our Workers     It is vital that we are never satisfied to simply teach our staff the methods of how to reach children and how to train others to do so, but we must purposefully invest in the spiritual lives of our staff. When CEF staff are men and women who are primarily driven by passion for God and His glory and have a clear call from the Lord, the work will prosper. If we keep our focus on God and on His calling, then we will be sustained in times of challenge. 
• The Importance of Prayer as Our Foundation It is not the work we do, the meetings we hold or the decisions we make that bring the greatest advances in the work; it is the time spent before the throne of God in prayer, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that brings power, laborers and resources into the ministry. 
• The Importance of Evangelizing Children There is no limit to the number of organizations that do many good things that are important to boys and girls in need.  We are thankful for them and believe that God uses them to help hurting children. CEF, however, has been called by God to make it our highest priority to present the Gospel so children may be saved and discipled in God’s Word. We must stay on point. 
• The Importance of a Clear and Biblical Presentation of the Gospel The fact that a young child can comprehend the simple message of salvation and become a child of God is the foundational principle of CEF. Everything else that we do is based upon this fact. The good news of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. We must present it clearly and accurately. 
• The Importance of a Commitment to Excellence, for the Glory of God Every aspect of the work, no matter how big or small, has significance. This includes the training we conduct, the materials we produce, the facilities we use and the way we present ourselves. In every area we must strive for excellence to the glory of God!
   
  
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BOOK REVIEW - I WOULD DIE FOR YOU: ONE STUDENT'S STORY OF PASSION, SERVICE, & FAITH BY BRENT AND DEANNA HIGGINS

What does it look to live a life totally surrendered to God, being obedient to him? Is it possible to display such total abandon to our Creator? Is there an age limit on being too old ... or too young?

I Would Die For You: One Student's Story of Passion, Service, & Faith is the story of B.J. Higgins, a teenager who lived out his love for God and the world, with a call to missions. He spent two summers ministering in Peru, and returned home with an unknown but deadly disease.

B.J.'s parents, Brent and Deanna Higgins, wrote/edited this book. Besides their contributions, it includes several journal entries, devotionals, and blogs by B.J., as well as comments from family members, friends, B.J.'s fellow summer missionaries, and others such as Bart Millard of MercyMe. It also includes several photos of B.J.

This is not a negative, but I found this book a challenging read on several points. First, if you're human, a story about a teenager who dies will of course be a challenge. Second, I found the book being a collection of memories from various people than it would if it was written as typical prose and then having a few quotes at the end. Finally, it's a challenge for me to stand up and be counted, to take up my sword and serve God as He wills.

I highly recommend this book.

 

POST PRIMARY '23 THOUGHTS

Christians United Church, Indianapolis.

 

 After looking at the ballot for Tuesday's Republican primary, Becky asked if I wanted to run for City Council. 😱

Let me give a little background, and then I'll share some thoughts. 

We are in the city of Lawrence (Indiana), which is in Marion County; Marion County and Indianapolis are one in the same. Thus, I live in two different cities, represented by two mayors and five councilers (Indianapolis 10th district, Lawrence's 3rd, and three at-large Lawrence representatives. At the moment, all except the Lawrence mayor are Democrats.

I'm typing this on the day of the primary election. There were five candidates for Indianapolis Mayor on the Democrat side (including the incumbent, Joe Hogsett, running for his 3rd term) and four Republicans. For Lawrence Mayor there was one Republican and two Democrats (the Republican candidate probably finished due to term limits?). 

The primaries are over and I will predict that in the Council races, the Dems will maintain their majority in both Indy and Lawrence. Why? Out of the 25 seats in Indianapolis, 12 have no Republican candidate. In Lawrence, same is true for half of the half dozen districts; true, there's three at large seats which are contested, but if the Dems win either those three seats or two of the contested seats, they've got the majority.

Okay, that's enough for the background. My thoughts?

• Have the Republicans given up on Indianapolis (and Lawrence)? Is it better to save money and work on races that aren't expected to be won, or to fight on the ballot even when the odds are against them?
• Related. Is the thought that partisan control of a city does not make a difference as much as it does with state and federal government? Thus, is the GOP saving up for the seemingly more important races?
• If the Libertarians got aggressive and ran for every seat the Republicans are ignoring, would the voters there realize that there is an alternative to the Democrats and encourage them? Or do Republicans (and Democrats) think it's better to let the "bad guys" have control than to let the revolutionaries (e.g. third parties) provide some needed choices other than the two bullies?
• Are we heading to a point where a single party has control? And is there anyway that this is good for freedom? 
• We have open primaries where you can vote in one party's primary, even if you are probably voting for the other party in the November elections. Is that good, or should the selection of the November candidates be done by those registered in a certain party?
  
• The Republican running for Indy mayor spent 1 mil of his own money to get the nomination. With the money involved, is running for office any different than gambling? And does that make money spent in campaigns money that could be used more effectively elsewhere? 
• By the way, except in the case mentioned in the above paragraph, who pays for the Bully... I mean two major Parties' primaries? Yep, us taxpayers. Should we put an end to that?
  
• Let's move from the unimportant to matters of faith. As Christians, do we either a) ignore battles we should be fighting (should the Republicans and Libertarians make sure no seat is unchallenged) or b) spending time and money for earthly things (even in the church) instead of heavenly things (should the Republicans not challenging a seat being wise)?

Yes, of course I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions. And should I run for office? (Honestly, I think Becky would be a better candidate than me.)

THE NIGHT WATCH, REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON VAN RIJN

 PART 1 OF A 17 PART SERIES ON FAVORITE ART AND ARTISTS

"The Night Watch" by Rembrandt

Is it any surprise that when they named a car after an artist, they called it a Rembrandt? Why not a Van Gogh or a Dali or a Picasso? 

I'm starting this series with probably the best known artist I'll be covering. Is Rembrandt (1606-1669) my favorite painter? Almost - he's my second favorite (I'll be dealing with my favorite later, of course). He did my favorite Resurrection painting, "The Risen Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene"(see below).

My favorite Rembrandt is the one pictured above. I don't know why it's better known as "The Night Watch" rather than its proper title, "The Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch Preparing to March Out." 

One reason I like it is the large scale of it. Several of the people stand out. In fact, though I've been lifelong non-military (like my Dad and Grandfather), I would like to hang around this group of people. Well, I'm not sure about the guy in the red with a sword - I'm not sure I'd like to get in an argument with him.

Why do I like this picture? After thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that it's camaraderie. This group of people strike me as being a team. There is mutual loyalty between them.

Shouldn't the church be like that? We are facing spiritual warfare, but do we too often view ourselves as fighting our battle, rather that being united with our fellow believers with a common goal?  

Are you also a Rembrandt fan? If so, which paintings of his do you like? 

FESTIVALS, FATHER'S DAY, PROVIDENCE, PRAYER, SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND REVIVAL

Divine Martyr and ... Hey, who's the party crasher on the left?

 

With no children (nor nephews or nieces, and not surprisingly, no grandchildren) and both Becky's and my fathers gone, Father's Day isn't a big thing. But that leads me to a question: Am I, at 62.67 years old, too old to adopt a rock band, or maybe a Southern Gospel quartet? Or should I be content at being an Uncle.

And thus begins a blog where I hit several topics (in case you can't guess from the title).  And I took Father's Day out of order, but I'll keep going.

So:

FESTIVALS!!!  

I first heard of Kingdom Come Festival (KCF) last year, even though it has been going on for years about an hour's drive away. Didn't make it last year, and planned to this year. And the Saturday line-up had several bands I wanted to hear: True Revival, Forsaken Hero, Reclaim the Day, and Theody (all of which I've interviewed) as well as others. 

But then, I heard about Get To The Point Festival, which also had Reclaim the Day and five other acts, such as Divine Martyr who I'd miss out at KCF because they perform Friday. Plus, it was indoors instead of outdoors, half the distance that KCF is, and friendlier to Becky's and my schedule. (Festivals like this are more my style than Becky, and she's more into Southern Gospel.) 

So last Saturday (June 11, '22) I drove to the Point Church and Community Center and had the honor of hearing great music, by Inarticulate Bones and Brave WRSHP and the bands Tempus Unum, Hush Harbor, Divine Martyr, and Reclaim the Day. I got to hear great songs including Fear (Divine Martyr's latest), Relief (Tempus Unum, not yet available on streaming), Sentenced to Life (one of five excellent songs on Reclaim The Day's just released EP), and Testimony (Hush Harbor). 

But if you missed Get To The Point, then get to Kingdom Come! It starts tonight (June 16, '22) including interviewees Undefeated and Samuel Day, and as I said, is the following two days all day on two different stages!

PROVIDENCE

Technically, I could go to KCF, but I figured time wise I needed to choose between the two festivals. Well, two things happened after I decided to go to GTTP instead of KCF. First, I learned a friend of mine was having a retirement party when I would have been at KCF. Then this week, I was asked to help in the sound/camera booth at church during a funeral that again is at the same time of KCF. It seems God was pleased for me to enjoy a festival, and I chose the one I could attend.

PRAYER

So I won't be present at KCF but I will be there in spirit. Or to move from cliche to what I mean, I will be praying from here in Indianapolis while the concert is going on. I have my cell phone calendar ready to give a reminder so I can pray for my favorite artists as they're performing, as well as for KCF itself. Would you like to join me? I have the schedules for the two pages at the bottom of this blog so you can know who to pray for.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Are Christian musicians entertainers or ministers? I've always believed Christian artists, especially the cutting edge ones, are on the front line, invading the enemy's territory, and the enemy is ready to fight.

That belief was confirmed last week. Becca Sugg, lead vocalist for Reclaim the Day, fell and broke her nose and lacerrated her tongue. Was that a coincidence it was close enough to the concert she wondered if she could perform? I don't think so. Was it a spiritual attack? Good luck proving me it wasn't.

ENCOURAGEMENT

One of my heroes is Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement. I love encouraging Christians in ministry. Yes, that includes pastors and missionaries, but as I'm an artist (do you all know I've written songs, novels, and worked in ceramics and drawing?) I also like ... rather love to encourage Christian artists, be it authors, singers/bands, or visual artists.

I had the honor of meeting some of the musicians at the Festival, such as Reclaim the Day's Becca Suggs, Scott Shireman (Hush Harbor's drummer, and hopefully a soon to come interviewee) and Woody Hughes and Mark McKowen of Divine Martyr. Hopefully, I was able to be an encouragement by being there. 

REVIVAL

Actually, I could consider this to fall under "encouragement" except instead of me being the encourager, I'm being the encouragee. Several of the artists made it clear they would love to have non-Christians in the audience so they can hear the Gospel.

Since it was my first time at The Point, I may have been in the Sanctuary without realizing it. One hint were the altars on either side. Becca Sugg pointed them out and encouraged those who needed to get right with God or had prayer needs to make use of them.

Yep, this concern for the lost, and the love for others shown throughout the concert encouraged me. 

Are you going to Kingdom Come Festival? Have you gotten to hear any of the artists I mentioned or any that are listed on the schedule for KCF (including interviewees Gold Frankincense and Myrrh)? And a reminder to use the schedule as a prayer guide.

 

KCF 22 Main Stage Schedule

KCF 22 Redemption Stage Schedule

"WE ARE THE CHURCH... WE DO NOT RUN FROM WAR."

"Whisper His Name," Meghan Williams, Dyed4YouArt

 

The title of this blog is "borrowed" from the subject line of an e-mail from CBN NEWS, May 14, '22. 

As you would expect, this is dealing with the invasion of Ukraine. The CBN News' story is on Grace Church in Kiev, 6 miles from the Russian tanks, where they have prayer services every four hours and gather food and necessities for those in need. They believe the prayers will save both Ukraine and Russia.

Is this unusual behavior for the church of Jesus Christ? No. I remember during the time that Assad was allegedly attacking people in his own country, Christians were staying in Syria so they could minister to those who are in need.

Christians need to remember they're in the Spiritual War Zone 24/7. After all, do you expect Satan to remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy, regardless what day you call the Sabbath? Nope. We're on war footing, as President George W. Bush said we needed to be on after 9/11.

But what about so called Culture Wars? The problem is we see the enemy as physical, not spiritual. I remember Cal Thomas, in his book Blinded by Might: Can the Religious Right Save America? mentioning that during his time with the Moral Majority, they had a flier asking "Who's the greatest enemy of American society?" The Moral Majority's answer was Norman Lear. Thomas wanted to change the "Who" into "What" and answer the question "Divorce." He was onto something.

Remember above where the Ukranian church was praying for Russia? Shouldn't we pray for the people that seem to oppose us, that God would grant them repentance and that they may come to their senses (2 Tim. 2:25-26)? On the way to work, I drive by a pair of Gentlemen's clubs, one of which advertises coming events. I use that opportunity for God to save the people working there and that those businesses fail because those involved repent.

CHRISTIAN FAKE NEWS - CAN WE DO BETTER THAN THAT?

Pandemoneum, by John Martin

 I'll confess: I got dinged on Facebook for sharing a post that Fact Checkers found inaccurate. 

Yes, I know those fact checkers can be biased. I saw other stories that failed their tests, and the ones at the top of the list were stating a Conservative quote was false. But when I kept looking, I saw others pointing out the error of the liberal side.

In this case, I will raise my hand to acknowledge I'm guilty of the foul. I have no reason to appeal the ruling of the Fact Checkers.

The post I shared was stating a large number of Disney Plus Subscribers unsubscribing in a short time after the leak of the board meeting. The fact-checkers made this point - there was no way to access that information. Disney's numbers aren't due to be released for weeks, and they may not be.

The truth is we're involved in Spiritual warfare, and that reality overflows into culture wars. But are we using the world's weapons, and undermining our cause in the process?

I've remembered several waves, sometimes years apart, talking about atheist Madeline Murray O'Hair trying to get "In God we trust" removed and urging Christians to stand up against it. Each time, I remember other Christians pointing out that propaganda was not true.

In Blinded by Might: Can the Religious Right Save America, Cal Thomas pointed out that activists love having enemies, because that helps with fundraising. We need our white hats and they need black hats. 

Naturally, this doesn't at all resemble the command to love our enemies. The Greek word used is agapao, the same verb used in Christ's commandment for us to love one another (John 13:34-35) and for husbands to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25). It means to love in action without expecting anything in return.

It is ignoring Galatians 6:1-10 on numerous levels:

• It is not done in gentleness, and we aren't on guard to keep from being tempted (Galatians 6:1).
• It is heaping burdens on others (either their opponents or those who aren't joining their "holy" Crusade) instead of helping bear them (Galatians 6:2).
• It is thinking we're something, at least enough to judge and condemn others (Galatians 6:3) or in other words building our pride by tearing others down).
• It is sowing to the flesh (Galatians 6:7-8) instead of denying our self (Matthew 16:24) by judging others (Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 14:4; James 4:11-12).
• It is not done with a heart of doing good for all (Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:15).

Do you know what the worst part is? It is not showing Christ to others. It is portraying a God of vengeance towards our opponents, not a God who gave Himself, who died for our opponents while they were sinners (Romans 5:8).

I need to do better fact checking, but we also need to focus on winning others to Christ rather than fighting a holy war against the world by unholy means.

INTERVIEW WITH NOVELIST JODIE BAILEY

 

I've had the honor of interviewing several great novelists, including some of my favorites. On that list of favorites is Jodie Bailey. I was hooked on Dead Run, the first novel I read by her. Since then, I've had the honor of reading Compromised Identity, Mistaken Twin, Crossfire, Canyon Standoff ( with Valerie Hansen: a pair of novellas set at the Grand Canyon, not far from where I grew up), Fatal Identity (my favorite so far), and Deadly Cargo.

JR: Welcome to my blog, Jodie. It might be a cliche question in an author interview, but how did you get interested in writing?

JB: I can’t remember not writing. In elementary school, I used my grandmother’s typewriter so much that she bought me my own and, when she passed away, we found a drawer full of stories I’d typed on it. It’s something that’s always been in me and that I’ve always loved, though I never considered doing it as a career until I was 34. I was in a Bible study thinking, “Wow, how cool would it be to write about God as a job?” And it felt like he went, “Duh, girl. Why do you think you love writing so much? It’s about time you figured this out.”😀

JR: One thing I love about your novels is the how you work your faith thread organically into your stories. How did you come to faith in Christ, and how do you work your faith into your novels so effectively?

JB: First, how do I work my faith in? I don’t. I firmly believe that whatever is in you finds its way out. It comes through as an organic part of the story and the characters’ lives. I was blessed to grow up with a mother who didn’t only see God in certain places. She taught me that God is everywhere, all the time. I was young when I accepted Christ and He has always been a part of my life, but it has been very much like climbing a ladder. He is constantly growing me and changing me. I’ve had moments of doubt and of sliding, but He has always been so faithful to remind me that He loves me, and that will never change.

JR: In a couple of your books, you mention that your characters told you things about themselves. Could you tell us about interviewing characters for your stories?

JB: I sit and stare. A lot. I love music, so I think about what songs they might like. I picked up a method from Susan May Warren a couple of years ago, one that my friend Heidi told me about. I start with their darkest past moment, the worse moment of their lives. I look at how they overcame that and how they can keep growing from it. The story builds from there. It’s sometimes at our lowest that we see Jesus the most clearly, so that also helps with their faith journey. But sometimes, no matter how much I think I know them, they tell me something while I’m typing that I never saw coming. That’s when it gets fun.

JR: The most recent book I've read of yours was Deadly Cargo, part 5 of 8 in the Alaska K-9 Unity series, written by other authors, including a couple I've previously interviewed, Terri Reed and Laura Scott. First, what adjustments did you make in working with the other authors for this series. Second, out of curiosity, how much interaction and community is there with other authors, especially among those regularly featured by Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense?

JB: That was so much fun! And also some hard work! There were ten of us, I believe, ultimately writing that series. We had a giant email loop and were constantly asking questions and adding tidbits to each other’s stories. (The scene with the harmonica is one example…) Those comments and conversations added a lot of richness to our characters, I think. As for community, many of us know each other online, mostly through Facebook and email, where we talk and encourage and pray for one another. It’s a great group to be a part of.

JR: Besides faith, a lot of your stories have heroes who are in the military. Did you have background with the military? How does that help you deal with spiritual warfare?

JB: I grew up near a military base with ZERO connection. I just swore I’d never marry a soldier, not after knowing how much they owed and how the job can be. Uhm, don’t tell God what you won’t do. I married a soldier. :-) And I’m so blessed that I did. He’s incredible. We moved a lot. I learned to live without him when he was deployed or away training, and it made his returns special every time, because it reminded me how blessed I am to have him. 

As for spiritual warfare, it definitely puts a “face” to it, so to speak. Unless people are somehow connected to the military, they really have no idea what it actually looks like. We think of spiritual warfare as a full frontal assault every moment, sometimes, but it can often be an insidious sneak attack. A gradual wearing down. Sometimes our enemy is out front, guns blazing, thick of battle. Other times he’s close, pulling strings or lobbing smaller assaults that might go largely unnoticed. We need to recognize it and to have a plan off attack ready.

JR: Thank you for your time. What other novels do you have coming out? Any other news, and how can we keep up with your stories?

JB: There is always another novel coming out! Witness in Peril just released, which was a fun story that takes place in and around the Grand Canyon. In August, I have another K-9 continuity in the Rocky Mountain K-9 series, Defending from Danger. After that is Blown Cover, about an undercover agent who comes face to face with the ex-partner who betrayed her. I’m also working on two more books as we speak. There are always words going on the page! Updates are on my website, jodiebailey.com. Thanks for inviting me to chat! This has been fun!

INTERVIEW WITH YA FANTASY AUTHORS JACKIE CASTLE AND J. M. HACKMAN

"Lawful Authority" by Meghan Williams, Dyed4YouArt

 

I'm doing a first: I'm interviewing not one but two authors this time around. Jackie Castle and J. M. Hackman have written two of my favorite fantasy series: respectively The White Road Tales (6 novels plus some novellas) and the Firebrand Chronicles (3 novels). I thought it would be fun to interview both authors together and compare some of their thoughts.

One quick comment: the picture above is courtesy of Meghan Williams.  It has nothing to do with either of the fantasy series, but I thought it fit discussing that genre.

To make this easier to keep track of who's who, my print is in black, Jackie Castle's is in red, and J. M. Hackman's in blue.

JR: Let me start with the most important question first. If I need a combination companion, counselor, and chauffeur, which is the better option? A griffin like Arvandus or a centaur such as Lotari?

JC: Well, Lotari is not only a loyal companion and advisor, but he’s also a brave protector, as well. As far as the chauffeur, never ask a centaur for a ride: they get insulted when humans treat them like pack animals. However, because four legs are always faster than two, when they need to get somewhere, centaurs can be quite generous about offering a ride. Patience isn’t always a virtue with these creatures.

JH: Unlike a centaur, you can ride a griffin…if you’re bonded to each other.
Otherwise, you’re on your own. If you are bonded, though, you get all the benefits—wise, a little snark (a must when dealing with headstrong teens), and a fearsome protector. He’ll always have your back.

JR: Firebrands and Illuminates sound similar to each other. What are they? How are they alike and unlike?

J. M. Hackman (photo on left): In the Jasper Territory (a continent in the alternate world of Eventyr), everyone receives a gifting (or a talent) as they grow through puberty. Firebrands learn to create and manipulate fire with their bare hands, as well as heal using the warmth they create. It’s up to the user to decide how the talent will be used—for good or ill.

JC: In The White Road Chronicles, Illuminates are those gifted with the ability to glow. Their light can sometimes bring healing, or help a White Tree to flourish and produce fruit. Other Illuminates, called Empowered, can send power into their weapons or shoot bolts of light against the enemy.

JR: What was the inspiration of the White Road Tales and the Firebrand Chronicles?

Jackie Castle (photo on right): Wow, it’s been so long since I began the White Road journey. I remember having a dream about this girl that was trying to find her way home. She could glow and it was believed that she was a healer of the land. True story. I woke up and began wondering who that girl was and eventually, Alyra introduced herself. The White Road Chronicles is an allegory, in a way, of the Christian walk. We are given a path to follow, talents to see us through the challenges that arise during our journey, and if we’ll stay on our path, we will find safety and purpose. But how many of us truly stay on that narrow road all the time? It’s not as easy as it seems.

JH: I’ll be honest, Harry Potter inspired the Firebrand Chronicles. After finishing the Harry Potter series, I kept wondering three things: 

1) I believe God gives each person gifts, talents they’re to use for a specific purpose. What would it look like if an individual’s gift manifested itself in a more visible way, like being able to create fire?  

2) Where were the girls? Action-adventure tales gave us Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and the entire motley crew who ran off to Mordor, but where were the females who did heroic, amazing feats? And lastly  

3) How would a neurodiverse character change the world? Because there are very few example of neurodiversity in fantasy, I wanted to give readers an inside view of ADHD. The more representation there is, the more people understand.  

JR: What talents do the people in your fantasy realms have? How can they be identified?

JH: There are literally too many to name (just like here on Earth), but there are twelve more common talents: Firebrand, Waterbrand, Illusionbrand, Weatherbrand, Builderbrand, Metalbrand, Sensitive, Time Reeler, Warrior, Finder, Wisdom Trainer, and Visionary. (Phew!) Sometimes, it’s impossible to identify someone’s talent; other times, like with a Weatherbrand, it’s obvious.

JC: Some people are illuminates, healers, guides, leaders, builders, warriors, ect. The talents in my series are more organic, though some are more powerful than others. I’ve jotted down a few talents, but I learn of more as I go along with each new story.

JR: Could you tell me about your villains Darnell and Rune? What techniques do they have to try to overthrow the true ruler of the realm? Are there any similarities how these scoundrels are fought with the Spiritual warfare we Christians face?

JC: Darnel’s rise to power is being told in the Chronicles of Alburnium series I’m currently writing. In the White Road Chronicles, he has already risen to power. I can’t really give away how he is overthrown, but I will say that the best way to overthrow our enemies is to get over our fear of them.

JH: Rune’s been amassing followers as he plans to fulfill his father’s desire for a One World Territory. But to do so he needs more power to overthrow the true ruler, Emperor Rexson. So he’s also on a quest to own the three most powerful artifacts of the Jasper Territory—the Sacred Veil, the Stones of the Spring, and the Caelestis Staff. My main characters fight Rune by using their God-given talents. Aside from prayer, this is the best way we can fight evil.

JR: Thank you both for your time. Would you like to let us know what your current/future projects are and let us know how we can keep up to date with you?

JH: These were fun questions! Currently, I’m revising a futuristic Snow White retelling. Think Snow White meets Star Wars in the vein of the Lunar Chronicles. I’ve plotted three of the four additional books in that series, all retellings. I’ll be looking for an agent for this project soon. I just wish I could write faster! J

To keep up to date with me, sign up for my newsletter at www.jmhackman.com. I release a newsletter every month (usually ;-) ). I talk about books I’ve read, share my current projects, and have occasional giveaways!

JC: I am currently writing finishing the second trilogy in the Chronicles of Alburnium. This series still takes place in Alburnium, but at an earlier time in history when the land was divided into Provinces which were ruled by Regents. This series chronicles Darnel’s rise to power. There are a few familiar faces as the books progress, but the stories involve all original characters and situations. You can keep up with me and my writing at www.jackiecastle.com.