Reflections of Lydia

Reflections of Lydia Note: Lydia of the New Testament Book of Acts was a purple dye worker and trader, and an evangelist sharing the Good News of the gospel of Christ. She is the central character in my upcoming historical novel, Lydia, Seller of Purple. “My name is Lydia. I have traveled from darkness to light. From Thyatira to Philippi. From sorrow to purpose and hope. “I thank God for my father who loved me, taught me the purple dye trade and helped me heal from my grief as a widow. He gave me new purpose, sending me to my uncle in Philippi who guided me into its bustling purple dye trade. It was a joy as it mirrored my childhood game—helping my Papa with processing the purple dye from the madder root. “Little did I know what awaited me in Philippi—healing born of meaningful work, dear friends, a new love, and most surprising, meeting …

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Rediscovering Books

A Re-discovered Novel During our COVID Sheltering in Place, many of us have evolved into book detectives, searching our bookshelves to solve the mystery of the misplaced book we loved and let get away, far into the dark recesses of that shelf. I’ve rediscovered the superb storyteller Jon Hassler. Grand Opening, a grand tale, is one of his best. Not your ordinary coming of age novel, Grand Opening’s young character, Dodger, is part rebel with a record and part sensitive, vulnerable and terribly misunderstood. Living in small town Minnesota during World War Two, he is shunned by many. Grocery store owners and newcomers Hank and Catherine Foster, son Brendan and Grandfather take in Dodger and offer him the opportunity for schooling and work in the store. Plum, an imaginary small town in Southwest Minnesota, is typical of many small towns, friendly on the surface, but at heart somewhat malicious. Reminiscent of Sinclair Lewis’ Main Street, …

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Why I Write About Women Bible Characters

  I find their stories compelling and providing many life lessons. In these women’s stories, we visit the New Testament churches and their church communities. There no one suffered in want, no one was isolated. Members of the Way (an early name for Christianity) shared their joys and sorrows and helped each other grow in their faith walks. Women of the Bible reveal that no one is perfect. Often they were called to ministries for which many could say, they were unqualified or ill-prepared. But God recognized their gifts and potential and helped them to develop those gifts and grow their ministry. Doubts regarding their calling and their own abilities surfaced, yet they found God’s grace more than sufficient to counter the doubts, gain confidence and successfully go forward in ministry. Joy was abundant in their lives of faith, but for every joy, there was sorrow, loss or danger. Life under Roman rule was not …

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Why I Write About Strong Women

My mother was a strong woman. A widow at age 40, she was a career high school English teacher, a church deacon and Sunday School superintendent. Most importantly she was both mother and father to me. Throughout my life, she demonstrated courage, a strong faith walk, and an unconditional love and belief in me. Observing the strength and faith of my mother helped me overcome my own self-doubt. My father died when I was a child and I locked a lot of myself away from then on. It wasn’t until my thirties, thinking more about the strength of my mother, that I was able to finally mourn and my confidence was set free. Strong women in literature have always intrigued me, especially those in the Bible. One in particular, Priscilla, is the main character in my historical novel A Woman to Reckon With: Priscilla of the Early Church. I could relate to her strength as …

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